Romans 2:17-29 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Now Paul accosts the Jew, reproving his pride of law, made void by disloyalty.

Romans 2:17-20. His pretensions (But if thou bearest the name of Jew, etc.), provoke the questions of Romans 2:21-24 : the commandments he inculcates on others, he so violates that God is dishonoured, and His name is blasphemed among the Gentiles. The blasphemy of Isaiah 52:5 was occasioned by the insolence of Gentile oppressors; this by the hypocrisy of Israel.

Romans 2:25-29. How worthless the outward possession of the Law, and the physical mark of circumcision, without the corresponding inner reality: law-keeping uncircumcision is virtually circumcision, and vice versa; heart-obedience, not external status, wins God's praise. For Jew or Gentile, doing right, not lauding nor vaunting it, avails with God at the Judgment (Romans 2:1-16) and approves itself now (Romans 2:17-29). The words of Romans 2:22 b, Thou that loathest the idols, etc., probably allude to some recent notorious sacrilege. [ Cf. the underlying insinuation in Acts 19:37. A. J. G.].

Romans 2:12-16 and Romans 2:25-29 exhibit Paul emancipated from Jewish prejudice; he penetrates through conventional forms to the moral realities. The first part of his indictment, bearing upon flagrant sin, terminated at Romans 1:32; its second part, bearing upon sin disguised by moral professions, occupies ch. 2.

Related Commentaries of Romans 2:17

Romans 2:17-29

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

18 And knowest his will, and approvestd 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.