Introductory remarks:
"Knowing of the patience of God should lead them to repent but they ignore it and will be judged by God. Gentiles will be judged, even though they didn't have the law, by what is in their hearts. The Jews that kept the law profited, but the Jews that brag about having the law, and then break it dishonor God. Outward shows of following God mean nothing; God sees what is in the heart" (Brenda's Survey of Romans).
This chapter may be outlined as follows: The righteous judgment of God vv. 1-16, the Jews and the Law vv. 17-29.
The Righteous Judgment of God
Verse 1, "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things."
LGT "Wherefore thou art inexcusable, O man, every one who judges: for in that which thou judges the other, thou condemnest thyself; for the same things thou practice who judges."
Wherefore thou art inexcusable: See 1:24,26; these things that were mentioned in the last chapter leaves the heathen in an inexcusable state. O man: this has reference to all men, especially the Jew. This and the next chapter show that the Jews need this salvation as much as the Gentiles. Every one who judges: the Jews condemned the Gentiles for not having the Law as they did, and therefore, they condemned them on their own self-righteous grounds. For in that which thou judges the other: the use of the word judges here means to condemn. The Jews considered the entire Gentile nation as shut out from God's favor and treated them with contempt. Thou condemnest thyself: the Jew therefore, is condemning himself in the person of another. For the same things thou practice who judges: the fact that Paul uses the word practice for sin and not miss the mark indicates that they were also unsaved; for the believer misses the mark when he or she sins, but the unbeliever practices sin as a way of life.
Verse 2, "But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things."
LGT "But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth upon the ones who practice such things."
Here again Paul uses the word practice such things as mentioned in the last chapter. The unbeliever practices these things as a way of life. God judges according to truth, that is, according to His own divine character; God cannot accept into heaven anyone who comes up short of His prefect holiness and righteousness; therefore if we come up short of God's perfect righteousness we will be condemned; therefore we need the imputed righteousness of Christ to enter God's abode.
Verse 3, "And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?"
LGT "And reckonest thou this, O man, who judges the ones who practice such things, and practice them [thyself], that thou shall escape the judgment of God?"
And reckonest thou this: Paul is appealing to the common sense of the Jew. Who judges the one who practices such things: the Jews thought they were immune to the judgments of God based on the fact that they were Jews. Actually, the Jews thought they were above God. And practice them [thyself], that thou shall escape the judgment of God? Do you really believe that you will escape God's judgment if you do the same things you are condemning the Gentiles for? The Jews use their ethnicity as a license to sin the same as Christians often use their liberty as a licence.
McGee quotes Robert Govett on four ways man can escape man's judgment:
His offence will not be discovered.
He may escape beyond the jurisdiction of the court.
After arrest, there may be some legal technicality, which will cause a breakdown of the legal procedure.
After conviction, he may escape from prison and stay under cover.
"None of these avenues of escape are open to man in regard to divine judgment. Your offenses will be discovered. You cannot go beyond God's jurisdiction. There will be no legal technicality. You will never be able to escape from prison. The writer of Hebrews asked, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? (Heb. 2:3)."
Verse 4, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"
LGT "Or despisest thou the riches of the kindness of Him, and the forbearance and the longsuffering, not knowing that the kindness of God leads thee to repentance?"
Or despisest thou: the unbelieving Jew actually looks down on God, instead of appreciating God. The heathen also has no concept of how good God is. The riches of the kindness of Him: the riches is a favorite word with Paul; Paul uses this word when he describes to the believer the riches of His grace in Eph. 1:7. And the forbearance and longsuffering: it is contempt in the unbeliever who thinks God is dead because He does not meet out His judgment every time he sins. The Psalmist was confused by God's forbearance when he saw the heathen prosper: For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end (Ps. 73:3-5, 9, 17). "It is that forbearance or suspense of wrath, that truce with the sinner, which by no means implies that the wrath will not be executed at the last; nay, involves that it certainly will, unless he be found under new conditions of repentance and obedience" (Trench-quoted by Vincent). Not knowing that the kindness of God: this deliberate ignorance is the heathen's contempt of God. Leads thee to repentance: it is this very kindness and forbearance of God is designed to lead the sinner to change his mind about Him, and realize how much he needs God.
