Romans 2
The Condemnation of the Moralist
1 Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.
Most of the Roman church was Gentiles. The Bible divides humanity into two groups, the Jews and the Gentiles. However, the Greeks divided themselves into two different groups as well, the Greeks and the Barbarians. The Greeks were those of the hellenized culture who spoke Greek and had access to the Greek classics. The Barbarians were those who did not speak Greek. They did not possess Greek law, Greek culture, Greek hellenization, Greek language, or Greek literature. The Greeks would agree with Paul that the barbarians were pagan, lost, and evil. However, the cultured Greeks did not look upon themselves in the same way. They looked upon themselves as a favored society that was blessed by God. Paul entered the Roman court room again to prove that the cultured Greeks were in the same lost position as the Barbarians.
The cultured Greeks were without excuse. They judged the Barbarians as being lost to God, because of their evil behavior. However, the cultured Greeks were doing the same evil things as the Barbarians that they were accusing. They lived a life as though God did not exist. God had given the cultured Greeks air, food, water, housing, and clothing, but the cultured Greeks refused to thank God. The Greeks had more light than the Barbarians, meaning that their sin was even greater.
2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things.
God's standard of judgment is based upon truth. If pagans or cultured Gentiles do not meet God's holy standards, then they will be judged by truth.
3 And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment?
The Greeks loved athletic events, but they loved debate and argument even more. Coliseums would fill when two intellectual debaters came into town. The whole Greek language was based upon winning an argument. This is why God chose the Greek language to record his New Testament Bible doctrines. The Greek language is so specific, that bible doctrine cannot be twisted around to take on a different meaning than what God intended.
Paul used some of the debating tactics of the Greek philosophers to drive home his point. He created an imaginary opponent who would ask questions. Paul would then answer these questions, just like he was in a Greek amphitheater in front of a large audience.
The question by the imaginary opponent was asked to the cultured Greek. The "you" is emphatic, meaning that the imaginary opponent is pointing his finger at the cultured Greek. The imaginary opponent asked the cultured Greek, "Do you emphatically think that you can accuse the Barbarians of sin, when you are doing the same exact thing? Do you think that you will escape God's judgment?"
4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
The imaginary opponent asked the cultured Greeks some more questions, "Do you not understand that God is extremely rich and that he has given you many things? Do you not understand how kind God has been to you? Do you not understand how patient God has been with you? Do you not know that when God is this kind to you, that you should thank him and change your attitude about him?"
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed!
The cultured Greeks, just like the pagans, were stubborn in that they were living a godless life, meaning a life where they pretended that God does not exist. They refused to change their attitude about God. Therefore, their cup of iniquity was beginning to fill. It would soon overflow. God was patient with the cultured Greeks, but he was also storing up his wrath. He was giving them a chance to change their attitude, but if they refused to do so, then God would have no choice but to judge them with his wrath. This judgment will not be pleasant for them.
6 He will reward each one according to his works:
When the cultured Greeks live a life as though God does not exist, then they can only produce human good works, which are dirty menstrual rags to God (isaiah 65). Those who have never heard of Christ will be judged by their works. If they commit at least one sin in their life, one bad thought, if one time in their life they do not follow God's will, then they will be pronounced guilty and sentenced to eternal death in the Lake of Fire.
7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality,
Those who are justified are those who believe in the death, resurrection, and atonement of Christ. They will not be judged by their works, but by their position in Christ. When God sees the justified believer, he does not see the sins of the believer, but instead, he sees the righteousness of Christ. Justified believers will produce divine good works according to their biblical maturity in the Scriptures. However, they will not be judged by these works. Instead, they will be judged by their eternal position in Christ. They will receive eternal life in heaven.
8 but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness.
Those who are not justified will be judged by their works and sent to the Lake of Fire.
9 There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek,
The good and bad judgment applies also to the Jew first, and then the Gentile. Jews receive double punishment for their sins, because they were given more light.
10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek.
The believing Jews will also receive special blessings during the Millennial Kingdom.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
God does not show favoritism. It does not matter if one is Jew or Gentile. God will punish sin and reward righteousness.
12 For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
The unbelieving Jews will be judged upon their inability to keep the Mosaic Law. Gentiles will be judged upon the light that was given to their conscience.
