Romans 2:1 – Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
At the end of chapter one, Paul reached the conclusion that the Gentiles, regardless of how enlightened they were, were utterly incapable of righteousness. History shows us over and over and over again that mankind has no means of righteousness within himself; consequently, he cannot save himself through his own works. There is no possible way for the Gentiles to justify themselves in the eyes of a holy God. 
In chapters two and three, Paul will prove that the Jews are just as guilty as the Gentiles; they too were in need of justification which they could not produce themselves. The end result is that ALL people (Gentiles and Jews) are in need of a Savior.
GENERAL SUMMARY: In chapter one, Paul demonstrated the downward spiral of the Gentiles into utter depravity. He now addresses the people who stand in judgment of their behavior. In verses 1-3 Paul reveals that those who judge the heathen also stand condemned before God, because they practice the same sins.
Digging Deeper: Therefore: Chapter two opens with the word ‘therefore’… and thus the controversy begins!
The word ‘therefore’ indicates that a conclusion is being reached based on facts that were previously given. Since Paul was speaking about the sin of the Gentiles at the end of chapter one, some scholars believe that he continues to address the Gentiles in the first part of chapter two.
Others disagree. They believe Paul is speaking to the Jews in chapter two verse one. They interpret Paul’s comments this way: Condemnation of one branch of the human race (Gentiles), implies/proves condemnation of the other branch (Jews) too, for both have sinned. Since the Gentiles are without righteousness, therefore the Jews are too.
Still others maintain that ‘therefore’ should have been translated ‘moreover’ which means ‘in addition, furthermore or likewise’. This group also believes Paul is now addressing the Jews.
You… O man: Obviously, your understanding of ‘you …O man’ (and subsequently ‘judge’) depends upon your interpretation of ‘therefore’. Let’s look at the options.
We will begin with the interpretations that say Paul is addressing the Gentiles.
The first theory says ‘you …O man’ is referring to the seemingly virtuous members of Gentile society. Specifically, this includes the magistrates (civil leaders/anyone who upholds the laws of the land), other community leaders and the famous Gentile philosophers of the age (Socrates, Cato, Seneca and others).
The question then becomes, if this is indeed the group Paul is addressing, how are they standing in judgment of the Gentiles?
Answer – The people in this group judge and punish others (literally in the case of the magistrates and figuratively/morally by the others) because they have authority to do so based on a clear understanding of the law and of sin.
The second theory interprets ‘you …O man’ in a much broader way. Those who hold this view believe the phrase can refer to literally any person in the Gentile community regardless of their position in society.
If this is the group Paul is addressing, how are they standing in judgment of the Gentiles?
Answer – The people in this group judge other Gentiles by using any and all platforms available to them to disparage the actions of others while putting on a public show of their own virtue. For example, a Gentile business owner may rail against the obvious sins of his fellow man to anyone in his company as well as his customers and suppliers. He may continue to express these opinions in all avenues of his personal life. The overall idea is that he is a hypocrite – he judges those around him while privately committing the same or similar sins.
Now let’s examine the theory which says Paul is addressing the Jews with the phrase ‘you …O man’.
Those who hold this view point out that the animosity between the Jews and Gentiles was well known, and it was a big problem in the early church (including the church at Rome). If this is the case, why doesn’t Paul just name the Jews specifically, instead of using the general term ‘you …O man’?
Answer - Keep in mind, Paul had never visited the Roman church; he had no relationship to lean on when delivering a harsh or unpopular teaching. If he had identified the Jews specifically right off the bat, he would come across as accusatory and harsh. The Jews would have quickly and vehemently dismissed all his doctrines and teaching. This would not only affect the Roman church but all churches in the region because Paul’s letter would be distributed to smaller churches after the Romans read it.
So, those who hold this view believe that Paul carefully and skillfully avoids naming the Jews at first, so they would take the time to listen to his whole discourse on the subject without being offended.
If the Jews are the group Paul is referring to, how are they standing in judgment of the Gentiles? 
Answer - From the very beginning the Jews felt they were better than the Gentiles. In their minds, they were God’s chosen people; the Gentiles were rejects. They were the ones in covenant with God; the Gentiles were not. They were enlightened and entrusted with the law, while the Gentiles were ignorant heathens. They believed that as a nation, they were righteous, while the Gentiles were dogs and gross sinners.
