The Jews Also Held the Truth of God in Unrighteousness (Romans 2:16–19)

Rom. 2:16. On the day when God judges the secrets of men, according to my gospel, through Jesus Christ.

There the eternal fate of each will be decided – that is, he will be condemned or justified, not insofar as he heard the Law – whether through the hearing of the ear or through the heart – but insofar as he did it; and not as he externally did it, but as every deed done was constructed internally. For this internal construction of deeds constitutes the soul of the deeds, while the external production of them is only the body for that internal, and is valuable only insofar as that internal is valuable. This inner side of deeds encompasses how the first thoughts about deeds arose, how they then reached to desire, how they touched conscience, how they obeyed or resisted it, how the decision occurred and why, and what in general is the spirit and direction of all deeds, of the whole life and activity. All this and the like constitute the essence of deeds and determine their worth in condemnation or justification of their doer. Since all this is invisible, the Apostle says that on the last day God will judge “the secrets of men,” κρυπτά, – the hidden things – not what man is outwardly, but what he is in his inner structure. “The Apostle, to increase fear, did not say: God will judge human sins, but: ‘the secrets of men,’ – so that you might not conclude that God’s judgment is the same as that pronounced by you, but know that His is far stricter than your judgment. For people can judge only manifest deeds” (St. Chrysostom), “but God will judge also the hidden” (Blessed Theophylact).

“According to my gospel, through Jesus Christ.” “You can also understand the words thus: ‘through Jesus Christ’ – according to my gospel, entrusted to me through Jesus Christ” (Blessed Theophylact). But more directly these words pertain to the execution of judgment by Jesus Christ, thus: “God will judge the secrets through Jesus Christ, that is, the Father through the Son, because the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son (Jn. 5:22)” (Blessed Theodoret).

When the Apostle says “according to my gospel,” he does not mean to say that he alone proclaims this, and no one else does, but that in his preaching he never omitted this most important subject. To whomever he preached, he spoke to all about judgment. With this he began his preaching, to awaken the sleeping conscience; then, taking this awakened conscience as an opportunity, he led to Christ, renewed by grace and imposing Christian commandments, he concluded: thus, renewed and strengthened by grace, live steadfastly according to the commandments, each moment awaiting the second coming of Christ the Lord, Who, when He comes, will repay each according to his deeds. The thought of the last dread judgment is the beginning and the end in apostolic preaching: it was and is the beginning and the end in the life of each one zealous for salvation. He in whom it does not slip from attention, with the corresponding feelings, cannot sin.

“Therefore each one, having entered into knowledge of himself and having reflected on his sins, demand of yourself a strict account, lest you be condemned with the world. For this tribunal is terrible, the throne of the Judge is fearful, the interrogations are awful. ‘Brother cannot redeem, will man redeem?’ (Ps. 48:8). – Imagine that if now before one Church the secret misdeed of one of us were to be revealed, the accused would prefer to perish, to be swallowed by the earth, rather than have so many witnesses to his crime. What then will happen to us when, before the whole universe, all will be displayed on this brilliant and open scene of shame, when all becomes visible to our acquaintances and strangers alike?” (St. Chrysostom).

b) And the Jews held the truth of God in unrighteousness (Rom. 2:17–3:20)

Having thus placed the Jew and the Gentile before God’s judgment on the same line, and thereby aroused in him fear of condemnation, the Apostle disposed him to listen to the following accusation of him, in which he, similar to the accusation of the Gentiles: α) first points out that they are by calling and by their own conviction knowers of God and knowers of God’s will, not only for themselves (Rom. 2:17–18), but for others as well (Rom. 2:19–20); β) if now, with all this, they show themselves to be living incorrectly, in contradiction both to their calling and to their conviction (Rom. 2:21–24), then: γ) all the aforementioned advantages – amount to nothing – they make the Jew worse than the Gentile (Rom. 2:25–29); δ) this conclusion could not but meet with objection: “what then is the advantage of the Jew?” Having set it aside (Rom. 3:1–8), the Apostle: ε) again presses the accusation of the Jews (touching also in part the Gentiles), no longer on his own, but on behalf of the Prophets, and thus forces them to be silent (Rom. 3:9–20).

