In this section, Paul does not attack Judaism but hypocrisy. According to The Merriam-Webster Dictionary hypocrisy is “a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; esp.: the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion.”
Many Jews had never understood that the purpose of God’s election was to make them “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” They failed to realize that the priest is a bridge between heaven and earth, the representative of God to mankind and of man before God. They believed that God’s revelation was exclusively theirs for their own enjoyment. They never saw themselves as God’s instruments to reach the rest of the world, as the tools of His love and grace. They had divided the human race into two sections: Jews and Gentiles, and they believed God loved the Jews and hated everyone else. This discharged them of the obligation to be worthy of God’s call and gave them the supposed right to judge others for not being Jews.
It cannot be maintained that the Jews committed the exact same sins as the Gentiles. The heathen rituals of idolatry and homosexuality were not practiced among the Israelites. But the sins mentioned in verses 29-31 of the previous chapter are part and parcel of fallen human nature. The fact that the Jews covered them with pious masks makes no difference to God. Barnes’ Notes states: “The design of the apostle, says Calvin, here is to take away the subterfuges of the hypocrite, lest he should pride himself if he obtained the praise of human beings, for a far more important trial awaited him at the bar of God. Outwardly he might appear well to people; but God searched the heart, and saw the secret as well as the open deeds of people, and they who practiced secretly what they condemned openly, could not expect to escape the righteous judgment of God. God, without respect of persons would punish wickedness, whether it was open, as among the Gentiles, or whether it was concealed under the guise of great regard for religion, as among the Jews.”
When Jesus walked the roads of Palestine, He reserved His most vehement condemnation not for prostitutes and tax collectors, but for the Pharisees.
(1) You may be saying, "What terrible people you have been talking about!" But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you do these very same things.
- Matthew 7:1-7 "Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.
- Luke 6:37: "Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven.
- Luke 18:9-14: Then Jesus told this story to
some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: "Two men
went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a
dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed
this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like
everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there!
For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast
twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' "But the
tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to
heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O
God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you,
this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God.
For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored."
- The generation we are living in is no exception. "Pharisees" are still alive today in many church pews and church podiums. They believe they are better than everybody else, and that everybody else would do good if they would look up to them and their righteousness. Paul was a Pharisee, and he discovered that the only way he could receive salvation was to become like the publican.
- The Jews thought of themselves as invulnerable to the judgments of GOD. Were they not sons of Abraham? Had not the promises been given to Abraham? Were they not the disciples of Moses? Had not the law been given to Moses?
- The critic stands condemned because he sees in others what he is unable to handle in himself.
(2) And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things.
- When man judges man, he is at best subjective in his judgment. Furthermore, he does not have all the facts. GOD's judgment is according to the truth, not in an abstract sense but according to the actual condition of the man being judged. No man can hide from GOD; no man can fool GOD; no man can deceive GOD. He may deceive a neighbor by condemning in someone else a sin for which he is guilty; he may deceive a friend that way; he may thus deceive one in his own family; may even deceive himself, but he cannot deceive GOD! He knows all about us! Our lives are an open book to him. Indeed He knows the secret thoughts of the heart, and Paul reminds us in verse 16 that it is upon the secrets of man's heart that GOD's judgment is based. He judges on the basis of the secrets of one's life, things which no one else knows, which may have been covered so successfully that they have been forgotten. GOD is utterly objective and unprejudiced in His judgments.
(3) Do you think that God will judge and condemn others for doing them and not judge you when you do them, too?
(4) Don't you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don't you care? Can't you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin?
(5) But no, you won't listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin. For there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world,
(6) will judge all people according to what they have done.
(7) He will give eternal life to those who persist in doing what is good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.
- So, is this salvation by works?
(8) But he will pour out his anger and *wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds.
- *wrath: The Greek word orge, translated “wrath” is a violent word. Our word “orgy” is derived from it. The Pulpit Commentary observes about “the wrath of God”: “Wrath, or indignation, against evil is as necessary to our ideal of a perfect human being as is love of good; and therefore we attribute wrath to the perfect Divine Being, using of necessity human terms for expressing our conception of the Divine attributes. When the Name of the LORD was proclaimed before Moses (…Exodus 34:5, etc.), it was of One not only ‘merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,’ but also ‘that will by no means clear the guilty.’ This last attribute is the same as what we mean by the Divine wrath.”
(9) There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning -- for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
(10) But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good -- for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
(11) For God does not show favoritism.
- " GOD is impartial in His judgments. The Jews had quite a case: sons of Abraham, Moses, the law, the prophets, the Ark of the Covenant, the priesthood, the Tabernacle, the Temple. The Gentiles had none of these things, but it is as though Paul says, "So what?"
(12) God will punish the Gentiles when they sin, even though they never had God's written law. And he will punish the Jews when they sin, for they do have the law.
- What is the "law" here? The Ten Commandments, the Torah, the
moral law?
(13) For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God's approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God's sight.
(14) Even when Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts they know right from wrong.
(15) They demonstrate that God's law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right.
(16) The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone's secret life. This is my message.
- JESUS CHRIST is the JUDGE. The FATHER has given all judgment into His hands. The day is coming when each of us shall stand before JESUS CHRIST to be judged. You do not even believe in Him; some day you shall to your own condemnation. For every eye shall see, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that JESUS CHRIST is the supreme GOD of the universe. He is the JUDGE, and the standard of judgment is the Gospel.
