Explore the Bible Online

Romans 2:17-29

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

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. 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. 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? 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.

Romans 2:17-29 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Romans 2:17

Theological / Devotional

Behold. Gr. ide. Textual evidence favors (cf. p. 10) the reading ei de, “but if.” Ide and ei de are quite similar in appearance and sound. The reading “but if” strengthens the connection between vs. 17-20 and 21-24.

In his epistle thus far Paul has shown that the Gentiles have sinned. He has explained that Jews and Gentiles alike are subject to God’s impartial judgment. Now he proceeds to show that the Jews are guilty of the same sins and vices for which they are so ready to condemn the Gentiles. In this way Paul is proving that all men everywhere are under condemnation and in need of the righteousness and salvation revealed in the gospel.

Art called. Or, “call yourself,” “bear the name of.” Paul is saying, “Suppose you call yourself a Jew,” “What if you claim the name of Jew.”

Jew. The title “Jew” first occurs in 2 Kings 16:6 (see comment there). After the Babylonian captivity it became the national name of the Hebrew people. The Jews apparently took much pride in their name and nationality (Gal. 2:15; Rev. 2:9; 3:9); to be a Jew meant to be distinguished from the heathen and to enjoy special privileges (Rom. 9:4; Gal. 2:15). In his discussion of the guilt of the Jews, Paul momentarily admits their boasted privilege (Rom. 2:17, 18) and their assumed superiority over others (vs. 19, 20). Later he brings out the flagrant inconsistency between their lofty profession and their actual practice.

Restest in the law. Literally, “restest upon law.” The Jews had come to rely upon the mere possession of law as an assurance of God’s favor. They leaned upon the fact that they had the law and were thus distinguished from others, instead of using the law as a rule of life and a light to the conscience. The same Greek word here translated “restest” occurs in the LXX in Micah 3:11. “Yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.”

Makest thy boast of God. Literally, “boasts in God,” or “glories in God.” The Jews claimed to have a special relation to God, but instead of this relationship revealing itself in humble dependence and loyal obedience, it manifested itself in conceit and arrogance toward the people of other nations. This was a perversion of the glorying that God commends: “Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth” (Jer. 9:24). It is true that the Jews had been greatly privileged by their knowledge of God (Deut. 4:7). This should have been reason for gratitude rather than for idle boasting. Unfortunately, it is much more common to boast of privileges than to be thankful for them. It is no evidence of piety for a man to boast of his knowledge of God. A humble thankfulness that he has such knowledge, a thankfulness that leads him to desire that others may have the same privilege, is evidence of true piety in the life of the Christian.

By SdaBc