Rom. 2:17. Behold, you are called a Jew, and rest in the Law, and boast in God.

“Behold, you.” In the Greek in some manuscripts stands: εί δε συ – if then you – and in others: ισυ – behold, you, or: lo, you. The preference according to the manuscripts belongs to the first, but by sense and flow of speech – to the second. Our Slavic and Russian translation retains it. – “Behold, you are called a Jew.” Jew is from Judah, the son of Jacob, not the firstborn, but the first according to the promise; for to him was promised the royal scepter and, above all, that from his tribe He would be born Who is the expectation of the nations. – They were called also Israelites – from Israel, the name given to Jacob because of the vision of God – and Hebrews – from Heber, the ancestor of Abraham. In the New Testament Scriptures they are called now Hebrews, now Israelites, now Jews, now Judeans. Perhaps at that time the name Jew was considered more honorable, both in the mouths of the Jews themselves and among others. The Apostle used it, wishing to show what an honorable name they bear, so that afterward their failure to correspond to this name in their life might appear all the more shameful. So also we bear the most exalted name – Christian, as clothed in Christ and anointed with the Holy Spirit; but this great name becomes our shame if we do not correspond to it in our life (St. Chrysostom). In the word “Jew” – the Apostle combined all the Old Testament advantages, which the Jew loved to turn over in his mind, as if saying: see, you love to call yourself a Jew – chosen of God, enjoying special God’s protection, with whom God has been pleased to enter into a special covenant, in preference to other nations. See then, are you this in reality? Or, having said “you are called a Jew,” – by this very fact he hinted that he only calls himself so, not being truly such, suggesting that only this honorable name remained to him, as sometimes we are told: you are a Christian only in name (St. Chrysostom, Blessed Theodoret).

“And rest in the Law,” έπαναπαύη. – As for another it is pleasant to rest, having lain upon a well-prepared bed: so pleasantly did the Jew rest in the Law – that certainly coming from God saving institution, certainly leading to the purpose envisioned in it, safeguarding from every delusion in the matter most close to the heart of each – in pleasing God and gaining salvation. Having such an institution, the Jew rested, setting aside all concerns in this regard, as though, having this, he had everything and nothing more was required of him; whereas this is only the beginning, and what was required by this beginning was not begun. Thus in the word “resting in the Law” – there is given high praise of the Law and is hinted a reproachful accusation against one resting in the Law. This also applies to us, when, being satisfied with the fact that we have a truly Orthodox confession, truly saving sacraments, divine worship in our approach to God in prayer, and reliable guidance in the matter of salvation in the divinely-established priesthood – with this one thing we rest, not moving ourselves from the place. Blessed Theodoret writes: “‘resting in the Law’ – for you do not labor, as one living outside the law, searching for what ought to be done, but you have the Law, clearly teaching you all things.” The same and Blessed Theophylact: “you do not labor, do not go about, do not inquire what ought to be done, but you have the Law, effortlessly instructing you in all.” – Cannot this expression also mean the diligent study of the Law, as when we say of someone: he sleeps on books? You love, it says, to pore over the Books of the Law, in order to know for certain what pleases God; for which reason below it adds: “instructed from the Law.” One cannot blame the Jews for neglecting the knowledge of the Law. In this respect they are diligent, more diligent than us Christians, who, for the most part, care not that which is written in Christian Books and what Christ the Lord, in Whom they believe and by Whose name they are adorned, wants of them.

