Romans:2
Seeker Overlay ON
rwp @
Romans:2:1 @{
Wherefore } (\
dio \).
See strkjv @
1:24 ,
26 |
for this relative conjunction , "
because of which thing ." {
Without excuse } (\
anapolog
tos \).
See on ¯
1:21 |. {
Whosoever thou art that judgest } (\
pas ho krin
n \).
Literally , "
every one that judgest ,"
vocative case in apposition with \
anthr
pe \.
Paul begins his discussion of the failure of the Jew to attain to the God-kind of righteousness (
2:1-3:20 |)
with a general statement applicable to all as he did (
1:18 |)
in the discussion of the failure of the Gentiles (
Lightfoot ).
The Gentile is readily condemned by the Jew when he sins and equally so is the Jew condemned by the Gentile in like case . \
Krin \
does not of itself mean to condemn ,
but to pick out ,
separate ,
approve ,
determine ,
pronounce judgment ,
condemn (
if proper ). {
Another } (\
ton heteron \).
Literally , "
the other man ."
The notion of two in the word ,
one criticizing the other . {
Thou condemnest thyself } (\
seauton katakrineis \).
Note \
kata \
here with \
krin \,
to make plain the adverse judgment . {
For } (\
gar \).
Explanatory reason for the preceding statement .
The critic {
practises } (\
prasseis \,
not single acts \
poie \,
but the habit \
prass \)
the same things that he condemns .
rwp @
Romans:2:2 @{
Judgment } (\
krima \).
Decision rendered whether good or bad . {
According to } (\
kata \
with accusative ).
As the rule of measure .
Cf .
strkjv @
John:7:24 |.
rwp @
Romans:2:3 @{
And doest the same } (\
kai poi
n auta \). "
And doest them occasionally ." {
That thou shalt escape } (\
su ekpheux
i \).
Emphasis on \
su \, "
thou conceited Jew expecting to escape God '
s \
krima \
because thou art a Jew ."
Cf .
strkjv @
Matthew:3:8f |.
Paul justifies the bitter words of the Baptist to the Pharisees and Sadducees .
The future middle of the old verb \
ekpheug \ (
cf .
strkjv @
1Thessalonians:5:3 |).
The Jew posed as immune to the ordinary laws of ethics because a Jew .
Alas ,
some Christians affect the same immunity .
rwp @
Romans:2:4 @{
Or despiseth thou ?} (\
kataphroneis ?\).
Another alternative ,
that of scorn of God '
s kindness (\
chr
stot
tos \,
strkjv @
2Corinthians:6:6 |)
and forbearance (\
anoch
s \,
old word ,
holding back from \
anech \,
only here in N .
T .)
and longsuffering (\
makrothumias \,
late word for which see strkjv @
2Corinthians:6:4 ,
6 |). \
Kataphrone \
is old verb to think down on (\
kata ,
phrone \)
as in strkjv @
Matthew:6:24 ;
strkjv @
1Corinthians:11:22 |.
This upstart Jew actually thinks down on God .
And then "
the riches " (\
tou ploutou \)
of all that comes from God . {
Leadeth thee to repentance } (\
eis metanoian se agei \).
The very kindness (\
to chr
ston \,
the kindly quality )
of God is trying to lead (
conative present \
agei \)
thee to a right-about face ,
a change of mind and attitude (\
metanoian \)
instead of a complacent self-satisfaction and pride of race and privilege .
rwp @
Romans:2:5 @{
After thy hardness } (\
kata t
n skl
rot
ta sou \). "
According to thy hardness (
old word from \
skl
ros \,
hard ,
stiff ,
only here in N .
T .)
will God '
s judgment be ." {
And impenitent heart } (\
kai ametano
ton kardian \).
See \
metanoian \
just before . "
Thy unreconstructed heart ," "
with no change in the attitude of thy heart ." {
Treasurest up for thyself } (\
th
saurizeis seaut
i \).
See for \
th
sauriz \
on strkjv @
Matthew:6:19f .;
strkjv @
Luke:12:21 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:12:14 |.
