Romans Chapter 2
Romans Chapter 2
Ron Thomas, Highway Church of Christ, Sullivan, IL
This chapter is important because Paul makes his transition from the sin of the all men (chapter 1), to the hypocrisy of the Jews (chapter 2). I have used the outline “The Plea Rendered” and “The Plea Refuted” from the Outline Bible (Harold Wilmington, Tyndale Press) for I fin it useful in this chapter. The Jew did not think himself guilty and, thusly, he puts up a defense.
The Moral Person and God (Romans 2:1-16)
The wicked sins (done by wicked people) mentioned in the first chapter would get a Jew (Israelite) to give a hearty “amen.” That hearty amen that would be so quickly given is about to come to an abrupt stop for Paul now begins to make application to the Jews.
The Plea Rendered (Romans 2:1)
It is difficult to say, with precision, just who Paul is speaking about from verse 1. The first verse simply says, “…0 man, every one of you who judges.” By itself this can apply to any group of people or simply cover all people everywhere. We are not told that Paul is speaking to the Jews, but in Romans 1:17 he addresses them specifically. However, though Paul may not have addressed them in these early verses, it seems clear to me that he has them in mind. At the very least, if he does not have them in mind specifically, he is clearly moving in the direction of bringing them into the discussion. But, as I suggested, I certainly think Paul does include them now in the discussion. He wants them to understand that while the Jew may have thought he was innocent, Paul proceeds to say how he is not. Why would the Jew think he was innocent? Because God thought so much of the Jew (a Jew might think) that He gave them the Oracles of God. That must mean that God thought a lot of the Jewish people. This high-minded attitude of theirs was not a compliment to them.
The Plea Refuted (Romans 2:1-11)
Hypocrisy is not difficult to detect. When people see it, they take note of the hypocrite and avoid the hypocrite. The central idea in these verses is Paul assigning the word hypocrisy to those who call themselves Jews. The Jew was quick to pass judgment on the wicked Gentile, but quick to excuse self (as any hypocrite would). A hypocrite is continually “piling up” against self all those things that will ultimately come down upon him (cf. Numbers 32:23, 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16). In the ESV, verse 4 reads: “Or do you presume on the richness…” Note the word presume; when man begins to assume things that are not his right to assume, it is not long before trouble follows. If trouble does not follow soon, it will in time. Moreover, note what we learn of God’s nature (Romans 2:2-5): first, He will judge the hypocrite; second, the hypocrite will not escape God’s judgment; and third, God’s kindness, is meant to lead to repentance.
In verses Romans 2:6-11, I think two points are for us to notice: first, there is no partiality with God; second, for those who seek, they find. The hypocrite will be judged (Romans 2:1-5, Romans 2:8-9), but the righteous will be judged as well (Romans 2:7, Romans 2:10). For those who seek God’s glory, are patient in well-doing, God will give eternal life. Note the effort one has to make. These verses cause trouble for some (verses 7, 10); invariably a remark will be made about what Paul is not talking about. “Paul is not teaching salvation by works here…” we are told (Leon Morris quoting F.F. Bruce, p. 116). I find it interesting that some feel compelled to make remarks like this. Deaver is most certainly correct when he said, “This verse shows clearly that the kind of faith which saves the soul is that which compels works of righteousness, obedience” (p. 75). There are two classes of people “standing” before God. There are those who are interested in righteousness (Acts 10:34-35) and there are those who are not (cf. Acts 13:46). “The reward of eternal life…is promised to those who do not regard their good works as an end in themselves, but see them as marks not of human achievement but of hope in God. Their trust is not in their good works, but in God, the only source of glory, honor, and incorruption” (Harrison, quoting Barrett, EBC, p. 29).
As Paul now begins to make a pertinent application to the Jews, he does not want them to lose sight of the fact that they presumed that because God had chosen them as His covenant people that would make them all right as long as they did those things God commanded – good works, you might say. Paul said this was not the case; God will render the proper judgment—it will be according to their works and their motivation. He will show NO partiality.
