The Vanity of the Believer
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Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
Paul clarifies here that he is speaking directly the the Jews.
“Restest” = rest upon or rely on
Why are the Jews relying on the law? For exemption from final judgement. (Passover)
And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
Paul then begins describing the attributes and public actions of the Jews; of which they were most proud.
Act “proud” as you read the verses
He mentions their confidence in being a “guide of the blind”. God calls himself a guide of the blind in Isaiah 42:16 .
The Jews viewed themselves as morally superior because of their appearance of adherence to the Law.
This is described in verse 20 as the “form of knowledge and of the truth in the law”.
Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
The Jew’s hypocrisy is exposed.
Paul asks a very pointed rhetorical question in verse 21; “don’t you teach yourself”?
The next two verses give examples of the Jews hypocrisy; stealing, adultery, idol worship.
Paul critiques the Jews for failing to uphold the law that they posses, teach and boast in.
The modern day version of this is: “A good Christian is one that does “this list” of things; while we as Christians fail to do those things.
Paul then sets up a one-two punch in verse 23. He starts by pointing out that when they break the law they are blaspheming God.
Paul concludes that Jews do the very thing that the ungodly do: dishonor God (see Rom 1:21). The law doesn’t exempt Jews from judgment.1
1 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Ro 2:23.
For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
Paul quotes Isa 52:5 (see also Ezekiel 36:20) and lands the second blow by showing the Jews that by claiming to represent holiness they are blaspheming the One who is Holy. They are misrepresenting God to the world.
I think this is a more real description of what it means to take God’s name in vain.
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
2:25 circumcision This practice was closely connected to the covenant and to Jewish identity. Paul argues that circumcision loses its value for those who disobey the rest of the law. Circumcision proves that a person did not act out of ignorance when they transgressed; they knew the requirements of the law and still broke it. The outward sign of circumcision does not reflect faithfulness in the inward life.1
Our appearance (holiness) as proclaiming Christians is nullified when we sin (hypocrisy).
We cannot represent Christ to the world by touting our own righteousness.
God is blasphemed if the truth of Christianity is determined by who WE are what WE do.
1 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Ro 2:25.
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
2:29 circumcision is of the heart Emphasizes genuine loyalty to God, becoming obedient with mind as well as body. Paul alludes to the prophecy of Jeremiah, who warned the people of Judah to circumcise their hearts (see Jer 4:4 and note; compare Jer 9:25–26). Christ is the one who does this work (Col 2:11; Eph 2:11; Phil 3:3).1
by the Spirit, not by the letter This might represent a contrast between the new covenant (the Spirit) and the old covenant (the written code or letter). In Romans 7–8, Paul describes the transfer from life under the law to life under the Spirit. The contrast also refers to the inability of the “letter” to change the heart and the transformative work of the Spirit in the believer’s life (see 7:6; 2 Cor 3:6).2
Christ didn’t come to abolish the law, he came to fulfill it.
He was and is the ONLY one who could fulfill the full commandment of the law. His fulfillment allows God’s righteous judgement of sin to pass over those who have placed their faith in Christ.
The change in our hearts does not come through diligent adherence to rules, implementation of standards, or righteous actions of our own. It comes ONLY through the work of the Spirit after we have placed our faith in Christ alone.
1 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Ro 2:29.
2 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Ro 2:29
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
3:23 all have sinned
Both Jews and Gentiles have failed to live up to God’s standard; sin is universal.
As a result, God’s provision of righteousness by faith, as opposed to law or race, relates to all people.
glory of God In Jewish tradition, God created humanity in His likeness to reflect His glory But when Adam sinned, humanity lost the reflection of God’s image.
3:24 being justified To be justified means to be set right or declared righteous. It refers to both the acquittal of all charges and the provision of right status before God. Justification stands in contrast to condemnation (see v. 7).
redemption The Greek word used here, apolytrōsis, refers to the act of freeing a slave or prisoner by payment. People were enslaved to sin, so God offered His Son as the payment to “redeem” them (vv. 25; 8:32; compare Isa 53:12).1
1 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Ro 3:23–24.
In Christ we are redeemed. We are free!