Romans 2:17-29
Summary for Rom 2:17-20: 2:17-20 a 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 b). 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 c Paul again uses the diatribe style to expose the inconsistency of Jewish claims (see study note on 2:1-5).
2:22 d 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 e), but first-century Jews did not strictly follow this law. Sometimes they stole idols and used or sold the precious metals.
2:24 f Paul quotes Isa 52:5 g, 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 h 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 i; see Rom 4:11 j). 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 k 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 l The letter of the law refers to the law of God written on tablets of stone (see 2 Cor 3:3 m), while the Spirit now writes his law on people’s hearts (Jer 31:33-34 n). Outward conformity is thus contrasted with obedience motivated by a change of heart.
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