聖書注解書

ゆえに——Διὸ Dio。この語がここで持つ力については、多くの議論がなされてきた。この章と次の章の目的は、ユダヤ人が異邦人に劣らず罪あり、同じ救いの祝福を必要としていることを示すことにある。使徒はこれを、ユダヤ人が異邦人よりも大きな光を持っていたにもかかわらず、同じ事柄を行っていたことを示すことによって論証する。それでいて彼らは、異邦人たちを悪しき見捨てられた者どもとして告発し断罪する習慣にあった。一方で自分たちは、律法と神の言葉とを持ち、神に愛される民であるという根拠から、自分たちを弁護していた。使徒はここで、彼らが自分の罪について言い訳ができず、彼らが異邦人たちを断罪したのと同じ根拠——すなわち、光を持ちながら悪を行ったという根拠——の上で、神の前に断罪されなければならないことを断言する。もし異邦人たちがその罪において言い訳を持ちえなかったならば Romans 1:20、彼らを断罪したユダヤ人は、同じ根拠の上ではるかに言い訳ができないはずである。私の見るところでは、「ゆえに」という語は、前章の特定の語や特定の節を指すのではなく、事案全体を見渡すことから示唆された一般的考察を指している。その意味は次のように表現できよう。「あなたがたユダヤ人は、異邦人たちがその義務を知る手段を持っているという根拠から、彼らの罪を断罪する。それゆえ、彼らよりもはるかに恵まれたあなたがたは、同じ事柄については完全に言い訳ができないのである」。

言い訳のできない者である——これは、彼らが他人をさばいたことについて言い訳ができない、という意味ではない。むしろ、神の前にあって自分の罪について弁明がないという意味、あるいはその犯罪のゆえに断罪の下にあり、別の義認の計画の祝福を必要としているという意味である。彼らがさばいた異邦人たちが断罪され、言い訳がなかったように Romans 1:20、彼らを断罪したユダヤ人たちもまた、同じ原理の上で、しかもさらに大きい程度において言い訳がなかったのである。

ああ、人よ——この呼びかけは、このようなことを行ういかなる人にも、一般的に向けられる。しかし文脈から、彼が特にユダヤ人たちを念頭に置いていることは明らかである。この語の使用は、使徒の論証の巧みさの一例である。もしここでユダヤ人たちを公然と名指ししていたなら、彼らから反発を招いた可能性が大きかった。それゆえ彼は徐々に主題へと近づき、まず人一般についてそれを断言し、その後でユダヤ人たちに特別に適用する。ただし彼は、彼らが彼の結論から逃れることが不可能になるほど論証の一般原理を十分に前進させるまでは、これを行わない。そしてそのときに、Romans 2:17 等において、最も柔和で親切な、しかも説得力のある仕方でこれを行うのである。

すべての人をさばくあなた——ここで「さばく」(κρίνεις krineis)という語は、断罪するという意味で用いられている。これは「断罪する」(κατακρίνεις katakrineis)と訳される語と同等の強度を持つ語ではない。しかし、この語は、彼らが異邦人たちの性格と運命について、遠慮なく、また厳しく語ることに慣れていたことを含意している。そして、新約聖書からも、彼ら自身の書物からも、そのような事実があったことは疑いえない。すなわち彼らは、異邦人の世界全体を憎悪の対象とみなし、彼らは神の恵みから締め出されていると考え、彼らに極度の軽蔑を表す語を適用していたのである。Matthew 15:27 を比較せよ。

というのは……において——「同じ事柄」において、という意味である。これは、異邦人たちの間で犯されていたものと実質的に同じ犯罪が、ユダヤ人たちの間でも犯されていたことを含意する。

他人をさばくあなたが——これの意味は明らかに、「あなたが異邦人を断罪するまさにその事柄によって、あなた自身を断罪している」ということである。

さばくあなた——他の諸国民を断罪する、あなたがたユダヤ人のことである。

同じこれらの事を行っている——ここには、彼らが異邦人たちの行っていたものと同様の罪に対して有罪であったことが、明らかに含意されている。この宣言を、正確に同じ罪が同じ程度において彼らに問われるという意味へと押し進めて解釈することは、正当な解釈の原理ではないであろう。たとえば、彼らは使徒の時代には偶像礼拝の罪を犯してはいなかった。しかし、第一章に列挙された他の犯罪については、ユダヤ人たちも有罪でありえた。新約聖書に与えられているその民族の性格は、「悪い不貞の世代」であること Matthew 12:39; John 8:7 を比較、「まむしの子孫」であること Matthew 3:7; Matthew 12:34、悪であること Matthew 12:45、罪深いこと Mark 8:38、高慢で傲岸で偽善的であること等 Matthew 23、である。ユダヤ民族一般の性格がこのようなものであったなら、彼らが Romans 1 に明記された犯罪の大部分を実行していたと想定することに、何ら不合理はない。この節について、私たちは次のように注記することができる。

