27 And G2532 shall not G2919 uncircumcision G203 which is by G1537 nature, G5449 if it fulfil G5055 the law, G3551 judge G2919 thee, G4571 who by G1223 the letter G1121 and G2532 circumcision G4061 dost transgress G3848 the law? G3551
The men G435 of Nineveh G3536 shall rise G450 in G1722 judgment G2920 with G3326 this G5026 generation, G1074 and G2532 shall condemn G2632 it: G846 because G3754 they repented G3340 at G1519 the preaching G2782 of Jonas; G2495 and, G2532 behold, G2400 a greater than G4119 Jonas G2495 is here. G5602 The queen G938 of the south G3558 shall rise up G1453 in G1722 the judgment G2920 with G3326 this G5026 generation, G1074 and G2532 shall condemn G2632 it: G846 for G3754 she came G2064 from G1537 the uttermost parts G4009 of the earth G1093 to hear G191 the wisdom G4678 of Solomon; G4672 and, G2532 behold, G2400 a greater than G4119 Solomon G4672 is here. G5602
As I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 Sodom H5467 thy sister H269 hath not done, H6213 she nor her daughters, H1323 as thou hast done, H6213 thou and thy daughters. H1323 Behold, this was the iniquity H5771 of thy sister H269 Sodom, H5467 pride, H1347 fulness H7653 of bread, H3899 and abundance H7962 of idleness H8252 was in her and in her daughters, H1323 neither did she strengthen H2388 the hand H3027 of the poor H6041 and needy. H34 And they were haughty, H1361 and committed H6213 abomination H8441 before H6440 me: therefore I took them away H5493 as I saw H7200 good. Neither hath Samaria H8111 committed H2398 half H2677 of thy sins; H2403 but thou hast multiplied H7235 thine abominations H8441 more than they, H2007 and hast justified H6663 thy sisters H269 in all thine abominations H8441 which thou hast done. H6213 Thou also, which hast judged H6419 thy sisters, H269 bear H5375 thine own shame H3639 for thy sins H2403 that thou hast committed more abominable H8581 than they: H2004 they are more righteous H6663 than thou: yea, be thou confounded H954 also, and bear H5375 thy shame, H3639 in that thou hast justified H6663 thy sisters. H269
Think G3543 not G3361 that G3754 I am come G2064 to destroy G2647 the law, G3551 or G2228 the prophets: G4396 I am G2064 not G3756 come G2064 to destroy, G2647 but G235 to fulfil. G4137 For G1063 verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Till G2193 G302 heaven G3772 and G2532 earth G1093 pass, G3928 one G1520 jot G2503 or G2228 one G3391 tittle G2762 shall in no wise G3364 pass G3928 from G575 the law, G3551 till G2193 G302 all G3956 be fulfilled. G1096 Whosoever G3739 G1437 therefore G3767 shall break G3089 one G3391 of these G5130 least G1646 commandments, G1785 and G2532 shall teach G1321 men G444 so, G3779 he shall be called G2564 the least G1646 in G1722 the kingdom G932 of heaven: G3772 but G1161 whosoever G3739 G302 shall do G4160 and G2532 teach G1321 them, the same G3778 shall be called G2564 great G3173 in G1722 the kingdom G932 of heaven. G3772 For G1063 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 That G3754 except G3362 your G5216 righteousness G1343 shall exceed G4052 G4119 the righteousness of the scribes G1122 and G2532 Pharisees, G5330 ye shall in no case G3364 enter G1525 into G1519 the kingdom G932 of heaven. G3772
But G1161 now G3570 we are delivered G2673 from G575 the law, G3551 that being dead G599 G599 wherein G1722 G3739 we were held; G2722 that G5620 we G2248 should serve G1398 in G1722 newness G2538 of spirit, G4151 and G2532 not G3756 in the oldness G3821 of the letter. G1121 What G5101 shall we say G2046 then? G3767 Is the law G3551 sin? G266 God forbid. G3361 G1096 Nay, G235 I had G1097 not G3756 known G1097 sin, G266 but G1508 by G1223 the law: G3551 for G1063 G5037 I had G1492 not G3756 known G1492 lust, G1939 except G1508 the law G3551 had said, G3004 Thou shalt G1937 not G3756 covet. G1937 But G1161 sin, G266 taking G2983 occasion G874 by G1223 the commandment, G1785 wrought G2716 in G1722 me G1698 all manner of G3956 concupiscence. G1939 For G1063 without G5565 the law G3551 sin G266 was dead. G3498
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Romans 2
Commentary on Romans 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Ro 2:1-29. The Jew under Like Condemnation with the Gentile.
From those without, the apostle now turns to those within the pale of revealed religion, the self-righteous Jews, who looked down upon the uncovenanted heathen as beyond the pale of God's mercies, within which they deemed themselves secure, however inconsistent their life may be. Alas! what multitudes wrap themselves up in like fatal confidence, who occupy the corresponding position in the Christian Church!
4. the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance—that is, is designed and adapted to do so.
5. treasurest up unto thyself wrath against—rather "in."
the day of wrath—that is wrath to come on thee in the day of wrath. What an awful idea is here expressed—that the sinner himself is amassing, like hoarded treasure, an ever accumulating stock of divine wrath, to burst upon him in "the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God!" And this is said not of the reckless, but of those who boasted of their purity of faith and life.
7-10. To them who, &c.—The substance of these verses is that the final judgment will turn upon character alone.
by patient continuance in well-doing, &c.—Compare Lu 8:15: "That on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience"; denoting the enduring and progressive character of the new life.
