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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Romans 2:17–29. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
In the latter part of the chapter the apostle directs his discourse more closely to the Jews, and shows what sins they were guilty of, notwithstanding their profession and vain pretensions. He had said (Rom 2:13) that not the hearers but the doers of the law are justified; and he here applies that great truth to the Jews. Observe,
I.He allows their profession (Rom 2:17-20) and specifies their particular pretensions and privileges in which they prided themselves, that they might see he did not condemn them out of ignorance of what they had to say for themselves; no, he knew the best of their cause.
1.They were a peculiar people, separated and distinguished from all others by their having the written law and the special presence of God among them.
(1.)Thou art called a Jew; not so much in parentage as profession. It was a very honourable title. Salvation was of the Jews; and this they were very proud of, to be a people by themselves; and yet many that were so called were the vilest of men. It is no new thing for the worst practices to be shrouded under the best names, for many of the synagogue of Satan to say they are Jews (Rev 2:9), for a generation of vipers to boast they have Abraham to their father, Mat 3:7-9.
(2.)And restest in the law; that is, they took a pride in this, that they had the law among them, had it in their books, read it in their synagogues. They were mightily puffed up with this privilege, and thought this enough to bring them to heaven, though they did not live, up to the law. To rest in the law, with a rest of complacency and acquiescence, is good; but to rest in it with a rest of pride, and slothfulness, and carnal security, is the ruin of souls. The temple of the Lord, Jer 7:4. Bethel their confidence, Jer 48:13. Haughty because of the holy mountain, Zep 3:11. It is a dangerous thing to rest in external privileges, and not to improve them.
(3.)And makest thy boast of God. See how the best things may be perverted and abused. A believing, humble, thankful glorying in God, is the root and summary of all religion, Psa 34:2; Isa 45:15; Co1 1:31. But a proud vainglorious boasting in God, and in the outward profession of his name, is the root and summary of all hypocrisy. Spiritual pride is of all kinds of pride the most dangerous.
2.They were a knowing to people (Rom 2:18): and knowest his will, thelēma - the will. God's will is the will, the sovereign, absolute, irresistible will. The world will then, and not till then, be set to rights, when God's will is the only will, and all other wills are melted into it. They did not only know the truth of God, but the will of God, that which he would have them to do. It is possible for a hypocrite to have a great deal of knowledge in the will of God. - And approvest the things that are more excellent - dokimazeis ta diapheronta. Paul prays for it for his friends as a very great attainment, Phi 1:10. Eis to dokemazein humas ta diapheronta. Understand it,
(1.)Of a good apprehension in the things of God, reading it thus, Thou discernest things that differ, knowest how to distinguish between good and evil, to separate between the precious and the vile (Jer 15:19), to make a difference between the unclean and the clean, Lev 11:47. Good and bad lie sometimes so near together that it is not easy to distinguish them; but the Jews, having the touchstone of the law ready at hand, were, or at least thought they were, able to distinguish, to cleave the hair in doubtful cases. A man may be a good casuist and yet a bad Christian - accurate in the notion, but loose and careless in the application. Or, we may, with De Dieu, understand controversies by the ta diapheronta. A man may be well skilled in the controversies of religion, and yet a stranger to the power of godliness.
(2.)Of a warm affection to the things of God, as we read it, Approvest the things that are excellent. There are excellences in religion which a hypocrite may approve of: there may be a consent of the practical judgment to the law, that it is good, and yet that consent overpowerd by the lusts of the flesh, and of the mind: -
- Video meliora proboque
Deteriora sequor.
I see the better, but pursue the worse.
and it is common for sinners to make that approbation an excuse which is really a very great aggravation of a sinful course. They got this acquaintance with, and affection to, that which is good, but being instructed out of the law, katēchoumenos - being catechised. The word signifies an early instruction in childhood. It is a great privilege and advantage to be well catechised betimes. It was the custom of the Jews to take a great deal of pains in teaching their children when they were young, and all their lessons were out of the law; it were well if Christians were but as industrious to teach their children out of the gospel. Now this is called (Rom 2:20), The form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law, that is, the show and appearance of it. Those whose knowledge rests in an empty notion, and does not make an impression on their hearts, have only the form of it, like a picture well drawn and in good colours, but which wants life. A form of knowledge produces but a form of godliness, Ti2 3:5. A form of knowledge may deceive men, but cannot impose upon the piercing eye of the heart-searching God. A form may be the vehicle of the power; but he that takes up with that only is like sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.
