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The scope of the first two chapters of this epistle may be gathered from Ro 3:9, "We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin." This we have proved upon the Gentiles (Ro 1:1-32), now in this chapter he proves it upon the Jews, as appears by Ro 2:1-17, "thou art called a Jew." I. He proves in general that Jews and Gentiles stand upon the same level before the justice of God, to Ro 2:1-11. II. He shows more particularly what sins the Jews were guilty of, notwithstanding their profession and vain pretensions (Ro 2:17-29).
1-16
Equity of the Divine Government (58 AD)
繁體中文
神治理的公義（公元58年）
¹ 你這論斷人的，無論你是誰，也無可推諉。你在甚麼事上論斷人，就在甚麼事上定自己的罪；因你這論斷人的，自己所行卻和別人一樣。 ² 我們知道這樣行的人，神必照真理審判他。 ³ 你這人哪，你論斷行這樣事的人，自己所行的卻和別人一樣，你以為能逃脫神的審判嗎？ ⁴ 還是你藐視他豐富的恩慈、寬容、忍耐，不曉得他的恩慈是領你悔改呢？ ⁵ 你竟任着你剛硬不悔改的心，為自己積蓄忿怒，以致神震怒，顯他公義審判的日子來到。 ⁶ 他必照各人的行為報應各人。 ⁷ 凡恆心行善、尋求榮耀、尊貴和不能朽壞之福的，就以永生報應他們； ⁸ 惟有結黨、不順從真理、反順從不義的，就以忿怒、惱恨報應他們。 ⁹ 將患難、困苦加給一切作惡的人，先是猶太人，後是希利尼人； ¹⁰ 卻將榮耀、尊貴、平安加給一切行善的人，先是猶太人，後是希利尼人。 ¹¹ 因為神不偏待人。 ¹² 凡沒有律法犯了罪的，也必不按律法滅亡；凡在律法以下犯了罪的，也必按律法受審判。 ¹³ （原來在神面前，不是聽律法的為義，乃是行律法的稱義。 ¹⁴ 沒有律法的外邦人若順着本性行律法上的事，他們雖然沒有律法，自己就是自己的律法。 ¹⁵ 這是顯出律法的功用刻在他們心裏，他們是非之心同作見證，並且他們的思念互相較量，或以為是，或以為非。） ¹⁶ 就在神藉耶穌基督審判人隱秘事的日子，照着我的福音所言。
在前一章中，使徒已將外邦世界的情形描述為猶太人十分樂於宣稱的那樣敗壞和黑暗。如今他既要表明猶太人的情形也同樣敗壞，而且他們的罪在許多方面更為嚴重，便為了鋪路，在本章這一部分着手證明神必以同等的公義對待猶太人和外邦人；而不像猶太人以為神會對他們偏私那樣。
一、他控告他們好論斷人和自負（羅2:1）：你這論斷人的，無論你是誰，也無可推諉。 他既用一般的言辭表達，這勸誡便可及於那些多人（雅3:1）——無論屬何國族或信仰，凡擅自論斷、轄制、定罪別人的人。但他特別指着猶太人，並將這一般的指控特別應用在他們身上（羅2:21）：你教導別人，就不教導自己嗎？ 猶太人普遍是驕傲的一類人，極其輕蔑地看待貧窮的外邦人，以為他們不配與自己羊羣的狗並列；然而同時他們自己卻同樣敗壞不道德——雖然不像外邦人那樣拜偶像，卻是褻瀆聖物的（羅2:22）。所以你無可推諉。 若有自然之光的外邦人都無可推諉（羅1:20），那麼有律法之光、有神啟示的旨意的猶太人，既比外邦人有更大的幫助，就更加無可推諉了。