Dative case \
seaut
i \ (
for thyself )
with a touch of irony (
Vincent ). {
Wrath } (\
org
n \).
For such a Jew as already stated for the Gentile (
1:18 |).
There is a revelation (\
apokalupse
s \)
of God '
s wrath for both in the day of wrath and righteous judgment (\
dikaiokrisias \,
a late compound word ,
in LXX ,
two examples in the Oxyrhynchus papyri ,
only here in N .
T .).
See strkjv @
2Thessalonians:1:5 |
for \
dikaias krise
s \.
Paul looks to the judgment day as certain (
cf .
strkjv @
2Corinthians:5:10-12 |),
the day of the Lord (
2Corinthians:1:14 |).
rwp @
Romans:2:6 @{
Who will render } (\
hos apod
sei \).
Paul quotes strkjv @
Proverbs:24:12 |
as in strkjv @
2Timothy:4:14 |.
See also strkjv @
Matthew:16:27 ;
strkjv @
Revelation:22:12 |.
The rendering will be in accord with the facts .
rwp @
Romans:2:7 @{
To them that seek } (\
tois men--z
tousin \).
Dative plural of the articular present active participle of \
z
te \
with \
men \
on the one hand . {
Eternal life } (\
z
n ai
nion \).
Accusative case object of \
apod
sei \
above .
rwp @
Romans:2:8 @{
But unto them that are factious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness } (\
tois de ex eritheias kai apeithousin t
i al
thei
i peithomenois de adiki
i \).
The other side with \
de \
and the articular present participles in the dative again ,
only with \
ex eritheias \,
there is no participle \
ousin \.
But the construction changes and the substantives that follow are not the object of \
apod
sei \
like \
z
n ain
nion \
above ,
but are in the nominative as if with \
esontai \ (
shall be )
understood (
anger and wrath ,
both \
org \
and \
thumos \,
tribulation and anguish ,
again a pair \
thlipsis kai stenoch
ria \
on which see strkjv @
2Corinthians:5:4 ;
strkjv @
12:10 |).
rwp @
Romans:2:9 @{
Every soul of man } (\
pasan psuch
n anthr
pou \).
See strkjv @
13:1 |
for this use of \
psuch \
for the individual . {
Of the Jew first and also of the Greek } (\
Ioudaiou te pr
ton kai Hell
nos \).
See on ¯
1:16 |.
First not only in penalty as here ,
but in privilege also as in strkjv @
2:11 ;
strkjv @
1:16 |.
rwp @
Romans:2:11 @{
Respect of persons } (\
pros
pol
mpsia \).
Milligan (
_Vocabulary_
)
considers this word (
in N .
T .
only here ,
strkjv @
Colossians:3:25 ;
strkjv @
Ephesians:6:9 |)
and \
pros
pol
mpt
s \ (
Acts:10:34 |)
and \
pros
pol
mpte \ (
James:2:9 |)
the earliest definitely known Christian words ,
not in LXX or non-Christian writings .
See on ¯
Acts:10:34 |
for the formation in imitation of the Hebrew to take note of the face (\
pros
pon ,
lamban \),
to judge by the face or appearance .
rwp @
Romans:2:12 @{
Have sinned } (\
h
marton \).
Constative aorist active indicative , "
sinned ,"
a timeless aorist . {
Without law } (\
anom
s \).
Old adverb "
contrary to law ," "
unjustly ,"
but here in ignorance of the Mosaic law (
or of any law ).
Nowhere else in N .
T . {
Shall also perish without law } (\
anom
s kai apolountai \).
Future middle indicative of \
apollumi \,
to destroy .
This is a very important statement .
The heathen who sin are lost ,
because they do not keep the law which they have ,
not because they do not have the Mosaic law or Christianity . {
Under law } (\
en nom
i \).
In the sphere of the Mosaic law . {
By the law } (\
dia nomou \).
The Jew has to stand or fall by the Mosaic law .
rwp @
Romans:2:13 @{
Not the hearers--but the doers } (\
ou gar hoi akroatai--all '
hoi poi
tai \).