(1) 人々は、他人に対して厳格なさばき人になりやすい。

(2) これはしばしば、おそらくは通例、告発者自身が同じ罪を犯している場合になされる。

また、人々が、自分自身が密かに行っているまさにその罪に反対する際立った熱心さを示すことも、しばしば起こる。この著しい実例は John 8:1 等に見られる。同様に、ダビデはナタンの語った仮定上の不法の行為を容易に断罪した 2 Samuel 12:1-6。さらに、王たちや皇帝たちは、自分自身が絶えず犯していたまさにその犯罪に対して、厳しい法律を制定してきた。ネロは、自分が絶えず犯していたまさにその犯罪に対して、ローマ帝国の法律を執行したのである。また、ローマの主人たちが、自分の奴隷たちには死をもって罰した犯罪を自ら犯うことは、ありふれた慣行であった(この箇所に関するグロティウスの挙げる実例を参照)。

(3) 罪に対する際立った熱心さは、無実の証明ではないかもしれない Matthew 7:3 を比較せよ。迫害者たちの、またしばしば偽の改革者たちの熱心さは、彼らが他人のうちに断罪しているまさにその罪から自由であることの証明から、ほど遠いものでありうる。それはすべて、何らかの卑劣な企図を隠そうとする偽善者の業であるかもしれず、あるいは、他の何らかの罪を犯うことに対する自分の良心への言い訳とするために、一種の罪への敵意を示そうとする者の業であるかもしれない。

(4) 心は欺きに満ちている。私たちが他人をさばくときには、まさにその点について自分自身を検討することを規則とすべきである。そのような吟味は、私たちのさばきの厳しさを大いに和らげるかもしれず、あるいは私たちの憤りのすべてを、自分自身に向けることになるかもしれない。

That judgest - Ὁ κρινων, the judger; thou assumest the character of a judge, and in that character condemnest others who are less guilty than thyself.

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man,.... Some think, from the connection of these words with the preceding chapter, that the Gentiles are here meant; and particularly those among them who seemed to be virtuous, and took upon them to be the reprovers of others, and yet did the same things themselves, as Socrates, Cato, Seneca, and others; and therefore must be inexcusable, because they knew better, and would be thought to have been so; wherefore such could never be justified before God by their works, but might be justly condemned by him, nor shall they escape his righteous judgment. Others think the Jews are meant, who despised and condemned the Gentiles, and thought themselves to be righteous persons, and justified in the sight of God; and who, though they were secretly guilty of many abominable iniquities, yet were very severe upon the sins of others, and therefore inexcusable: others think that magistrates are designed, whether among Jews or Gentiles, who reprove and punish sin in others, and therefore must be supposed to know the law, and the nature of sin, and so are inexcusable and self-condemned when they do the same things; wherefore though they may pass with impunity among men, they shall not escape the judgment of God. Rather the words respect every man, of whatsoever nation, office, or place; and may be particularly applied to hypocrites, and seem designed to correct censoriousness, and hasty judging, and to throw confusion on such who value themselves on being the censurers and reprovers of others:

whosoever thou art that judgest; whether a Jew or a Gentile, a public magistrate or a private person:

for wherein thou judgest another; that is, in what case or instance; the Complutensian edition and the Arabic version read, "in" "or with what judgment thou judgest another"; See Gill on Matthew 7:2;

thou condemnest thyself; by judging them:

for thou that judgest dost the same things; art guilty of the same thing condemned in others, and therefore must be self-condemned.

Romans 2:1-5 They that condemn sin in others, and are guilty of the

like themselves, cannot escape God’s judgment,

Romans 2:6-13 which will be according to every man’s deserts,

without distinction of Jew or Gentile.

Romans 2:14-16 The Gentiles are not left without a rule of conduct.

Romans 2:17-24 The Jew, who boasteth of greater light, is doubly

criminal in sinning against it,

Romans 2:25-29 nor will circumcision profit him, except he keep the law.

