Romans 2:1[]
1Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
That word therefore refers back to the previous context. It is a word showing that what comes next is a conclusion of the previous words.
Paul is not saying that it is wrong to judge, period. He is saying that it is wrong for those caught up in those evil acts to judge others for doing the same things. Just like Matt. 7, it is a condemnation of hypocritical judging only.
Also, it is important to reiterate that the main focus of these accusations are against the Jews (see chapter 1) who left God to worship idols. John 7:24 and 1 Cor. 6:2-3 among other passages teach that it is a Christians duty to judge others righteously (using the scriptures as the standard of judgment).
Romans 2:2[]
2But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
God’s judgment is according to His will, the truth, that which was prophesied in scripture. We see this judgment against the Israelites/Jews spoken in places like Lev. 26, Duet. 32, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and in fact almost the entire OT.
Romans 2:3[]
3And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Paul speaks as if to the hypocritical judge, the Jews (e.g. the Pharisees). He warns them that they will not escape judgment (specifically the judgment against the nation, which was coming soon, that destroyed their capital, their temple, and ended them as a nation and a religion in AD 67-73.
Romans 2:4[]
4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Within this context, Paul is asking if those who rejected God for idols (the nation of Israel) despise God’s forbearance and longsuffering toward them. God wanted the Jews to repent and turn back to Him. Hewaited 40 years after they crucified His Son so that all those who would, converted to Christianity.
Romans 2:5[]
5But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Remember, Paul is still speaking to this “oh man” that is representative of the Jews. Though he writing to the Romans, he is teaching them by writing to this hypothetical man, which is the Jews.
He does this to set up some of the later topics he discusses in the letter. As in most of his letters, Paul is combating the influence of Judaizers in the church at Rome.
But the Jews, specifically the leaders (king, high priest, Sanhedrin Council – sun, moon, and stars) did not repent. Instead, they harden set themselves up to fall when judgment came against Israel. We see this in verses like Acts 2:40; Matt. 23-25; and many passages where both Jesus and the apostles tried to preach to the Jews and warn them of their destruction if they did not repent (Luke 13:3).
Romans 2:6[]
6Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
God’s judgment against the Jews would be based on their deeds (good or bad) just as it always has been, just as it always will be for all men.
That word “deeds” is another word for “works” in case I was being too subtle.
Romans 2:7[]
7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Paul here teaches that those who continue in doing good (that’s more works, guys) with patience, they can look forward to glory, honor, immortality and yes, even eternal life. Essentially Paul IS saying that one must continue to remain faithful to go to Heaven, thus denying the Once Saved Always Saved doctrines.What kind of works? Works of obedience. Keep reading.
Romans 2:8[]
8But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Paul is essentially teaching two types of people here:1. Those who obey the truth and who will thus have eternal life.2. Everyone else who are those who obey unrighteousness. For this class, their end is wrath and the opposite of glory.
Romans 2:9[]
9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Again, those that DO evil receive a horrible end. This phrase “the Jew first, and also of the Gentile” is because this is how the gospel was to be preached. The Jews had the first opportunity to obey the gospel, but ultimately there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile under the New Covenant. They either obey the New Law or they face God’s wrath.
Romans 2:10[]
10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
And how many think that Paul is against works of all kinds? How many times does Paul have to say things like this? To those who do good works, whether Jew or non-Jew, glory, honour, peace (eternal life, andall those other good things too).
Romans 2:11[]
11For there is no respect of persons with God.
God does not show partiality with regard to salvation towards any man based on nationality. This is especially important with regard to the Jews because of their history and their purpose. The Jews thought they were all that AND a bag of chips, but it was because they did not understand why God chose them, what He chose them for.
Romans 2:12[]
12For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Paul continues with the two types of people, Jew and non-Jew. Those who sinned without THE law are the Gentiles. Those who have sinned in THE law are the Jews. The only reference that fits here in the context of Jew and Gentile is the Old Mosaical Law.
For the rest of this letter, when Paul refers to THE law without any kind of qualification, he is referring to the Old Mosaical Law. That and nothing else.
