Romans 2:17-24

Text

Romans 2:17-24. But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God, Romans 2:18 and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, Romans 2:19 and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness, Romans 2:20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth; Romans 2:21 thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, does thou steal? Romans 2:22 thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples? Romans 2:23 thou who gloriest in the law, through thy transgression of the law dishonorest thou God? Romans 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written.

REALIZING ROMANS, Romans 2:17-24

71.

Is there any real significance in the name Jew other than the fact that it distinguishes them from the Gentiles?

72.

In what sense were the Jews resting upon the law? To what purpose or intent?

73.

Make a list of the characteristics of the Jews here given by Paul. There are eleven of them; see if you can find them all.

74.

Was there one of these qualities that was not true or desirable?

75.

In what sense were the Jews glorying in God? Explain the expression.

76.

What is the difference, if any, of knowing His will and approving the things that are excellent?

77.

Tie up the expression being instructed out of the law with the two preceding phrases; i.e., show the relationship.

78.

Did God ever intend for the Jewish nation to be a guide to the blind?

79.

Show the tremendous significance of revelation as expressed in these words.

80.

Is it true that all who are now without revelation are blindin the dark, ignorant, and foolish?

81.

Can you see any application to present-day church members?

82.

In what sense had the Jew failed to teach himself?

83.

What definition of teaching does this verse (Romans 2:21) give?

84.

Do you believe these Jews were actually committing adultery and at the same time teaching others not to?

85.

Why would a Jew rob a temple of idols? Would it be to worship them?

86.

Note in Romans 2:23 that transgression of the law is more serious than the transgression of a divine will. It has judgment implications.

87.

Can God be dishonored?

88.

What is the meaning of blasphemed as here used?

Paraphrase

Romans 2:17-24. What improvement have ye Jews made of revelation? Behold, thou hast the honorable appellation of a Jew, and restest in the law as a complete rule of duty and boastest in God as the object of thy worship;

Romans 2:18 And knowest what God requires, and approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed by the law, which is a revelation from God, and a much surer rule than philosophy;

Romans 2:19 And boastest that thou thyself art a guide in matters of religion to the Gentiles, who, notwithstanding their philosophy, are blind, and a light to all who are in the darkness of heathenism;

Romans 2:20 A reprover of the foolish, a teacher of persons as destitute of spiritual ideas as babes:those titles thou assumest, because thou hast a just representation of religious knowledge and truth in the scriptures.

Romans 2:21 Is thy behaviour suitable to those high pretensions? Thou then who teaches the Gentiles, why teachest thou not thyself? Thou who preachest to them, Do not steal,dost thou steal?

Romans 2:22 Thou enlightened Jewish doctor, who sayest to the Gentiles, Do not commit adultery,dost thou commit adultery? Thou who abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples of the tithes destined for the support of the worship of God? as if impiety were criminal in heathens, but pardonable in thee.

Romans 2:23 Thou who boastest of revelation, dost thou, by breaking the precepts of revelation, dishonor God who bestowed it on thee? (See Romans 2:4)

Romans 2:24 I do not charge you Jews with these crimes rashly: For, as it was written to your fathers, so I write to you, the name of God is evil spoken of among the Gentiles through your wickedness, who call yourselves his people.

Summary

The Jew made great pretensions to superior knowledge; yet he acted as though he himself needed to be taught. He was inconsistent in his conduct. He preached not to do this, but did it. He taught not to do that, but did it. He boasted in the law, yet broke it. He abhorred idols; yet robbed temples of them to serve them. He affected great reverence for God; yet dishonored him by breaking his law. He even brought his name into disrepute among surrounding nations.

Comment

The Jewish readers of this letter have no doubt by this time come to see the personal application of what has been said, so the open statement of verse seventeen, directed as it is to the Jew, would be no great surprise. The 142 words of this remarkable sentence contain an undeniable exposé of Jewish sins which demonstrate the need in their lives for the gospel of Christ. Notice the apparently complimentary touch of these words along with the masked sarcasm which finally bursts forth into open denunciation of undeniable sins. Hear Paul speak to the heart of these Jews: (Romans 2:17-20)

First, he spoke of their high standing.

a.

Bore the proud name of a Jew. (Proud because it meant praise Genesis 29:35.)

b.

Rested upon the law.

c.

Glorified in God.

d.

Knew His will.

43.

How does the universal need of the gospel help to answer question one?

44.

How does the basis of judgment help to answer the question?

45.

In what manner is the guilt of the Jew (chap, 2) and Gentile (chap. 1) made known?

46.

Why wouldn-'t the Jew be surprised to hear his name mentioned as in Romans 2:17?

47.

What form does the 142-word sentence of the Jewish exposé take? Why?

48.

Why was the name Jew a proud name?

49.

Who was blind, in darkness, a babe, foolish?

e.

Were able to discriminate in a very close way as to right and wrong because of their instruction in the law.

f.

A confident guide to the blind Gentile.

g.

A light to those in darkness.

h.

An instructor of the foolish.

i.

A teacher of those who were so destitute of spiritual knowledge as to be counted as babes.

j.

All these things were theirs because they had the law and in it the knowledge and truth which made such a standing possible (Romans 2:17-20).

He then condemned their hypocrisy. To the question now asked by Paul there could be but one answer. Here is the question, which contains the crux of the whole matter: Thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? (Romans 2:21 a)

a.

What about your teaching on stealing? How does it compare with your actions?

b.

And your prohibitions against adulteryare you practicing the very thing you prohibit?

c.

How you do abhor idols! But is it you who are entering temples of these idols to steal the very objects you abhor?

d.

Summing up the matter, you present a strange paradox. You glory in the law of God and then by your transgressions of the law you dishonor Him who originated the law.

e.

It is as in the days of your fathersthe name of Jehovah is sneered at among the Gentiles because of you (Romans 2:21 b - Romans 2:24). (Romans 2:17-24)