1DeshalbG1352 bistG1488 du nicht zu entschuldigenG379, oG5599 MenschG444, jederG3956 der da richtetG2919; dennG1063 worinG1722 G3739 du den anderenG2087 richtestG2919, verdammstG2632 du dich selbstG4572; dennG1063 du, der du richtestG2919, tustG4238 dasselbeG846. 2Wir wissenG1492 aberG1161, daßG3754 das GerichtG2917 GottesG2316 nachG2596 der WahrheitG225 istG2076 überG1909 die, welche solchesG5108 tunG4238. 3DenkstG3049 du aberG1161 diesG5124, oG5599 MenschG444, der du die richtestG2919, die solchesG5108 tunG4238, undG2532 verübstG4160 dasselbeG846, daßG3754 duG4771 dem GerichtG2917 GottesG2316 entfliehenG1628 werdest? 4OderG2228 verachtestG2706 du den ReichtumG4149 seinerG846 GütigkeitG5544 undG2532 GeduldG463 undG2532 LangmutG3115, nicht wissendG50, daßG3754 die GüteG5543 GottesG2316 dichG4571 zurG1519 BußeG3341 leitetG71 ? 5NachG2596 deinerG4675 StörrigkeitG4643 undG2532 deinem unbußfertigenG279 HerzenG2588 aberG1161 häufstG2343 du dir selbstG4572 ZornG3709 aufG2343 amG1722 TageG2250 des ZornsG3709 undG2532 der OffenbarungG602 des gerechten GerichtsG1341 GottesG2316, 6welcherG3739 einem jedenG1538 vergeltenG591 wird nachG2596 seinenG846 WerkenG2041: 7denen, die mitG3303 G2596 AusharrenG5281 in gutemG18 WerkeG2041 HerrlichkeitG1391 undG2532 EhreG5092 undG2532 UnverweslichkeitG861 suchenG2212, ewigesG166 LebenG2222; 8denen aberG1161, die streitsüchtigG1537 G2052 undG2532 der WahrheitG225 ungehorsam sindG544 G3303, der UngerechtigkeitG93 aberG1161 gehorsamG3982, ZornG2372 undG2532 GrimmG3709. 9DrangsalG2347 undG2532 AngstG4730 überG1909 jedeG3956 SeeleG5590 eines MenschenG444, der das BöseG2556 vollbringtG2716, sowohl des JudenG2453 zuerstG4412 alsG5037 auchG2532 des GriechenG1672; 10HerrlichkeitG1391 aberG1161 G2532 und EhreG5092 undG2532 FriedenG1515 jedemG3956, der das GuteG18 wirktG2038, sowohl dem JudenG2453 zuerstG4412 alsG5037 auchG2532 dem GriechenG1672; 11dennG1063 es istG2076 keinG3756 Ansehen der PersonG4382 beiG3844 GottG2316. 12DennG1063 so vieleG3745 ohne GesetzG460 gesündigtG264 haben, werdenG622 auchG2532 ohne GesetzG460 verloren gehenG622; undG2532 so vieleG3745 unterG1722 GesetzG3551 gesündigtG264 haben, werden durchG1223 GesetzG3551 gerichtetG2919 werden, 13(dennG1063 nichtG3756 die HörerG202 des GesetzesG3551 sind gerechtG1342 vorG3844 GottG2316, sondernG235 die TäterG4163 des GesetzesG3551 werden gerechtfertigtG1344 werden. 14DennG1063 wennG3752 NationenG1484, dieG3588 keinG3361 GesetzG3551 habenG2192, von NaturG5449 die DingeG3588 des GesetzesG3551 ausübenG4160, so sindG1526 dieseG3778, die keinG3361 GesetzG3551 habenG2192, sich selbstG1438 ein GesetzG3551, 15welcheG3748 das WerkG2041 des GesetzesG3551 geschriebenG1123 zeigenG1731 inG1722 ihrenG846 HerzenG2588, indem ihrG846 GewissenG4893 mitzeugtG4828 undG2532 ihre GedankenG3053 sich untereinanderG3342 G240 anklagenG2723 oderG2228 auchG2532 entschuldigenG626 ) 16anG1722 dem TageG2250, daG3753 GottG2316 das VerborgeneG2927 der MenschenG444 richtenG2919 wird, nachG2596 meinemG3450 EvangeliumG2098, durchG1223 JesumG2424 ChristumG5547. 17Wenn duG4771 aberG2396 ein JudeG2453 genanntG2028 wirst undG2532 dich auf das GesetzG3551 stützestG1879 undG2532 dich GottesG1722 G2316 rühmstG2744, 18undG2532 den WillenG2307 kennstG1097 undG2532 das VorzüglichereG1308 unterscheidestG1381, indem du ausG1537 dem GesetzG3551 unterrichtetG2727 bist, 19undG5037 getraustG3982 dirG4572, ein LeiterG3595 der BlindenG5185 zu seinG1511, ein LichtG5457 derer, die inG1722 FinsternisG4655 sind, 20ein ErzieherG3810 der TörichtenG878, ein LehrerG1320 der UnmündigenG3516, der die FormG3446 der ErkenntnisG1108 undG2532 der WahrheitG225 imG1722 GesetzG3551 hatG2192: - 21derG3588 du nunG3767 einen anderenG2087 lehrstG1321, du lehrstG1321 dich selbstG4572 nichtG3756 ? der du predigstG2784, man solleG2813 nichtG3361 stehlenG2813, du stiehlstG2813 ? 