R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 1 Study By: Greg Herrick
A. Introduction
Hypocrisy—carefully presenting one appearance on the outside, while clingin
g to another on the inside—is declared by Jesus to be like a white washed t
omb. Such houses for the dead look great, however, even impressive on the ou
tside, but… and you know how the rest of that goes (cf. Matt 23:27). Two st
ories illustrate well the nature of hypocrisy and the pain that comes with i
t.
The first is related by Stuart Briscoe. He tells the story of the time he wa
s in business and had to deal with a coworker who had embezzled a large sum
of money from the bank for which they both worked. The reason for the embezz
lement was that he had two wives and families and was trying to run two home
s. When he was apprehended and fired, he stunned everyone by saying, “I am
very sorry for what I have done, and I need to know whether I should fulfill
my preaching commitments on Sunday in our local church!” Briscoe says that
in the following weeks he spent much time mending the damage done by the ma
n’s inconsistency. To Briscoe’s chagrin, he found that his fellow workers
not only despised the man but also “were quick to dismiss the church he bel
onged to as a ‘bunch of hypocrites,’ the gospel he professed to believe as
a ‘lot of hogwash,’ and the God he claimed to serve as ‘nonexistent.’”
33
The second story involves a saloon keeper who sold his tavern to a local chu
rch. The members tore out the bar, added some lights, gave the whole pale a
fresh new coat of pain, and installed some pews. Somehow a parrot which belo
nged to the saloon keeper was left behind. On Sunday morning that colorful b
ird was watching from the rafters. When the minister appeared, he squawked,
‘New proprietor!’ When the men who were to lead in worship marched in, the
bird piped, ‘New floor show!’ But when the bird looked out over the congr
egation, he screeched, ‘same old crowd!’34
The church in the U.S. and Canada has a tremendous crisis of credibility. I
realize that some non-Christians, especially those in the media, want to cha
racterize Christians as hypocritical whenever the opportunity arises, but I
wonder how much of what they say is true and deserved. Certainly not all of
it is, but there are times when the gap between our preaching and our practi
ce resembles a canyon rather than a ditch, and our critics are correct when
they dutifully point this out. The immense problem of the current, low moral
ity among Christians—and the obvious indictment regarding the powerlessness
of our religion—I am convinced, constitutes the single most damaging blow
to the cause of the gospel in America. Based on Christian testimony and life
style, it is difficult to see what, if any, difference the gospel really mak
es. No amount of rigorous apologetic for the faith—as important as that is—
will supplant or squelch the consistent noise coming from the moral megaphon
e of our lives. That “consistent noise” is precisely that Christians are,
by and large, “inconsistent.” They proclaim one ethic and live another. Or
as one person quipped, “they traffic in unlived truth.” There is, at pres
ent, a great and lamentable distinction that needs to be drawn between Chris
tian ethics and the ethics of Christians. The tide will change, however, whe
n Christians repent and seek the living God who reigns from Monday to Sunday
.
In Romans 2:17-29 Paul lands squarely on the issue of hypocrisy. Though he t
alks specifically about the Jews of his day, we would do well to pay close a
ttention to what he says lest we fall into the same error of “claim without
conduct.” | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 2 B. Translation of Passage in NET
2:17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your re
lationship to God
2:18 and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive i
nstruction from the law,
2:19 and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a
light to those who are in darkness,
2:20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you
have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth—
2:21 therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You wh
o preach against stealing, do you steal?
2:22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You
who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
2:23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law!
2:24 For just as it is written, “the name of God is being blasphemed among
the Gentiles because of you.”
2:25 For circumcision has its value if you practice the law; but if you brea
k the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of
the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?
2:27 And the physically uncircumcised man who keeps the law, will he not jud
ge you, the one who, despite the written code and circumcision, transgresses
the law?
2:28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision som
ething that is outward in the flesh,
2:29 but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the he
art by the Spirit and not by the written code. This person’s praise is not
from people but from God. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 3 C. Full Exegetical Outline
I. The Jew thinks that through his relationship to the Law he has the essent
ial features of knowledge and truth and can guide and teach the Gentile (2:1
7-20).
A. Many Jews rely on the Law and boast in their relationship to YHWH and cla
im to know his will since they are instructed out of the Law (2:17-18).
1. Many Jews proudly call themselves Jews, rely on the Law, and boast in the
ir relationship with God (2:17).
2. Many Jews know God’s will and approve of morally and spiritually superio
r things because they claim to have been instructed out of the Law (2:18).
B. Many Jews are convinced that since they have the essential features of kn
owledge and truth in the Law they are de facto able to carry on a mediatoria
l and pedagogical role in the world (2:19-20).
1. Many Jews are convinced that they are a guide to the blind (2:19).
2. Many Jews are convinced that they are a light to those in darkness (2:19)
.
3. Many Jews are convinced that they are an educator of the senseless (2:20)
.
4. Many Jews are convinced that they are a teacher of little children (2:20)
.
5. The Jews have in the Law the essential features of knowledge and truth (2
:20).
II. But the Jew does not obey the teachings of the Law and as a result the n
ame of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles (2:21-24).
A. The Jew who teaches, preaches, and tells others not to steal, commit adul
tery, and rob temples is himself guilty of the same sins (2:21-23).
