Romans 2:17-24 NKJV – 17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know [His] will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.
V17 Indeed, you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God…
The Jews feel they are superior to Gentiles, forgiven, and holy. They brag about it. They point to the Mosaic Law (Mark 10:17-22), but the Law cannot be kept perfectly because frequent sacrifices are needed to maintain fellowship with God (Hebrews 7:27). Animal sacrifices cannot forgive sins (Hebrews 10:4 and Hebrews 12:24).
These Jews put their trust in the fact that they are descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and in their ability to know and follow the Mosaic Law.
Many Jews loved God, lived as close as possible to the Law, and taught the plain sense of the Scriptures. Some examples of believing Israel would be Moses, Aaron, Deborah, Samuel, David, Daniel, Huldah, Naboth, etc. Some evil Jews would be Korah, Ahab, Jeroboam, Nabal, and others.
Compare Micah 6:6-8.
V18 …and know [His] will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law…
They trust in other things as well. They believe that they: 1) know His will and 2) approve what is excellent.
They claim to know His will because they have the written Scriptures, which is God’s will. They know the way of life but don’t obey.
The Greek word for approve is (G1381) δοκιμάζω dokimázō, which means examine, test for genuine, etc. They could answer questions about particular actions that are approved.
V19 …and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness…
They believe that they know, apply, live, and teach those who do not have the Mosaic Law, but they are blind themselves (Matthew 15:14, Isaiah 56:10).
Blind = ignorant and light = know and understand.
A comment from the Preacher’s Homiletic Commentary:
“Of God. David sings, “My soul shall make her boast in the Lord.” And this boasting was to be of such a character that the humble should hear thereof and be glad. Notice the difference—of God and in God: the proud boast of God, the humble in God. Let him that glorieth not glory of God as if He were an inferior, but glory in God as the superior.”
V20 …an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.
These Jews are the ones who know God’s will (God’s law), are a guide (mentor and teacher) to the ignorant, are instructors to the foolish (thinking they know truth but they don’t), are the mentors of the newly converted, and have some knowledge and truth about God’s law.
The Greek word for form is (G3446) μόρφωσις mórphōsis, which means appearance and semblance. These Jews think they have this knowledge. It is a knowledge all right, but now the truth mainly from faulty interpretation.
Matthew Henry observes: “This was a string they loved to be harping upon, heaping up titles of honour upon themselves. The best work, when it is prided in, is unacceptable to God. It is good to instruct the foolish, and to teach the babes: but considering our own ignorance, folly, and inability to make these teachings successful without God, there is nothing in it to be proud of.”
The only other use of this word is in 3 Timothy 3:5.
V21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?
They only have a form because their lives do not match their words. James writes in James 2:14-26 that words are not enough; there must be actions and fruits showing they are truth believers. See also Matthew 7:16-20.
It also refers to their law and Temple are the patterns of the original Temple in heaven. See Exodus 25:9 and Exodus 25:40.
V22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
Some examples of teaching something but not living it are stealing, adultery, and desecration of temples. They condemn others while they do the same things.
V23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?
They brag about having, knowing, and how to live Mosaic Law, but their boasting does not impress God, the Lawgiver. For they say but do not (Matthew 23:3).
Albert Barnes: “By boasting of the Law, they proclaimed their conviction that it was from God. By breaking it, they denied it. And as actions are a true test of man’s real opinions, their breaking the Law did it more dishonor than their boasting of it did it honor. This is always the case. It matters little what a man’s speculative opinions may be; his practice may do far more to disgrace religion than his profession does to honor it. It is the life and conduct, and not merely the profession of the lips, that does real honor to the true religion. Alas, with what pertinency and force may this question be put to many who call themselves Christians!”
V24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.
Because of these actions and words, God is blasphemed because they think that God is the same as they are.
We learn:
- What we think may not be that great after all.
- Actions tell more about a person than what they say.
Questions:
- How is our attitude?
- Do our words and actions match?