Barnes notes:
"And from this passage, we cannot but remark, (1.) That the most effectual preaching is that which sets before men most of the goodness of God. (2.) Every man is under obligation to forsake his sins, and turn to God (of course we know that Barnes has this phrase backwards: man cannot forsake his sins until first he repents, that is, he must change his mind about God, before he can forsake his sins; no man has the capacity without God to forsake even one of his sins). There is no man who has not seen repeated proofs of His mercy and love. (3.) Sin is a stubborn and an amazing evil. Where it can resist all the appeals of God's mercy; where the sinner can make his way down to hell through all the proofs of God's goodness; where he can refuse to hear God speaking to him each day, and each hour, it shows an amazing extent of depravity to resist all this, and still remain a sinner. Yet there are thousands and millions who do it; and who can be won by no exhibition of love or mercy to forsake their sins, and turn to God. Happy is the man who is melted into contrition by the goodness of God, and who sees and mourns over the evil of sinning against so good a Being as is the Creator and Parent of all (here again Barnes uses a poor wording; God is only the Parent of believers; however He is the Creator of all; all men are creations of God, but only the believer becomes, by faith in Christ God's children)."
Verse 5, "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God."
LGT "But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up to thyself wrath in a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,"
But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart: according to the constant turning away from God, not responding to the signs all around of God's goodness. It must be remembered that the sinner deliberately goes all out to reject our good God; the sinner is not a sinner because he has never heard or seen the evidence of God; he deliberately rejects God as Creator and as his Father; this is why Paul can say in Romans chapter one, they are without excuse. Treasurest up to thyself wrath in a day of wrath: Paul is looking towards the final judgment as the day of wrath. The wrath of God is coming, but is now withheld by God's forbearance, but it is for certain that God's wrath will come upon on all ungodliness of men. And revelation of the righteous judgment of God: all who ignore God's Word and His mighty salvation will someday face His righteous judgment.
Barnes notes on God's judgment:
"Here we learn, (1.) That the punishment of the wicked will be just. It will not be a judgment of caprice (a whim) or tyranny (oppression), but a righteous judgment, that is, such as it will be right to render, or as ought to be rendered, and THEREFORE such as God will render, for He will do right; 2 Thess. 1:6. (2.) The punishment of the wicked is future. It is not exhausted in this life. It is treasured up for a future day, and that day is a day of wrath. How contrary to this text are those who maintain that all punishment is executed in this life. (3.) How foolish as well as wicked is it to lay up such a treasure for the future; to have the only inheritance in the eternal world, an inheritance of wrath and woe!"
Verse 6, "Who will render to every man according to his deeds."
LGT "Who will render to each according to his works:"
How very important is this statement that every man will give an account for his works and not his sin; remember, sin was judged on the cross; now a man will not go to hell because of his sin; he will go to hell because he refused to allow Christ to pay the penalty of his sin. At the Great White Throne Judgment every unsaved sinner will account for his works; at this Throne it will be man's human good versus God's divine good. The believer is saved on the merits of Christ alone; however, he will be rewarded with crowns, or suffer loss, according to his works. The unbeliever refuses to accept the merits of Christ, so he will be rewarded for his deeds; the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 3:23).
Verse 7, "To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life."
LGT "To the ones that with endurance in good work, glory and honor and are seeking incorruptibility [He will render] life eternal."
"Let's keep in mind that under this second principle, a way of life is not the subject. Rather, a way of life is the basis of judgment. The do-gooder will be judged according to his works. John said, And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works (Rev. 20:12). The man who wants to work for eternal life may do so. He will be judged according to his deeds, but he is warned that they will avail nothing. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). Trusting Christ as Savior puts your name in the book of life. Eternal life is not a reward for effort; it is a gift to those who trust Christ" (McGee).