1. Many Jews preach against stealing, yet they steal (2:21).
2. Many Jews tell others not to commit adultery, yet they commit adultery (2
:22).
3. Many Jews abhor idols, yet they rob temples (2:22).
4. Many Jews boast in the Law, but they dishonor God by transgressing the La
w (2:23).
B. The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of the Jews’ di
sobedience (2:24).
III. The Jew cannot arrogantly appeal to the outward rite of circumcision si
nce (1) the uncircumcised man who obeys the Law will be regarded as circumci
sed and he in turn will judge the disobedience of the circumcised Jew as unc
ircumcision, and (2) the true Jew who gets praise from God, not people, is t
he one who is circumcised by the Spirit inwardly, in the heart, and not by t
he letter (2:25-29).
A. Circumcision is as uncircumcision when a man continually breaks the Law (
2:25).
B. The uncircumcised man who keeps the Law will be regarded as circumcised a
nd he will judge the disobedience of the circumcised man as uncircumcision (
2:26-27).
1. The uncircumcised man who keeps the Law will be regarded as circumcised (
2:26)
2. The uncircumcised man will judge the disobedience of the circumcised man
as uncircumcision (2:27).
C. The true Jew who gets praise from God, not people, is one who is not simp
ly circumcised outwardly in the flesh, but one who has been circumcised inwa
rdly, by the Spirit, and not the letter (2:28-29).
1. A true Jew is not one outwardly and circumcision is not something purely
outward in the body (2:28).
2. A true Jew is one inwardly where the circumcision is of the heart by the
Spirit, not by the letter (2:29).
3. A true Jew is one whose praise is not from people, but from God (2:29). | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 4 D. Simple Point Outline
I. The Claims of the Jew and His Role among the Gentiles (2:17-20)
A. The Claims of the Jew (2:17-18)
1. He Calls Himself a Jew (2:17)
2. He Relies on the Law (2 :17)
3. He Boasts in His Relationship with God (2:17)
4. He Knows God’s Will (2:18)
5. He Approves of Superior Things (2:18)
6. He Is Instructed out of the Law (2:18)
B. The Mediatorial Role of the Jew (2:19-20)
The Jew is convinced he…
1. Is a Guide to the Blind (2:19)
2. Is a Light to Those in Darkness (2:19)
3. Is an Educator of the Senseless (2:20)
4. Is a Teacher of Little Children (2:20)
5. Has Knowledge and Truth in the Law (2:20)
II. The Jews and Hypocrisy (2:21-24)
A. The Jews’ Hypocrisy (2:21-23)
1. The Jews and Stealing (2:21)
2. The Jews and Adultery (2:22)
3. The Jews and Robbing Temples (2:22)
4. The Jews’ Dishonoring of God (2:23)
B. The Result of Their Hypocrisy (2:24)
III. True Circumcision and the True Jew (2:25-29)
A. Circumcision and Disobedience (2:25)
B. The Uncircum. Man and Obedience (2:26-27)
1. His Obedience Is As Circumcision (2:26)
2. He Judges the Disobedience of “the Circumcision” as Uncircumcision (2:
27)
C. The True Jew and True Circumcision (2:28-29)
1. The True Jew and Circumcision: General Statement (2:28)
2. The True Jew and Spiritual Circumcision: Specific Statement (2:29) | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 5 E. Exposition Proper
What Paul has been saying regarding the Jews, albeit somewhat obliquely in 2
:1-16, comes into the full light of day in 2:17-29. The fact of their hypocr
isy, alluded to in 2:1-3, is highlighted with full force in 2:17-29.
Romans 2:17-29 breaks down in three smaller units. In 2:17-20, Paul—through
the use of a series of conditional statements which are never really formal
ly completed—focuses on the particular claims of the Jew as one who was pri
vileged and sustained a special mediatorial role to world in light of his po
ssession of the Law of God. The emphasis falls on the Jews’ knowledge via t
he Law and their claim to be teachers of those without such moral and spirit
ual insight. In 2:21-24 Paul refers to the fact that although they had the L
aw, and claimed they could teach others, it was obvious that they had not ta
ught themselves; they were committing the same sins for which they had the h
abit of rebuking the Gentiles. In 2:25-29 Paul focuses on the one thing in w
hich the Jew prided himself as a covenant person—i.e., circumcision. Paul’
s interpretation of circumcision, however, was that it was only a sign and t
hat, if the reality was not present, the sign was of no value. We move now t
o consider the details of the passage.
2:17-18 Paul mentions five things about the Jew in 2:17-18, all of which are
connected to the fact that as a Jew he had been instructed out of the very
revealed Law of God. When a man referred to himself as a Jew it was done wit
h pride since, as such, he did not commit the same sins as the lawless Genti
le—or so he thought—and thus, in his mind, he accorded special favor with
YHWH and was specially chosen by him. As a Jew he relied on the law, that is
, he derived his sense of security with YHWH from his connection with, and o
bedience to, the Law. He was also one who supposedly, having obeyed the Law,
could boast about his relationship with the true God whereas Gentiles who w
ere guilty of such varied and awful sins could obviously make no such claim.
All they could do is hope to be taught by a Jew!