Indeed, it seems as though the Jews took great delight in consistently pointing out the grievous sins of the Gentiles. They took every opportunity to rail against their sinful acts before God, while at the same time pridefully maintaining their own innocence. You can be sure they were nodding their heads in agreement as Paul gave a litany of the Gentiles’ sins in the first part of his letter.
At this point, I want to pause and give you the two main reasons why the Jews felt they were not subject to the wrath of God.
First, they considered themselves protected from divine judgment because of their status as a chosen nation, along with their adherence to the Mosaic law and ceremonies.
Second, the Jews in general were very prosperous. They took this as a sign that they were in right standing with God and thus had nothing to worry about. They felt that if God were going to judge them for sin, it would happen immediately.
Because you, the judge: For the purposes of our study, we will accept the view that ‘you… O man’ refers to the Jews. They were the ones Paul speaks of as standing in judgment against the Gentiles.
Practice the very same things: Paul’s accusation is clear – the Jews were guilty of sins/offences similar to those practiced by the Gentiles. They may or may not have sinned in precisely the same manner or to the same degree as the Gentiles (especially in the area of idolatry), but nevertheless, they were engaging in many of the same things that they condemned the Gentiles for.
The Jews liked to believe that they were justified before God, but scripture tells us that they were far from innocent and righteous:
- The Jews were an ‘evil and adulterous generation’ – Matthew 12:39, John 8:7.
- They were a ‘generation of vipers’ – Matthew 3:7, 12:34.
- They were wicked – Matthew 12:45.
- They were sinful – Mark 8:38.
- They were proud, haughty and hypocritical – Matthew 23:1.
For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself: The Jews judged/condemned the Gentiles because they rejected the light they had (the example of nature and their consciences) and chose sin instead.
But they themselves did the same thing!
Paul will show that the Jews were just as guilty as the Gentiles. The Gentiles had some knowledge of God, but the Jews had even more – they were in covenant with God, they had the Mosaic law, and they had experienced God’s intervention in their nation. Despite their greater light or knowledge of God, they still committed the same sins as the Gentiles.
If the Gentiles were without excuse for their sin, how much more condemnation would fall upon the Jews who had even greater spiritual understanding?
The bottom line is that the Jews had no excuse for their sin either; they too were under condemnation and needed a way of justification before God.
Romans 2:2 – We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.
GENERAL SUMMARY: The judgment of God is based upon truth - not appearance, worldly status, or even outward actions. God, who sees into the heart of man, judges righteously and perfectly in every instance.
DIGGING DEEPER: We know: In other words, it is the common sentiment or understanding of mankind; generally speaking, it is known and believed by men that God will punish those who practice sin and that his punishment/judgment will be righteous and just.
The Gentiles knew this by the imperfect revelation of nature, but the Jews knew it by the holy scriptures. Men are correct on this point; God judges men by their motivations, actions and attitudes, not on outward appearances:
I Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said unto Samuel, ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’
The judgment of God: In this case, Paul is referring to the judgment that all men will face after this life (Hebrews 9:27).
The Jews were under the mistaken notion that only the Gentiles would be subject to judgment, while they would automatically be admitted to the kingdom of God because of their birthright (Matthew 3:9, John 8:33). And again, they believed their current state of prosperity was a sign that they were accepted in God’s sight. Furthermore, they felt that because they had the acceptance/approval of those around them, this was further proof of their righteousness.
But Paul points out that judgment does not come from men, it comes from the omnipotent and omniscient God who judges according to the truth and not according to appearance. He will judge each person according to his word and he will reward every man according to their works (I Corinthians 3:14). 
The Jews would do well to remember that mere outward obedience to his commands is useless, unless it is accompanied by a sincere heart.
Rightly falls on those who practice such things: It is plain to see that those who secretly practice what they publicly condemn could not expect to escape the righteous judgment of God. He administers judgment without respect of persons (Acts 10:34) and punishes wickedness whether it is practiced openly (as among the Gentiles) or secretly (as among the Jews).
Here is something to consider: The Gentiles had no excuse for their sin because they had the light of nature and their conscience. The Jews had no excuse for their sin because they had the law and the rites of Judaism. Therefore, we can conclude that anyone who has lived since the resurrection of Christ also has no excuse for sin, because the gospel of Jesus Christ has been revealed throughout the world.
Romans 2:3 – Do you suppose, O man – you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself – that you will escape the judgment of God?
Here Paul makes an appeal to the common sense of the Jews. They themselves were imperfect and had a skewed sense of true justice. If they (as unholy as they were), condemned those who were guilty of sin, how much more would a just and perfect God pronounce true and proper judgment upon them?
