Romans 2:1-16

1. The Ground on which all men are Judged

The Jews would at once assent to the truthfulness of the previous description; but while condemning the Gentiles, they would mentally excuse themselves. To this natural, yet improper state of mind, the Apostle replies. He shows great rhetorical skill, both in the use of direct address, and in not at once naming the Jews. The truth he states, and which he uses to convict the Jews, is of universal validity. The rhetorical form only enhances the logical force of the argument. This section is, in fact, the major proposition of a syllogism: All who judge others for sins they themselves commit, are under God's condemnation (Romans 2:1-5); for God's judgment is on moral (not national or ceremonial) grounds (Romans 2:6-11); and, moreover, He judges men according to the light they have (Romans 2:12-16). There is throughout a movement of thought toward the application to the Jew, which is expressed in vehement form in the next section; the minor proposition being found in Romans 2:17-20: the Jew, having more light, condemns others for sins he himself commits. The second paragraph of this section, which asserts the universal principle of God's judgment, contains a series of antithetic parallelisms (see notes).