Romans 2:13[]
13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Uh oh. More working to be justified. This statement is in regard to the means of justification under the Mosaical Law. Those who keep the law, the whole law, are justified, not just those who hear it growing up (the Jews).
Romans 2:14[]
14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
This is an important verse for establishing the premise that Paul is only referring to the Old Mosaical Law. This verse makes no sense if it is speaking of the concept of law in general. It MUST be speaking of the Old Law (prior to the cross of course).
This verse is also important for showing that man is not inherently evil. The Gentiles, who in general did not have the law of Moses, still were created in the image of God. They still understood the basics of moral truth and abided by it. We see this in men like Jethro (Moses father in law), Abraham, Melchizadek, Noah, and Cornelius to name a few.
Romans 2:15[]
15Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
The Gentiles understood moral truth which was contained within the Mosaical law. They had consciences as part of their human design and were able to judge one another based on this moral truth “without the law”.
Romans 2:16[]
16In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
During the time before the cross, Gentiles could look forward to salvation at the cross just as the Jews did, by following the moral truth established at the Creation of the universe (Gen. 1-3). When Christ arrived, those Gentiles who had DONE righteousness (without the law of Moses) would then be saved. We sometimes refer to this as Christ’s blood flowing backwards from the cross.
Romans 2:17[]
17Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
Again, this has to be the law of Moses. No other reference makes any sense. The Jews thought they were better than anyone else because their national law came directly from God. They did not understand their purpose, why God had called them out to be a special people. Therefore the Jews boasted in their bloodline and their adherence to that old, flawed, law that ultimately could not save, only condemn.
Romans 2:18[]
18And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
The Jews should have known God’s will. They should have understood their purpose and realized who Christ was because they had the law of Moses to tell them. To the Gentile, they had no such specific knowledge. They only had their consciences as guides and whatever revelation God gave through their patriarchs.
Romans 2:19-20[]
19And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth inthe law.
The Jews viewed themselves as teachers of those who are ignorant of the pattern of knowledge, of truth in the Mosaical law, however…
Romans 2:21[]
21Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
They failed to learn the lessons of that law for themselves. What’s more, they actually considered themselves above the law of Moses (thou shalt not steal) because they stole from others (generally using their positions of authority).
Romans 2:22[]
22Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Again, more from the ten commandments identifying THE law as the Old Mosaical Law.
Romans 2:23[]
23Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
These Jews then boasted about being masters of the Mosaical Law and strict adherents to it, but in truth they went beyond the law (e.g. Mark 7:11) and dishonored the one who gave them that law.
Romans 2:24[]
24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
Those who were outside of the law of Moses looked at the Jews and saw them for what they were, hypocrites. They claimed to have the authority of Jehovah, but instead had added to His law which was expressly forbidden (Deut. 4:2). Got a lot of that going on today.
Romans 2:25[]
25For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
This is entirely reference to the law of Moses. It says that physical circumcision, which the Judiazers were making a big deal out of to the Gentile Christians (Acts 15:1-24; Gal. 2:3), is nothing if one did not live by the law of Moses (the only law to which circumcision pertained).
Romans 2:26[]
26Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
Logically then, those who were not under the law of Moses, the Gentiles, if they kept to the standard of moral truth contained in the law by conscience, their lack of physical circumcision was no barrier and it was as if they were circumcised.
Paul is setting up a foundation here to talk about the way things are under the NT in contrast to the teachings of the Judiazers.
Romans 2:27[]
27And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
Then the Gentiles who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law of Moses by conscience, judge the Jews who are physically circumcised but do not keep the law of Moses.
Romans 2:28[]
28For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29But 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.
The real Jew, the real children of God, are not those who are only Jews physically. Those who are the true Israel, the true children of God, are those who obey God from the heart (Rom. 6:16-18), who worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Those who do not seek the praise of men, but the praise of God.
Folks, if you don’t get the foundation laid out here in chapter 2, the Jew vs. Gentile, those who lived by the law of Moses and those who lived outside of it, then you will not understand the rest of the letter correctly. If you do not understand, or willfully reject this point, don’t bother reading further.
In Truth and Love
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Romans 2