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THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

For the Jews

Romans chapter 2: 17-3: 8

Paul addresses himself here to the Jew, with great skill and irony:

1. The Jew is proud so to be called: it indicates nationality, in contrast with "Greek" as all the Gentiles were called. "Hebrew" highlights more his language. He belongs to the people of God on Earth.

2. He rests on the law: or rests in the law, a figure of blind and automatic faith in Mosaic law. But the law was given him, not for peace of conscience, but to reveal his sin and to drive him to Christ (Galatians 3:24).

3. Makes his boast in God: puffed up, he considers God as being a particular prerogative and national property of the Jews, because God had made a special covenant with His people (Exodus 2:24).

4. He knows the will of God: so he thought, because God's will is outlined in the Scriptures.

5. He approves higher things, being instructed out of the law: he checked the options, and decided on the best due to the instruction in the law he received in the synagogue (Philippians 1:10). The law distinguishes the superior moral values.

6. And is confident that he is:

• A guide to blind: God's purpose was that Jews be guides of the Gentiles, because "Salvation comes from the Jews" (John 4:22).

• Light to those who are in darkness: However this objective which was given to them resulted in presumed arrogance on their part.

• Instructor of the foolish and a teacher of babes, because he considers that the law incorporates wisdom and truth: "instructor" in the original also implies to correct and to punish; "ignorant" is a word of contempt for the Gentiles, but is the perspective of the Jew that despises the Gentiles (and in exchange was also despised by them). The "children" are the proselytes of Judaism that the Jews do not consider to be emancipated.

However, the proud Jew, who brags of all these things, and makes himself to be a teacher of the "ignorant" Gentiles, does not teach himself. Everything is nothing more than national pride, of religion and of knowledge without obedience. His behaviour does not conform with what he says and teaches, and although he has learned what are the standards of behaviour required by God, he does not keep up with them in his conduct.

We then have a series of examples of this unruly behaviour of the Jew:

• He steals (8th Commandment).

• He commits adultery (7th commandment). The Talmud records that the three most distinguished rabbis were guilty of the crime of adultery.

• He robs temples, perhaps by looting the images (3rd commandment). The Registrar of Ephesus declared that Paul and his companions, although they were Jews, were "neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of the goddess of the Ephesians" (Acts 19:37), indicating that this accusation was sometimes made against the Jews, although they were forbidden to do such a thing.

• He breaks the law, dishonouring God when disobeying its precepts and causing the name of God to be blasphemed among the Gentiles (Isaiah 52:5). The name of God (Jehovah or Yahweh), was considered so sacred by the Jews, that it was never spoken except by the high priest on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) when he entered the most Holy Place of the temple. Whenever this name appeared in the Scriptures they read "Adonai" (Lord), thus interpreting Leviticus 24:16. Although a Jew would respect the name of God in that way, his unruly behaviour induced the Gentile to blaspheme, using it disrespectfully.

The physical mark of circumcision, with which the Jew is identified as a descendant and heir of Abraham, is only the seal of the existing covenant between him and God (Genesis 17:4-5). It is useful to the Jew to remind him of his relationship and his responsibility before God, to keep His law and His statutes, arising from this covenant.

But if he is a breaker of the law, the Jew is refusing to do his part of the covenant, and circumcision is of no value to him and becomes uncircumcision, that is, null and void as if it were non-existent (so he can no longer boast of it).

On the other hand, if a Gentile (incircumcision) keeps the righteouos requirements prescribed by law, even not being under the law, his uncircumcision is more acceptable than the circumcision of a trespassing Jew. In such a case it was the heart of the Gentile which was circumcised, and that is what matters.

The superior behaviour of the Gentile condemns the circumcised Jew who, with his written law and statutes does not obey them nor lives a life of separation and sanctification up to the standard of his circumcision.

In the eyes of God, a true Jew is not only a man who is a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and who has on his body the marks of circumcision. A Jew can have all this and still be a denial morally. The Lord is not moved by external superficial considerations of race or religion; He looks to the sincerity and purity in the depths of each person.

To be a real Jew, he must also be so in his heart, sanctified in the Spirit and not only in the letter. This type of Jew who is also truly Jewish inwardly, who lives up to the existing covenant with God, is the high level which Paul poses in front of the Jew by nationality only, described above.

This passage does not teach that all believers are Jews, or that the church is the Israel of God. Paul is dealing with those who are Jews by birth and were brought up in Judaism. His teaching here is that it is not enough for them to be physically circumcised Jews, but they must devote themselves to God in their hearts, in order to enjoy the benefits of the blessings they inherit through the covenant God made with their patriarchs. This is spiritual heart surgery.

They will receive the praise of God for this, which is vastly superior to that coming from men. Here there is a play on words: "Jew" comes from Judah, the remaining kingdom of the nation of Israel after the dispersion of the other tribes, and means "praise"; therefore, a true "praise" is one whose character is such that he receives the praise of God.

To the Jew who is reading this teaching, we see the following answers to some questions that may have occurred to him:

• "What advantage is there in being a circumcised Jew?" The Jews were very privileged, including because the Word of God was entrusted to them for its writing and preservation. Unfortunately, in general, they showed an appalling lack of faith.

• "Will God will turn back on His promises to the people and cancel the covenants made with Israel, because some did not believe?" Never! Even if every man be a liar, God still is true.

• "If the righteousness of God is proved by our unrighteousness, from the human point of view is not God unjust to punish us with wrath because of our unrighteousness?" On the contrary, this would be unrighteous, and if God did not punish this unrighteousness He would be unable to judge the unrighteousness of the world. .

• "But if the lie has resulted in the glory of God by revealing His truth, why am I judged as a sinner?" That is to say "Let us do evil for good to come", i.e. that the end justifies the means. Some people slandered Paul by saying that he taught this, no doubt because he preached justification by faith and not by works. This accusation is frequently made even today, against the Gospel of grace through faith alone in Jesus Christ, saying: "if we are saved by faith alone, we can continue living in sin, to highlight the grace of God". This argument is vigorously opposed in Chapter 6.

 

R David Jones

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17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,

 

 

 

 

 

18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

 

 

19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

 

 

 

20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.

 

 

 

21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?

 

 

 

 

22 You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

 

 

 

23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonour God through breaking the law?
24 For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," as it is written.

 

25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

 

 

26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?

27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?
28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;

 

 

29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Romans chapter 2, verses 17 to 29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?
2 Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.
3 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?
4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: "THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND MAY OVERCOME WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED."
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)
6 Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?
8 And why not say, "Let us do evil that good may come"?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.

Romans chapter 3, verses 1 to 8