Romans Chapter Two Lesson 30
With 2:17f Paul turns and
addresses the Jew specifically;
Basic
premise of the wider context: That all men are condemned on the basis of the
light they possess.
1. In ch-1 all men possess the light of creation;
[w/o excuse]
2. In the first half of ch-2; all men possess the
light of conscience
3. Some have the light of God’s revelation in the
written word!
If we are
to understand it fully we must keep in mind the perspective of
In verses 2:17-18 we find 6 advantages of the Jew given:
All of these are valid claims or privileges of the Jew in
the OT who was rightly related to YHWH.
There is
one problem here; at this point, the indictment is but your
not living, applying them at all; in fact distorting and misapplying them.
#1. Bear the name Jew.
Three titles seen in NT.
#1
Hebrew = a Hebrew speaking Jew
#2 Jew =
distinguishes the Jew from Gentiles; denotes nationality
#3 Israelite = most important, it reads them into the
Covenants; thus
an heir of the promises.
#2. Reliance upon the law.
The
statement here implies that in the law they are to find comfort and support in
its very possession.
#3.
Boast in God.
Since
the God of Israel, YHWH, is the only True God, He is to be the object of all
worship, He
alone is worthy of boasting or rejoicing in.
Prin: stated clearly in Jer 9:23-24;
#4.
Know (His) will.
#5.
Approve the things of the law that are essential.
What is
to be tested? The things of the law that are essential.
Possession
of the Law, knowing the Law gave the Jew a moral perspective that no other
nation had, but it is this privilege that also makes the failure of the Jew all
the more conspicuous.
#6. “being
instructed out of the law.”
emphasis
is on teaching orally; again brings into focus the assembling for systematic
instruction in the synagogue
When they compared their assumed enlightenment with the
abysmal theological ignorance of the Gentiles they looked good. Of course they were acceptable to God, in
their own mind any way!
From these privileges they developed a pattern of
thinking and attitudes that had a tremendous impact on how they dealt with
others; we see
this in Paul’s indictment in the beginning of vs:19.
“and are confident that you yourselves....”
What the Jew has convinced himself of are 4 roles he
believes that he has; vs:19-20 detail these roles.
All the terms found here, blind, darkness, foolish,
immature were terms that the Jew used of Gentiles, these terms actually expressed condescension
and scorn on those they considered the unwashed.
#1. Guide to the blind.
Jesus called the Pharisees blind, Mt 15:14
#2. A light to those in darkness.
#3. Corrector of the foolish.
#4. A teacher of the immature.
The
confidence of the Jew rested in their “having in the Law the embodiment of
knowledge and of the truth.”
What has Paul made clear here? The mere possession of the
Law was not what counted with God; it was the practice of the Law, the living out of its principles [
But
if God has found these “deprived” Gentiles guilty, then how much more guilty were these privileged Jews!
At this point Paul takes off the gloves, and begins the
indictment of the
religious Jew; Paul knocks the props right out from under them!