22der du sagstG3004, man solleG3431 nichtG3361 ehebrechenG3431, du begehst EhebruchG3431 ? der du die GötzenbilderG1497 für Greuel hältstG948, du begehst TempelraubG2416 ? 23derG3739 du dich desG1722 GesetzesG3551 rühmstG2744, du verunehrstG818 GottG2316 durchG1223 die ÜbertretungG3847 des GesetzesG3551 ? 24DennG1063 der NameG3686 GottesG2316 wirdG987 eurethalbenG1223 G5209 gelästertG987 unterG1722 den NationenG1484, wieG2531 geschrieben stehtG1125. 25DennG1063 BeschneidungG4061 ist wohlG3303 nützeG5623, wennG1437 du das GesetzG3551 tustG4238; wennG1437 du aberG1161 ein GesetzesübertreterG3848 G3551 bistG5600, so istG1096 deineG4675 BeschneidungG4061 VorhautG203 gewordenG1096. 26WennG1437 nunG3767 die VorhautG203 die RechteG1345 des GesetzesG3551 beobachtetG5442, wirdG3049 nichtG3780 seineG846 VorhautG203 fürG1519 BeschneidungG4061 gerechnetG3049 werden, 27undG2532 die VorhautG203 vonG1537 NaturG5449, die das GesetzG3551 erfülltG5055, dichG4571 richtenG2919, der du mitG1223 BuchstabenG1121 undG2532 BeschneidungG4061 ein GesetzesübertreterG3551 G3848 bist? 28DennG1063 nichtG3756 der istG2076 ein JudeG2453, der es äußerlichG1722 G5318 ist, nochG3761 die äußerlicheG1722 G5318 BeschneidungG4061 imG1722 FleischeG4561 BeschneidungG4061; 29sondernG235 der ist ein JudeG2453, der es innerlichG1722 G2927 ist, undG2532 BeschneidungG4061 ist die des HerzensG2588, imG1722 GeisteG4151, nichtG3756 im BuchstabenG1121; dessenG3739 LobG1868 nichtG3756 vonG1537 MenschenG444, sondernG235 vonG1537 GottG2316 ist.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 4 THE JEW UNDER LIKE CONDEMNATION WITH THE GENTILE. (Rom. 2:1-29)
the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance--that is, is designed and adapted to do so.
5 treasurest up unto thyself wrath against--rather "in."
the day of wrath--that is wrath to come on thee in the day of wrath. What an awful idea is here expressed--that the sinner himself is amassing, like hoarded treasure, an ever accumulating stock of divine wrath, to burst upon him in "the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God!" And this is said not of the reckless, but of those who boasted of their purity of faith and life.
7 To them who, &c.--The substance of these verses is that the final judgment will turn upon character alone.
by patient continuance in well-doing, &c.--Compare
Luke 8:15 : "That on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience"; denoting the enduring and progressive character of the new life.
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, &c.--referring to such keen and determined resistance to the Gospel as he himself had too painfully witnessed on the part of his own countrymen. (See
Acts 13:44-
Acts 13:46;
Acts 17:5,
Acts 17:13;
Acts 18:6,
Acts 18:12; and compare
1Thess 2:15-16).
indignation and wrath--in the bosom of a sin-avenging God.
9 Tribulation and anguish--the effect of these in the sinner himself.
10 to the Jew first--first in perdition if unfaithful; but if obedient to the truth, first in salvation (
Rom 2:10).
12 For as many as have sinned--not "as many as have sinned at all," but, "as many as are found in sin" at the judgment of the great day (as the whole context shows).
without law--that is, without the advantage of a positive Revelation.
shall also perish without law--exempt from the charge of rejecting or disregarding it.
and as many as have sinned in the law--within the pale of a positive, written Revelation.
shall be judged by the law--tried and condemned by the higher standard of that written Revelation.