Essentially, Paul is warning the Jews that they will not escape judgment for their sins simply because they were Jews (Amos 9:1-4).
He will go on to argue that there is one and only one way to escape from the judgment of God - justification through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
Romans 2:4 – Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
GENERAL SUMMARY: The Jews thought that God did not regard them as sinners; they believed they were innocent before him. However, Paul correctly argues that they were misinterpreting the blessings of God – these benefits were not tokens of their righteousness, they were divine mercies designed to lead them into repentance.
DIGGING DEEPER: Presume: To presume is to take something for granted, to despise or to have contempt for something, or failure to make proper use of a benefit.
The Jews were basically guilty of all three of these errors. They took God’s blessings for granted which was evident by their lack of thankfulness. They despised/showed contempt for Gods blessings by sinning against them. They failed to make use of God’s merciful benefits by rejecting them on the basis of their own perceived righteousness.
Riches: The word ‘riches’ denotes an abundance or an amount which exceeds a man’s wants. It also refers to anything that is very great or valuable. In this verse, each of the blessings mentioned is rich – it is both valuable and generous. In other words, God offers rich (valuable and generous) kindness/goodness, rich (valuable and generous) forbearance and rich (valuable and generous) patience/longsuffering.
Kindness/goodness – This includes goodwill, compassion, generosity, favor, beneficence. Each one of us can readily identify God’s kindness/goodness in our own lives. They Jews could too, if they only took the time to look!
Forbearance – This is defined as the act of waiting or the exercise of restraint. God would be perfectly just in punishing our sins the moment we commit them, but instead he holds back his judgment and punishment for a time, so that mankind has a chance to repent. (To which I say, ‘Thank you, Jesus!)
Patience/longsuffering – Patience/longsuffering is only marginally different than forbearance. It mainly refers to a slowness of anger. The purpose of this slowness or patience is to give us time to repent.
Not knowing: We may be tempted to equate ‘not knowing’ with ignorance, but this is not the case. The Greek word translated as ‘not knowing’ actually means inattention. In other words, they Jews were fully capable of understanding the riches of God’s mercy, but they willfully neglected their duty to search the scriptures and acquire knowledge/understanding on this topic.
Thus, they were willfully uninformed of the truth behind God’s mercy. Their lack of knowledge led them into error. Specifically, they assumed that because God had not yet judged them, he did not intend to punish them at all.
Ecclesiastes 8:11 – Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.
So instead of turning from sin, they presumed upon or despised the kindness, patience and forbearance of God by continuing to sin. In fact, they often increased in sin when they went unpunished for it.
Repentance: Repentance entails not only grief over our sin, but a change of heart, mind and purpose. It means to turn around and go the other way; to forsake sin and pursue holiness.
The bottom line is this: God is kind and gracious towards us. He delights in mercy and compassion. He is patient and slow to anger, often delaying or withholding the penalty of sin which we so clearly deserve.
Based on this, many people assumed that either God did not intend to enforce the punishment for sin which his laws decreed, or that they were (for some reason) exempt from God’s justice.
But in reality, nothing could be further from the truth! God’s justice requires payment for every sin. This does not cease to be a fact just because God is patient, longsuffering and kind. God cannot sanction, overlook or cover up sin. Judgement awaits those who detest his laws and defy his authority.
Furthermore, scripture reveals that God does not have two standards (one for Jews and a different one for Gentiles). God’s laws are universal and impartial – they are the same for every single person, in every single age, regardless of their national identity. Jews and Gentiles alike (us included) are judged by his perfect and unchanging standards.
Malachi 3:6 - For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.
There good news is that God has provided a way of escape from judgement. It is found in repentance and acceptance of the sacrifice of Christ. When we accept him as Lord and Savior, he pays the full price/penalty for our sin.
Romans 2:5 – But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
GENERAL SUMMARY: Paul shows that the people who promise themselves impunity based on their current prosperity and lack of obvious judgment will not go unpunished forever. God has scheduled a day of wrath and righteous judgment when he will call men into account for their sins.
Impenitent heart: An impenitent heart is a heart which is not affected by sorrow for sin, in view of the mercy and goodness of God. Think of it this way: If we take the time to recount our sin and then consider the rich generosity of God’s mercy towards us, our hearts will surely melt with gratitude and thanksgiving. We will automatically begin to worship and praise him for his undeserved favor. 