Verses 8, 9, "But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile."
LGT "But to the ones of contention, and who disobey the truth, but obey unrighteousness - indignation [righteous anger] and wrath. Tribulation and anguish on every soul of man that works out evil, both of Jew first and of Greek:"
But to the ones of contention: these are the agitators. And who disobey the truth: they disobey true doctrine and disregard the truth of the Word. But obey unrighteousness: they yield themselves to iniquity and become the servants of sin. Indignation and wrath: indignation is the righteous inner feelings God has towards sin, while wrath is the outer manifestation of the punishment laid up for unrighteousness. Tribulation and anguish on every soul of man that works out evil: this is the opposite of eternal bliss, and it will be the state of every individual who is lost. The estate of the lost will be an eternal pressing down of anguish on every side with nowhere to find relief. The absence of the Lord and the glory of His power will leave the lost soul in complete confusion and despair for eternity. Both of Jew first and of Greek: just as Paul offers the gospel of grace in point of time first to the Jew and then to the Greek. Eternal punishment will have no favorites but will be meted out to all unbelief. The believer experiences eternal life in the presence of the Lord with all the blessings imaginable, while the unbeliever experiences all that are the opposite of true happiness and joy.
Verse 10, "But glory, honor and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:"
LGT "But glory and honor and peace to everyone that works the good, both to Jew first, and to Greek:"
To everyone that works the good: believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is doing the good works. Man is saved by grace and produces righteous works by the Holy Spirit of God's motivation; divine good is produced in the believer by the Spirit, and will be eternally rewarded. Both to Jew first, and to Greek: all mankind are included here; there is no difference in God's family between the Jew and Greek, for the barrier, the middle wall of partition, has been removed at the cross of Christ.
Verse 11, "For there is no respect of persons with God."
LGT "For there is not respect of persons with God."
For: this particle is used to designate what has been said previously. There is not respect of persons with God: God will mete out perfect justice; He does not have favorites. Position in this life, whether rich or poor, famous or infamous or elite, finds no favor with God. God finds favor with all believers based on Christ's substitutionary work accomplished on the cross. The believer has already been judged and found not guilty in Christ. In Christ all believers are equal.
Verse 12, "For as many as have sinned without law shall perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law."
LGT "For as many as without law sinned, without law shall also perish; and as many as in law sinned, by law shall be judged."
All men will be judged for the light they possess, for no man is totally without law. The very universe runs by laws, and man has never been without a sense of right and wrong; to say man outside society is a savage immune to laws of right and wrong is to totally miss the truth man will be judged by. No man will have an excuse before God for his heart will be revealed as an open book.
Verses 13-15, "(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)"
LGT "For not the hearers of the law [are] just with God, but the doers of [the] law shall be justified. For nations which have not law practice by nature the things of the law, these, not having law, are a law to themselves: who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness with, and between one another the reasonings accusing or also defending:"
There was no special benefit for the Jew who had listened to the Law read in the synagogue every Saturday; they had to act on the law by believing what they heard. The heathen will be judged by the light they have, that is, what Paul taught in the first chapter; they have no excuse because the entire universe displays the wonders of God; if they reject this light, they will be lost. "God can and will judge the heathen by his own conscience. Some folk think because the heathen do not have the revelation of God that they will escape God's judgment. But the fact is that they are not living up to the light they have. God will judge them on that basis" (McGee).
Verse 16, "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel."
LGT "In a day when God shall judge the secrets of men according to my glad tidings by Jesus Christ."
Men have the mistaken idea that God will judge them on the their own estimation of their goodness; this is not how it will take place. God will judge man by the things he thinks in his heart, that is, his secret evil thoughts. It is only by the Gospel of grace through believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, and trusting Him for Salvation can a man be saved. For a person to be saved apart from Christ, one must live a perfect life; we must praise God that Christ lived that perfect life for us, and that by dying in our stead we have Salvation through His precious name.