3.They were a teaching people, or at least thought themselves so (Rom 2:19, Rom 2:20): And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind. Apply it,
(1.)To the Jews in general. They thought themselves guides to the poor blind Gentiles that sat in darkness, were very proud of this, that whoever would have the knowledge of God must be beholden to them for it. All other nations must come to school to them, to learn what is good, and what the Lord requires; for they had the lively oracles.
(2.)To their rabbis, and doctors, and leading men among them, who were especially those that judged others, Rom 2:1. These prided themselves much in the possession they had got of Moses's chair, and the deference which the vulgar paid to their dictates; and the apostle expresses this in several terms, a guide of the blind, a light of those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, the better to set forth their proud conceit of themselves, and contempt of others. 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, and folly, and inability to make these teachings successful without God, there is nothing in it to be proud of.
II.He aggravates their provocations (Rom 2:21-24) from two things: -
1.That they sinned against their knowledge and profession, did that themselves which they taught others to avoid: Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Teaching is a piece of that charity which begins at home, though it must not end there. It was the hypocrisy of the Pharisees that they did not do as they taught (Mat 23:3), but pulled down with their lives what they built up with their preaching; for who will believe those who do not believe themselves? Examples will govern more than rules. The greatest obstructors of the success of the word are those whose bad lives contradict their good doctrine, who in the pulpit preach so well that it is a pity they should ever come out, and out of the pulpit live so ill that it is a pity they should ever come in. He specifies three particular sins that abound among the Jews: - (1.) Stealing. This is charged upon some that declared God's statutes (Psa 50:16, Psa 50:18), When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him. The Pharisees are charged with devouring widows' houses (Mat 23:14), and that is the worst of robberies. (2.) Adultery, Rom 2:22. This is likewise charged upon that sinner (Psa 50:18), Thou hast been partaker with adulterers. Many of the Jewish rabbin are said to have been notorious for this sin. (3.) Sacrilege - robbing in holy things, which were then by special laws dedicated and devoted to God; and this is charged upon those that professed to abhor idols. So the Jews did remarkably, after their captivity in Babylon; that furnace separated them for ever from the dross of their idolatry, but they dealt very treacherously in the worship of God. It was in the latter days of the Old Testament church that they were charged with robbing God in tithes and offerings (Mal 3:8, Mal 3:9), converting that to their own use, and to the service of their lusts, which was, in a special manner, set apart for God. And this is almost equivalent to idolatry, though this sacrilege was cloaked with the abhorrence of idols. Those will be severely reckoned with another day who, while they condemn sin in others, do the same, or as bad, or worse, themselves.
2.That they dishonoured God by their sin, Rom 2:23, Rom 2:24. While God and his law were an honour to them, which they boasted of and prided themselves in, they were a dishonour to God and his law, by giving occasion to those that were without to reflect upon their religion, as if that did countenance and allow of such things, which, as it is their sin who draw such inferences (for the faults of professors are not to be laid upon professions), so it is their sin who give occasion for those inferences, and will greatly aggravate their miscarriages. This was the condemnation in David's case, that he had given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, Sa2 12:14. And the apostle here refers to the same charge against their forefathers: As it is written, Rom 2:24. He does not mention the place, because he wrote this to those that were instructed in the law (in labouring to convince, it is some advantage to deal with those that have knowledge and are acquainted with the scripture), but he seems to point at Isa 52:5; Eze 36:22, Eze 36:23; and Sa2 12:14. It is a lamentation that those who were made to be to God for a name and for a praise should be to him a shame and dishonour. The great evil of the sins of professors is the dishonour done to God and religion by their profession. "Blasphemed through you; that is, you give the occasion for it, it is through your folly and carelessness. The reproaches you bring upon yourselves reflect upon your God, and religion is wounded through your sides." A good caution to professors to walk circumspectly. See Ti1 6:1.