It is much disputed to whom the apostle directs his discourse in the beginning of this chapter. Some think that having discovered the sins of the Gentiles in the former chapter, he here useth a transition, and turneth himself to the Jews, and lays open their more secret wickedness and hypocrisy. But the particle therefore in the front of the chapter, doth seem to intimate, that this is inferred from what went before, and is a continuance of the same argument. It is of the Gentiles then that he is still discoursing, and he begins by name to deal with the Jews, Romans 2:17. Some think he speaks more particularly of such as were judges and magistrates amongst the Gentiles, who, though they made laws for to judge and punish others for such and such crimes, did yet commit the same themselves. Some think he intends more especially such as were philosophers, and men renowned for virtue, as Socrates, Aristides, Fabricius, Cato, Seneca, &c., which last, as is said, was well known to the apostle. These, in their speeches and writings, did censure the evil manners of others, and yet were as bad themselves. As Cato is said to have used extortion, prostituted his wife, and to have laid violent hands upon himself; and yet he was affirmed by Velleius to be homo virtuti simillimus, a most virtuous man. But the received opinion is, that the apostle in general doth tax all such as censure and find fault with others, and yet are guilty of the same things themselves.

Thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: q.d. Thou art without all excuse, that dost assent and subscribe to the righteous judgment of God, that they who do such things as are mentioned in the foregoing chapter, are worthy of death, and yet doest the same thyself; if not openly, yet secretly and inwardly thou art guilty of the same or as great sins. Thou canst make no apology or pretence, why the sentence of death and condemnation, which is due to others, should not likewise pass upon thee.

For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; i.e. in that very thing, or by that very law, whereby thou censurest and condemnest others, thou pronouncest sentence against thyself; thy own mouth condemns thee in the person of another: see Matthew 7:3 21:40,41,45 Joh 8:4,9.

Verses 1-29. - (b) Those who judge others, not excepting the Jews. Here a new stage of the argument, in proof of the position propounded in Romans 1:18, begins, and is continued to the end of the chapter. The position to be proved is that all mankind is guilty before God (see note on ver. 18). So far this has been shown with regard to the mass of the heathen world; its general moral corruption, prevalent and condoned, having been pointed out finally as a glaring proof; the main point of the argument having been to trace this state of things to man's own fault, in that he had refused to retain and act on a knowledge of God originally imparted to him through nature and through conscience. From such refusal had ensued idolatry; thence, as a judicial consequence, profligacy; thence a general prevalence of abominable practices; and at last (in many at least) the "reprobate mind," lost to moral restraint, and approving of vice as well as practising it. Thus it is sufficiently proved that the heathen world, regarded as a whole, is under sin, and liable to the wrath of God. But the required proof that the whole of mankind is guilty is not yet complete. It might be said that there are many still who disapprove of all this wickedness, and sit in judgment on it, and who are, therefore, not themselves implicated in the guilt. To such persons the apostle now turns, his purpose being to show that their judging others does not exempt themselves, unless they can show that they are themselves sinless. All, he argues, are tainted with sin, and therefore implicated in the guilt of the human race, while the very fact of their judging others condemns them all the more. It is usually said by commentators that, the sin of the heathen world having been established in the first chapter, the second has reference exclusively to the Jews. But this is surely not so. The expressions, ἄνθρωπε and πᾶς ὁ κρίνων (vers. 1, 3), seem evidently to include all who judge others; and it is not till ver. 9 that any distinction between Jew and Gentile comes in. Nor would the argument have been complete without refutation of Gentile as well as Jewish judgers of others. For the philosophical schools especially claimed superiority to the mass of mankind, and would be likely to resent their own inclusion in the general condemnation. Notably the Stoics, whose philosophy was at that time, as well as that of the Epicureans, extensively professed by educated Romans. Seneca was a contemporary of St. Paul. The Stoics might be suitably designated as οἱ κρίνοντες: for they affected to look down from a position of calm philosophical superiority on those who followed their mere natural impulses, professing to be themselves guided by right reason, and superior to the passions of ordinary humanity. It was a home-thrust at them to ask - Are you, who thus judge others, as exempt as you profess to be from the vices you condemn? If the accounts that have come down to us of Seneca's own life be true, he certainly was not a paragon of virtue. Now, be it observed that the sort of people now addressed are not concluded to be sunk into all the depths of sin spoken of above; their very affecting to judge others implies, at any rate, theoretic approval of the right. Nor does St. Paul anywhere suggest that there is no difference between man and man with regard to moral worth before God; nay, in this very chapter he forcibly declares the moral excellence of some, without the Law as well as with the Law, and eternal life as its reward (vers. 7, 10, 14, 15). All he implies of necessity is that none whatever are so exempt from sin as to be in a position to judge others; and it is the judgment of others that he here especially attacks, as increasing, rather than exempting from, condemnation. For it involves in itself the sin of presumption, unless those that judge are sinless. But it may be said that the universal sinfulness of mankind is still not proved. For