13 For not the hearers, &c.--As touching the Jews, in whose ears the written law is continually resounding, the condemnation of as many of them as are found sinners at the last involves no difficulty; but even as respects the heathen, who are strangers to the law in its positive and written form--since they show how deeply it is engraven on their moral nature, which witnesses within them for righteousness and against iniquity, accusing or condemning them according as they violate or obey its stern dictates--their condemnation also for all the sin in which they live and die will carry its dreadful echo in their own breasts.
15 their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing--that is, perhaps by turns doing both.
16 In the day, &c.--Here the unfinished statement of
Rom 2:12 is resumed and closed.
shall judge the secrets of men--here specially referring to the unfathomed depths of hypocrisy in the self-righteous whom the apostle had to deal with. (See
Eccl 12:14;
1Cor 4:5).
according to my gospel--to my teaching as a preacher of the Gospel.
17 Behold--"But if" is, beyond doubt, the true reading here. (It differs but in a single letter from the received reading, and the sense is the same).
18 approvest the things that are excellent--"triest the things that differ" (Margin). Both senses are good, and indeed the former is but the result of the latter action. (See on
Phil 1:10).
20 hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law--not being left, as the heathen are, to vague conjecture on divine things, but favored with definite and precise information from heaven.
22 thou that abhorrest idols--as the Jews did ever after their captivity, though bent on them before.
dost thou commit sacrilege?--not, as some excellent interpreters, "dost thou rob idol temples?" but more generally, as we take it, "dost thou profane holy things?" (as in
Matt 21:12-
Matt 21:13, and in other ways).
24 as it is written--(See
Isa 52:5, Marginal reference).
25 For circumcision--that is, One's being within the covenant of which circumcision was the outward sign and seal.
verily profiteth, if thou keep the law--if the inward reality correspond to the outward sign.
but if, &c.--that is, "Otherwise, thou art no better than the uncircumcised heathen."
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the . . . law, &c.--Two mistaken interpretations, we think, are given of these words: First, that the case here supposed is an impossible one, and put merely for illustration [HALDANE, CHALMERS, HODGE]; second that it is the case of the heathen who may and do please God when they act, as has been and is done, up to the light of nature [GROTIUS, OLSHAUSEN, &c.]. The first interpretation is, in our judgment, unnatural; the second, opposed to the apostle's own teaching. But the case here put is, we think, such as that of Cornelius (Acts 10:1-48), who, though outside the external pale of God's covenant, yet having come to the knowledge of the truths contained in it, do manifest the grace of the covenant without the seal of it, and exemplify the character and walk of Abraham's children, though not called by the name of Abraham. Thus, this is but another way of announcing that God was about to show the insufficiency of the mere badge of the Abrahamic covenant, by calling from among the Gentiles a seed of Abraham that had never received the seal of circumcision (see on
Gal 5:6); and this interpretation is confirmed by all that follows.
28 he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, &c.--In other words, the name of "Jew" and the rite of "circumcision" were designed but as outward symbols of a separation from the irreligious and ungodly world unto holy devotedness in heart and life to the God of salvation. Where this is realized, the signs are full of significance; but where it is not, they are worse than useless.
Note, (1) It is a sad mark of depravity when all that is designed and fitted to melt only hardens the heart (
Rom 2:4, and compare
2Pet 3:9;
Eccl 8:11). (2) Amidst all the inequalities of religious opportunity measured out to men, and the mysterious bearing of this upon their character and destiny for eternity, the same great principles of judgment, in a form suited to their respective discipline, will be applied to all, and perfect equity will be seen to reign throughout every stage of the divine administration (
Rom 2:11-
Rom 2:16). (3) "The law written on the heart" (
Rom 2:14-
Rom 2:15) --or the Ethics of Natural Theology--may be said to be the one deep foundation on which all revealed religion reposes; and see on
Rom 1:19-
Rom 1:20, where we have what we may call its other foundation--the Physics and Metaphysics of Natural Theology. The testimony of these two passages is to the theologian invaluable, while in the breast of every teachable Christian it wakens such deep echoes as are inexpressibly solemn and precious. (4) High religious professions are a fearful aggravation of the inconsistencies of such as make them (
Rom 2:17-
Rom 2:24). See
2Sam 12:14. (5) As no external privileges, or badge of discipleship, will shield the unholy from the wrath of God, so neither will the want of them shut out from the kingdom of heaven such as have experienced without them that change of heart which the seals of God's covenant were designed to mark. In the sight of the great Searcher of hearts, the Judge of quick and dead, the renovation of the character in heart and life is all in all. In view of this, have not all baptized, sacramented disciples of the Lord Jesus, who "profess that they know God, but in works deny Him," need to tremble--who, under the guise of friends, are "the enemies of the cross of Christ?"