III.He asserts the utter insufficiency of their profession to clear them from the guilt of these provocations (Rom 2:25-29):
Circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law; that is, obedient Jews shall not lose the reward of their obedience, but will gain this by their being Jews, that they have a clearer rule of obedience than the Gentiles have. God did not give the law nor appoint circumcision in vain. This must be referred to the state of the Jews before the ceremonial polity was abolished, otherwise circumcision to one that professed faith in Christ was forbidden, Gal 5:1. But he is here speaking to the Jews, whose Judaism would benefit them, if they would but live up to the rules and laws of it; but if not "thy circumcision is made uncircumcision; that is, thy profession will do thee no good; thou wilt be no more justified than the uncircumcised Gentiles, but more condemned for sinning against greater light." The uncircumcised are in scripture branded as unclean (Isa 52:1), as out of the covenant, (Eph 2:11, Eph 2:12) and wicked Jews will be dealt with as such. See Jer 9:25, Jer 9:26. Further to illustrate this,
1.He shows that the uncircumcised Gentiles, if they live up to the light they have, stand upon the same level with the Jews; if they keep the righteousness of the law (Rom 2:26), fulfil the law (Rom 2:27); that is, by submitting sincerely to the conduct of natural light, perform the matter of the law. Some understand it as putting the case of a perfect obedience to the law: "If the Gentiles could perfectly keep the law, they would be justified by it as well as the Jews." But it seems rather to be meant of such an obedience as some of the Gentiles did attain to. The case of Cornelius will clear it. Though he was a Gentile, and uncircumcised, yet, being a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house (Act 10:2), he was accepted, Rom 2:4. Doubtless, there were many such instances: and they were the uncircumcision, that kept the righteousness of the law; and of such he says,
(1.)That they were accepted with God, as if they had been circumcised. Their uncircumcision was counted for circumcision. Circumcision was indeed to the Jews a commanded duty, but it was not to all the world a necessary condition of justification and salvation.
(2.)That their obedience was a great aggravation of the disobedience of the Jews, who had the letter of the law, Rom 2:27. Judge thee, that is, help to add to thy condemnation, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress. Observe, To carnal professors the law is but the letter; they read it as a bare writing, but are not ruled by it as a law. They did transgress, not only notwithstanding the letter and circumcision, but by it, that is, they thereby hardened themselves in sin. External privileges, if they do not do us good, do us hurt. The obedience of those that enjoy less means, and make a less profession, will help to condemn those that enjoy greater means, and make a greater profession, but do not live up to it.
2.He describes the true circumcision, Rom 2:28, Rom 2:29.
(1.)It is not that which is outward in the flesh and in the letter. This is not to drive us off from the observance of external institutions (they are good in their place), but from trusting to them and resting in them as sufficient to bring us to heaven, taking up with a name to live, without being alive indeed. He is not a Jew, that is, shall not be accepted of God as the seed of believing Abraham, nor owned as having answered the intention of the law. To be Abraham's children is to do the works of Abraham, Joh 8:39, Joh 8:40.
(2.)It is that which is inward, of the heart, and in the spirit. It is the heart that God looks at, the circumcising of the heart that renders us acceptable to him. See Deu 30:6. This is the circumcision that is not made with hands, Col 2:11, Col 2:12. Casting away the body of sin. So it is in the spirit, in our spirit as the subject, and wrought by God's Spirit as the author of it.
(3.)The praise thereof, though it be not of men, who judge according to outward appearance, yet it is of God, that is, God himself will own and accept and crown this sincerity; for he seeth not as man seeth. Fair pretences and a plausible profession may deceive men: but God cannot be so deceived; he sees through shows to realities. This is alike true of Christianity. He is not a Christian that is one outwardly, nor is that baptism which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Christian that is one inwardly, and baptism is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
These things are true, because this is the task of the law: to teach the ignorant, to subject the wicked to God, to provoke those who by the worship of idols are ungodly to trust in a better hope by the promise which is given through the law. The teacher of the law is right to glory in these things, because he is teaching the form of truth. But if the teacher does not accept the Expected One whom the law has promised, he glories in vain in the law, to which he is doing harm as long as he rejects the Christ who is promised in the law. In that case he is no more learned than the fools, nor is he a teacher of children, nor is he a light to those who are in the darkness, but rather he is leading all of these into perdition.
"And art confident that thou thyself." Here again he does not say that thou art "a guide of the blind," but "thou art confident," so thou boastest, he says. So great was the unreasonableness of the Jews. Wherefore he also repeats nearly the very words, which they used in their boastings. See for instance what they say in the Gospels. "Thou wast altogether born in sin, and dost thou teach us?" (John ix. 34.) And all men they utterly looked down upon, to convince them of which, Paul keeps extolling them and lowering the others, that so he may get more hold on them, and make his accusation the weightier. Wherefore he goes on adding the like things, and making more of them by different ways of relating them. For "Thou art confident," he saith, "that thou thyself art a leader of the blind, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and truth, which is in the Law." Here again he says not, in the conscience and in actions and in well-doings, but "in the Law;" and after saying so, he does here also what he did with regard to the Gentiles. For as there he says, "for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself," so saith he here also.