That this is the Jews’ focus in boasting in God is clear from the next clai
m, i.e., that they know his will (ginwvskei" toV qevlhma, ginoskeis to thele
ma). The term will refers primarily to that revealed in the Mosaic Law and i
ncludes spiritual and moral truth. The Jew supposedly knows right from wrong
in matters of worship and ethics and claims that he can, therefore, teach o
thers.
As someone who knew the will of God, the Jew could then rightly judge betwee
n what was proper, spiritually and morally speaking, and what was not. He wa
s able to approve the superior things (dokimavzei" taV diafevronta, dokimaze
is ta diapheronta), as Paul says, since he had been instructed out of the la
w (kathcouvmeno" ejk tou~ novmou, katechoumenos ek tou nomou). The Jew was t
o have learned how to discern the will of God through catechetical instructi
on based on the Law. In short, the Jew’s religion was a revealed religion—
God making himself known to man—and as the special recipient of that revela
tion, he prided himself in his name, position, and knowledge. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 6 2:19-20 Therefore, as someone who knew the will of God through Torah (i.e.,
the Law), he was confident (pevpoiqa", pepoithas) that he fulfilled the chie
f mediatorial (for God) and pedagogical role in the world. First, he was a g
uide to the blind (oJdhgoVn ei ai tuflw'n, hodegon einai tuphlon); he was su
pposed to lead those without Torah into a right relationship with YHWH. Seco
nd, and intimately related, he was supposed to be, again via his connection
with YHWH and the Torah, a light to those who were in darkness (fw'" tw'n ej
n skovtei, phos ton en skotei). That is, he was to shine the light of YHWH’
s truth upon those in darkness in order to bring salvation and forgiveness t
o them (Isa 49:6). Third, as someone with wisdom from the Law, he was to be
an educator of the senseless (paideuthVn ajfrovnwn, paideuten aphronon), tha
t is, as an obedient Jew he had knowledge to pass on that would render an ot
herwise futile existence worthwhile (cf. Prov 11:29; Luke 12:20). Fourth, he
was to be a teacher of little children (didavskalon nhpivwn, didaskalon nep
ion). In the eyes of the Jew, the Gentile was basically an infant needing th
e instruction of one more mature in the knowledge of faith.
While the Gentile had knowledge (1:28, 32; ejpivgnwsi", epignosis) of God, P
aul says that the Jew had in the law a much clearer understanding of the ess
ential features of knowledge and of the truth (thVn movrfwsin th'" gnwvsew"
kaiV th'" ajlhqeiva" ejn tw'/ novmw/, ten morphosin tes gnoseos kai tes alet
heias en to nomo). What was written on the human heart and subsequently obsc
ured through the fall and sin was made explicit in the Mosaic Law—and much
more as well. In terms of revelation from God, the Jew was in a position of
privilege for he not only had nature and conscience, he also had the Mosaic
Law.
2:21-24 In 2:21-24, and indeed throughout the rest of the section, Paul begi
ns to argue that although the Jew has been long on privilege, he’s been sho
rt on responsibility; in point of fact, he has not lived up to his calling a
nd as a result the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles.
The Jews, though perhaps not to the same degree as some Gentiles, were guilt
y of committing the very things they taught, preached, and spoke against. Th
ey preached at others, but failed to listen to their own sermons! They were
guilty of stealing (klevptei", klepteis), adultery (not spiritual, as we hav
e in Hosea, but literal; moiceuvei", moicheueis), and robbing temples, and n
ot simply in thought (e.g., Matt 5:27-30)—as if Paul were appealing to the
Law at the deeper level of sinful thoughts and attitudes only. On the contra
ry, there were Jews who were guilty of the acts themselves. Paul’s indictme
nt against the Jew could hardly be expected to “stick” if this were not th
e case—i.e., if they had not really committed these acts.
The meaning of the last sin mentioned, namely, to rob temples (iJerosulei'",
hierosuleis), is difficult to determine precisely, but it seems to refer to
stealing idols from pagan temples in order to use the materials from which
they were made. Though the rabbis made numerous concessions, this was prohib
ited in Deuteronomy 7:25-26. Other commentators, however, have suggested tha
t the term hierosuleis is more general and means “to commit sacrilege” aga
inst a temple, and in particular the Jerusalem temple.
In short, the very ones who boast in the Law dishonor God by transgressing t
he Law. The result of Jewish hypocrisy, as noted above, is that the name of
God is blasphemed among the Gentiles (Isa 52:5 LXX; Ezek 36:20). Isaiah 52:5
in the MT (Hebrew Bible) does not have among the Gentiles and because of yo
u but this wording is found in the Greek version (LXX) which Paul is chiefly
indebted to in this case. The way Paul is using the Isaiah passage is simil
ar to Ezekiel’s words in 36:20. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 7 2:25-29 In 2:25-29 Paul further explains (note the “For” in 2:25) vv. 21-2
4 by way of the best example he can think of—circumcision. He explains why
Gentiles blaspheme the name of God; it is because the Jews, even though circ
umcised, do not live up to their profession. But Paul also goes further than
this in 2:25-29.
