The Grace Commentary – Your free verse-by-verse Bible commentary Romans 2

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Romerne 2:1

Derfor har I ingen undskyldning, enhver af jer, som fælder dom, for i det, som I dømmer en anden, fordømmer I jer selv; for jer, der dømmer, gør de samme ting.

(en) Therefore. Paul has just described a world that has rejected God and become cruel and depraved. Now, he pauses for a beat because he knows some will say, “I am not like those sinners. I am a good person, and I keep the commands of God.” And Paul responds, “Okay, let’s talk about you for a minute.”

(b) No excuse. The defense of the self-righteous—“At least I am better than others”—falls apart two ways. First, by seeking to justify yourself, you are showing contempt for the kindness of God and storing up wrath for the Day of Judgment (verses 4–5). Second, if you have such a well-developed sense of right and wrong that you can find fault in others, how can you not see your own shortcomings?

(c) You who passes judgment. When we judge others as sinners, we are acting unlike God. God is patient and kind (Rom. 2:4). He desires to show mercy, not judgment (Rom. 11:32). If anyone had a right to judge sinners, it was Jesus. Yet he went around befriending sinners and defending them from their accusers.

(d) You condemn yourself. When we condemn others as sinners, we condemn ourselves because none of us has lived up to God’s perfect standard. To judge others according to the law is a game for hypocrites, for the law condemns even the best of us.

(e) You who judge practice the same things. The self-righteous like to draw a line between Us and Them, but when it comes to sin, we are all Them. You may not bow down to idols in a temple, but if you are greedy and covetous, you are an idolater (Col. 3:5). You may not have committed adultery and murder, but if you’ve thought about it, you’ve as good as done in it in your heart (Matt. 5:21–22, 27–28).

Romans 2:2

And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.

(en) Judgment. Condemnation. The original noun krima is a neutral word that means “decision” or “verdict,” but the context implies a condemning verdict.

(b) The judgment of God rightly falls. A just God cannot turn a blind eye to ungodliness and unrighteousness (Rom. 1:18).

Romans 2:3

But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?

(en) Do you suppose this. “Do you think that God is going to separate you—a sinner—from all the other sinners just because you judge everyone else as worse than you?” There are good sinners and bad sinners, but all are sinners alike. No one is righteous (Rom. 3:10).

(b) O man. “O sinner.” Technically, the original noun anthrōpos means “human.” But to be part of Adam’s family is to be a sinner (Rom. 5:12).

(c) When you pass judgment. When you play the judgment game, you are setting yourself up for judgment. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged” (Matt. 7:2). Don’t go there. It’s far better to trust in the righteousness of God than to rely on your self-righteousness.

(d) Judgment of God; se indgang for Rom. 2:5.

Romerne 2:4

Eller tænker du let på rigdommen i hans venlighed og tolerance og tålmodighed, uden at vide, at Guds godhed fører dig til omvendelse?

(en) Do you think lightly. “Do you have such a low view of God’s grace that you think he will overlook your self-righteousness? Do you not know that his grace is meant to set you free from that doomed way of life?”

(b) Riches. The original noun ploutos is one of Paul’s favorite words for describing the riches or abundance of God’s kindness, grace, and mercy (Rom. 9:23, Eph. 1:7, 2:7). The word means “wealth,” “fullness,” or “abundance.” God’s grace and kindness do not dribble out of heaven like a summer shower. They thunder down upon us like an endless waterfall.

(c) Kindness. God cares for us. He understands our plight and has done everything in his power to save us from the consequences of our sin. The kindness of God reveals both his love and righteousness. Because God loves the world, he is kind even to the ungrateful and the wicked (Luke 6:34). Because he is righteous, he justifies and adopts the ungodly (Rom. 4:5, 8:15).

When we tell people about God, we need to proclaim his goodness and kindness. If we portray God as a judge and bookkeeper, we will turn people away. But people are attracted to the goodness of God.

(d) Tolerance and patience. Tolerance is showing restraint, while patience is longsuffering. Tolerance is temporary (God delays his judgment), while patience is long-term (God is not willing that any should perish).