二、他斷言神治理的公義永不改變（羅2:2-3）。為要把信念深植人心，他在這裏展示我們所打交道的神是何等公義的一位，他的作為是何等公正。使徒保羅在他的著作中，每逢提到某個重要論點，便常就之大加離題發揮；正如這裏關乎神的公義（羅2:2）：神的審判是照着真理——照着永恆的公義和公平的原則——照着內心，而不是照着外貌（撒上16:7）——照着行為，而不偏待待人——這是我們都確信的教義，因為他若不公義便不是神；但那些因自己所犯之罪而定罪別人的人，尤其當思想這一點——他們一面行罪、堅持行罪，一面卻以反對罪、大力斥責別人的罪來賄賂神的公義，彷彿反對罪的講論就能贖罪的罪咎似的。但當留意他如何將這事擺在罪人的良心面前（羅2:3）：你這人哪，你以為……？ 你這人——一個有理性的受造物，一個依賴性的受造物，為神所造，服在他之下，要向他交賬。這事如此清楚，我們大可向罪人自己的思想提出上訴：「你能以為自己能逃脫神的審判嗎？ 洞察人心的神能被表面的託辭所矇蔽嗎？審判全地的主能如此被賄賂被打發嗎？」最圓滑精明的罪人，雖然在世人面前以極大的自信為自己開脫，也不能逃脫神的審判，不能避免受審判和被定罪。
三、他對他們提出控告（羅2:4-5），包括兩方面：
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藐視神的恩慈（羅2:4），他豐富的恩慈。這特別適用於猶太人，他們有神特別的恩寵記號。所領受的途徑就是憐憫，我們犯罪所抵觸的光越大，所抵觸的愛也越大。對神恩慈存着低微鄙陋的看法，是許多罪的根源。每一次故意犯罪中都含有對神恩慈的詮釋性藐視；這是踐踏他的慈腸，尤其是他忍耐的恩慈——他的寬容和恆久忍耐，並藉此更加膽大妄為地犯罪（傳8:11）。不曉得，即不思想，不帶着實際和應用而知曉，神的恩慈是領你——其目的是要領你——悔改。 我們僅僅知道神的恩慈引人悔改是不夠的，還必須知道它引我們——特別引你悔改。當看神用甚麼方法使罪人悔改。他引導他們，不是像趕牲畜那樣驅趕他們，而是像對待有理性的人那樣引導他們，誘導他們（何2:14）；而且是恩慈在引導——愛的繩索（何11:4）。比較耶31:3。思想神的恩慈——他對眾人的普遍恩慈（他護理的恩慈、他忍耐的恩慈、他應許的恩慈）——應當有效地使我們眾人悔改；許多人之所以仍在不悔改之中，是因為他們不認識也不思想這一點。
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惹動神的忿怒（羅2:5）。這惹動的根源是剛硬不悔改的心；而罪人的敗亡就是隨從這樣的心、被它引導。犯罪就是隨從心的道路；當這心是剛硬不悔改的心（因長久習慣而變硬，加上本來就有的剛硬），這道路就何等絕望！這惹動用積蓄忿怒來表達。那些持續犯罪的人是為自己積蓄忿怒。寶藏意味着豐盛。這是一筆要到永世才花用、卻永遠不會耗盡的寶藏；而罪人卻仍不住地增添，如同增添寶藏一般。每一次故意犯罪都增添了數額，並要使帳目更為可怕；這是為他們的忿怒添上一枝，如有人讀以西結書8:17所說的，他們將枝條放在鼻前。寶藏也意味着隱秘。忿怒的庫房或軍械庫就是神自己的心，在其中隱藏，如同寶藏封存在隱秘之處（申32:34；伯14:17）。但同時也意味着為某個更遠的時機保留；如雹的寶藏為爭戰之日保留（伯38:22-23）。這些寶藏將如大淵的泉源般裂開（創7:11）。它們是為震怒的日子積蓄的，到那時將大量分發，以滿碗傾倒。雖然如今是向罪人忍耐寬容的日子，但震怒的日子將到——是忿怒，惟獨忿怒。其實，每一天對罪人而言都是忿怒的日子，因為神向惡人發怒（詩7:11），但那大而可畏的忿怒日子將到（啟6:17）。那忿怒的日子將是神震怒、顯他公義審判的日子。神的忿怒不像我們的忿怒那樣是激動和衝動；不，他裏面沒有狂怒（賽27:4）：那是公義的審判，是他刑罰罪的旨意，因為他恨惡罪，視之為與他的本性相反。神這公義的審判如今在罪人的興盛和成功中常常被隱藏，但不久便要在全世界面前顯明，這些看似混亂的事將被撥正，諸天必表明他的公義（詩50:6）。所以，時候未到，甚麼都不要論斷。
四、他描述神審判所用的尺度。既在羅2:5提到神公義的審判，便在這裏說明那審判及其公義，並表明我們可以對神有何期待，以及他將用甚麼法則審判世界。分配正義的公平，在於按功過而不偏待人地施恩或降罰：神公義的審判正是如此。