The Law of Nature (Romans 2:12-16)
The point of this paragraph (Romans 2:12-16) is to show that each category (of people) will perish according to that which God has given them. Whether one has the Law (of Moses) or not sin exists (Romans 2:12-13). While the Gentile did not have the Law of Moses, it could not be said that they had no sin against them—for the Lord said they did. The Jew thought that since he had the Law (of Moses), God would look favorably upon him and overlook whatever sin might be against him. However, merely having the Law did not make the Jew righteous. Why? Because the Lord expected one to obey the Law from the heart and many of the Jews did not; rather, they obeyed it outwardly. The Jew would hear what the Law said (cf. Deuteronomy 30:10), but he would not do it (obey, cf. Deuteronomy 10:12-16). God looked unfavorably upon this. Now what about the Gentile (Romans 2:14-16)? Paul, in making this application to the Jews, contrasts the Gentiles. The Gentiles who lived according to the standard of the Law (even though they did not have the Law – God never gave it to them) was in better position than the Jew who had the Law. They were in better position because the Gentiles were doing the things of the Law on account of the fact that it was in their heart to do them. Those Gentiles who were living by the standard of God’s Law (given to the Israelites) were doing so because of where their heart was. Even though the Law was not given to the Gentiles, sin was still present. This little paragraph establishes the principle that God never designed the Law of Moses to save man (cf. Acts 13:39), for the just will live by faith!
But, what about when Paul said “doers of the law will be justified”? That does not say anything about faith? Just because one is justified by faith, that does not take away the obligation to obey the commands of God. Also, when we say one is justified by faith, we do not mean faith only. The Scriptures do not teach salvation by faith only. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might…And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.’ (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Deuteronomy 6:24-25, ESV).
The approach to God is all-important. The Jew thought he was righteous because God gave the Law of Moses to them. A Gentile could not have been righteous because they did not have the Law, they thought. In truth, however, a person is righteous because God declares a person to be righteous, and not because a Law was given, which is what many of the Jews failed to appreciate.
The Religious Person and God (Romans 2:17-29)
The Jew and hypocrisy (Romans 2:17-24)
The Jews had a problem with hypocrisy – not unlike other of us! They wanted to identify wrong in another, and not look at it in self. Paul makes this clear with his series of emphatic remarks. In verse 18, Paul speaks of the Jew knowing God’s will (contrast this with verse 14), but this not translating into the doing of His will. Nevertheless, the Jews did not think of themselves as guilty. While the Jew may not have thought of himself as being guilty, he was nevertheless. Paul asked a series of questions that are easily answered. With each answer, the guilt is readily seen. Because of their guilt, the holy name of God was blasphemed (cf. Ezekiel 36:16-21).
What value would there be to circumcision then? Circumcision was a sign of the covenant God had with Abraham and the Israelite nation (Genesis 17:10-14). Circumcision done in the flesh had greater value when circumcision was accomplished in the heart (cf. Genesis 15:6). Thus, the value of it is found in relation to the heart’s desire. When the males were circumcised, they (and their family) entered into covenant relationship with God. The value of this sign is in the metaphor “seal.” The male was obligated to obey that which the Lord obligated him to obey, and if he did not, then he was outside the “ark of safety.” His “seal,” you might say, sprung a leak. Whatever value was inside would then be gone because of the heart’s desire. On the other hand, if a Jew was completely devoted to God, then his circumcision was of tremendous value. His covenant relationship with God would be affirmed on the Day of Judgment (Romans 2:16). But circumcision, in and of itself, was valueless. In other words, there was no significance to a male simply to be circumcised – that would not save him. Unfortunately, many Jews thought they would be saved because of it. The value of circumcision was in what God did and what He required of man in response. Circumcision was a matter of the heart as well as the foreskin for the Jew.
The Jew and the Gentile (Romans 2:25-29)
If one “broke” the law, circumcision would be valueless. To “break” the Law, in this context, is to live in opposition to it (cf. 2 Samuel 22:22). By living in opposition to it, we are talking about hearing the Law, but not living as Abraham lived (cf. Romans 4:23-25). This is important to understand. Paul is NOT talking about perfect obedience to the Law, for that was an impossibility. He is talking abut trusting in the Lord. It has never been God’s desire that His children sin even one time, but He was quite aware of the fact they would. That is why He did what He did in human history. Again, the Jew/Gentile relationship is highlighted. While the Jew thought he had covenant relationship with God because of circumcision, it was the Gentile who, if he obeyed from the heart the precepts of the Law, actually (figuratively) had a circumcised heart – in contrast to a Jew. If Gentiles lived this way, they would judge the Jew, and this was unthinkable (to a Jew)! It is here that Paul makes his point: a Jew is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, spiritual and not literal. His praise is not from men but from God (Romans 2:29, RSV).
It is at this point I want us to understand that the denominational concept of “works religion” is completely amiss. The denominational man has completely misunderstood Paul’s point in Romans. Paul’s point was NOT that when one obeyed the commands of God, he was obeying a “works religion.” Paul was talking about obeying God without a circumcised heart (this is what many of the Jews did). Anytime a person obeys any of God’s commands without a heart devoted to God, that person has not obeyed God. If a person obeys with a heart devoted to God, that person will not be doing a “works” religion, it is not possible. Rather, he will be living by faith
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