Paul says that circumcision (peritomhv, peritome) is definitely not a “tick
et” to the world to come. In short, it is of no value if not attended by fa
ithful practice (pravssh/", prasses) of the Law for which it was a sign. Ind
eed—and here’s where Paul begins to go further than just to explain the re
ason for Gentile blasphemy—it is as though the man is not even circumcised.
This must mean that such a man is not a true member of the covenant communi
ty and is unregenerate, as 2:28-29 would seem to indicate.
Paul continues his argument by asking a rhetorical question that demands a p
ositive answer, though not all Jews would have agreed. He asks: if the uncir
cumcised man (hJ ajkrobustiva, he akrobustia) keeps the righteous requiremen
ts of the Law, will he, in contrast to the circumcised man who does not keep
the Law, be regarded (logisqhvsetai, logisthesetai) as circumcised, i.e., a
member of the covenant community and heir of the promises of God? According
to Paul, he will certainly be regarded as such.
Further, that very man who is uncircumcised by birth and yet keeps the Law,
he will judge (krinei~, krinei) the circumcised lawbreaker as though uncircu
mcised. And he will do this despite the fact that the man claims to have bot
h the written code (grammato", grammatos), namely, the Mosaic Law and circum
cision as the sign.
In vv. 28-29 Paul says there is a reason why circumcision by itself guarante
es nothing. It is because true religion is first and foremost—and always—a
matter of the heart (i.e., genuine faith) or the inner man. To be sure circ
umcision was a sign of membership in the covenant community of Israel, but i
t was only a sign. It could not create the reality of participation in the s
aved community, nor could it somehow replace the means of participation in t
he covenant community, i.e., by living faith (Rom 4). The true Jew, therefor
e, as one knowledgeable of what consitututes true religion should know this
better than any one.
Thus a true Jew is not one who is merely circumcised outwardly (fanerw'/, ph
anero), that is, in the flesh. The true Jew is one who is circumcised inward
ly (kruptw/~, krupto), a circumcision of the heart done by the Spirit and no
t by the written code (ejn pneuvmati ouj gravmmati, en pneumati ou grammati)
. The circumcision Paul intends here is in keeping with the promise of Jerem
iah 31:31-33 and refers to a supernatural rebirth, the same thing about whic
h Jesus spoke to Nicodemus (John 3:1ff). These verses here in Romans anticip
ate the larger discussion about the Spirit to come in 5:1-5 and 8:1-39 (see
Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23) | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 8 F. Homiletical Idea and Outline
Idea: Closing the Gap—Restoring the Marriage of Claims and Conduct
I. What Is Our Role in the World (2:17-20)?
A. Our Claims
B. Our Witness
II. Be Careful for Hypocrisy (2:21-24)!
A. What Are Our Areas of Weakness?
B. What Does the Watching World Say?
III. What Do You Cling To As A Sign of Your Christianity (2:25-29)?
A. The Need for Inward Transformation
B. The Centrality of God over Human Opinion
G. Contribution of Passage to Systematic Theology
This passage speaks strongly against hypocrisy and the futility of trusting
in religious rites to sanctify or make one right with God. Thus it speaks di
rectly to the area of personal sanctification as well as ecclesiology and th
e rite of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
While baptism and the Lord’s Supper are necessary rites, they have no value
in and of themselves to save or sanctify. They do not function ex opere ope
rato. In the case of the former, it is an attempt through an outward symbol
to capture the inward transformation which has already taken place through b
eing joined to Christ by faith. In the case of the latter it is a memorial d
esigned to proclaim a historical fact, that is, the death of Christ, and rem
ind the church of the basis of her forgiveness before God (1 Cor 15:1-11).
Now, we said that in and of themselves these rites do not save or sanctify,
but this does not mean that when the worshiper is right with God through Chr
ist (s)he experiences no grace at all. On the contrary, in the performing of
the rite, with a heart surrendered and fixed on God through Christ, God inf
uses sanctifying grace through His indwelling Spirit.
H. Contribution of Passage to Discipleship and Church Mission
The church, when it proclaims the truth about God and man’s sin, will almos
t always be hated by the world. But, there are unfortunately times when the
church is ridiculed and her God blasphemed because of what she does and the
way she does it. There are times when we fail to live up to our profession a
nd the world looks on with a critical eye. Our response to this is not to co
ndemn the world, whether they are right or wrong. Our response, rather, is t
wofold: (1) to love the world by continuing to serve and proclaim the truth,
and (2) to examine ourselves and Scripture to see if the claims are true. I
f they are, we simply must seek God for forgiveness for dishonoring his name
(1 John 1:9). Then let us repent and set out on new and fresh ways of livin
g in the world—ways that honor God’s name and give the unbeliever no basis
for accusation (1 Peter 2:11-12; Titus 2:5, 10; 3:8).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
33 R. Kent Hughes, 1001 Great Stories & Quotes (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1998),
219.
34 Michael Hodgin, 1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking (Gra
nd Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), 168. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 9 Study By: Greg Herrick
A. Introduction
Hypocrisy—carefully presenting one appearance on the outside, while clingin
g to another on the inside—is declared by Jesus to be like a white washed t
omb. Such houses for the dead look great, however, even impressive on the ou
tside, but… and you know how the rest of that goes (cf. Matt 23:27). Two st
ories illustrate well the nature of hypocrisy and the pain that comes with i
t.
