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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
Two Centuries of 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 words could equally well be applied to the heretics who call themselves Christians.… Since they rob the Word of God of its true meaning and seduce the minds of their hearers by their perverse interpretation, joining an adulterated kind of faith to the bride of Christ which is the church, this [verse] fits them exactly.
The Jew adulterates the law by removing the truth of Christ from it and putting lies in his place. In another of his epistles Paul writes: “They are adulterers of God’s Word.” A man is sacrilegious when he denies Christ, whom the law and the prophets call God. Did the Jews ever say, “Thou art God and we did not know it” of God the Father, when the entire law proclaims the authority of God the Father, by whom all things are made? But when the Son of God appeared, what he was was hidden and not revealed until after the resurrection. It was then that it was said of him: “Thou art God and we did not know it.”
There is not just one kind of adultery, for you commit adultery if you give anyone other than God what the soul owes exclusively to him.
Poemen also said, ‘Teach your heart to follow what your tongue is saying to others.’ He also said, ‘Men try to appear excellent in preaching but they are less excellent in practising what they preach.’
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Summary
Romans 2:22 is a pivotal rhetorical question posed by the Apostle Paul, directly challenging the hypocrisy of those who, possessing and teaching God's Law, fail to live by its precepts. Specifically, Paul confronts the inconsistency of condemning adultery while committing it, and abhorring idolatry while engaging in sacrilege. This verse serves as a sharp indictment against self-righteousness and outward religiosity that lacks inward transformation and genuine obedience, setting the stage for Paul's broader argument that all humanity, Jew and Gentile alike, stands condemned before God and is in need of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Context
Literary Context
Romans 2:22 is situated within Paul's extended argument in Romans 1-3 concerning humanity's universal sinfulness and the impartial judgment of God. Following his declaration that Gentiles are without excuse due to their suppression of truth (Romans 1:18-32), Paul turns his attention in Romans 2 to those who judge others, particularly implying Jewish individuals who boast in the Law. He emphasizes that God's judgment is based on deeds, not on external identity or knowledge of the Law (Romans 2:6-11). Verses Romans 2:17-24 directly address the Jewish person, detailing their boasting in the Law and their role as a "guide to the blind," yet ultimately dishonoring God through their actions. Verse 22 provides concrete examples of this hypocrisy, specifically in the areas of sexual morality and reverence for God's sacred things, leading into the conclusion that their actions cause God's name to be blasphemed among the Gentiles (Romans 2:24).
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul is writing to the church in Rome, a diverse community of both Jewish and Gentile believers. Within this context, there would have been a significant Jewish presence, many of whom would have prided themselves on their unique covenantal relationship with God, their possession of the Mosaic Law, and their distinct identity as God's chosen people. The Law was seen as a source of national pride and a guide for righteous living. However, Paul challenges the notion that mere possession or knowledge of the Law guarantees righteousness or immunity from God's judgment. The references to "adultery" and "sacrilege" (temple robbery) touch upon deeply ingrained moral and religious principles. Adultery was explicitly forbidden in the Decalogue (Exodus 20:14), and idolatry was the cardinal sin against God's covenant (Exodus 20:3-5). Sacrilege, or robbing temples, was a serious offense, often associated with pagan practices, but Paul applies it to those who "abhor idols," suggesting a profound internal contradiction related to the handling of sacred things or funds within their own religious system.
Key Themes
The central theme in Romans 2 and particularly in this verse is Hypocrisy, where outward profession (boasting in the Law, abhorring idols) is starkly contrasted with inward practice (committing adultery, sacrilege). This highlights the theme of Inconsistency between one's stated beliefs and one's actual behavior. Paul also underscores the theme of God's Impartial Judgment, asserting that God judges all people, regardless of their ethnic or religious identity, based on their deeds (Romans 2:11). The passage implicitly calls for Integrity, emphasizing that true righteousness requires a life consistent with one's moral and theological convictions. Ultimately, these themes serve to demonstrate the universal need for God's grace and righteousness, which is revealed through faith in Christ (Romans 3:21-26).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primary verb meaning "to lay forth" or "to relate in words," often implying systematic or set discourse. In this context, it refers to the act of teaching, proclaiming, or making a moral pronouncement. The one who "says" is therefore a teacher or moral guide.
Meaning "to be disgusted," and by implication, "to detest." It is often used in the Septuagint to describe the detestation of idolatry. This word conveys a strong emotional rejection and moral revulsion against idols, making the subsequent charge of sacrilege even more jarring.
Referring to an image for worship, or by implication, a heathen god. In the Jewish context, this would refer to the pagan gods and their images, which were strictly forbidden and detested.
Meaning "to be a temple-robber" or "to commit sacrilege." This term denotes the act of profaning or stealing sacred things, specifically from a temple. The irony is profound: one who detests pagan idols is accused of profaning sacred things, perhaps even God's own temple or its offerings.
Verse Breakdown
"Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery?"