- 他必照各人的行為報應各人（羅2:6），這真理在聖經中多次提及，以證明全地的審判主所行的都是公義的。
（1）在施恩方面；這在這裏被提及兩次（羅2:7、10）。因為他樂意施恩。當留意：
〔1〕他施恩的對象：凡恆心行善……的人。我們可以藉此省察自己在神恩惠中的份，也可由此得知當採取甚麼途徑才能得着。公義的神所要獎賞的人是：第一，那些為自己定下正確目標的人——尋求榮耀、尊貴和不能朽壞之福的人；即那不朽的榮耀和尊貴——在此和永世蒙神悅納。在一切實踐的信仰底下，有一種聖潔的雄心。這就是尋求神的國，在我們的渴望和目標上仰望到天那麼高，決心不以低於此的任何事物為滿足。這尋求意味着一種失落、對失落的感覺、要恢復的渴望，以及與那些渴望相符的追求和努力。第二，那些既定下正確目標，便堅持正確道路的人：恆心行善。1. 必須有行善——行各樣的善（羅2:10）。僅僅知道得好、說得好、認信得好、應許得好是不夠的，我們必須行得好：行那善的事，不僅在內容上，也在方式上。我們必須行得好。2. 持續行善。不是一時的衝動和發作，如早晨的雲霧和早期的甘露；我們必須忍耐到底：惟有堅忍才能贏得冠冕。3. 恆心地持續。這忍耐不僅關乎工作的長度，也關乎其中的艱難，以及我們在其中可能遇到的反對和困苦。那要行善並堅持其中的人，必須大大忍耐。
〔2〕他施恩的結果。他要以永生報應這樣的人。天堂就是生命，永生，是那些恆心行善之人的賞賜；這又被稱為（羅2:10）榮耀、尊貴、平安。那尋求榮耀尊貴的人（羅2:7）必得着。那尋求世上虛浮的榮耀尊貴的人，往往得不着，失望而歸；但那尋求不朽的榮耀尊貴的人，必得着，而且不僅榮耀尊貴，還有平安。屬世的榮耀尊貴通常伴隨着煩惱；但屬天的榮耀尊貴卻有平安隨之而來——不受干擾的永遠平安。
（2）在降罰方面（羅2:8-9）。當留意：〔1〕他降罰的對象。一般而言是作惡的人，更具體地描述為結黨、不順從真理的人。與神作對。每一次故意犯罪就是與神爭執，就是與造他的爭鬧（賽45:9），是最絕望的爭競。神的靈與罪人爭執（創6:3），不肯悔改的罪人卻抗拒聖靈，背叛真光（伯24:13），堅持詭詐，努力保留那聖靈竭力要使他們脫離的罪。結黨、不順從真理。信仰的真理不僅是要認識的，更是要順服的；它們是指引、治理、命令的真理，是關乎實踐的真理。不順服真理就被解釋為與真理爭競。反順從不義——行不義所吩咐他們去行的事。那些不肯作真理僕人的人，很快就要作不義的奴隸。〔2〕這些降罰的結果或實例：忿怒、惱恨、患難、困苦。這就是罪的工價。忿怒惱恨是原因——患難困苦是必然不可避免的结果。而且這加給……人的魂；靈魂是那忿怒的器皿，是那患難困苦的主體。罪使靈魂適合承受這忿怒。人的靈魂就是其中能直接承受這惱恨、以及由此而來的困苦印象或影響的部分。地獄就是永遠的患難困苦，是忿怒惱恨的產物。這就是與神相爭的結果，就是將荊棘蒺藜放在烈火面前的結果（賽27:4）。那不肯向他金杖低頭的人，必被他的鐵杖打得粉碎。神必如此照各人的行為報應各人。
- 神不偏待人（羅2:11）。在屬靈的狀態上，確有「偏待人」；但在外在的關係或條件上則不然。猶太人和外邦人在神面前站在同一水平線上。這正是彼得在隔斷的牆初次被拆毀時所說的（徒10:34）——神是不偏待人的；這在隨後的話中得着了解釋：各國中那敬畏主、行義的人都為主所悅納。 神不是照着人的外在特權，或他們空洞的知識和對真理的認信來拯救人，而是照着人實際的狀態和性情如何。無論施恩或降罰，都是如此——既臨到猶太人，也臨到外邦人。若是先是猶太人——他們有更大的特權，也有更大的認信——卻也後是希利尼人；外邦人缺乏這些特權，既不能使他們免受行惡的刑罰，也不能阻擋他們得着行善的賞賜（西3:11）；因為全地的審判主豈不行公義嗎？
五、他證明他審判眾人的公義——當他實際來審判他們的時候（羅2:12-16），其原則是：人順服的法則就是神審判的法則。有三種程度的光賜給世人：