The Jews and the Law
Verses 17, 18 "Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God. And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law."
LGT "But if thou art named a Jew, and are resting in [the] law, and are boasting in God, and are knowing the will [of God], and are proving the things more excellent, being instructed out of the law,"
But if thou art named a Jew: that is, instead of being called a Gentile. The Jews claimed God as their national treasure that belonged to them exclusively. "The title Jew was a theocratic honor" (Vincent). And are resting in [the] Law: by claiming this name you are to be trusting in God with blind trust. And are boasting in God: you are boasting that you have God while the other nations are in total darkness. And are knowing the will of God: the Jew valued his knowledge of the Law of Moses and claimed to know God's will. And are proving things more excellent: the Jew would prove he was right by anything that differed from the Law. Being instructed out of the Law: the Jew was instructed out of the Decalogue from his youth up. "The Jew's ethical discernment was the fruit of catechetical and synagogical instruction in the Old Testament" (Shedd). "Religion was no longer a crutch for this man. It caused him to be proud and self-sufficient. Light created an added responsibility, which brought a greater condemnation. The Jew had ten advantages over the Gentiles, which are listed in these verses. The first five are what he was: (1.) Bears the name Jew. (2.) Rests upon the Law. (3) Boasts in God. (4.) Knows the will of God. (5.) Proves the things which are more excellent, being instructed out of the Law" (McGee).
Verses 19, 20, "And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law."
LGT "And are persuaded thyself art a guide of [the] blind, a light to the ones in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, having the form of knowledge and the truth in the Law:"
And are persuaded thyself art a guide of [the] blind: the Jews were confident that they were superior in knowledge and that God was the Author of their religion. A light to the ones in darkness: the Jews were intended to be a light to the Gentiles who were wandering in darkness. The entire purpose of God choosing Israel as His nation was that they would be a "light" in a darkened world. An instructor of the foolish: the term foolish used here means those void of understanding. A teacher of infants: Paul uses the term infants to designate the novices or proselytes. The term is used figuratively of those who were ignorant as children; the Jews considered all Gentiles as such. Having a form of knowledge: the Jew had the outline of knowledge without the substance. "This is Paul's picture of the Jew as he sees himself, drawn with consummate skill and subtle irony" (Robertson). In 2 Tim. 3:5 Paul writes "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power of it; from such turn away." And the truth in the Law: in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. "In these verses the apostle concedes to the Jews all they would claim. Having made this concession of their superior knowledge, he is prepared with the more fidelity and force to convict them of their deep and dreadful depravity in sinning against the superior light and privileges which God had conferred on them" (Barnes).
McGee completes his list of ten with these five personal privileges of the Jews: (1.) Art persuaded that thou thyself art a guide of the blind; (2.) A light of them that are in darkness; (3.) A corrector of the thoughtless or immature; (4.) A teacher of babes or proselytes; and (5.) Having in the law the outward form of knowledge and truth."
Verse 21, "Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?"
LGT "Thou then that teaches another, do thou not teach thyself? Thou that proclaims not to steal, dost thou steal?"
Thou then that teaches another, do thou not teach thyself? One would expect that the teachers should be learned men; but on the contrary, they were deliberately ignorant. Thou that proclaims not to steal, dost thou steal? The Jews were to set a public example in all truth. The thrust of these questions is that the Jews did not practice what they preached.
Verse 22, "Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?"
LGT "Thou that sayest not to commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorest the idols, dost thou commit blaspheme?"
Thou that sayest not to commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery: Paul gets real specific here by mentioning part of the Ten Commandments. Thou that abhorest the idols, dost thou commit blaspheme: "When the Jew was in Babylonian captivity, he took the gold cure, and, as far as I can tell, he was never given to idolatry after that. However, he didn't mind handling merchandise that came from heathen temples and selling it in his business. Today there are certain Christians who handle merchandise in their business (in order to make money) that they would condemn in their church" (McGee).