The first is related by Stuart Briscoe. He tells the story of the time he wa
s in business and had to deal with a coworker who had embezzled a large sum
of money from the bank for which they both worked. The reason for the embezz
lement was that he had two wives and families and was trying to run two home
s. When he was apprehended and fired, he stunned everyone by saying, “I am
very sorry for what I have done, and I need to know whether I should fulfill
my preaching commitments on Sunday in our local church!” Briscoe says that
in the following weeks he spent much time mending the damage done by the ma
n’s inconsistency. To Briscoe’s chagrin, he found that his fellow workers
not only despised the man but also “were quick to dismiss the church he bel
onged to as a ‘bunch of hypocrites,’ the gospel he professed to believe as
a ‘lot of hogwash,’ and the God he claimed to serve as ‘nonexistent.’”
33
The second story involves a saloon keeper who sold his tavern to a local chu
rch. The members tore out the bar, added some lights, gave the whole pale a
fresh new coat of pain, and installed some pews. Somehow a parrot which belo
nged to the saloon keeper was left behind. On Sunday morning that colorful b
ird was watching from the rafters. When the minister appeared, he squawked,
‘New proprietor!’ When the men who were to lead in worship marched in, the
bird piped, ‘New floor show!’ But when the bird looked out over the congr
egation, he screeched, ‘same old crowd!’34
The church in the U.S. and Canada has a tremendous crisis of credibility. I
realize that some non-Christians, especially those in the media, want to cha
racterize Christians as hypocritical whenever the opportunity arises, but I
wonder how much of what they say is true and deserved. Certainly not all of
it is, but there are times when the gap between our preaching and our practi
ce resembles a canyon rather than a ditch, and our critics are correct when
they dutifully point this out. The immense problem of the current, low moral
ity among Christians—and the obvious indictment regarding the powerlessness
of our religion—I am convinced, constitutes the single most damaging blow
to the cause of the gospel in America. Based on Christian testimony and life
style, it is difficult to see what, if any, difference the gospel really mak
es. No amount of rigorous apologetic for the faith—as important as that is—
will supplant or squelch the consistent noise coming from the moral megaphon
e of our lives. That “consistent noise” is precisely that Christians are,
by and large, “inconsistent.” They proclaim one ethic and live another. Or
as one person quipped, “they traffic in unlived truth.” There is, at pres
ent, a great and lamentable distinction that needs to be drawn between Chris
tian ethics and the ethics of Christians. The tide will change, however, whe
n Christians repent and seek the living God who reigns from Monday to Sunday
.
In Romans 2:17-29 Paul lands squarely on the issue of hypocrisy. Though he t
alks specifically about the Jews of his day, we would do well to pay close a
ttention to what he says lest we fall into the same error of “claim without
conduct.” | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 10 B. Translation of Passage in NET
2:17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your re
lationship to God
2:18 and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive i
nstruction from the law,
2:19 and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a
light to those who are in darkness,
2:20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you
have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth—
2:21 therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You wh
o preach against stealing, do you steal?
2:22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You
who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
2:23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law!
2:24 For just as it is written, “the name of God is being blasphemed among
the Gentiles because of you.”
2:25 For circumcision has its value if you practice the law; but if you brea
k the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of
the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?
2:27 And the physically uncircumcised man who keeps the law, will he not jud
ge you, the one who, despite the written code and circumcision, transgresses
the law?
2:28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision som
ething that is outward in the flesh,
2:29 but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the he
art by the Spirit and not by the written code. This person’s praise is not
from people but from God. | | | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 11 C. Full Exegetical Outline
I. The Jew thinks that through his relationship to the Law he has the essent
ial features of knowledge and truth and can guide and teach the Gentile (2:1
7-20).
A. Many Jews rely on the Law and boast in their relationship to YHWH and cla
im to know his will since they are instructed out of the Law (2:17-18).
1. Many Jews proudly call themselves Jews, rely on the Law, and boast in the
ir relationship with God (2:17).
2. Many Jews know God’s will and approve of morally and spiritually superio
r things because they claim to have been instructed out of the Law (2:18).
B. Many Jews are convinced that since they have the essential features of kn
owledge and truth in the Law they are de facto able to carry on a mediatoria
l and pedagogical role in the world (2:19-20).
1. Many Jews are convinced that they are a guide to the blind (2:19).
2. Many Jews are convinced that they are a light to those in darkness (2:19)
.
3. Many Jews are convinced that they are an educator of the senseless (2:20)
.
4. Many Jews are convinced that they are a teacher of little children (2:20)
.
5. The Jews have in the Law the essential features of knowledge and truth (2
:20).
II. But the Jew does not obey the teachings of the Law and as a result the n
ame of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles (2:21-24).
A. The Jew who teaches, preaches, and tells others not to steal, commit adul
tery, and rob temples is himself guilty of the same sins (2:21-23).
1. Many Jews preach against stealing, yet they steal (2:21).
2. Many Jews tell others not to commit adultery, yet they commit adultery (2
:22).
3. Many Jews abhor idols, yet they rob temples (2:22).
4. Many Jews boast in the Law, but they dishonor God by transgressing the La
w (2:23).
B. The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of the Jews’ di
sobedience (2:24).