(17) If you are a Jew, you are relying on God's law for your special relationship with him. You boast that all is well between yourself and God.
- The very words “if are a Jew” imply more than national pride; they cover the whole scope of Judaic heritage. The Greek text reads literally: “Look, you [who] is called a Jew.” It is about boasting (bragging). In Paul’s text here, the Jew puts the crown on his own head, not at the feet of God.
- The
principal ground on which the Jews expected acceptance with God, was
the covenant which he had made with their father Abraham, in which he
promised to be a God to him and to his seed after him. They
understood
this promise to secure salvation for all who retained their connection
with Abraham, by the observance of the law and the rite of
circumcision. They expected, therefore, to be regarded and treated
not
so much as individuals, each being dealt with according to his personal
character, but as a community to whom salvation was secured by the
promise made to Abraham. Paul begins his argument at a distance; he
states his principles in such general terms, that they could not fail
to secure the assent of the Jew, before he was aware of their
application to himself.
- The design of this and the following chapter is to show that
the
Jews were no less guilty that the Gentiles, and that they needed
the
benefit of the same salvation. This the apostle does by showing that
they had greater light than the Gentiles; and yet that they
did the
same things. Still they were in the habit of accusing and condemning
the Gentiles as wicked and abandoned; while they excused themselves on
the ground that they possessed the Law and the oracles of God, and were
his favorite people. The apostle here affirms that they were
inexcusable in their sins, that they must be condemned in the sight of
God, on the same ground on which they condemned the Gentiles; to wit,
that they had light and yet committed wickedness. If the Gentiles were
without excuse Romans 1:20 in their sins, much more would the Jew, who
condemned them, be without excuse on the same ground.
(18) Yes, you know what he wants; you know right from wrong because you have been taught his law.
(19) You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a beacon light for people who are lost in darkness without God.
(20) You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that in God's law you have complete knowledge and truth.
(21) Well then, if you teach others, why don't you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?
(22) You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you do it? You condemn idolatry, but do you steal from pagan temples?
(23) You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it.
- When Paul speaks here about “the law,” he has the moral law in mind. The Jews, in general, never understood the purpose of the Ten Commandments. But the Law of Moses consisted of more than the Ten Commandments and the several moral instructions stipulated in the Pentateuch. A large section of the law consisted in rituals of sacrifice that served to atone for transgression of the moral law. The implication of the ritual law was that all human beings are guilty for not living up to the moral requirements of the law and are in need of atoning sacrifices in order to be saved from the death penalty.
- The Pulpit Commentary makes a strong point of the fact that, in Paul’s writing, the word “law” is sometimes used with the definite article and sometimes without the article. The Commentary states that “the law” always stands for the Law of Moses, whilst the word “law,” without the definite article refers to law in the generic sense of the word, pertaining to the human conscience."
- The whole point of Paul’s argument here is not that man can be justified by keeping the law, but that both they that have the law and those that do not stand guilty before God. The reason for their condemnation is not the law but their disobedience to God’s revelation, in whatever way this may have come to them. Jews are not lost in the same way as Gentiles, but both are lost.
- The person Paul addresses here is not merely someone who admits to belong to the Jewish race, but one who prides himself on being a Judaist, a strict observer of Jewish customs and traditions.
(24) No wonder the Scriptures say, "The world blasphemes the name of God because of you."
- In this statement, Paul makes a hidden reference to David’s sin with Bathsheba. When David was confronted with his guilt and confessed his sin, the prophet Nathan replied: “By doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt.” The same thought is also expressed in Ezekiel: “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone.” Israel that had been destined to be a kingdom of priests, God’s bridge to the rest of the world, had become God’s greatest enemy by bragging about their election and leaving God out of their lives.
(25) The Jewish ceremony of circumcision is worth something only if you obey God's law. But if you don't obey God's law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile.
- Circumcision is introduced in the Scriptures in connection
with
the covenant God made with Abraham. At that time God changed the name
Abram into Abraham. Circumcision is an outward token of an inward
reality of the same order as water baptism or the wearing of a
wedding
band. The tokens have no meaning in themselves. The wearing
of a
wedding band, for instance would not make a single person married. The
Bible, therefore, refers to a “circumcision of the heart.” Moses
stated: “The LORD your God
will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.” Jeremiah told the people of his day: “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts, you men of Judah and people of Jerusalem, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done--burn with no one to quench it.” And the same prophet concluded: “The whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”
(26) And if the Gentiles obey God's law, won't God give them all the rights and honors of being his own people?
(27) In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God's law will be much better off than you Jews who are circumcised and know so much about God's law but don't obey it.
- It is certainly not the law itself written in their hearts, but
the law's work. And there is surely little difficulty in seeing that
the law's work - its very purpose - is to bring sin to
remembrance, to
convict the heart and conscience of sin.
- Romans 3:19-20: Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it
was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses and to
bring the entire world into judgment before God. For no one can ever be
made right in God's sight by doing what his law commands. For the more
we know God's law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying it.
(28) For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision.
- The true Jew would have accepted the Messiah.
(29) No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. Whoever has that kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people.
- And the message is for us, too. We need to be devoted followers
of Christ, not those who only go through the forms.
NOTES:
- Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation, copyright 1996, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois.
- Disclaimer: Source material for this study has been gleaned from many different sources. I have attempted to acknowledge these sources at romansoverview.blogspot.com/2012/12/romans-references.html
