‏ Romans 2

CHAPTER 2

Ro 2:1-29. The Jew under Like Condemnation with the Gentile.

From those without, the apostle now turns to those within the pale of revealed religion, the self-righteous Jews, who looked down upon the uncovenanted heathen as beyond the pale of God's mercies, within which they deemed themselves secure, however inconsistent their life may be. Alas! what multitudes wrap themselves up in like fatal confidence, who occupy the corresponding position in the Christian Church!

4. the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance--that is, is designed and adapted to do so.

5. treasurest up unto thyself wrath against--rather "in."

the day of wrath--that is wrath to come on thee in the day of wrath. What an awful idea is here expressed--that the sinner himself is amassing, like hoarded treasure, an ever accumulating stock of divine wrath, to burst upon him in "the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God!" And this is said not of the reckless, but of those who boasted of their purity of faith and life.

7-10. To them who, &c.--The substance of these verses is that the final judgment will turn upon character alone.

by patient continuance in well-doing, &c.--Compare Lu 8:15: "That on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience"; denoting the enduring and progressive character of the new life.

12. For as many as have sinned--not "as many as have sinned at all," but, "as many as are found in sin" at the judgment of the great day (as the whole context shows).

without law--that is, without the advantage of a positive Revelation.

shall also perish without law--exempt from the charge of rejecting or disregarding it.

and as many as have sinned in the law--within the pale of a positive, written Revelation.

shall be judged by the law--tried and condemned by the higher standard of that written Revelation.

13-15. For not the hearers, &c.--As touching the Jews, in whose ears the written law is continually resounding, the condemnation of as many of them as are found sinners at the last involves no difficulty; but even as respects the heathen, who are strangers to the law in its positive and written form--since they show how deeply it is engraven on their moral nature, which witnesses within them for righteousness and against iniquity, accusing or condemning them according as they violate or obey its stern dictates--their condemnation also for all the sin in which they live and die will carry its dreadful echo in their own breasts.

16. In the day, &c.--Here the unfinished statement of Ro 2:12 is resumed and closed.

shall judge the secrets of men--here specially referring to the unfathomed depths of hypocrisy in the self-righteous whom the apostle had to deal with. (See Ec 12:14; 1Co 4:5).

according to my gospel--to my teaching as a preacher of the Gospel.

17-24. Behold--"But if" is, beyond doubt, the true reading here. (It differs but in a single letter from the received reading, and the sense is the same).

25-29. For circumcision--that is, One's being within the covenant of which circumcision was the outward sign and seal.

verily profiteth, if thou keep the law--if the inward reality correspond to the outward sign.

but if, &c.--that is, "Otherwise, thou art no better than the uncircumcised heathen."