One who continually keeps the law in view does not stumble.
By “embodiment” is meant not the form but the substance and the knowledge and the truth, like the one “who was in the form of God.”
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Summary
Romans 2:20 continues Paul's incisive critique of those who, possessing the Mosaic Law, presume spiritual superiority and the right to instruct others, yet fail to embody the truth they claim to teach. The verse describes such individuals as self-appointed instructors of the foolish and teachers of the immature, who hold merely the external "form" or outline of knowledge and truth derived from the Law, rather than its transformative internal reality. This sets the stage for Paul's subsequent indictment of hypocrisy, challenging the notion that intellectual grasp or outward adherence to the Law is sufficient for righteousness before God.
Context
Literary Context
Romans 2:20 is situated within Paul's broader argument in Romans 2, where he systematically dismantles any basis for human boasting before God. Having established in Romans 1 that Gentiles are without excuse due to their suppression of natural revelation, Paul turns his attention to the Jewish audience in Romans 2:1-16, asserting that their possession of the Law does not exempt them from God's impartial judgment. The immediate preceding verses, Romans 2:17-19, describe the self-perception of the Jewish person who "restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God," believing themselves to be a "guide of the blind" and a "light of them which are in darkness." Verse 20 elaborates on this self-proclaimed pedagogical role, setting the stage for Paul's direct challenge to their hypocrisy in Romans 2:21-24.
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Judaism, the Law (Torah) was central to identity, covenant, and daily life. It was seen as God's unique revelation to Israel, distinguishing them from the Gentile nations. Rabbinic teaching and the study of the Law were highly esteemed, and those who mastered it were revered as spiritual guides. There was a strong emphasis on oral tradition alongside the written Law. The Jewish people, as a nation, often saw themselves as appointed by God to be a "light to the Gentiles" (Isaiah 49:6), imparting divine truth to a world steeped in idolatry and moral darkness. Paul, himself a highly educated Pharisee, understood this cultural pride and the deep-seated conviction that possessing and teaching the Law conferred a special status and inherent righteousness.
Key Themes
This verse contributes significantly to several key themes within Romans. It highlights the theme of spiritual pride and self-righteousness, particularly among those who rely on external markers of religiosity rather than internal transformation. It underscores the critical distinction between outward observance and inward reality, a concept Paul will further develop when discussing circumcision of the heart in Romans 2:29. The verse also touches on the purpose and limitations of the Law, affirming that the Law indeed contains "knowledge and truth" but exposing the danger of merely possessing its "form" without living its substance. Ultimately, it foreshadows Paul's broader argument that all humanity, Jew and Gentile alike, is under the power of sin (Romans 3:9) and requires God's righteousness through faith in Christ.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From the root meaning "to train" or "to discipline," this word refers to a trainer, teacher, or discipliner. It implies someone who educates or corrects, often in foundational principles. In this context, it highlights the self-perception of the Jewish person as one who imparts moral and spiritual training.
This term denotes an outline, pattern, external shape, or semblance. It suggests having the blueprint, the external structure, or the outward appearance of something, without necessarily possessing its full internal reality, substance, or transformative power. It is distinct from morphē (inherent nature) or schēma (outward fashion).
Derived from the verb "to know," this refers to the act of knowing or knowledge itself. In the context of the Law, it signifies an intellectual apprehension of divine truths, commands, and principles. The issue here is not the validity of the knowledge itself, but the nature of its possession—merely external "form" rather than deep, life-altering comprehension.
Verse Breakdown
"An instructor of the foolish"
This phrase describes the self-appointed role of the Jewish person who boasts in the Law. "Foolish" (Greek, áphrōn') refers to those lacking understanding, sense, or spiritual discernment, often implying ignorance or even moral recklessness. The Jewish teacher saw themselves as bringing light and guidance to such individuals, particularly the Gentiles or less-informed Jews.
"a teacher of babes"
This parallels and reinforces the previous clause. "Babes" (Greek, nḗpios') literally means infants or young children, but metaphorically refers to those who are immature, unlearned, or simple-minded in spiritual matters. This further emphasizes the perceived pedagogical superiority and the audience they aimed to enlighten.