The tolerance and patience of God are why we are still here. An angry and impatient God would have done away with us years ago. But the love of God is patient and endures all things (1 Cor. 13:4, 7).

Paul contrasts God’s tolerance and patience with the judgmental attitude of the self-righteous. “How can you condemn others when God has shown you mercy? Instead of passing judgment, shouldn’t you thank God for his kindness, repent of your pride, and put your faith in his righteousness?”

(e) The kindness of God leads you to repentance. An angry god is a god to fear, but the kindness of God draws us from the prison of our distrust.

What brings us to repentance? An old covenant preacher will use carrots (“Turn from sin if you want to see God”) and sticks (“If you don’t repent, you’ll pay the price”). But a new covenant preacher says, “See the grace and kindness of God revealed in Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). Old covenant repentance puts the focus on you and your badness, but new covenant repentance puts the focus on him and his goodness. It is not the anger of God that leads us to repentance but a revelation of his goodness and kindness.

(f) Anger is the ability to receive the truth that sets us free. It’s the change of mind that happens when we see God as he truly is. (The original noun metanoia means “a changed mind” and implies a reversal or turning around.)

Repentance is responding positively to God’s righteousness and grace. Repentance does not move God to forgive or bless us. Rather, repentance is a response to the love and favor he has shown us through his Son. Repentance isn’t doing something about your sin. Repentance is trusting that God has dealt with your sin once and for all (Heb. 9:26, 1 John 1:9). Repentance is a routine part of the Christian life. It’s how we renew our minds and align ourselves with God’s ways.

In the old covenant, repentance meant turning from your sins (see for example, 1 Kgs. 8:35, 2 Chr. 7:14, Eze. 18:30). But in the new covenant, repentance means turning to God (Acts 20:21). Paul preached that we should “repent and turn to God” (Act 26:20). Turning from sin versus turning to God may seem like splitting hairs, but it’s the difference between life and death. Someone who turns to God will automatically turn from their sins and dead works, but someone who turns from sin does not automatically turn to God. The religious Pharisees turned from sin regularly yet they did not turn to the One whom God sent.

Interestingly, this is the only occasion in Romans where Paul mentions the subject of repentance. Yet he talks about faith repeatedly, and repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin.

Se indgang til Omvendelse.

Romans 2:5

But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

(en) Stubbornness. The original noun sklērotēs is related to a word (skleros) that means calloused or hard. We are not born stubborn or insensitive to the things of God, but we become calloused or numb by refusing to acknowledge and honor God (Rom. 1:21).

(b) Unrepentant heart. An unrepentant heart refuses to submit to the righteousness of God. It is someone who says, “I have no need of God’s mercy and grace.” Instead of standing on the Rock of Salvation, they are building on the sand of self-righteousness.

(c) You are storing up wrath. To judge yourself as righteous or condemn others as sinners is to put yourself offside with the God who justifies sinners. A stubborn and unbelieving heart is doomed because it refuses to receive the gift of life that God offers.

(d) The day of wrath, also known as Judgment Day, is the end of days. It is the day when the Son of Man returns from heaven to repay each person according to what we have done (see next verse).

See the indgang for the Wrath of God.

(e) Judgment of God. The righteous judgment of God will be revealed at the end of the age when he rights all wrongs and heals all hurts.

When Jesus came to earth, he did not come to judge (John 3:17, 12:47). But when he returns in glory, he will open the books and judge the living and the dead (Rev. 20:12). On that day, he will reveal every heart and nothing will remain hidden from his sight (Rom. 2:16, 1 Cor. 4:5, Heb. 4:13). He will not judge us by our performance or morality, but by how we responded to the love of God. Did we respond with gratitude and faith? Or did we show contempt for the riches of his kindness?

The believer has nothing to fear from Judgment Day because they have already been justified and made righteous by God (Rom. 3:24, 5:9). Their final judgment has already been determined which is why Jesus can say, “He who believes in him is not judged” (John 3:18).

Romans 2:6

Who “will render to each person according to his deeds”:

(en) Render. The original verb apodidōmi means “to pay, give, or reward.” The word is sometimes translated as “give back” (e.g., Luke 19:8) or “pay back” (e.g., Rom. 12:17).

