Romans 2
Summary for Rom 2:1-5: 2:1-5 a You is singular in the Greek. Here, the you is a hypothetical complacent Jew, who feels superior to Gentiles and in no danger of judgment. Paul adopts a popular Hellenistic style called a diatribe, in which a writer tries to win over an audience to his views by portraying a debate between himself and a hypothetical opponent.• these very same things: Paul’s point is that Jews, like Gentiles, turn from God’s revelation to go their own way.
2:4 b Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? Behind Paul’s question are Jewish passages (e.g., Wisdom of Solomon 12–15; cp. Jer 7:1-5 c; Amos 5:18-27 d) that portray a prevalent Jewish complacency toward judgment. Many Jews thought that because they were God’s people, they did not need to worry about judgment, for their sins would not be punished as the sins of Gentiles would be. Paul emphasizes that God’s grace was intended to turn the Jews from their sin, not to condone a sinful lifestyle.
Summary for Rom 2:6-11: 2:6-11 e Paul uses a chiasm (“X” arrangement) to make his point: A God judges everyone the same (2:6 f) B Life is the reward for doing good (2:7 g) C Wrath is the penalty for evil (2:8 h) C′ Wrath for doing evil (2:9 i) B′ Life for doing good (2:10 j) A′ God shows no favoritism (2:11 k)
2:7 l He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good: Paul makes it clear elsewhere that no one can receive eternal life except as God’s gift through faith (3:20 m, 28 n; 4:1-8 o). Here, Paul is either referring to Christians whose good deeds (that result from faith) will be taken into account in God’s judgment, or he is reminding readers of the absolute standard that God’s own holiness establishes, since only by perfection can sinners hope to find acceptance before God. As the argument of the letter unfolds, Paul will show that no one is capable of meeting that standard.
2:8 p Live for themselves translates a rare Greek word (eritheia) that seems to convey the idea of selfish ambition or strife. Using this word, Aristotle scolded the politicians of his day for seeking public office for selfish gain rather than from a desire to serve the people (Aristotle, Politics 5.3; see also 2 Cor 12:20 q; Gal 5:20 r; Phil 1:17 s; 2:3 t; Jas 3:14 u, 16 v).
2:12 w destroyed: This common New Testament word describes the fate of the wicked after death (see also 9:22 x; 14:15 y; 1 Cor 1:18 z; 15:18 aa; 2 Cor 2:15 ab; 4:3 ac; Phil 1:28 ad; 3:19 ae; 2 Thes 2:10 af; 1 Tim 6:9 ag). Condemned sinners do not cease to exist, but they suffer eternal punishment, which includes the everlasting destruction of all good in their identity and experience.
• the Jews, who do have God’s law: The Jews were given the law of Moses, while the Gentiles never had God’s written law. In the New Testament period, Jews emphasized their possession of the law as a mark of God’s favor and even as a guarantee of salvation.
2:13 ah obeying the law ... makes us right in his sight: Regarding the promise of righteousness through obedience, see 2:7 ai; see also Jas 1:22 aj.
Summary for Rom 2:14-15: 2:14-15 ak The Gentiles who know his law when they instinctively obey it may be Gentile Christians, especially since written in their hearts (2:15 al) alludes to the prophecy of the new covenant (Jer 31:31-34 am). Or they could be non-Christian Gentiles who know God’s general moral law through their consciences. In this case, Paul would be using the notion of natural law to show how all people could be held accountable for certain basic moral requirements.
2:16 an secret life (literally the hidden things): Scripture frequently stresses that God will judge people according to their thoughts and intentions (see 1 Sam 16:7 ao; Ps 139:1-2 ap; Jer 17:10 aq).
Summary for Rom 2:17-20: 2:17-20 ar The boasting of the Jews reflects Old Testament and Jewish teaching about the privileges and responsibilities God gave to Israel. God gave his law to Israel, entered into a special relationship with them, and commissioned them to be a light to the Gentiles (see Isa 42:6-7 as). Jews were not wrong to enjoy these blessings; their error was in failing to live up to their privileged position.
Summary for Rom 2:21-22: 2:21-22 at Paul again uses the diatribe style to expose the inconsistency of Jewish claims (see study note on 2:1-5).
2:22 au do you use items stolen from pagan temples? Old Testament law prohibited Jews from having anything to do with pagan idols (see Deut 7:26 av), but first-century Jews did not strictly follow this law. Sometimes they stole idols and used or sold the precious metals.
2:24 aw Paul quotes Isa 52:5 ax, where God’s name is blasphemed because Israel is oppressed by pagan nations. Here, Paul uses that passage to demonstrate the failure of the Jews to live up to their responsibilities.
2:25 ay God instituted the Jewish ceremony of circumcision as a sign of his covenant with Abraham; it was to be performed on every male Israelite child (Gen 17:9-13 az; see Rom 4:11 ba). Circumcision therefore represents God’s covenant with his people Israel. The rite took on greater significance during the intertestamental period when the pagan king Antiochus IV Epiphanes tried to stamp out the Jewish faith by forbidding circumcision and other Jewish practices. The Jews resisted in the famous Maccabean Revolt (166–160 BC). After they restored the worship of the Lord in Israel, the Jews regarded circumcision as a highly prized mark of Jewish loyalty in the midst of a pagan culture.
2:26 bb won’t God declare them to be his own people? Paul might be speaking of Gentile Christians who are God’s people because they obey God’s law, or he could be speaking hypothetically about what would happen if a Gentile perfectly obeyed God’s law.
2:29 bc The letter of the law refers to the law of God written on tablets of stone (see 2 Cor 3:3 bd), while the Spirit now writes his law on people’s hearts (Jer 31:33-34 be). Outward conformity is thus contrasted with obedience motivated by a change of heart.
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