However, those who reject the truth of coming judgment fail to understand their guilt before God. The more they reject/ignore the truth, the harder and more calloused their heart becomes. This in turn makes true repentance more and more difficult.
Storing up wrath for yourself: Your translation may say ‘treasuring up’ wrath. To store up is to accumulate, to increase, to hoard. This concept is based upon the idea is that treasure is stored up or collected in a secure place for future use.
The person who despises the riches of God’s mercy and continues to sin is essentially storing up judgment and wrath for a future time. Every time he sins, he increases his transgression and the judgment it brings.
These stores/treasures of wrath are the opposite of the riches of God’s goodness. If you despise or neglect the riches of his goodness, you will have nothing but the treasures of his wrath which you collected for yourself. Your punishment will be proportionate to the mercy you rejected.
Day of wrath: The day of wrath is also known as the day of judgment. On this day, grace will be over. On this day God shall execute his wrath against sinners.
II Peter 2:9 – The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.
The day of judgment is well documented throughout the scriptures (Revelation 16:7, I Thessalonians 1:10, John 3:36, Ephesians 5:6, II Peter 3:10-12, etc).
God’s righteous judgment will be revealed: As we just mentioned, the age/time of God’s grace will come to an appointed end and judgment will follow. On that day, the wicked will be judged of God and receive the punishment that is due them for despising his mercy. This will be a just and righteous judgment for God is at all times perfectly fair. He is long-suffering and exhibits great mercy, yet he will not overlook sin:
Numbers 14:18 – The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty…
We know that God’s judgment will be perfect. He does not depend upon circumstantial evidence, heresy or the testimony of others. He will not be fooled or led astray by the pleading of a human advocate. Rather, as we will see in the next verse, God will justly judge based upon our own words and deeds.
Paul is giving the Jews a stern reminder that the punishment of the wicked is future. It is not fully delivered in this life; it is stored up for a future time. Therefore, they should take heed.
But there is good news. If a person will repent and change their ways, Jesus will satisfy the debt of judgment on their behalf. The wrath/penalty they stored up will be satisfied/paid by Christ.
It should be noted that the day of judgment is only for the sinner. For them, this day will be full of terror and dread:
Zephaniah 1:15 – A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness.
(See also Joel 2:2, Amos 5:18).
But that is not the case for the redeemed. For them/us, that day will be a day of redemption, a day of joy, a day of wonder, a day of reward, and a day of blessing.
Let me offer you some encouragement:
As we noted in today’s post, Paul had a difficult and somewhat harsh message which needed to be delivered to the Jews. He could have delivered that message with bluntness, but if he did, it most likely would not have been received by anyone.
Instead, he used both skill and tact to make his argument for the truth. In this way, the Jews at least heard and considered what he had to say.
As Christians, it is our honor to share the life changing gospel of Christ with the lost. As we do so, we should follow Paul’s example. Sinners do not need to be openly condemned by us in a hostile manner. When we share the gospel this way, it is almost never received.
Instead, if we exhibit the love of Christ towards sinners, we gain an opportunity to gently and patiently share the truth. As we do so in love, they are much more likely to hear and respond to the gospel.
Let me offer you some relief:
Christians are NOT subject to the wrath of God on the day of judgment.
Nevertheless, as Christians, it is good for us to consider this day from time to time because reminding ourselves of this event will influence the way we live our lives on a daily basis.
The bible says that every Christian will one day give an account of his stewardship to the Master.
With that in mind, how are we practicing stewardship today? Are we being diligent or lazy? Are we working to invest our time and talents in the kingdom or are we on spiritual vacation? What are we doing with our finances and other resources? How are we spending our time? What battles are we choosing to fight?
In light of God’s future rewards, these are questions well worth our consideration.
Let me offer you some strength:
In today’s post we found that the Jews chose to be ‘not knowing’. This was not a simple case of ignorance. It was a case of the Jews consciously neglecting their duty to read and know the conditions of the covenant they had with God. Sadly, their lack of knowledge led them to some enormous spiritual errors.
This should serve as a clear wake-up call for all of us!
As Christians, it is our privilege and duty to search the scriptures and understand the will of the Lord. His word…
- …reveals his mercy and grace, which are available to us every day.
- …lists the promises of God which are essential to our victory in this life.
- …strengthens our faith.
- …is the conduit for revelation by Holy Spirit.
- …is a comfort to us in times of trouble.
- …is our guide in times of uncertainty.
The bible is one of the greatest gifts God has given to us. Let’s thank him by fully enjoying all of its benefits!