(b) According to his deeds. Paul is quoting the old covenant (Ps. 62:12, Pro. 24:12) to make a new covenant point: how we respond to the kindness of God matters a great deal. Will we stubbornly refuse God’s grace and be repaid with wrath? Or will we repent, put our faith in his Son, and receive eternal life? We vote with our hearts and, in the end, every person gets what they desire (verses 7 and 8).

(c) Deeds. Believing in the righteousness of God that is revealed in Christ is the action that reveals our faith. God does not reward us for our good deeds or law-keeping. Instead, he gives eternal life to those who believe in Christ (John 3:15, Eph. 2:8–9, 1 Tim. 1:16).

We are exhorted to be doers and not merely hearers of the word (Jas. 1:22). To be a doer of the word is to receive, with humility, the word of truth that can save our souls (Jas. 1:21). It’s accepting, believing, and relying on the promises of God. If faith is the noun—the state of being persuaded that God saves us by grace alone—then believing is the verb or activity that flows from that persuasion. We do not believe to create faith. Instead, believing is the action that reveals our faith. “Having the same spirit of faith… we also believe” (2 Cor. 4:13).

Romans 2:7–8

to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.

(en) Perseverance. There are two kinds of people: those who search for the goodness and glory of God and those who live only for themselves. The first kind—the searchers—may be looking in many different places, but those who persevere in their search for truth shall find it (Matt. 7:7). As the Lord has said, “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13).

In his speech to the philosophers of Athens, Paul said that God has designed us to seek him, and he is not far from any of us (Acts 17:26–27). There is something within us that bristles at the wrongness in the world and the injustice of disease and death. We yearn for the righteousness of God. The good news is that God is not hard to find, and those who seek a better life—the abundant and eternal life that is found in fellowship with the Creator—shall find it.

(b) Doing good. Our deeds are good if they lead us to the God who is good. Our deeds are righteous if they lead us to submit to the righteousness that comes from God.

Manmade religion preaches salvation through works, but fallen humanity cannot deliver the perfect performance required of a holy God. The only good thing we can do is submit to the righteousness of God by receiving his grace and goodness. It is this good work—trusting in the Savior he sent—that leads to eternal life (Rom. 6:23).

Yderligere læsning: "Belønnet for at gøre godt?”

(c) Glory and honor and immortality. We crave a lasting and meaningful life. We want to leave a legacy and make a mark. Life may be “but a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (Jas 4:14), but it was never God’s intention for you to be a vapor. God’s desire is for you to have a life of eternal significance.

(d) Immortality and eternal life are things we lack. It is a mistake to think that humanity is immortal, for we are all born under the sentence of death (Rom. 5:12, Eph. 2:1). We are all mortal (Rom. 6:12, 8:11, 1 Cor. 15:53–54, 2 Cor. 4:11, 5:4) and in need of eternal life. The good news is that Christ Jesus has abolished the power of death and brought us life and immortality (2 Tim. 1:9).

(e) Evigt liv is a gift we receive when we come to Christ. The moment you put your faith in Christ, you crossed over from death to life, and you will never perish (John 5:24). Eternal life is not merely endless life; eternal life is divine life lived in fellowship with the Lord. It is Christ’s glorious life as opposed to the broken, short-lived life we inherited from Adam. Eternal life is Christ in you. Eternal life is not something we receive in the future but something to enjoy here and now (John 3:16, 6:40, 1 John 5:11–13).

(f) Those who are selfishly ambitious live for themselves and give no thought to the ways of God.

(g) Do not obey the truth. Hard-hearted unbelievers refuse to be convinced or persuaded by the truth of the gospel. They do not honor God and they reject the Savior he sent to save them.

(h) Obey. In Romans, two verbs are translated as “obey.” There is the obey (hypakouō) which means “to heed” or “listen to” (Rom. 6:12, 16–17, 10:16). And then there is the verb used here (peitho) which means “to be persuaded by the truth” (Gal. 5:7). This word is sometimes translated as “confident” (Rom. 2:19) and “convinced” (Rom. 8:38, 14:14, 15:14).