- 自然之光。外邦人有這光，也要按這光受審：凡沒有律法犯了罪的，也必不按律法滅亡；即不信的外邦人，他們除了天然的良心以外別無指引，除了普遍的恩惠以外別無動機，沒有摩西的律法，也沒有任何超自然的啟示，便不必為他們從未有過的律法之過犯交賬，也不致承擔猶太人違背成文律法、按成文律法受審之罪的加重情節；但要照着他們所違背的自然律受審——不僅照着他們心中已被敗壞、被塗抹、被不義所囚禁的自然律，也照着審判主所保存的那未受敗壞的原本。為進一步說明這一點（羅2:14-15），他在括弧內證明自然之光對外邦人而言等同於成文律法。他曾說（羅2:12）他們沒有律法犯了罪，這看來自相矛盾；因為哪裏沒有律法，那裏就沒有過犯。但他說，他們雖然沒有成文律法（詩147:20），卻有等同之物——不是等同於禮儀律，而是等同於道德律。他們有律法的功用。他不是指律法所命令的那種行為，彷彿他們能作出完全的順服；而是指律法所作的那種工作。律法的功用就是指引我們當行的，並查驗我們已行的。如今：（1）他們有藉着自然之光指引他們當行之事的功用：憑着他們天然觀念和指示的力量和傾向，他們領會到善惡之間清楚而巨大的分別。他們順着本性行律法上的事。他們有正義公平、尊貴純潔、愛心慈善的意識；自然之光教導他們孝敬父母、憐憫困苦人、維護公共和平和秩序，禁止謀殺、偷竊、說謊、作假見證等。如此他們自己就是自己的律法。（2）他們有查驗他們已行之事的功用：他們的是非之心同作見證。他們裏面有那批准稱讚善行、責備惡行的功用。良心是見證人，或遲或早總要作見證，雖然一時可能被賄賂或被威嚇。它勝過千萬個見證人，為最隱秘的事作證；而他們的思念互相較量，就是將良心所作的見證應用於事實，對照律法而下判斷。良心就是主的燈，即使在外邦世界中也不曾完全熄滅。外邦人曾為良心的安慰作過見證，
也為壞良心的可畏作過見證：
他們的思念互相較量——metaxy allelon——在他們之間，或彼此之間。那在他們裏面見證罪的同一自然之光和自然律，既在他們裏面見證罪，也在別人身上見證罪，如今或以為是，或以為非。Vicissim，如有人所讀的，輪流；隨着他們遵守或違背這些自然法則和指示，他們的良心或宣判他們無罪，或定他們有罪。這一切都證明他們有那等同於律法的功用，本可受其引導，並將要定他們的罪，因為他們沒有受其引導和治理。因此有罪的外邦人便無可推諉。神定他們的罪是公義的。他們不能以無知為藉口，所以若沒有別的可求，便很可能要滅亡。
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律法之光。這是猶太人有的，他們也要按這光受審（羅2:12）：凡在律法以下犯了罪的，也必按律法受審判。 他們犯罪，不僅有律法，而且是en nomo——在律法中，在如此多律法的環繞之中，在如此純全清楚之律法的面光之中，其指示如此詳盡明確，其制裁如此有力有力。這些人必按律法受審判；他們的刑罰要如他們的罪一樣，因有律法而更為加重。先是猶太人（羅2:9）。推羅西頓將來受的要比他們容易（太11:22）。如此摩西確實要控告他們（約5:45），他們便要落在那知道主人的意思卻不去行的僕人所受的多責打之下（路12:47）。猶太人極以律法為傲；但為要確認他所說的，使徒指出（羅2:13）他們擁有、聽見、知道律法並不能稱義，惟有行律法才能。猶太教師以為所有猶太人，無論生活如何敗壞，都在來世有份——這觀念鞏固了他們的追隨者。使徒在此反對：有律法是極大的特權，卻不是拯救人的特權，除非他們照着所擁有的律法而活——猶太人顯然沒有做到，所以他們需要一個可以在神面前站立的義。我們可將此應用於福音：能拯救我們的不是聽道，而是行道（約13:17；雅1:22）。
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福音之光：享有福音的人也要照着福音受審判（羅2:16）：照着我的福音所言；這不是指有人所臆測的保羅所寫的第五卷福音書，也不是指由路加為保羅代筆所寫的福音書（Euseb. Hist. lib 3, cap. 8），而是指福音的總體，被稱為保羅的福音，因為他是傳這福音的人。凡在那體制之下的人，都要照着那體制受審判（可16:16）。有人將照着我的福音所言這話與他所說關乎審判日的話聯繫起來：「將有審判的日子來到，正如我在講道中常對你們說的；那將是猶太人和外邦人同受最後審判的日子。」