Romans 2:17

Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, BEHOLD, [ ide (G2396)] - but the true reading is beyond doubt, 'But if,' [ ei (G1487) de (G1161). Such Itacisms are common in ancient manuscripts.]...

17._Behold, thou art named a Jew, etc. _Some old copies read εἰ δὲ, _though indeed; _which, were it generally received, would meet my approbation; but as the greater part of the manuscripts is opposed to it, and the sense is not unsuitable, I retain the old reading, especially as it is only a small difference of one letter. (77) Having now completed what he meant to say of the Gentiles, he returns to the Jews; and that he might, with greater force, beat down their great vanity, he allows them all those privileges, by which they were beyond measure transported and inflated: and then he shows how insufficient they were for the attainment of true glory, yea, how they turned to their reproach. Under the name _Jew _he includes all the privileges of the nation, which they vainly pretended were derived from the law and the prophets; and so he comprehends all the Isr

17-24 The apostle directs his discourse to the Jews, and shows of what sins they were guilty, notwithstanding their profession and vain pretensions. A believing, humble, thankful glorying in God, is the root and sum of all religion. But proud, vain-glorious boasting in God, and in the outward profession of his name, is the root and sum of all hypocrisy. Spiritual pride is the most dangerous of all kinds of pride. A great evil of the sins professors is, the dishonour done to God and religion, by their not living according to their profession. Many despise their more ignorant neighbours who rest in a dead form of godliness; yet themselves trust in a form of knowledge, equally void of life and power, while some glory in the gospel, whose unholy lives dishonour God, and cause his name to be blasphemed....

Verse 17. _BEHOLD, THOU ART CALLED A JEW_] What the apostle had said in the preceding verses being sufficient to enforce conviction on the conscience of the Jew, he now throws off the cover, and openly argues with him in the most plain and nervous manner; asserting that his superior knowledge, privileges, and profession, served only to aggravate his condemnation. And that, in fact, he who, under all his greater advantages, transgressed the law of God, stood condemned by the honest _Gentile_, who, to the best of his knowledge obeyed it. Dr. _Taylor_. _AND RESTEST IN THE LAW_] Thou trustest in it for thy endless salvation. The word επαναπαυη, implies the strongest confidence of safety and security. Thou _reposest_ thy _whole trust and_ _confidence_ in this law. _AND MAKEST THY BOAST OF GOD_] That thou knowest his _nature_ and _attributes_, which are not known to the Gentil

BEHOLD - Having thus stated the general principles on which God would judge the world; having shown how they condemned the Gentiles; and having removed all objections to them, he now proceeds to another part of his argument, to show how they applied to the Jews. By the use of the word “behold,” he calls their attention to it, as to an important subject; and with great skill and address, he states their privileges, before he shows them how those privileges might enhance their condemnation. He admits all their claims to pre-eminence in privileges, and then with great faithfulness proceeds to show how, if abused, these might deepen their final destruction. It should be observed, however, that the word rendered “behold” is in many manuscripts written in two words, ἔι δὲ ei de, instead of ἴδε ide. If this, as is probable, is the correct r

EXPOSITION ROMANS 2:1 (_b_) _Those who judge others, not excepting the Jews. _Here a new stage of the argument, in proof of the position propounded in Romans 1:18, begins, and is continued to the end of the chapter. The position to be proved is that all mankind is guilty before God (see note on Romans 1:18). So far this has been shown with regard to the mass of the heathen world; its general moral corruption, prevalent and condoned, having been pointed out finally as a glaring proof; the main point of the argument having been to trace this state of things to man's own fault, in that he had refused to retain and act on a knowledge of God originally imparted to him through nature a

BEHOLD, THOU ART CALLED A JEW,.... From hence to the end of the chapter the Jews are particularly addressed; their several privileges and characters are commemorated, which by an ironical concession are allowed them; several charges are brought against them, even against their principal men; and the plea in favour of them, from their circumcision, is considered; and the apostle's view in the whole, is to show that they could not be justified before God by their obedience to the law of Moses: "behold"; take notice, observe it, this will be granted: "thou art called a Jew"; thou art one by name, by nation, and by religion; but no name, nor outward religion, nor a mere profession, will justify before God: AND RESTEST IN THE LAW; which may be understood of their having the law and the knowledge of it, what is to be done and avoided easily, without any fatigue and labour; of their pleasing a...

ROMANS 2:17 eiv de, The Textus Receptus, following the later text (Dc L most minuscules syrh), reads i;de (whence the AV rendering, “Behold”). This reading arose either as an itacism (ei and i were pronounced alike) or as a deliberate amelioration of an otherwise extremely long and drawn out sentence (with the apodosis in ver. Romans 2:21). In any case eiv de, is strongly supported by the best representatives of the Alexandrian and the Western types of text (a A B D* K itd, g vg syrp copsa, bo arm eth)....

CHAPTER 2 _ 1. The Gentile Moralist and Reformer and His Condemnation. (Romans 2:1 .)_ 2. The Two Classes. (Romans 2:7 .) 3. The State of the Jew. (Romans 2:17 .) Romans 2:1 But in the heathen world there were such who gave witness against the immoral condition, the different vices. There were Moralists, Reformers and Philosophers like Socrates, Seneca and others. They judged and condemned certain evils. But God declares that they were not a whit better than the rest. The very things they condemned they were guilty of themselves. One of their own writers declared, “I see the good and approve of it and follow the ev

Now Paul accosts the Jew, reproving his PRIDE OF LAW, MADE VOID BY DISLOYALTY. Romans 2:17. His pretensions (But if thou bearest the name of Jew, etc.), provoke the questions of Romans 2:21 : the commandments he inculcates on others, he so violates that God is dishonoured, and His name is blasphemed among the Gentiles. The blasphemy of Isaiah 52:5 was occasioned by the insolence of Gentile oppressors; this by the hypocrisy of Israel. Romans 2:25. How worthless the outward possession of the Law, and the physical mark of circumcision, without the corresponding inner reality: law-keeping uncircumcision is virtually cir