8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, &c.—referring to such keen and determined resistance to the Gospel as he himself had too painfully witnessed on the part of his own countrymen. (See Ac 13:44-46; 17:5, 13; 18:6, 12; and compare 1Th 2:15, 16).
indignation and wrath—in the bosom of a sin-avenging God.
9. Tribulation and anguish—the effect of these in the sinner himself.
10. to the Jew first—first in perdition if unfaithful; but if obedient to the truth, first in salvation (Ro 2:10).
12. For as many as have sinned—not "as many as have sinned at all," but, "as many as are found in sin" at the judgment of the great day (as the whole context shows).
without law—that is, without the advantage of a positive Revelation.
shall also perish without law—exempt from the charge of rejecting or disregarding it.
and as many as have sinned in the law—within the pale of a positive, written Revelation.
shall be judged by the law—tried and condemned by the higher standard of that written Revelation.
13-15. For not the hearers, &c.—As touching the Jews, in whose ears the written law is continually resounding, the condemnation of as many of them as are found sinners at the last involves no difficulty; but even as respects the heathen, who are strangers to the law in its positive and written form—since they show how deeply it is engraven on their moral nature, which witnesses within them for righteousness and against iniquity, accusing or condemning them according as they violate or obey its stern dictates—their condemnation also for all the sin in which they live and die will carry its dreadful echo in their own breasts.
15. their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing—that is, perhaps by turns doing both.
16. In the day, &c.—Here the unfinished statement of Ro 2:12 is resumed and closed.
shall judge the secrets of men—here specially referring to the unfathomed depths of hypocrisy in the self-righteous whom the apostle had to deal with. (See Ec 12:14; 1Co 4:5).
according to my gospel—to my teaching as a preacher of the Gospel.
17-24. Behold—"But if" is, beyond doubt, the true reading here. (It differs but in a single letter from the received reading, and the sense is the same).
18. approvest the things that are excellent—"triest the things that differ" (Margin). Both senses are good, and indeed the former is but the result of the latter action. (See on Php 1:10).
20. hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law—not being left, as the heathen are, to vague conjecture on divine things, but favored with definite and precise information from heaven.
22. thou that abhorrest idols—as the Jews did ever after their captivity, though bent on them before.
dost thou commit sacrilege?—not, as some excellent interpreters, "dost thou rob idol temples?" but more generally, as we take it, "dost thou profane holy things?" (as in Mt 21:12, 13, and in other ways).
24. as it is written—(See Isa 52:5, Marginal reference).
25-29. For circumcision—that is, One's being within the covenant of which circumcision was the outward sign and seal.
verily profiteth, if thou keep the law—if the inward reality correspond to the outward sign.
but if, &c.—that is, "Otherwise, thou art no better than the uncircumcised heathen."
26. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the … law, &c.—Two mistaken interpretations, we think, are given of these words: First, that the case here supposed is an impossible one, and put merely for illustration [Haldane, Chalmers, Hodge]; second that it is the case of the heathen who may and do please God when they act, as has been and is done, up to the light of nature [Grotius, Olshausen, &c.]. The first interpretation is, in our judgment, unnatural; the second, opposed to the apostle's own teaching. But the case here put is, we think, such as that of Cornelius (Ac 10:1-48), who, though outside the external pale of God's covenant, yet having come to the knowledge of the truths contained in it, do manifest the grace of the covenant without the seal of it, and exemplify the character and walk of Abraham's children, though not called by the name of Abraham. Thus, this is but another way of announcing that God was about to show the insufficiency of the mere badge of the Abrahamic covenant, by calling from among the Gentiles a seed of Abraham that had never received the seal of circumcision (see on Ga 5:6); and this interpretation is confirmed by all that follows.
28. he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, &c.—In other words, the name of "Jew" and the rite of "circumcision" were designed but as outward symbols of a separation from the irreligious and ungodly world unto holy devotedness in heart and life to the God of salvation. Where this is realized, the signs are full of significance; but where it is not, they are worse than useless.
Note, (1) It is a sad mark of depravity when all that is designed and fitted to melt only hardens the heart (Ro 2:4, and compare 2Pe 3:9; Ec 8:11). (2) Amidst all the inequalities of religious opportunity measured out to men, and the mysterious bearing of this upon their character and destiny for eternity, the same great principles of judgment, in a form suited to their respective discipline, will be applied to all, and perfect equity will be seen to reign throughout every stage of the divine administration (Ro 2:11-16). (3) "The law written on the heart" (Ro 2:14, 15)—or the Ethics of Natural Theology—may be said to be the one deep foundation on which all revealed religion reposes; and see on Ro 1:19, 20, where we have what we may call its other foundation—the Physics and Metaphysics of Natural Theology. The testimony of these two passages is to the theologian invaluable, while in the breast of every teachable Christian it wakens such deep echoes as are inexpressibly solemn and precious. (4) High religious professions are a fearful aggravation of the inconsistencies of such as make them (Ro 2:17-24). See 2Sa 12:14. (5) As no external privileges, or badge of discipleship, will shield the unholy from the wrath of God, so neither will the want of them shut out from the kingdom of heaven such as have experienced without them that change of heart which the seals of God's covenant were designed to mark. In the sight of the great Searcher of hearts, the Judge of quick and dead, the renovation of the character in heart and life is all in all. In view of this, have not all baptized, sacramented disciples of the Lord Jesus, who "profess that they know God, but in works deny Him," need to tremble—who, under the guise of friends, are "the enemies of the cross of Christ?"