我們認識那關乎那日所啟示的事，對我們是有益的。（1）有一個為着普遍審判而定的日子。那日子，那大日子，他那將要來的日子（詩37:13）。（2）那日的審判將交在耶穌基督手中。神要藉着耶穌基督審判（徒17:31）。這將是他降卑之後所得賞賜的一部分。沒有別的比這事更能使罪人恐懼、使聖徒得安慰——就是基督要作審判者。（3）那日要審判人的隱秘事。隱秘的服侍將在那日得賞，隱秘的罪將在那日受罰，隱藏的事將被顯明。那將是偉大的顯露之日，如今在暗角裏所作的將要向全世界宣告。
英文原文
Equity of the Divine Government (58 AD)
¹ Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
² But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
³ And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
⁴ Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
⁵ But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
⁶ Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
⁷ To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
⁸ But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
⁹ Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
¹⁰ But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
¹¹ For there is no respect of persons with God.
¹² For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
¹³ (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
¹⁴ For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
¹⁵ Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
¹⁶ In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
In the former chapter the apostle had represented the state of the Gentile world to be as bad and black as the Jews were ready enough to pronounce it. And now, designing to show that the state of the Jews was very bad too, and their sin in many respects more aggravated, to prepare his way he sets himself in this part of the chapter to show that God would proceed upon equal terms of justice with Jews and Gentiles; and not with such a partial hand as the Jews were apt to think he would use in their favour.
