Romans 2:17

KJV

¶ Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

KJV (with Strong's)

Behold {G2396}, thou {G4771} art called {G2028} a Jew {G2453}, and {G2532} restest {G1879} in the law {G3551}, and {G2532} makest thy boast {G2744} of {G1722} God {G2316},

Complete Jewish Bible

But if you call yourself a Jew and rest on Torah and boast about God

Berean Standard Bible

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;

American Standard Version

But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon the law, and gloriest in God,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Romans 2:17 introduces Paul's direct address to the Jewish people, highlighting their privileged identity and perceived security. It sets the stage for a critique of hypocrisy, as Paul observes how many Jews, despite being called by God's name and possessing the Law, rely on their external status and knowledge rather than living out the Law's true demands. This verse serves as a pivot, transitioning from a general indictment of human sinfulness to a specific challenge to those who might boast in their religious heritage without genuine obedience.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Romans 2:17 marks a significant turn in Paul's argument. In [Romans 1:18-32](/romans/1-18-32 "Romans 1:18-32 - God's Wrath Against Unrighteousness"), Paul meticulously lays out the universal guilt of humanity, focusing initially on the Gentiles who suppress the truth and engage in idolatry and immorality. He then pivots in [Romans 2:1-16](/romans/2-1-16 "Romans 2:1-16 - God's Impartial Judgment") to address those who judge others, implicitly including Jews who might condemn Gentile sin while committing similar transgressions. The principle of God's impartial judgment, where "there is no partiality with God" ([Romans 2:11](/romans/2-11 "Romans 2:11 - God's Impartiality")), undergirds this section. Verse 17 specifically targets the Jewish audience, acknowledging their unique covenantal identity and relationship with the Law, thereby setting up the subsequent verses ([Romans 2:21-24](/romans/2-21-24 "Romans 2:21-24 - Jewish Hypocrisy")) which expose the inconsistencies between their claims and their conduct.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** First-century Judaism was deeply rooted in the Mosaic Law, which formed the bedrock of their national and religious identity. Being "called a Jew" was a profound designation, signifying membership in God's chosen people, recipients of His covenant, and stewards of His divine revelation, the Torah. The Law was not merely a set of rules but a divine gift, a source of national pride and a means of knowing God's will. Many Jews, particularly the Pharisees, emphasized strict adherence to the Law, often equating external observance with righteousness. There was a strong sense of privilege and distinctiveness from the Gentile world, often leading to a reliance on their ethnic and religious status for salvation, rather than a heart transformation. This context is crucial for understanding Paul's critique of "resting in the Law" and "boasting of God," which subtly challenges the prevalent self-perception of many in the Jewish community.
* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes to several overarching themes in Romans. It highlights the theme of **Religious Identity vs. Reality**, questioning whether an outward label or heritage truly reflects an inward transformation and obedience. It introduces the danger of **Reliance on the Law**, not as a guide to righteousness, but as a source of self-righteousness or false security, a theme Paul expands upon in [Romans 3:20](/romans/3-20 "Romans 3:20 - The Law Cannot Justify"). The concept of **Boasting** is central, as Paul challenges the basis of human pride, whether in the Law, works, or ethnic identity, ultimately redirecting all true boasting to God alone, as seen in [1 Corinthians 1:31](/1_corinthians/1-31 "1 Corinthians 1:31 - Boasting in the Lord"). Furthermore, it sets the stage for the broader theme of **God's Righteous Judgment**, emphasizing that judgment is based on deeds, not on external privilege or knowledge of the Law alone, a point underscored throughout [Romans 2](/romans/2 "Romans 2 - God's Righteous Judgment").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Behold (Greek, _íde'_):** This interjection, often translated "lo" or "see," functions here to draw immediate attention to the statement that follows. It signals a direct and emphatic address, indicating that Paul is about to confront his Jewish audience with a crucial truth about their self-perception and conduct.
* **restest (Greek, _epanapaúomai'_):** Derived from "to settle on," this word implies finding security, confidence, or repose in something. In this context, it suggests that the Jewish people found their ultimate trust and assurance not in God Himself, but in their possession and knowledge of the Law. This "resting" can imply a dangerous complacency, a reliance on external privilege rather than active, living obedience.
* **makest thy boast (Greek, _kaucháomai'_):** This verb signifies "to vaunt, glory, or pride oneself." Paul uses it frequently to discuss the object of one's confidence. Here, it indicates that the Jews took pride in their unique relationship with God, their status as the chosen people, and their reception of divine revelation. While boasting in God can be legitimate (e.g., [Psalm 34:2](/psalms/34-2 "Psalm 34:2 - My soul shall make her boast in the Lord")), Paul subtly implies that this boasting was misplaced, rooted in their own identity and privilege rather than in God's saving grace truly transforming their lives.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Behold, thou art called a Jew":** Paul directly addresses the individual Jew, using the singular "thou" to make the accusation personal and pointed. "Called a Jew" acknowledges their unique ethnic and religious identity, emphasizing their covenantal relationship with God and their distinctiveness among the nations. This is not a denial of their identity but an affirmation of it, setting the stage for the critique of how they live out that identity.
* **"and restest in the law":** This clause highlights the Jewish reliance on the Torah. It suggests a sense of security and confidence derived from possessing the Law, knowing its precepts, and perhaps even observing its external rituals. The "resting" implies a cessation from seeking further righteousness, a belief that their possession of the Law was sufficient for their standing with God, rather than a means to guide them to genuine obedience and a deeper relationship.
* **"and makest thy boast of God":** This final phrase indicates that the Jewish people took pride in their special relationship with God. Their boasting stemmed from being God's chosen people, the recipients of His revelation, and the custodians of His truth. While boasting in God can be righteous, Paul implies that this boasting was often self-congratulatory, rooted in their privileged status rather than in a humble, obedient walk that honored God's name among the Gentiles.