"which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth"
This is the critical core of the verse. The Jewish teacher possesses the "form" (outward shape, outline, or semblance) of "knowledge" (intellectual apprehension of divine principles) and "truth" (divine reality, veracity). Paul is not denying that the Law contains truth, but rather critiquing the manner in which this truth is held—as an external pattern or formula, rather than an internalized, transformative power that shapes one's character and conduct.
"in the law"
This specifies the source of this "form of knowledge and truth." The Law, particularly the Mosaic Law, was indeed the repository of God's revealed will, containing divine wisdom and moral precepts. The problem Paul identifies is not with the Law itself, but with the self-righteous reliance on its external possession and intellectual understanding without genuine obedience and heart transformation.
Literary Devices
Paul employs several literary devices to convey his message in Romans 2:20. There is clear Parallelism in the opening phrases, "An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes," which reiterates the perceived role of the Jewish person as a spiritual guide using slightly different but synonymous terms. The most significant device is the use of Contrast, particularly between "the form of knowledge and of the truth" and the implied lack of its internal, transformative reality. This sets up the stark distinction between outward appearance and inward spiritual state, a theme central to Paul's argument throughout Romans 2. There is also an element of Irony, as those who claim to instruct others are themselves shown to be failing to live up to the very standards they teach, a point Paul will explicitly make in the subsequent verses.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Romans 2:20 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of true spiritual understanding and righteousness. It challenges the common human tendency to equate intellectual knowledge or external religious adherence with genuine transformation and acceptance before God. Paul highlights that merely possessing the "form" or outline of truth, even divine truth found in the Law, is insufficient if it does not penetrate the heart and lead to a life of obedience. This verse underscores the biblical principle that God looks beyond outward appearances to the condition of the heart, exposing the danger of religious hypocrisy and self-deception. It sets the stage for Paul's later arguments that true righteousness comes not through works of the Law, but through faith, and that the Spirit, not merely the letter, gives life.
Reflection and Application
Romans 2:20 offers a searching mirror for every believer and every religious community. It compels us to examine whether our faith is merely an intellectual exercise or an external display, or if it has truly permeated our inner being, transforming our desires, attitudes, and actions. It's easy to become "instructors of the foolish" and "teachers of babes" in our own spheres, confidently articulating theological truths or moral principles, while simultaneously neglecting to apply those truths to our own lives. Do we merely possess the "form of knowledge and of the truth" in the Scriptures, able to quote verses and explain doctrines, but lack the genuine, Spirit-empowered obedience and humility that true knowledge of God produces? This verse challenges us to move beyond superficial religiosity to a vibrant, authentic relationship with God, where truth is not just known but lived, and where our lives are consistent with the message we proclaim.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does Paul mean by "the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law"?
When Paul speaks of having "the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law," he is using the Greek word mórphōsis (G3446), which signifies an outline, pattern, external shape, or semblance. He is not denying that the Law itself contains genuine knowledge and truth about God's character and will. Rather, he is critiquing the way in which some Jewish people of his day possessed this truth. They had the external blueprint, the intellectual understanding, or the outward structure of divine knowledge and truth as revealed in the Mosaic Law, but they lacked its internal, transformative power. It implies a superficial grasp or an outward adherence that doesn't lead to a change of heart or genuine obedience. Paul's point is that merely having the "form" of truth, even from a divine source like the Law, is insufficient for righteousness if it doesn't translate into consistent, righteous living, as he elaborates in Romans 2:21-24.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Romans 2:20, with its critique of those who possess merely the "form of knowledge and of the truth in the law," finds its profound fulfillment and ultimate answer in Jesus Christ. The Law, though holy and good, could only provide an external standard and reveal sin; it could not impart the power to fulfill its own righteous demands (Romans 8:3). Jesus, however, is the very embodiment of truth and knowledge, not merely its "form." He is the Word made flesh, the one in whom "are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). While the Jewish teachers had the Law as a guide, Christ himself is the ultimate "teacher of babes" and "instructor of the foolish," not by external instruction alone, but by imparting new life and writing the Law on the hearts of believers through the Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:6). He came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it, enabling those who believe in Him to truly live out its righteous requirements by the power of the Holy Spirit, moving beyond a mere external "form" to an internal, Spirit-empowered reality of righteousness and truth.