“And boast in God,” εν Θεω, – in God, in God. “You boast in God, as having preferred you before all nations of the universe, as having deemed you worthy of great care, having given you the Law and guides, the Prophets” (Blessed Theodoret). “You boast that you are loved by God and preferred to all other men” (St. Chrysostom). You say: see what God is to me! He has done this and that for me, has given this and that, has promised this and that – loves me and is always ready to help me. I am God’s, and my God is the true God. To boast in God – truly is an expression that our relationship with God is in the proper state. So can act only one who stands in living union with God, in Him alone and lives by Him alone. This is the fruit of the highest degrees of moral-spiritual perfection. Those having true faith must all be such. And consequently, to boast in God is the duty of those who have received from God true faith. And they should boast in nothing else. “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord” (2 Cor. 10:17). But one can boast only with the tongue, not having such boasting in the heart. In the heart one cannot feign such boasting: it is the fruit of life. The Apostle says: you boast in God? This is good; but see whether this boasting is sincere and true. One can boast with the tongue in God, in order to magnify oneself before others, not having in the heart the corresponding feelings. – St. Chrysostom himself brings this out: “by this, I think, the Apostle wishes to mock the high-mindedness and inordinate ambition of the Jews, who turned this gift of God (that they are loved and preferred by God) not into their own salvation, but into an occasion to set up strife and despise others.” – Did not the Apostle wish to say by this that they boast in sound conceptions of God, that they know the true God and know Him truly? In the Gentiles he rebuked the distortion of the truth about God, and therefore also about the life that should follow. In the Jews, on the contrary, he sees both sound conceptions of God and knowledge of His true will, as he mentions just after. And before this, to point this out can the resting in the Law, by studying which with all the Holy Scriptures the Jew acquired true knowledge of God, which he could truly boast of before all nations. At the same time he understood also God’s will.

Rom. 2:18. And you know the will, and distinguish the things that are excellent, being instructed from the Law.

“And you know the will,” – “that is, the will of God” (Blessed Theodoret, Blessed Theophylact), defined in the Law and explained by the Prophets, with definite indication of how to please God, how to live godly among yourselves, how to atone for your sins and correct your vices – and what to expect in this life and after death. All this, he says, you know, Jew, and you would be blessed if you also did thus. But since you do not, such knowledge serves only to increase your condemnation. St. Chrysostom says: “to know only – is not important, when not confirmed by works, though it was esteemed an advantage; for which reason the Apostle notes this especially. He did not say: you fulfill – but: you know, not following it and not doing it.”

“And distinguish the things that are excellent,” δοκιμάζεις τά διαφέροντα. – Δοκιμαζειν – to test, to ascertain by experience, to discern and be assured. – Διαφέροντα – that which stands out from the row, the best, the distinguished. If understood generally, it will be: “you distinguish between opposites, right and wrong, chastity and lewdness, godliness and ungodliness” (Blessed Theodoret). But since δοκιμαζειν – points to particular activity or its experiences, in these words one can rather see an indication that the Jew was able well to determine what, when, where, and under what circumstances he should do in order to please God, what best manner of action to choose. That he knew what should be done generally, is indicated by the words: you know the will; but by the words “and distinguish the things that are excellent” – it is indicated that he could also decide in particular cases what would be better for him to do. Blessed Theophylact writes: “under ‘the excellent’ – one should understand the fitting or useful to each; and under ‘distinguish’ – you decide what ought to be done and what ought not to be done (in what case).”

“Being instructed from the Law.” “For in all this has he not become your teacher” (Blessed Theodoret). “Being instructed,” κατηχούμενος, – being catechized. “In the synagogues they read the Law, and through the hearing of the ear each, even unwillingly, received knowledge of what was required. This catechizing by the Law taught precise discernment of how in each case one should act. But they, fulfilling nothing in deed, gloried in this skill alone of distinguishing what was required” (Oecumenius).

Rom. 2:19–20. And are confident that you are a guide of the blind, a light to those in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the Law.