The law was read in the synagogue ,
but there was no actual virtue in listening .
The virtue is in doing .
See a like contrast by James between "
hearers "
and "
doers "
of the gospel (
James:1:22-25 |). {
Before God } (\
para t
i the
i \).
By God '
s side ,
as God looks at it . {
Shall be justified } (\
dikai
th
sontai \).
Future passive indicative of \
dikaio \,
to declare righteous ,
to set right . "
Shall be declared righteous ."
Like strkjv @
James:1:22-25 |.
rwp @
Romans:2:14 @{
That have no law } (\
ta m
nomon echonta \).
Better , "
that have not the law " (
the Mosaic law ). {
By nature } (\
phusei \).
Instrumental case of \
phusis \,
old word from \
phu \,
to beget .
The Gentiles are without the Mosaic law ,
but not without some knowledge of God in conscience and when they do right "
they are a law to themselves " (\
heautois eisin nomos \).
This is an obvious reply to the Jewish critic .
rwp @
Romans:2:15 @{
In that they } (\
hoitines \). "
The very ones who ,"
qualitative relative . {
Written in their hearts } (\
grapton en tais kardiais aut
n \).
Verbal adjective of \
graph \,
to write .
When their conduct corresponds on any point with the Mosaic law they practise the unwritten law in their hearts . {
Their conscience bearing witness therewith } (\
sunmarturous
s aut
n t
s suneid
se
s \).
On conscience (\
suneid
sis \)
see on ¯
1Corinthians:8:7 ;
strkjv @
10:25f .;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:1:12 |.
Genitive absolute here with present active participle \
sunmarturous
s \
as in strkjv @
9:1 |.
The word \
suneid
sis \
means co-knowledge by the side of the original consciousness of the act .
This second knowledge is personified as confronting the first (
Sanday and Headlam ).
The Stoics used the word a great deal and Paul has it twenty times .
It is not in the O .
T .,
but first in this sense in Wisdom strkjv @
17:10 .
All men have this faculty of passing judgment on their actions .
It can be over-scrupulous (
1Corinthians:10:25 |)
or "
seared "
by abuse (
1Timothy:4:12 |).
It acts according to the light it has . {
Their thoughts one with another accusing or also excusing them } (\
metaxu all
l
n t
n logism
n kat
gorount
n
kai apologoumen
n \).
Genitive absolute again showing the alternative action of the conscience ,
now accusing ,
now excusing .
Paul does not say that a heathen '
s conscience always commends everything that he thinks ,
says ,
or does .
In order for one to be set right with God by his own life he must always act in accord with his conscience and never have its disapproval .
That ,
of course ,
is impossible else Christ died for naught (
Galatians:2:21 |).
Jesus alone lived a sinless life .
For one to be saved without Christ he must also live a sinless life .
rwp @
Romans:2:16 @{
According to my gospel } (\
kata to euaggelion mou \).
What Paul preaches (
1Corinthians:15:1 |)
and which is the true gospel
rwp @
Romans:2:17 @{
Bearest the name } (\
eponomaz
i \).
Present passive indicative in condition of first class of \
eponomaz \,
old word ,
to put a name upon (\
epi \),
only here in N .
T . "
Thou art surnamed Jew " (
Lightfoot ).
Jew as opposed to Greek denoted nationality while Hebrew accented the idea of language . {
Restest upon the law } (\
epanapau
i nom
i \).
Late and rare double compound ,
in LXX and once in the Didache .
In N .
T .
only here and strkjv @
Luke:10:6 |
which see .
It means to lean upon ,
to refresh oneself back upon anything ,
here with locative case (\
nom
i \).
It is the picture of blind and mechanical reliance on the Mosaic law . {
Gloriest in God } (\
kauch
sai en the
i \).
_Koin
_
vernacular form for \
kauch
i \ (\
kauchaesai ,
kauch
sai \)
of \
kauchaomai \
as in verse 23 ;
strkjv @
1Corinthians:4:7 |
and \
katakauch
sai \
in strkjv @
Romans:11:18 |.