I. He arraigns them for their censoriousness and self-conceit (Ro 2:1): Thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. As he expresses himself in general terms, the admonition may reach those many masters (Jam 3:1), of whatever nation or profession they are, that assume to themselves a power to censure, control, and condemn others. But he intends especially the Jews, and to them particularly he applies this general charge (Ro 2:21), Thou who teachest another teachest thou not thyself? The Jews were generally a proud sort of people, that looked with a great deal of scorn and contempt upon the poor Gentiles, as not worthy to be set with the dogs of their flock; while in the mean time they were themselves as bad and immoral—though not idolaters, as the Gentiles, yet sacrilegious, Ro 2:22. Therefore thou art inexcusable. If the Gentiles, who had but the light of nature, were inexcusable (Ro 1:20), much more the Jews, who had the light of the law, the revealed will of God, and so had greater helps than the Gentiles.
II. He asserts the invariable justice of the divine government, Ro 2:2,3. To drive home the conviction, he here shows what a righteous God that is with whom we have to do, and how just in his proceedings. It is usual with the apostle Paul, in his writings, upon mention of some material point, to make large digressions upon it; as here concerning the justice of God (Ro 2:2), That the judgment of God is according to truth,—according to the eternal rules of justice and equity,—according to the heart, and not according to the outward appearance (1Sa 16:7),—according to the works, and not with respect to persons, is a doctrine which we are all sure of, for he would not be God if he were not just; but it behoves those especially to consider it who condemn others for those things which they themselves are guilty of, and so, while they practise sin and persist in that practice, think to bribe the divine justice by protesting against sin and exclaiming loudly upon others that are guilty, as if preaching against sin would atone for the guilt of it. But observe how he puts it to the sinner's conscience (Ro 2:3): Thinkest thou this, O man? O man, a rational creature, a dependent creature, made by God, subject under him, and accountable to him. The case is so plain that we may venture to appeal to the sinner's own thoughts: "Canst thou think that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Can the heart-searching God be imposed upon by formal pretences, the righteous Judge of all so bribed and put off?" The most plausible politic sinners, who acquit themselves before men with the greatest confidence, cannot escape the judgment of God, cannot avoid being judged and condemned.
III. He draws up a charge against them (Ro 2:4,5) consisting of two branches:—
1. Slighting the goodness of God (Ro 2:4), the riches of his goodness. This is especially applicable to the Jews, who had singular tokens of the divine favour. Means are mercies, and the more light we sin against the more love we sin against. Low and mean thoughts of the divine goodness are at the bottom of a great deal of sin. There is in every wilful sin an interpretative contempt of the goodness of God; it is spurning at his bowels, particularly the goodness of his patience, his forbearance and long-suffering, taking occasion thence to be so much the more bold in sin, Ec 8:11. Not knowing, that is, not considering, not knowing practically and with application, that the goodness of God leadeth thee, the design of it is to lead thee, to repentance. It is not enough for us to know that God's goodness leads to repentance, but we must know that it leads us—thee in particular. See here what method God takes to bring sinners to repentance. He leads them, not drives them like beasts, but leads them like rational creatures, allures them (Ho 2:14); and it is goodness that leads, bands of love, Ho 11:4. Compare Jer 31:3. The consideration of the goodness of God, his common goodness to all (the goodness of his providence, of his patience, and of his offers), should be effectual to bring us all to repentance; and the reason why so many continue in impenitency is because they do not know and consider this.