#### Literary Devices
Paul employs several literary devices in [Romans 2:17](/romans/2-17 "Romans 2:17 - The Jew's Boast"). The opening interjection, **"Behold,"** serves as an arresting call to attention, signaling the gravity and directness of the upcoming statement. This immediately draws the reader into a personal confrontation. Paul uses **Direct Address** ("thou art called a Jew") to make his argument intensely personal and unavoidable for his Jewish audience, preventing them from deflecting the critique to others. There is an underlying **Irony** present: the very privileges the Jews boast in—being called a Jew, resting in the Law, boasting of God—are subtly presented as potential sources of spiritual complacency and hypocrisy, rather than genuine righteousness. This verse also functions as a **Thesis Statement** for the subsequent critique, succinctly summarizing the core issues Paul will unpack in the following verses concerning the inconsistency between Jewish privilege and practice.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Romans 2:17 is a crucial theological statement that underscores the danger of external religious identity without internal transformation. It challenges the notion that mere possession of divine revelation or membership in a covenant community guarantees righteousness before God. Paul consistently argues throughout Romans that true righteousness comes not from adherence to the Law or ethnic privilege, but from faith in Christ. This verse sets the stage for his powerful declaration that "a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code" ([Romans 2:28-29](/romans/2-28-29 "Romans 2:28-29 - True Circumcision of the Heart")). The theological implication is profound: God's judgment is impartial, based on deeds and the heart's condition, not on external labels or boasts.

* [Romans 3:27-28](/romans/3-27-28 "Romans 3:27-28 - No Boasting in Works")
* [Philippians 3:4-9](/philippians/3-4-9 "Philippians 3:4-9 - Paul's Renunciation of Self-Righteousness")
* [James 2:14-17](/james/2-14-17 "James 2:14-17 - Faith Without Works Is Dead")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Romans 2:17 serves as a timeless mirror for all who claim a religious identity. Paul's pointed address to the Jew who "rests in the law" and "boasts of God" resonates deeply with contemporary believers who might find their security in their Christian label, church attendance, theological knowledge, or even spiritual experiences, rather than in a living, active faith that transforms character and conduct. This verse challenges us to examine the foundation of our confidence. Are we truly living out the implications of our faith, or are we merely relying on an outward profession while our lives contradict the very truths we claim to believe? Genuine faith is not passive "resting" in a set of doctrines or a religious heritage, but an active, dynamic relationship with God that produces fruit consistent with repentance and righteousness. It calls us to move beyond mere intellectual assent or cultural Christianity to a radical, Spirit-empowered obedience that brings glory to God, not to ourselves.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I be "resting" in my religious identity or knowledge, rather than actively living out my faith?**
* **What are the things I tend to "boast" about regarding my spiritual life or relationship with God? Is this boasting truly honoring to God, or is it subtly self-centered?**
* **How does my daily conduct align with the truths and principles of the Bible that I claim to believe?**
* **What steps can I take to ensure my faith is a dynamic, transforming reality rather than a passive, external label?**