Possessing true knowledge of God and God’s will, and seeing how all other peoples wallow in the darkness of ignorance and are carried away by various delusions, the Jew could not help but be aware of his advantage in this regard and regard himself as a guide, light, and teacher for others. And by God’s intention he was to be such; for God’s intention was, while preserving truth in His people, by means of continual reminding and explanation from above, through him gradually to spread it also among others. And the Apostle’s reproach does not fall on the fact that they are such, but on the fact that, being appointed to be such and being aware of such calling, they in reality proved no better than those whom they should have guided. Here he only presents this advantage, and then, from the 21st verse, begins the very accusation, saying as it were: all this is how it should be; but what are you yourselves?

“And are confident that” πέποιθάς τε, – you are confident, you think about yourself, you are assured about yourself, that you are this and that. – To the words “guide, light, instructor, teacher” – one may not attach special significance, understanding by them one – in different expressions – an indication of what becomes one possessing the truth for those not knowing it, when he communicates it to them. Truth itself then teaches, instructs, enlightens, and guides, being, like manna, suited to every taste. But one can see in these words an indication also of the particularities of enlightenment by truth. “Babes” – are by themselves already ignorant of truth, for they have not yet grown to the use of reason capable of knowing truth. – “The foolish,” άφρονες, – not deprived of mind, but not having developed it, unlearned, not having taken pains to enrich their mind with knowledge of truth, – those same babes, not understanding the matter, only infantile not by nature but by their own fault. – “Those in darkness” – and have eyes yet see not, for there is no light; “and the blind” – and are surrounded by light yet see not, for they have no eyes. One can also understand thus: babes, beginning to learn and know; the foolish – know, but do not know how to act according to what is known. The first need teaching, and teachers teach them – διδάσκαλοι. The second need practical instruction in the skill of doing; and instructors teach them – παιδευταί. – Thus, here one can see an indication of two aspects of teaching: explanation of truth and instruction of how to live according to truth. The same can be seen also in the last two: to one in darkness is given a candle – the light of knowledge; and a blind person is taken by the hand and led, being told how and where to step. By this is indicated the manner of guidance in knowledge and in instruction for life. In all this the Jew could be for all nations – and was indeed for proselytes. And then further in the words “having the form of knowledge and truth in the Law” – under “knowledge” – one can understand cognition, and under “truth” – life corresponding to cognition (Photius in Oecumenius). For knowledge becomes true knowledge only when it enters into life and is realized in deed. – The Jew had both in the Law. The written Law communicated knowledge to him and indicated how his life should be arranged. The form of both – the true form, how it should be – was impressed in the minds of the Jews by the preaching and study of the Law.

In all this there is nothing reproachful; all this is as it should be. It is not for this that the Apostle rebukes; but he presents this in order to provide beforehand a foundation for the reproach. The reproof here is only hinted at in the word “you are confident that” – you think about yourself. God taught through him, but he appropriated teaching to himself as its independent source. Does not this very self-conceit result in the failure in life? And does not failure in life corrupt the very teaching? For whose life does not correspond to the truth, his word is both unintelligible and unconvincing. From this the Jew – by his calling – thought he was a guide and teacher, but in reality had ceased to be such when he ceased to live properly. St. Chrysostom even says: “again he did not say: you are the guide of the blind; but he says: considering yourself such, you boast in that.” Photius moreover in Oecumenius writes: “one appropriates to himself the form of knowledge and of truth existing in the Law, the one who knows the Law and lives according to it: he appropriates the form of knowledge when he knows, and the form of truth when he fulfills it in deed. For only he shows true knowledge which is in the Law, who fulfills it in deed – such a one alone shows it to be true. But you, he says, consider yourself an instructor, a guide and teacher, not simply (in some manner), but having the form of existing in the Law of knowledge and existing in the Law truth; yet you live as though never having heard the teaching of the Law. Thus, thinking about yourself that you have the form of knowledge and truth, thinking that you are an instructor of the foolish, a guide, a teacher, first instruct yourself. When by deed you show that your teaching is true in you, then you will instruct (others).”

These words serve as a good transition to the following accusation – that they know but do not do.