2. Provoking the wrath of God, Ro 2:5. The rise of this provocation is a hard and impenitent heart; and the ruin of sinners is their walking after such a heart, being led by it. To sin is to walk in the way of the heart; and when that is a hard and impenitent heart (contracted hardness by long custom, besides that which is natural), how desperate must the course needs be! The provocation is expressed by treasuring up wrath. Those that go on in a course of sin are treasuring up unto themselves wrath. A treasure denotes abundance. It is a treasure that will be spending to eternity, and yet never exhausted; and yet sinners are still adding to it as to a treasure. Every wilful sin adds to the score, and will inflame the reckoning; it brings a branch to their wrath, as some read that (Eze 8:17), they put the branch to their nose. A treasure denotes secrecy. The treasury or magazine of wrath is the heart of God himself, in which it lies hid, as treasures in some secret place sealed up; see De 32:34, Job 14:17. But withal it denotes reservation to some further occasion; as the treasures of the hail are reserved against the day of battle and war, Job 38:22,23. These treasures will be broken open like the fountains of the great deep, Ge 7:11. They are treasured up against the day of wrath, when they will be dispensed by the wholesale, poured out by full vials. Though the present day be a day of patience and forbearance towards sinners, yet there is a day of wrath coming—wrath, and nothing but wrath. Indeed, every day is to sinners a day of wrath, for God is angry with the wicked every day (Ps 7:11), but there is the great day of wrath coming, Re 6:17. And that day of wrath will be the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. The wrath of God is not like our wrath, a heat and passion; no, fury is not in him (Isa 27:4): but it is a righteous judgment, his will to punish sin, because he hates it as contrary to his nature. This righteous judgment of God is now many times concealed in the prosperity and success of sinners, but shortly it will be manifested before all the world, these seeming disorders set to rights, and the heavens shall declare his righteousness, Ps 50:6. Therefore judge nothing before the time.
IV. He describes the measures by which God proceeds in his judgment. Having mentioned the righteous judgment of God in Ro 2:5, he here illustrates that judgment, and the righteousness of it, and shows what we may expect from God, and by what rule he will judge the world. The equity of distributive justice is the dispensing of frowns and favours with respect to deserts and without respect to persons: such is the righteous judgment of God.
1. He will render to every man according to his deeds (Ro 2:6), a truth often mentioned in scripture, to prove that the Judge of all the earth does right.
(1.) In dispensing his favours; and this is mentioned twice here, both in Ro 2:7,10. For he delights to show mercy. Observe,
[1.] The objects of his favour: Those who by patient continuance, etc. By this we may try our interest in the divine favour, and may hence be directed what course to take, that we may obtain it. Those whom the righteous God will reward are, First, Such as fix to themselves the right end, that seek for glory, and honour, and immortality; that is, the glory and honour which are immortal-acceptance with God here and for ever. There is a holy ambition which is at the bottom of all practical religion. This is seeking the kingdom of God, looking in our desires and aims as high as heaven, and resolved to take up with nothing short of it. This seeking implies a loss, sense of that loss, desire to retrieve it, and pursuits and endeavours consonant to those desires. Secondly, Such as, having fixed the right end, adhere to the right way: A patient continuance in well-doing. 1. There must be well-doing, working good, Ro 2:10. It is not enough to know well, and speak well, and profess well, and promise well, but we must do well: do that which is good, not only for the matter of it, but for the manner of it. We must do it well. 2. A continuance in well-doing. Not for a fit and a start, like the morning cloud and the early dew; but we must endure to the end: it is perseverance that wins the crown. 3. A patient continuance. This patience respects not only the length of the work, but the difficulties of it and the oppositions and hardships we may meet with in it. Those that will do well and continue in it must put on a great deal of patience.
[2.] The product of his favour. He will render to such eternal life. Heaven is life, eternal life, and it is the reward of those that patiently continue in well-doing; and it is called (Ro 2:10) glory, honour, and peace. Those that seek for glory and honour (Ro 2:7) shall have them. Those that seek for the vain glory and honour of this world often miss of them, and are disappointed; but those that seek for immortal glory and honour shall have them, and not only glory and honour, but peace. Worldly glory and honour are commonly attended with trouble; but heavenly glory and honour have peace with them, undisturbed everlasting peace.