### FAQ
**What does it mean to "rest in the law" in this context?**

Answer: To "rest in the law" (Greek: _epanapaúomai_) means to find one's security, confidence, or repose in the possession and knowledge of the Mosaic Law. For the Jews, this often implied a reliance on their unique status as recipients of God's Law and their perceived adherence to it, rather than a genuine, heartfelt obedience that transformed their lives. It suggests a dangerous complacency, where the Law became a source of self-righteousness or a shield against God's judgment, rather than a mirror revealing sin and a guide to true righteousness. Paul challenges this attitude, implying that mere intellectual knowledge or external observance of the Law is insufficient for salvation or true standing before God, as he elaborates in [Romans 2:25-29](/romans/2-25-29 "Romans 2:25-29 - Circumcision of the Heart").

**Why does Paul address the Jews so directly and critically here?**

Answer: Paul addresses the Jews directly and critically in [Romans 2:17ff](/romans/2-17 "Romans 2:17 and following") because he is systematically demonstrating the universal need for God's grace and the insufficiency of human effort or privilege for salvation. After indicting the Gentiles for their sin in [Romans 1](/romans/1 "Romans 1 - The Guilt of Humanity"), he turns to the Jews, who might have felt exempt from judgment due to their covenantal status, possession of the Law, and circumcision. Paul's aim is to show that both Jews and Gentiles are "under sin" ([Romans 3:9](/romans/3-9 "Romans 3:9 - All Under Sin")), and that God judges impartially based on deeds, not on external identity or knowledge alone ([Romans 2:11-16](/romans/2-11-16 "Romans 2:11-16 - God's Impartial Judgment")). His critique is not to condemn Jewish identity itself, but to expose the hypocrisy and false security that can arise when one boasts in religious privilege without genuine obedience and heart transformation.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Romans 2:17, while a critique of Jewish self-reliance, powerfully foreshadows the need for Christ. The "resting in the law" and "boasting of God" that Paul identifies among the Jews reveals humanity's universal tendency to seek righteousness and security in something other than God's grace. The Law, though holy and good, was never intended to be the source of salvation; rather, it was given to expose sin and lead humanity to Christ ([Galatians 3:24](/galatians/3-24 "Galatians 3:24 - The Law as a Guardian")). The true "boasting" is not in one's own religious achievements or heritage, but in the finished work of Christ on the cross. For those who "rest in the law," Christ offers true rest for their souls, as He invites, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" ([Matthew 11:28](/matthew/11-28 "Matthew 11:28 - Jesus Offers Rest")). Our identity is no longer found in ethnic lineage or adherence to a code, but in being "in Christ" ([2 Corinthians 5:17](/2_corinthians/5-17 "2 Corinthians 5:17 - New Creation in Christ")), where our boast is solely in Him who became our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption ([1 Corinthians 1:30-31](/1_corinthians/1-30-31 "1 Corinthians 1:30-31 - Christ Our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption")). The true Jew is one whose heart is circumcised by the Spirit, a work accomplished through faith in Jesus, who fulfills the Law's demands and provides the righteousness we could never achieve on our own ([Romans 10:4](/romans/10-4 "Romans 10:4 - Christ is the End of the Law")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Romans 2:23

Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?

Micah 3:11

The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, [Is] not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

Isaiah 48:1

¶ Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, [but] not in truth, nor in righteousness.

Isaiah 48:2

For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts [is] his name.

Romans 9:32

Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

Matthew 3:9

And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to [our] father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Romans 9:4

Who are Israelites; to whom [pertaineth] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises;