Romans 2:1

Rom 2:1; Romans 1:32. "Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 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." It seems to be a mistake of many that the Apostle in what he says of men's wickedness, in chap. 1, has respect only to the Gentiles, and that in what he says in chap. 2 he has respect only to the Jews. It is true that in the first chapter he evidently has his eye chiefly on the wickedness that prevailed in the world, but that is not his professed design in it, only to describe the sin of the Pagan world, but the wickedness of the world of mankind. It is all unrighteousness and ungodliness, etc. And in the second chapter he has his eye chiefly on the Jews; but it is not his professed design to speak only of them, as appears by his beginning in Romans 2:1 - The universal terms that he uses in it - "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man," (not, O Jews!) " whosoever thou art" (of mankind, whether Jew or Gentile) "that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same the same things." In the last verse of the first chapter the Apostle speaks of the wickedness of mankind in general, and shows how they hold the truth in unrighteousness, as he had said before, Romans 1:18 - "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness:" and the special design of that verse is to set forth how they are all alike and all agreed in wickedness, and in the same kind of wickedness, though they all have that light that is sufficient to teach them that those that commit such things deserve the condemnation and wrath of God, and so death and destruction; which they are very ready to acknowledge and declare in the case of others when they see their wickedness, their unrighteousness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, etc. I say, though when they see others guilty of such things they can easily see that they are worthy of death, and are forward to express it; yet they do the very same things, and not only so, but they shew plainly that they have just such hearts; they shew a full practical consent to all the wickedness of others that they are forward to condemn and to declare worthy of death. Thus inexorable are they and inconsistent with themselves. Thus the beginning of the 2nd chapter (Romans 2) comes in - " Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. " Thou that art forward to condemn others as worthy of death - " for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thyself " - thou art very unreasonable and exceeding inconsistent with thyself, - " for thou that judgest doest the same things, " and shewest that thou hast pleasure in their practice. There is at the same time that you judge them a full practical consent to, and good liking of, the very same practices. So God of old condemned the Jews, for that in this practice they had justified Samaria and Sodom, and were a comfort to them, and yet had judged them. Ezekiel 16:51; Ezekiel 16:52; Ezekiel 16:54.

Rom. 2:21-22