III. The Jew cannot arrogantly appeal to the outward rite of circumcision si
nce (1) the uncircumcised man who obeys the Law will be regarded as circumci
sed and he in turn will judge the disobedience of the circumcised Jew as unc
ircumcision, and (2) the true Jew who gets praise from God, not people, is t
he one who is circumcised by the Spirit inwardly, in the heart, and not by t
he letter (2:25-29).
A. Circumcision is as uncircumcision when a man continually breaks the Law (
2:25).
B. The uncircumcised man who keeps the Law will be regarded as circumcised a
nd he will judge the disobedience of the circumcised man as uncircumcision (
2:26-27).
1. The uncircumcised man who keeps the Law will be regarded as circumcised (
2:26)
2. The uncircumcised man will judge the disobedience of the circumcised man
as uncircumcision (2:27).
C. The true Jew who gets praise from God, not people, is one who is not simp
ly circumcised outwardly in the flesh, but one who has been circumcised inwa
rdly, by the Spirit, and not the letter (2:28-29).
1. A true Jew is not one outwardly and circumcision is not something purely
outward in the body (2:28).
2. A true Jew is one inwardly where the circumcision is of the heart by the
Spirit, not by the letter (2:29).
3. A true Jew is one whose praise is not from people, but from God (2:29). | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 12 D. Simple Point Outline
I. The Claims of the Jew and His Role among the Gentiles (2:17-20)
A. The Claims of the Jew (2:17-18)
1. He Calls Himself a Jew (2:17)
2. He Relies on the Law (2 :17)
3. He Boasts in His Relationship with God (2:17)
4. He Knows God’s Will (2:18)
5. He Approves of Superior Things (2:18)
6. He Is Instructed out of the Law (2:18)
B. The Mediatorial Role of the Jew (2:19-20)
The Jew is convinced he…
1. Is a Guide to the Blind (2:19)
2. Is a Light to Those in Darkness (2:19)
3. Is an Educator of the Senseless (2:20)
4. Is a Teacher of Little Children (2:20)
5. Has Knowledge and Truth in the Law (2:20)
II. The Jews and Hypocrisy (2:21-24)
A. The Jews’ Hypocrisy (2:21-23)
1. The Jews and Stealing (2:21)
2. The Jews and Adultery (2:22)
3. The Jews and Robbing Temples (2:22)
4. The Jews’ Dishonoring of God (2:23)
B. The Result of Their Hypocrisy (2:24)
III. True Circumcision and the True Jew (2:25-29)
A. Circumcision and Disobedience (2:25)
B. The Uncircum. Man and Obedience (2:26-27)
1. His Obedience Is As Circumcision (2:26)
2. He Judges the Disobedience of “the Circumcision” as Uncircumcision (2:
27)
C. The True Jew and True Circumcision (2:28-29)
1. The True Jew and Circumcision: General Statement (2:28)
2. The True Jew and Spiritual Circumcision: Specific Statement (2:29) | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 13 E. Exposition Proper
What Paul has been saying regarding the Jews, albeit somewhat obliquely in 2
:1-16, comes into the full light of day in 2:17-29. The fact of their hypocr
isy, alluded to in 2:1-3, is highlighted with full force in 2:17-29.
Romans 2:17-29 breaks down in three smaller units. In 2:17-20, Paul—through
the use of a series of conditional statements which are never really formal
ly completed—focuses on the particular claims of the Jew as one who was pri
vileged and sustained a special mediatorial role to world in light of his po
ssession of the Law of God. The emphasis falls on the Jews’ knowledge via t
he Law and their claim to be teachers of those without such moral and spirit
ual insight. In 2:21-24 Paul refers to the fact that although they had the L
aw, and claimed they could teach others, it was obvious that they had not ta
ught themselves; they were committing the same sins for which they had the h
abit of rebuking the Gentiles. In 2:25-29 Paul focuses on the one thing in w
hich the Jew prided himself as a covenant person—i.e., circumcision. Paul’
s interpretation of circumcision, however, was that it was only a sign and t
hat, if the reality was not present, the sign was of no value. We move now t
o consider the details of the passage.
2:17-18 Paul mentions five things about the Jew in 2:17-18, all of which are
connected to the fact that as a Jew he had been instructed out of the very
revealed Law of God. When a man referred to himself as a Jew it was done wit
h pride since, as such, he did not commit the same sins as the lawless Genti
le—or so he thought—and thus, in his mind, he accorded special favor with
YHWH and was specially chosen by him. As a Jew he relied on the law, that is
, he derived his sense of security with YHWH from his connection with, and o
bedience to, the Law. He was also one who supposedly, having obeyed the Law,
could boast about his relationship with the true God whereas Gentiles who w
ere guilty of such varied and awful sins could obviously make no such claim.
All they could do is hope to be taught by a Jew!
That this is the Jews’ focus in boasting in God is clear from the next clai
m, i.e., that they know his will (ginwvskei" toV qevlhma, ginoskeis to thele
ma). The term will refers primarily to that revealed in the Mosaic Law and i
ncludes spiritual and moral truth. The Jew supposedly knows right from wrong
in matters of worship and ethics and claims that he can, therefore, teach o
thers.