(i) The truth revealed in Jesus Christ; see indgang for Rom. 1:18.

(j) Obey unrighteousness. They do not submit to the righteousness of God but go the wrong way.

(k) Wrath. The wrath of God refers to the self-inflicted destruction of our humanity that occurs when we reject God and live contrary to his ways; see indgang for Rom. 1:18.

(l) Wrath and indignation. Wrath (orgē in the original Greek) is calculated anger, while indignation (thymos) is a sudden and intense outburst of anger. Wrath is controlled and deliberate, while indignation is passionate and volatile. The destructive consequences of humanity’s rebellion are both immediate (the wrath that abides) and delayed (the day of wrath).

Romans 2:9

There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,

(en) Tribulation and distress. Trouble and difficulty.

(b) Every soul… who does evil. The wages of evildoing are universal (Rom. 6:23).

(c) The Jew first. Because the Jews had the law, they understood the consequences of breaking it. From a young age, they learned about the wages of sin.

(d) Also of the Greek. Although the Gentiles did not have the Law of Moses, they still experienced the consequences of sin.

Romans 2:10

but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

(en) Glory and honor. When you abide in Jesus Christ, you enjoy peace, significance, and everlasting life.

(b) Fred; se indgang for Rom. 1:7.

(c) Peace to everyone. God desires to save everyone, both Jew and Greek. He is not willing that any perish but desires all to come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).

(d) Everyone who does good. Everyone who submits to the righteousness of God. Whether you are Jewish or Gentile, the only work that counts with God is believing in the Savior he sent (John 6:29).

(e) The Jew first. Abraham’s descendants; see indgang for Rom. 1:16.

(f) Also to the Greek. Everybody else.

Romans 2:11

For there is no partiality with God.

No partiality. God does not have favorites (Eph. 6:9, Col. 3:25). He does not distinguish between Jew or Greek, rich or poor, wise or foolish, but he freely offers salvation to all (Rom. 10:12–13, 2 Pet. 3:9). God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).

Romerne 2:12

Thi alle, der har syndet uden Loven, skal også omkomme uden Loven, og alle, der har syndet under Loven, skal dømmes efter Loven;

(en) All who have sinned without the Law. Having the Law or not having the Law—it makes no difference in the end. All have sinned and are under the sentence of death (Rom. 3:23, 5:12).

(b) Sinned. To sin is to fall short of the glorious and divine life God has for us; see indgang for Rom. 3:23.

(c) Forsvinde. The original verb apollumi means “fully destroy,” and this is how the word is sometimes translated (e.g., John 10:10, Rom. 14:15, Jas. 4:12). The wage of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), the ultimate expression of which is the final or second death (Rev. 2:11, 21:8).

(d) Loven. “The Law” refers to rules or regulations that define some standard for right living. In Romans, when Paul mentions the Law, he is usually referring to the Law of Moses (denoted with a capital “L”; e.g., Rom. 5:20, 7:7, 12), which the Gentiles did not have. However, Paul also speaks of a universal law of right and wrong that is written in the hearts of unbelievers (Rom. 2:14–15). Additionally, he refers to the law of faith (Rom. 3:27), the law of sin and of death (Rom. 8:2), and the law of the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2).

In this passage, “the Law” refers to the old covenant laws of Moses, including the Ten Commandments (Jos. 8:31, John 1:17). This law is sometimes referred to as the Law of Commandments (Eph. 2:15) or the Law of the Jews (Acts 25:8).

Se indgang for Loven.

(e) Will be judged by the Law. Will be condemned by the Law.

You may think, as the Jews did, that keeping the Law will protect you against the consequences of sin. That’s not how the Law works. The Law does not give you power over sin; the Law gives sin power over you (Rom. 7:8, 1 Cor. 15:56).

Romerne 2:13

For det er ikke lovens tilhørere, der er retfærdige over for Gud, men lovens gørere skal retfærdiggøres.