The Jew gloried in God as a national asset and private prerogative (
2Corinthians:10:15 ;
strkjv @
Galatians:6:13 |). {
Approvest the things that are excellent } (\
dokimazeis ta diapheronta \).
Originally , "
Thou testest the things that differ ,"
and then as a result comes the approval for the excellent things .
As in strkjv @
Phillipians:1:10 |
it is difficult to tell which stage of the process Paul has in mind . {
Instructed out of the law } (\
kat
choumenos ek tou nomou \).
Present passive participle of \
kat
che \,
a rare verb to instruct ,
though occurring in the papyri for legal instruction .
See on ¯
Luke:1:4 ;
strkjv @
1Corinthians:14:19 |.
The Jew '
s "
ethical discernment was the fruit of catechetical and synagogical instruction in the Old Testament " (
Shedd ).
rwp @
Romans:2:19 @{
A guide of the blind } (\
hod
gon tuphl
n \).
Accusative \
hod
gon \
in predicate with \
einai \
to agree with \
seauton \,
accusative of general reference with infinitive \
einai \
in indirect discourse after \
pepoithas \.
Late word (
Polybius ,
Plutarch )
from \
hodos \,
way ,
and \
h
geomai \,
to lead ,
one who leads the way . \
Tuphl
n \
is objective genitive plural .
The Jews were meant by God to be guides for the Gentiles ,
for salvation is of the Jews (
John:4:22 |). {
A light } (\
ph
s \). "
A light for those in darkness " (\
t
n en skotei \,
objective genitive again ).
But this intention of God about the Jews had resulted in conceited arrogance on their part .
rwp @
Romans:2:20 @{
A corrector of the foolish } (\
paideut
n aphron
n \).
Old word (
from \
paideu \)
for instructor ,
in Plato ,
and probably so here ,
though corrector or chastiser in strkjv @
Hebrews:12:9 | (
the only N .
T .
instances ).
See strkjv @
Luke:23:16 |.
Late inscriptions give it as instructor (
Preisigke ). \
Aphron
n \
is a hard word for Gentiles ,
but it is the Jewish standpoint that Paul gives .
Each termed the other "
dogs ." {
Of babes } (\
n
pi
n \).
Novitiates or proselytes to Judaism just as in strkjv @
Galatians:4:1 |.
Paul used it of those not of legal age . {
The form } (\
t
n morph
sin \).
Rare word only in Theophrastus and Paul (
here and strkjv @
2Timothy:3:5 |).
Pallis regards it as a Stoical term for education .
Lightfoot considers the \
morph
sis \
as "
the rough-sketch ,
the pencilling of the \
morph \,"
the outline or framework ,
and in strkjv @
2Timothy:3:5 | "
the outline without the substance ."
This is Paul '
s picture of the Jew as he sees himself drawn with consummate skill and subtle irony .
rwp @
Romans:2:21 @{
Thou therefore that teachest another } (\
ho oun didask
n heteron \).
Paul suddenly breaks off (
anacoluthon )
the long sentence that began in verse 17 |
and starts over again with a phrase that gathers it all up in small compass (
teachest )
and drives it home (
therefore )
on the Jew (
thyself ). {
Not to steal } (\
m
kleptein \).
Infinitive with \
m \
in indirect command (
indirect discourse )
after \
keruss
n \. {
Dost thou steal ?} (\
klepteis ?\).
The preaching (\
keruss
n \)
was fine ,
but the practice ?
A home-thrust . {
Should not commit adultery } (\
m
moicheuein \).
Infinitive in direct command again after \
leg
n \. "
The Talmud charges the crime of adultery upon the three most illustrious Rabbins " (
Vincent ).
rwp @
Romans:2:22 @{
That abhorrest } (\
ho bdelussomenos \).
Old word to make foul ,
to stink ,
to have abhorrence for .
In LXX ,
in N .
T .
only here and strkjv @
Revelation:21:8 |.