As someone who knew the will of God, the Jew could then rightly judge betwee
n what was proper, spiritually and morally speaking, and what was not. He wa
s able to approve the superior things (dokimavzei" taV diafevronta, dokimaze
is ta diapheronta), as Paul says, since he had been instructed out of the la
w (kathcouvmeno" ejk tou~ novmou, katechoumenos ek tou nomou). The Jew was t
o have learned how to discern the will of God through catechetical instructi
on based on the Law. In short, the Jew’s religion was a revealed religion—
God making himself known to man—and as the special recipient of that revela
tion, he prided himself in his name, position, and knowledge. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 14 2:19-20 Therefore, as someone who knew the will of God through Torah (i.e.,
the Law), he was confident (pevpoiqa", pepoithas) that he fulfilled the chie
f mediatorial (for God) and pedagogical role in the world. First, he was a g
uide to the blind (oJdhgoVn ei ai tuflw'n, hodegon einai tuphlon); he was su
pposed to lead those without Torah into a right relationship with YHWH. Seco
nd, and intimately related, he was supposed to be, again via his connection
with YHWH and the Torah, a light to those who were in darkness (fw'" tw'n ej
n skovtei, phos ton en skotei). That is, he was to shine the light of YHWH’
s truth upon those in darkness in order to bring salvation and forgiveness t
o them (Isa 49:6). Third, as someone with wisdom from the Law, he was to be
an educator of the senseless (paideuthVn ajfrovnwn, paideuten aphronon), tha
t is, as an obedient Jew he had knowledge to pass on that would render an ot
herwise futile existence worthwhile (cf. Prov 11:29; Luke 12:20). Fourth, he
was to be a teacher of little children (didavskalon nhpivwn, didaskalon nep
ion). In the eyes of the Jew, the Gentile was basically an infant needing th
e instruction of one more mature in the knowledge of faith.
While the Gentile had knowledge (1:28, 32; ejpivgnwsi", epignosis) of God, P
aul says that the Jew had in the law a much clearer understanding of the ess
ential features of knowledge and of the truth (thVn movrfwsin th'" gnwvsew"
kaiV th'" ajlhqeiva" ejn tw'/ novmw/, ten morphosin tes gnoseos kai tes alet
heias en to nomo). What was written on the human heart and subsequently obsc
ured through the fall and sin was made explicit in the Mosaic Law—and much
more as well. In terms of revelation from God, the Jew was in a position of
privilege for he not only had nature and conscience, he also had the Mosaic
Law.
2:21-24 In 2:21-24, and indeed throughout the rest of the section, Paul begi
ns to argue that although the Jew has been long on privilege, he’s been sho
rt on responsibility; in point of fact, he has not lived up to his calling a
nd as a result the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles.
The Jews, though perhaps not to the same degree as some Gentiles, were guilt
y of committing the very things they taught, preached, and spoke against. Th
ey preached at others, but failed to listen to their own sermons! They were
guilty of stealing (klevptei", klepteis), adultery (not spiritual, as we hav
e in Hosea, but literal; moiceuvei", moicheueis), and robbing temples, and n
ot simply in thought (e.g., Matt 5:27-30)—as if Paul were appealing to the
Law at the deeper level of sinful thoughts and attitudes only. On the contra
ry, there were Jews who were guilty of the acts themselves. Paul’s indictme
nt against the Jew could hardly be expected to “stick” if this were not th
e case—i.e., if they had not really committed these acts.
The meaning of the last sin mentioned, namely, to rob temples (iJerosulei'",
hierosuleis), is difficult to determine precisely, but it seems to refer to
stealing idols from pagan temples in order to use the materials from which
they were made. Though the rabbis made numerous concessions, this was prohib
ited in Deuteronomy 7:25-26. Other commentators, however, have suggested tha
t the term hierosuleis is more general and means “to commit sacrilege” aga
inst a temple, and in particular the Jerusalem temple.
In short, the very ones who boast in the Law dishonor God by transgressing t
he Law. The result of Jewish hypocrisy, as noted above, is that the name of
God is blasphemed among the Gentiles (Isa 52:5 LXX; Ezek 36:20). Isaiah 52:5
in the MT (Hebrew Bible) does not have among the Gentiles and because of yo
u but this wording is found in the Greek version (LXX) which Paul is chiefly
indebted to in this case. The way Paul is using the Isaiah passage is simil
ar to Ezekiel’s words in 36:20. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 15 2:25-29 In 2:25-29 Paul further explains (note the “For” in 2:25) vv. 21-2
4 by way of the best example he can think of—circumcision. He explains why
Gentiles blaspheme the name of God; it is because the Jews, even though circ
umcised, do not live up to their profession. But Paul also goes further than
this in 2:25-29.
Paul says that circumcision (peritomhv, peritome) is definitely not a “tick
et” to the world to come. In short, it is of no value if not attended by fa
ithful practice (pravssh/", prasses) of the Law for which it was a sign. Ind
eed—and here’s where Paul begins to go further than just to explain the re
ason for Gentile blasphemy—it is as though the man is not even circumcised.
This must mean that such a man is not a true member of the covenant communi
ty and is unregenerate, as 2:28-29 would seem to indicate.