(en) The hearers of the Law. The Jews comforted themselves that they alone had received the Law of Moses. But hearing the Law, was not enough. They had to keep it, and none of them could (Acts 15:10).

(b) Lovens gørere. The Jews failed to keep the Law, and this should have been their undoing.

Paul is not saying, “Keep the law and you will be justified before God,” for that would contradict what he says elsewhere about being justified by faith alone (Rom. 3:28, 5:1, Gal. 2:16, 21). He is saying, “Hearing the law is not enough; you have to keep it—and none of you can.” Imperfect man cannot deliver a lifetime of perfect performance. Paul is not calling us to attempt the impossible; he’s trying to get us to admit defeat (Rom. 3:20).

Yderligere læsning: "Lovens gørere vil blive retfærdiggjort?”

(d) Berettiget. To be justified means God has declared you not guilty of sin; see indgang for Rom. 3:24.

Romerne 2:14

For når hedninger, som ikke har loven, instinktivt gør lovens ting, er disse, der ikke har loven, en lov for dem selv,

(en) Gentiles. Non-Jews; see indgang for Rom. 1:5.

(b) A law to themselves. Although the Gentiles did not have the Law of Moses, they knew the law instinctively. We all do. We all have an innate knowledge of good and evil. We all live under the law of right and wrong (see next verse).

Romerne 2:15

Ved at de viser lovens værk skrevet i deres hjerter, deres samvittighed vidner og deres tanker skiftevis anklager eller forsvarer dem,

(en) The work of the law. The requirements of the law are known to us all. We don’t need the stone tablets of Moses to tell us that lying, stealing, and killing are harmful and wrong. The Law of Moses given to the Jews is not a different law, but a codified version of the universal law of right and wrong.

(b) The law written in their hearts is what we got when our ancestors ate from the forbidden tree. After Adam sinned, he knew he had done wrong, because he had acquired the knowledge of good and evil. He had “the law,” as do we all. In its broadest sense, “the law” is a universal constraint that guides and sometimes condemns us through our consciences.

In the church, the old law of right and wrong is sometimes packaged as rules for godly living. These rules may be based on the Ten Commandments, the teachings of Jesus, or denominational traditions. They might include guidelines for church attendance, giving, moral conduct, dress codes, hair length, dietary restrictions, spiritual disciplines, marital duties, women in ministry, music choices, partaking of communion, confession, and more. There are two ways to recognize a religious law: It will be expressed as a command (e.g., “Thou shalt not go dancing”), and there will be penalties for noncompliance (“or we will revoke your church membership”). While there may be good reasons for some laws, no law can make you righteous or acceptable to God.

(c) Samvittighed. The original noun suneidesis it is made up of two words that loosely translate as “with knowledge.” Your conscience is that inner voice that lets you know whether you are walking in the will of God or have departed from it. Your conscience knows when you have crossed the line and missed the mark. From where does your conscience acquire the knowledge of right and wrong? For some, this knowledge is defined by cultural norms. For others, it may come from some religious code such as the Law of Moses. But ultimately any definition of right and wrong is grounded in the character of God. God alone determines what is good and right, and it is his sense of morality that is hardwired into creation.

Se indgang for samvittigheden.

(d) Their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them. Our consciences tell us when we have done right or wrong.

Romerne 2:16

på den dag, hvor Gud ifølge mit evangelium vil dømme menneskers hemmeligheder ved Kristus Jesus.

(en) The day of wrath or Judgment Day is when the Son of Man is revealed from heaven (Rom. 2:5). See indgang for Matt. 10:15.

(b) Mit evangelium. “The gospel that I preach” (see Rom. 16:25, 2 Tim. 2:8).

Paul and the other apostles preached the good news of God’s grace (Acts 20:24). Paul sometimes referred to the good news as “the gospel of God” (Rom. 1:1, 15:16), “the gospel of his Son” (Rom. 1:9), and “the gospel of Christ” (Rom. 15:19).

(c) Secrets. When the Lord returns, our true hearts will be revealed (1 Cor. 4:5). Our public image will count for nothing. It won’t matter whether or not we were moral (verse 21), law-abiding (verse 22), or circumcised (verse 25). The only thing that will matter is how we responded to Jesus Christ. Did we respond to the grace of God with gratitude and faith? Or did we show contempt for the riches of his kindness?