(1) it is not actually demonstrated that all of those who judge "do the same things." The answer to this objection is, that this does not admit of rigid proof, and that therefore the apostle deems it enough to appeal to the consciences of the judgers themselves as to how the matter stands with them. But it may be said

(2) that the sinfulness of such persons as are spoken of in vers. 7, 10, 14, 15, 29-such, namely, as sincerely strive after good without setting themselves up as judges - is still unproved. So it is in this chapter; and, for logical completeness, the proof must be taken as implied. It was, we may suppose in the writer's mind, and afterwards, in ch. 7, where the inner consciousness of even the best is analyzed, the missing link of the argument is supplied. Verses 1, 2. - Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou doest (rather, dost practise; the word is πράσσεις, see Romans 1:32) the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit (or, practise, as before) such things. As has been observed above, the fact that πᾶς ὁ κρίνων "does the same things," is not proved; it is incapable of patent proof, and so the argument takes the form of an appeal to the consciences of such persons. "Porro quia ipsos interioris impuritatis insimulat, quae ut humanos oculos latet, redargui convincique nequeat humanis testimoniis, ad Dei judicium provocat, cui nec tenebrae ipsae sunt absconditae, et cujus sensu tangi peceatoribus, velint nolint, necesse est" (Calvin). On κατὰ ἀλήθειαν, in ver. 2, Calvin also remarks, "Veritas porro haec judicii in duobus consistit: quod sine personarum respectu delictum puniet, in quocunque deprehenderit homine; deinde quod externam speciem non moratur, nec opere ipso contentus est nisi a vera sinceri-tate animi prodeat."

(1) Therefore.—The description just given of the state of one section of the human race contains implicitly the condemnation of the other; for it is equally applicable to both.

Wherein thou judgest another.—By the very act of sitting in judgment upon your fellow-man, you pass sentence upon yourself. You declare those acts to be criminal of which you are yourself guilty.

The words in the Greek, translated by “judge” and “condemn,” are related to each other much the same as the summing up of a judge is related to his verdict. In the first, sentence is in process of being passed, but there is still a possibility of acquittal; in the second, sentence has been definitely given in a sense adverse to the accused. “Another,” rather, strictly, the other, thy fellow, or neighbour.

Ch. Romans 2:1-16. Human sin, continued: Jews and Gentiles equal in guilt and peril: gradual approach to the Jewish question

1. Therefore] It is difficult to state the precise bearing of this word; the exact premiss to which it refers. It is, perhaps, best explained by a brief statement of the apparent general connexion here.

St Paul has described the great fact of Human Sin. He has done so in terms which point specially to heathendom, but not exclusively. Two points, the universality of sin, and the universality of conscience (v. 18, 32), are plainly meant to be true of all men, idolaters or not. But now, in our present verse, he has it in view to expose specially the state of Jewish sinners; but to do this by leading gradually up to the convincing point, which is not reached till Romans 2:16. Really, but not explicitly, therefore, he here addresses the Jew, as included in the previous condemnation, but as thinking himself all the while the “judge” of heathen sinners. In words, he addresses any self-constituted “judge;” while in fact he specially, though still not exclusively, addresses the Jew. And he addresses him as “inexcusable,” because of his sin, and because of his conscience, a conscience in his case peculiarly enlightened.

The “therefore” thus points mainly to the words just previous; to the fact of a knowledge of God’s penal statute against sin, while yet sin is committed and abetted.

doest the same things] The reference is doubtless to the passage from about Romans 1:26. External idolatry had vanished among the Jews since the captivity; but other forms of the subtle “worship of the creature” had taken its place; a gross immorality was far from rare; and sins of “strife, craft, and malignity,” were conspicuous.

O man

General, but still with a general and slightly reproachful reference to the Jew.

Judgest (κρίνων)

With the sense of condemning.