ROMANS 2:17-20

So far in Romans, we’ve seen mankind’s condition of corruption and rebellion against God in chapter 1:18-32. Then we’ve seen that the people who consider themselves moral and look down on others are no better, in chapter 2:1-16. Now Paul addresses the Jews, who had the only religion that God ever gave, and he shows they are also condemned before God because of their heart attitude. The Jew’s religion set Israel apart from all other nations, Deut 4:5-8, but we’ll see that even that God-given religion could not save a person, Rom 9:31,32.

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

(Vs 17.) Paul addresses those who are "called"a Jew. In verses 28 & 29 he explains that not all those called Jews are real Jews. A similar situation today would be people who are called Christian but are not saved.

The Jews of Paul’s time "rested" in the law. They depended on the religious works of the law to save them. According to Rom 3:20 does that work? Similarly today, many "Christians" depend on their religion to save them, but have no knowledge of, or faith in, the word of God.

The Jews "boasted" of God. They felt superior because of their religion, and ignored their responsibility to others. Is 65:2-5 shows how God viewed Israel’s attitude.

(Vs 18.) Was this verse a true boast? By being instructed by the word of God, (which was the law at the time before Paul), can one know God’s will and choose things that are more excellent? Rom 12:2; Phil 1:9,10; Col 1:9,10

(Vs 19-20) These verses describe God’s true purpose for Israel. They were to be His nation of priests, (Ex 19:5,6) to teach His word to the other nations, (Is 2:1-4) and to be His light in the world, (Is 60:1-3 & 62:1,2; Mat 5:14) They will be this in the earthly kingdom, but up to the time of Paul, they had failed miserably due to their human nature, (Rom 8:3a). They had only a "form of knowledge and of the truth" because they did not believe it. Heb 4:2

21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

(Vs 21-22) There is nothing wrong with teaching, or with preaching against stealing, adultery and idolatry, but one better watch his motives and example. In Mat 23 Jesus exposes what Israel’s leaders were doing. Which of these things do you see in today’s religions?

Notice how instead of accusing people, Paul uses questions so they might see their own guilt.

(Vs 23 - 24) Israel caused God’s name to be blasphemed (spoken badly of) among the other nations by their bad example, Ez 36:16-23. Today, we are God’s ambassadors, (II Cor 5:19,20) as Israel was His witness in the past age, (Is 43:1,10). Paul warns us too, not to cause God’s name to be blasphemed. See Titus 2:5-10. By "minding earthly things" we can actually be an "enemy of the cross", (Phil 3:18,19). Paul tells us to abstain from even the "appearance of evil", (I Thes 5:22). Do you think today’s church has done any better at representing God than Israel did?

25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

Circumcision represented the Jew’s religion contained in God’s law. The Jews didn’t think they needed anything further. But just having God’s law was useless if they didn’t believe and keep it. So their religion didn’t make them any better than anyone else.

Circumcision was first given to Abraham and his physical decedents in Gen 17:9-14 as a token, in their flesh, of the covenant between them and God. Physical circumcision represented the spiritual condition that God desired in them, Deut 10:12-16, and which God will do for them in their earthly kingdom, (Deut 30:5,6; Ez 36:26-28) It is interesting to compare their future circumcision of the heart, to the circumcision we have today in Col 2:11 and Phil 3:3. What differences do you see?

28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

29 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.

Verse 29 is often used to say that we Gentiles are now spiritual Israel. But by reading this verse in it’s context, as we have just done, it is obvious that Paul is speaking of Jews, not Gentiles. All physical Jews were not real Jews. Real Jews were those who were circumcised in the heart and spirit (mind), as well as in the flesh. See also Rev 2:9 & 3:9.

The heart is that part of the soul that contains our beliefs. We can know and understand things with our spirit, (I Cor 2:11) but when we believe something, it becomes part of our heart. Pr 23:7a. A true believer of any age can depend on praise from God who sees his heart, but not from men. I Cor 4:3-5.

M. Dent

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