(d) Through Christ Jesus. God’s judgments will be administered through Christ Jesus (John 5: 27, Acts 17:31, 2 Tim. 4:1). “For not even the Father judges anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22).

Romans 2:17–18

But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, and know his will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,

(en) If you bear the name “Jew.” Paul addresses his Jewish readers. “If you call yourself a God-fearing, law-abiding Jew and take pride in being numbered among God’s chosen people.”

(b) Know his will. “If you know the will of God as revealed in the Ten Commandments and the rest of the Mosaic Law.”

(c) Things that are essential. “If you claim to know the higher ways of God.” To be an idol-worshiping heathen was to walk in darkness. But a God-fearing Jew viewed the Law as God’s guide to a blessed life (see. Deut. 28).

(d) Instructed out of the Law. The Jews boasted that they knew God’s will and his ways because they had the Law of Moses to teach them.

Romans 2:19-20

and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,

(en) You yourself are a guide to the blind. The law-keeping Jews saw themselves as teachers and guides for the lawless heathens.

(b) A light. The Jews believed God had called them to be a light to the nations and a beacon of virtue to those in darkness (Is. 42:6–7, 60:3).

(c) A corrector… a teacher. A corrector (paideutēs) is a trainer or disciplinarian, while a teacher (didaskalos) is a guide or educator. The latter instructs you on the way to go, while the former corrects you when you are going the wrong way.

(d) The foolish. Those who are uncomprehending and do not understand; see indgang for Rom. 1:14.

(e) Immature. Babes and children. The religious Jews took pride in their special status and considered other tribes as spiritually immature and in need of their guidance.

(f) The embodiment of knowledge. The Jews believed that the Law of Moses gave them wisdom, understanding, and a handle on truth that other nations did not possess. However, God did not give them the Law to feed their pride but to reveal their sin (Rom. 3:20, 7:7). In the following verses, Paul uses the Law to reveal the hypocrisy of those who fail to practice what they preach.

Romans 2:21–22

you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

(en) Do you not teach yourself? Do you live by the standards you preach?

Those who aspire to live by a religious code often have an inflated opinion of themselves. They stand apart and pray, “I thank God that I am not like other men” (Luke 18:11). Paul uses the Law to reveal the hypocrisy of the self-righteous.

(b) Do you steal? The religious Jews boasted that they kept the Law (verse 23), but their thieving leaders “devoured widows’ houses” (Matt. 23:14). They preyed on women who had lost their husbands.

(c) Do you commit adultery? Jesus said that men who lusted after other women had committed adultery in their hearts (Matt. 5:28). He also said that men who sent their wives away without giving them a certificate of divorce made their wives victims of adultery (Matt. 5:31–32). (An abandoned wife could not remarry without committing adultery. She essentially had to choose between starvation and breaking the Seventh Commandment.)

(d) Do you rob temples? The Jews had no tolerance for idols (Ex. 20:4) and were commanded by God to destroy idols in the lands they conquered (Deu. 7:25, 12:3). This fuelled the perception that Jews robbed temples. When Paul and his companions were falsely charged with inciting a riot in Ephesus, the city clerk defended them by saying, “These men are not temple robbers” (Acts 19:37).

Romerne 2:23

Du, som roser dig af loven, vanærer du Gud ved at bryde loven?

(en) Loven. “You who take pride in keeping the Law of Moses” (see indgang for Rom. 2:12).

(b) Breaking. The original noun parabasis means “overstepping” (It is made up of two words that mean “a step” (basis) and “over” (para).) It can be translated as “transgression” (1 Tim. 2:14), “violation” (Rom. 4:15), or “offense” (Rom. 5:14). In context, it means violating the Law of Moses.

(c) Do you dishonor God? “You put on a big show about how you keep the Law, but you’re a hypocrite, because you don’t keep it perfectly, and you are dishonoring God.”

Romans 2:24

For “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written.