The very word used by Jesus to express their horror of idols (\
eid
la \,
see on ¯
Acts:7:41 ;
strkjv @
1Corinthians:12:2 |).
See strkjv @
Matthew:24:15 |
for "
abomination ." {
Dost thou rob temples ?} (\
hierosuleis ?\).
Old verb from \
hierosulos \ (
Acts:19:37 |)
and that from \
hieron \,
temple ,
and \
sula \,
to rob .
The town clerk (
Acts:19:37 |)
said that these Jews (
Paul and his companions )
were "
not robbers of temples ,"
proof that the charge was sometimes made against Jews ,
though expressly forbidden the Jews (
Josephus ,
_Ant_
.
IV .
8 ,
10 ).
Paul refers to the crime of robbing idol temples in spite of the defilement of contact with idolatry .
rwp @
Romans:2:23 @{
Through thy transgression of the law } (\
dia t
s parabase
s tou nomou \).
Old word for stepping across a line .
Trench calls attention to "
the mournfully numerous group of words "
for the varieties of sin like \
agno
ma \,
ignorance , \
anomia \,
violation of law , \
hamartia \,
missing the mark , \
hett
ma \,
falling short , \
parabasis \,
passing over the line , \
parako \,
disobedience to a voice , \
paranomia \,
putting the law aside , \
parapt
ma \,
falling down , \
pl
mmeleia \,
discord .
rwp @
Romans:2:24 @{
Because of you } (\
di '
humas \).
Free quotation from the LXX of strkjv @
Isaiah:52:5 |.
The Jews were jealous for the Name of God and would not pronounce the Tetragrammaton and yet acted so that the Gentiles blasphemed that Name .
rwp @
Romans:2:25 @{
If thou be a doer of the law } (\
ean nomon prasseis \).
Condition of third class and the present (
continued action )
subjunctive of \
prass \,
a verb meaning to do as a habit . {
Is become uncircumcision } (\
akrobustia gegonen \).
The Jew is then like the Gentile ,
with no privilege at all .
Circumcision was simply the seal of the covenant relation of Israel with God .
rwp @
Romans:2:26 @{
Keep } (\
phulass
i \).
Present subjunctive with \
ean \,
condition of third class ,
mere supposition like that in verse 25 |, "
keep on keeping "
perfectly ,
Paul means . {
For } (\
eis \).
As often in N .
T .
rwp @
Romans:2:27 @{
If it fulfill the law } (\
ton nomon telousa \).
Present active participle (
conditional use of the participle )
of \
tele \,
to finish ,
continually fulfilling to the end (
as would be necessary ). {
Judge thee } (\
krinei--se \).
Unusual position of \
se \ (
thee )
so far from the verb \
krinei \. {
With the letter and circumcision } (\
dia grammatos kai peritom
s \). \
Dia \
means here accompanied by ,
with the advantage of .
rwp @
Romans:2:28 @{
Which is one outwardly } (\
ho en t
i phaner
i \). \
Ioudaios \ (
Jew )
has to be repeated (
ellipse )
with the article , "
the in the open Jew " (
circumcision ,
phylacteries ,
tithes ,
etc .).
Likewise repeat \
peritom \ (
circumcision ).
rwp @
Romans:2:29 @{
Who is one inwardly } (\
ho en t
i krupt
i \).
Repeat \
Ioudaios \ (
Jew )
here also , "
the in the inward part Jew " (
circumcision of the heart \
peritom
kardias \
and not a mere surgical operation as in strkjv @
Colossians:2:11 |,
in the spirit \
en pneumati \,
with which compare strkjv @
2Corinthians:3:3 ,
6 |).
This inward or inside Jew who lives up to his covenant relation with God is the high standard that Paul puts before the merely professional Jew described above . {
Whose praise } (\
hou ho epainos \).
The antecedent of the relative \
hou \
is \
Ioudaios \ (
Jew ).
Probably (
Gifford )
a reference to the etymology of Judah (
praise )
as seen in strkjv @
Galatians:49:8 |.