Paul directly confronts the inconsistency of the moral instructor. The first clause identifies the person as one who articulates and upholds the moral standard against adultery, a clear violation of the Seventh Commandment (Exodus 20:14). The immediate follow-up question, "dost thou commit adultery?", is a sharp rhetorical challenge, implying that the very person teaching against this sin is guilty of it. This highlights a profound disconnect between doctrine and deed, public teaching and private practice.
"thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?"
This second rhetorical question extends the indictment to another area of grave moral and religious offense. The first clause describes someone who strongly detests and rejects idols, aligning with the foundational commands against idolatry (Exodus 20:3-5). The subsequent question, "dost thou commit sacrilege?", implies that despite their strong stance against pagan worship, they are guilty of profaning sacred things, perhaps by dishonestly handling temple funds, misusing sacred offerings, or treating God's holy things with contempt. This exposes a deeper hypocrisy: outwardly rejecting false gods, but inwardly disrespecting the true God by their actions concerning His holy domain.
Literary Devices
Paul employs several powerful rhetorical questions in this verse, which serve not merely to elicit information but to make a forceful point and expose a glaring contradiction. The questions are accusatory, designed to provoke self-examination and conviction in the audience. The structure of the verse is a form of antithesis or juxtaposition, placing the stated moral principle ("sayest a man should not commit adultery," "abhorrest idols") directly against the alleged immoral practice ("dost thou commit adultery," "dost thou commit sacrilege?"). This sharp contrast highlights the profound hypocrisy Paul is addressing. Furthermore, there is an element of irony, particularly in the second half of the verse, where those who are most zealous against pagan idolatry are accused of profaning their own sacred institutions. This literary craftsmanship makes Paul's argument incisive and memorable.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Romans 2:22 profoundly underscores the biblical truth that true righteousness is not merely about possessing knowledge of God's law or making outward moral pronouncements, but about genuine, consistent obedience from the heart. Paul's indictment of hypocrisy reveals that God's judgment penetrates beyond external appearances and religious identity, reaching into the very actions and intentions of individuals. This verse sets the stage for Paul's radical assertion that all humanity, Jew and Gentile, stands equally condemned under sin, thus necessitating a righteousness that comes not from human effort or legal adherence, but from God through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a powerful reminder that the standard of God's holiness demands integrity, challenging believers across all ages to align their walk with their talk.
Reflection and Application
Romans 2:22 serves as a timeless and piercing mirror, urging us to deeply examine the consistency between our professed beliefs and our actual lives. It challenges the human tendency to judge others for sins we ourselves may be committing, albeit perhaps in different forms or with different rationalizations. Are there areas where we vocally condemn certain behaviors in society or in others, while subtly tolerating or engaging in similar patterns of disobedience in our own lives? This verse calls us to move beyond superficial religiosity or moral posturing and to pursue genuine integrity, recognizing that God sees beyond our outward declarations. True spirituality is not about knowing the rules or even teaching them, but about living them out with humble obedience. It compels us to ask: Is our abhorrence of sin truly comprehensive, extending to the hidden corners of our own hearts and actions? This self-reflection should lead not to despair, but to a renewed reliance on God's grace, acknowledging our own shortcomings and seeking the transformative power of the Holy Spirit to align our lives with the truth we claim to believe.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is "sacrilege" in the context of Romans 2:22, and how would someone who "abhorred idols" commit it?
In Romans 2:22, "sacrilege" (Greek: hierosyléō) literally means "temple robbery" or "profaning sacred things." For someone who "abhorred idols" – meaning they detested pagan gods and their worship – committing sacrilege would represent a profound hypocrisy. While they outwardly rejected the profanity of paganism, they might be guilty of profaning the holy things of God's own temple or covenant. This could manifest in various ways: perhaps through dishonest practices related to temple offerings or finances, treating sacred vows lightly, or even through a general irreverence for God's holiness despite their adherence to the Law. The core issue is the internal contradiction: a public stance against one form of spiritual dishonor (idolatry) while privately engaging in another (dishonoring God's sacred institutions or principles). Paul's point is that such actions, even if not directly worshipping idols, still bring dishonor to God's name among the Gentiles, as stated in Romans 2:24.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Romans 2:22, with its stark exposure of human hypocrisy and the inadequacy of the Law to bring righteousness, powerfully sets the stage for the necessity of Christ. The Law, as Paul argues, reveals sin but cannot remove it; it serves as a "mirror" to show our need for a Savior (Romans 3:20). Jesus Christ, in contrast to the hypocritical teachers, perfectly fulfilled the Law not only in outward observance but in the purity of His heart and intentions. He is the one who truly abhorred sin and idolatry, not merely in word but in His very being and actions, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice to atone for humanity's "adultery" and "sacrilege" against God. His life of perfect integrity and His atoning death on the cross provide the "righteousness from God" that is "apart from the law" but "through faith in Jesus Christ" (Romans 3:21-22). Thus, the very hypocrisy highlighted in Romans 2:22 magnifies the absolute necessity and glory of Christ's perfect righteousness, which is freely offered to all who believe, transforming them from within to live lives of genuine integrity that truly honor God (2 Corinthians 5:17).