(en) The name of God is blasphemed. “You think you are doing the Lord’s work, but your religious hypocrisy is turning people away from God.” Paul quotes the Old Testament prophets who said the Lord’s name had been profaned among the nations on account of the Jews (Is. 52:5, Eze. 36:20–23).

Religious types are a bad advertisement for God. Instead of drawing people to the Lord, they drive them away. They slander God’s name by portraying him as harsh and unforgiving.

(b) The name of God refers to the true character of God. When Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify your name” (John 12:28), he was saying, “Make your Father-heart known.” Some portray God as a judge and a tyrant, but Jesus reveals a God who loves us like a Father (Matt. 6:9). Paul does too (Rom. 8:15).

(c) Blasphemed. The original verb blasphēmeō means “to malign” (e.g., Tit. 3:2), “to abuse” (e.g., Mark 15:29), “to speak evil of” (e.g., Rom. 14:16), or “to slander” (e.g., Rom. 3:8). It is speaking falsely of someone in a way that injures their good name.

(d) Gentiles. Non-Jews; see indgang for Rom. 1:5.

Romans 2:25

For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

(en) Omskæring. The circumcision of young boys was originally a physical reminder of the grace-based covenant God made with Abraham (Gen. 17:10–11, Rom. 4:11). However, after Mt. Sinai, circumcision became a symbol of Jewish identity and devotion to the Law (Lev. 12:3, John 7:23, Gal. 5:3).

In the New Testament church, circumcision was a divisive issue. The law teachers argued that circumcision “according to the custom of Moses” was necessary for salvation (Acts 15:1), but Paul insisted that it was not (Gal. 5:6). Paul resisted circumcision because he understood it was the first step to full-blown Judaism, a religion of works. Circumcision is an old covenant symbol. In the new covenant, the only badge we wear is faith in Christ (Gal. 2:16).

Most churches today do not require circumcision, yet they insist on other commandments. “You must tithe. You must honor the Lord’s Day. You must be water baptized.” Trusting in the Law, no matter how biblical it may sound, is a stepping stone to dead works and unbelief. We are saved and sanctified by faith alone.

(b) Practice. If you live under the Law of Moses and do the works of the Law.

Romans 2:26–27

So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?

(en) The uncircumcised man. Paul presents a hypothetical question: If a non-Jew keeps the Law, does it matter that he is uncircumcised? Will he not be judged righteous according to the law? Paul is not saying that we can be made righteous through the Law. He’s challenging the Jews’ belief that circumcision is more important than perfect obedience to the Law.

(b) Loven of Moses; see indgang for Rom. 2:12.

(c) Will he not judge you? Paul is upending Jewish priggishness. “If an uncircumcised Gentile keeps the Law, won’t he have reason to look down on those Jews who don’t?”

For the modern church we might substitute baptism, tithing, church membership, or some other so-called symbol of holiness. “If an unbaptized, non-tither keeps the commands of God, will she not have reason to look down on ‘good Christians’ who don’t?” Paul exposes the folly of judging people on their law-keeping. What really matters is the heart.

Romans 2:28–29

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God

(en) He is not a Jew. A true Jew (or a true Christian) is not defined by outward appearances such as physical circumcision (or baptism, tithing, and church attendance). A true Jew is one whose heart has been transformed by the power of God.

(b) Circumcision … of the heart. Physical circumcision was an old covenant signpost to a new covenant reality. Through the prophets, God told Israel that he would give them new hearts (Deut. 30:6, Eze. 36:26). This prophecy is fulfilled whenever someone comes to the Lord and receives his indwelling Spirit.

(c) By the Spirit. When we are born again and put into Christ, the old self is cut away and removed by the Holy Spirit (Col. 2:11).

(d) The letter. The written law (Rom. 2:27).

(e) Praise … from God. God is pleased when we turn to him in faith (Heb. 11:6).

Paul is having fun with words. The word “Jew” is derived from the Hebrew name “Judah,” which means “praise” (Gen. 29:35). He’s saying a true Jew is someone who has been changed on the inside by the Holy Spirit. Such a person may not attract the attention of others, but God accepts and commends them.

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