Paul continues his argument by asking a rhetorical question that demands a p
ositive answer, though not all Jews would have agreed. He asks: if the uncir
cumcised man (hJ ajkrobustiva, he akrobustia) keeps the righteous requiremen
ts of the Law, will he, in contrast to the circumcised man who does not keep
the Law, be regarded (logisqhvsetai, logisthesetai) as circumcised, i.e., a
member of the covenant community and heir of the promises of God? According
to Paul, he will certainly be regarded as such.
Further, that very man who is uncircumcised by birth and yet keeps the Law,
he will judge (krinei~, krinei) the circumcised lawbreaker as though uncircu
mcised. And he will do this despite the fact that the man claims to have bot
h the written code (grammato", grammatos), namely, the Mosaic Law and circum
cision as the sign.
In vv. 28-29 Paul says there is a reason why circumcision by itself guarante
es nothing. It is because true religion is first and foremost—and always—a
matter of the heart (i.e., genuine faith) or the inner man. To be sure circ
umcision was a sign of membership in the covenant community of Israel, but i
t was only a sign. It could not create the reality of participation in the s
aved community, nor could it somehow replace the means of participation in t
he covenant community, i.e., by living faith (Rom 4). The true Jew, therefor
e, as one knowledgeable of what consitututes true religion should know this
better than any one.
Thus a true Jew is not one who is merely circumcised outwardly (fanerw'/, ph
anero), that is, in the flesh. The true Jew is one who is circumcised inward
ly (kruptw/~, krupto), a circumcision of the heart done by the Spirit and no
t by the written code (ejn pneuvmati ouj gravmmati, en pneumati ou grammati)
. The circumcision Paul intends here is in keeping with the promise of Jerem
iah 31:31-33 and refers to a supernatural rebirth, the same thing about whic
h Jesus spoke to Nicodemus (John 3:1ff). These verses here in Romans anticip
ate the larger discussion about the Spirit to come in 5:1-5 and 8:1-39 (see
Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:23) | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 16 F. Homiletical Idea and Outline
Idea: Closing the Gap—Restoring the Marriage of Claims and Conduct
I. What Is Our Role in the World (2:17-20)?
A. Our Claims
B. Our Witness
II. Be Careful for Hypocrisy (2:21-24)!
A. What Are Our Areas of Weakness?
B. What Does the Watching World Say?
III. What Do You Cling To As A Sign of Your Christianity (2:25-29)?
A. The Need for Inward Transformation
B. The Centrality of God over Human Opinion
G. Contribution of Passage to Systematic Theology
This passage speaks strongly against hypocrisy and the futility of trusting
in religious rites to sanctify or make one right with God. Thus it speaks di
rectly to the area of personal sanctification as well as ecclesiology and th
e rite of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
While baptism and the Lord’s Supper are necessary rites, they have no value
in and of themselves to save or sanctify. They do not function ex opere ope
rato. In the case of the former, it is an attempt through an outward symbol
to capture the inward transformation which has already taken place through b
eing joined to Christ by faith. In the case of the latter it is a memorial d
esigned to proclaim a historical fact, that is, the death of Christ, and rem
ind the church of the basis of her forgiveness before God (1 Cor 15:1-11).
Now, we said that in and of themselves these rites do not save or sanctify,
but this does not mean that when the worshiper is right with God through Chr
ist (s)he experiences no grace at all. On the contrary, in the performing of
the rite, with a heart surrendered and fixed on God through Christ, God inf
uses sanctifying grace through His indwelling Spirit.
H. Contribution of Passage to Discipleship and Church Mission
The church, when it proclaims the truth about God and man’s sin, will almos
t always be hated by the world. But, there are unfortunately times when the
church is ridiculed and her God blasphemed because of what she does and the
way she does it. There are times when we fail to live up to our profession a
nd the world looks on with a critical eye. Our response to this is not to co
ndemn the world, whether they are right or wrong. Our response, rather, is t
wofold: (1) to love the world by continuing to serve and proclaim the truth,
and (2) to examine ourselves and Scripture to see if the claims are true. I
f they are, we simply must seek God for forgiveness for dishonoring his name
(1 John 1:9). Then let us repent and set out on new and fresh ways of livin
g in the world—ways that honor God’s name and give the unbeliever no basis
for accusation (1 Peter 2:11-12; Titus 2:5, 10; 3:8).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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33 R. Kent Hughes, 1001 Great Stories & Quotes (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1998),
219.
34 Michael Hodgin, 1001 More Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking (Gra
nd Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), 168. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 17 this introduction was well-written
clingin
t
ou
st
i
wa
sum
【在 R*o 的大作中提到】
: Study By: Greg Herrick
: A. Introduction
: Hypocrisy—carefully presenting one appearance on the outside, while clingin
: g to another on the inside—is declared by Jesus to be like a white washed t
: omb. Such houses for the dead look great, however, even impressive on the ou
: tside, but… and you know how the rest of that goes (cf. Matt 23:27). Two st
: ories illustrate well the nature of hypocrisy and the pain that comes with i
: t.
: The first is related by Stuart Briscoe. He tells the story of the time he wa
: s in business and had to deal with a coworker who had embezzled a large sum
| R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 18 up
【在 R*o 的大作中提到】
: this introduction was well-written
:
: clingin
: t
: ou
: st
: i
: wa
: sum
|
|