Verse 23, "Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God?"
LGT "Thou who in the Law is boasting, through the transgression of the Law dishonors God?"
The Jews hypocrisy was in their boasting of being under God's Law and then deliberately not keeping it.
Verse 24, "For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written."
LGT "For the name of God because of you is blasphemed among the Gentiles, just as it has been written [and stands written]."
The actions of the dispersed Jew were blasphemous in that they lived contrary to what they proclaimed about their true God. Just as it has been written: Paul is referring to Isaiah 53:5 where he says every day my name is being blasphemed. The Gentiles had many gods, but the Jews had the one and only true God; but they did not represent Him as such.
Verse 25, "For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law; but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision."
LGT "For circumcision indeed profits if thou practice [the] Law; but if thou art a transgressor of the Law, thy circumcision has become uncircumcision."
For circumcision indeed profits if thou practice [the] Law: the word practice means as a way of life. Circumcision was an outward sign of the Jew being committed to God, that is, he belonged to the true God; however, the Jew lived among the Gentiles and adopted the ways of the Gentiles by practicing their ways instead of God's ways. But if thou art a transgressor of the Law: the Jew was continually bragging concerning their rite of circumcision, like so many people today brag about being of a certain religion as if their membership made them righteous, or the fact that they were baptized, as if baptism saved them. But if thou art a transgressor of the Law: the Jew was under the Law, and they could not keep the Law. Thy circumcision has become uncircumcision: "The Jew is then like a Gentile, with no privilege at all. Circumcision was simply the seal of the covenant relation of Israel with God" (Robertson).
Verse 26, "Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?"
LGT "If therefore the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the Law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?"
Keep the righteousness of the Law: the Gentile could not understand the formal Mosaic Law as it was written; however, the righteousness of the law simply meant the moral aspects of the Law. Man has always had God's moral standards to live by, even as the unbeliever can know that God exists by the things, which God made. Shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision: a man is not accepted by God based on outward rituals or ceremonies; man is accepted by God based on his heart condition. Man is not accepted by God based upon what he does, but what he believes.
Verse 27, "And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?"
LGT "And uncircumcision by nature fulfilling the Law, judge thee who with letter and circumcision [art] a transgressor of Law?"
And uncircumcision by nature: this is the natural state of man before he is admitted to any Jewish rites. Fulfilling the Law: if they who are uncircumcised keep the Law. Judge thee: by his good conduct judge thee who are living ungodly. Who with letter and circumcision: by his moral conduct judges the Jew who is misusing all his privileges of the letter of the Law. A transgressor of Law: the heathen who by his moral conduct puts the Jew to shame condemns the Jew who transgresses the Law.
Verse 28, "For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh:"
LGT "For he that is [a Jew] outwardly is not a Jew, neither that outwardly in flesh [is] circumcision:"
For he that is a Jew outwardly is not a Jew: "He who is merely descended from Abraham, and is circumcised, and externally conforms to the Law only, does not posses the true character, and manifest the true spirit, contemplated by the separation of the Jewish people. Their separation required much more" (Barnes). Neither that outwardly in flesh [is] circumcision: the rite alone does not meet the spiritual requirements of the rite externally performed. The next verse explains what a true Jew is.
Verse 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."
LGT "But he that [is] one hidden is a Jew, and circumcision [is] of [the] heart, in spirit not in letter; of whom the praise is not of men but of God."
Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 10:16, Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked. This rules out the majority of Jews, not only in Paul's day, but also in our own day. The Pharisees were the self-righteous leaders of the day, and the Jewish religion today is a Godless religion of total self-righteousness. The Jew must turn to Christ and accept Him as their personal Savior or they will burn in hell for all eternity. The Jew and Gentile alike will never enter God's abode apart from His saving grace by faith in the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ.
Paul continues this theme in the next chapter.
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