13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous.
Gentiles are not judged, because they did not know the Mosaic Law. Jews are not saved, because they were given the Mosaic Law.
14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves.
Every culture throughout history has known that murder is wrong.
15 They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them,
The reason that murder is wrong is because God wrote it on the hearts of every human being in every culture in every era of history. Man's conscience testifies in court that every man knew about God and knew about what was right and wrong. Therefore, man testifies against himself that he is guilty before God.
16 on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.
The cultured Greeks who have never heard of Christ will be judged one day at the Great White Throne Judgment. Their own consciences will testify against them. God will send them to the Lake of Fire.
The Condemnation of the Jew
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relationship to God
The Greeks divided themselves into two classes, the Barbarians and the Greeks. However, the Bible divides humanity into two classes, the Jews and the Gentiles. Paul entered the courtroom again. This time, he testified against his own people, the Jews.
The name of "Jew" comes from Judah, meaning "praise". The Jews had more light than the Gentiles, as they were given the Mosaic Law. They should have praised God and taken this knowledge to the Gentiles so that the Gentiles could have praised God as well.
18 and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law,
The Jews boasted that they were more special than the Gentiles, because they had revelation from God that the Gentiles did not possess.
19 and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
The Jews believed that the Gentiles were blind. Therefore, the Jews were to be a guide to the blind Gentiles. They were to provide light to the Gentiles so that they could see that they were living in darkness.
20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth –
The Jews boasted that they were the teachers of the dumb and senseless Gentiles. The Jews boasted that they were to teach the Gentiles just as they were little children. The Jews boasted that they had the truth, but they believed that this made them superior to the Gentiles.
21 therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
The imaginary opponent was asking the Jews some embarrassing questions, such as "Why do you teach the Gentiles not to do the things that you are doing? Who is teaching you not to do these things that the Gentiles are doing? Why do you preach against stealing, when you are a thief yourself?"
22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
The imaginary opponents asked some more embarrassing questions to the Jews, "How can Jewish adulterers teach Gentiles not to commit adultery?
Most of the Romans kept their money at banks that were located and secured inside of pagan temples. The pagan gods were supposed to protect the money. Jews wanted to disprove that idols did not exist, so they would rob from the pagan temples and keep the money for themselves. The Gentiles knew about this practice, which caused them to see the Jews as hypocrites. Thus, these same Jewish thieves would teach the Gentiles not to steal.
23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law!
The Jews boasted that they were keeping the Mosaic Law, but they were actually breaking the Law, which brought dishonor to God.
24 For just as it is written, “the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
The Gentiles were saying, "How can we follow your God when you cannot even follow him?"
25 For circumcision has its value if you practice the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become un-circumcision.
Circumcision of itself did not bring any special privileges to the Jews. The Mishnah taught that "All Israel will have a share in the kingdom to come." This meant that all Jews who were circumcised would be saved. However, the rabbi had to change this law after the emergence of Jewish Christians. They did not want a law that brought Jewish Christians into heaven. Their new teaching was that when a Hebrew Christian dies, an angel comes along and puts the circumcision back on the Hebrew Christian.
The point was that if a Jew was uncircumcised and he broke the Mosaic Law, then he was positionally in the same position as a pagan who is headed to the Lake of Fire. Therefore, it was impossible to keep the Mosaic Law.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man obeys the righteous requirements of the law, will not his un-circumcision be regarded as circumcision?
In other words, if a wife loses her wedding ring, does that mean that she is no longer married? God will judge the believing Gentile in the same manner that he would judge a believing, circumcised Jew.
27 And will not the physically uncircumcised man who keeps the law judge you who, despite the written code and circumcision, transgress the law?
The Gentile who is an uncircumcised believer will judge the Jew who is circumcised but an unbeliever in the Messiah. This was revolutionary teaching, because the Jews believed that they were superior to Gentiles.
28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh,
Pharisees taught that a true Jew was one who was circumcised outwardly.
29 but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit and not by the written code. This person’s praise is not from people but from God.
Paul taught that a true Jew was one who was circumcised outwardly and inwardly. To be circumcised inward, the Jew had to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.