(2.) In dispensing his frowns (Ro 2:8,9). Observe, [1.] The objects of his frowns. In general those that do evil, more particularly described to be such as are contentious and do not obey the truth. Contentious against God. Every wilful sin is a quarrel with God, it is striving with our Maker (Isa 45:9), the most desperate contention. The Spirit of God strives with sinners (Ge 6:3), and impenitent sinners strive against the Spirit, rebel against the light (Job 24:13), hold fast deceit, strive to retain that sin which the Spirit strives to part them from. Contentious, and do not obey the truth. The truths of religion are not only to be known, but to be obeyed; they are directing, ruling, commanding; truths relating to practice. Disobedience to the truth is interpreted a striving against it. But obey unrighteousness—do what unrighteousness bids them do. Those that refuse to be the servants of truth will soon be the slaves of unrighteousness. [2.] The products or instances of these frowns: Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish. These are the wages of sin. Indignation and wrath the causes—tribulation and anguish the necessary and unavoidable effects. And this upon the soul; souls are the vessels of that wrath, the subjects of that tribulation and anguish. Sin qualifies the soul for this wrath. The soul is that in or of man which is alone immediately capable of this indignation, and the impressions or effects of anguish therefrom. Hell is eternal tribulation and anguish, the product of wrath and indignation. This comes of contending with God, of setting briers and thorns before a consuming fire, Isa 27:4. Those that will not bow to his golden sceptre will certainly be broken by his iron rod. Thus will God render to every man according to his deeds.
2. There is no respect of persons with God, Ro 2:11. As to the spiritual state, there is a respect of persons; but not as to outward relation or condition. Jews and Gentiles stand upon the same level before God. This was Peter's remark upon the first taking down of the partition-wall (Ac 10:34), that God is no respecter of persons; and it is explained in the next words, that in every nation he that fears God, and works righteousness, is accepted of him. God does not save men with respect to their external privileges or their barren knowledge and profession of the truth, but according as their state and disposition really are. In dispensing both his frowns and favours it is both to Jew and Gentile. If to the Jews first, who had greater privileges, and made a greater profession, yet also to the Gentiles, whose want of such privileges will neither excuse them from the punishment of their ill-doing nor bar them out from the reward of their well-doing (see Col 3:11); for shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
V. He proves the equity of his proceedings with all, when he shall actually come to Judge them (Ro 2:12-16), upon this principle, that that which is the rule of man's obedience is the rule of God's judgment. Three degrees of light are revealed to the children of men:—
1. The light of nature. This the Gentiles have, and by this they shall be judged: As many as have sinned without law shall perish without law; that is, the unbelieving Gentiles, who had no other guide but natural conscience, no other motive but common mercies, and had not the law of Moses nor any supernatural revelation, shall not be reckoned with for the transgression of the law they never had, nor come under the aggravation of the Jews' sin against and judgment by the written law; but they shall be judged by, as they sin against, the law of nature, not only as it is in their hearts, corrupted, defaced, and imprisoned in unrighteousness, but as in the uncorrupt original the Judge keeps by him. Further to clear this (Ro 2:14,15), in a parenthesis, he evinces that the light of nature was to the Gentiles instead of a written law. He had said (Ro 2:12) they had sinned without law, which looks like a contradiction; for where there is no law there is no transgression. But, says he, though they had not the written law (Ps 147:20), they had that which was equivalent, not to the ceremonial, but to the moral law. They had the work of the law. He does not mean that work which the law commands, as if they could produce a perfect obedience; but that work which the law does. The work of the law is to direct us what to do, and to examine us what we have done. Now, (1.) They had that which directed them what to do by the light of nature: by the force and tendency of their natural notions and dictates they apprehended a clear and vast difference between good and evil. They did by nature the things contained in the law. They had a sense of justice and equity, honour and purity, love and charity; the light of nature taught obedience to parents, pity to the miserable, conservation of public peace and order, forbade murder, stealing, lying, perjury, etc. Thus they were a law unto themselves. (2.) They had that which examined them as to what they had done: Their conscience also bearing witness. They had that within them which approved and commended what was well done and which reproached them for what was done amiss. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness, though for a time it may be bribed or brow-beaten. It is instead of a thousand witnesses, testifying of that which is most secret; and their thoughts accusing or excusing, passing a judgment upon the testimony of conscience by applying the law to the fact. Conscience is that candle of the Lord which was not quite put out, no, not in the Gentile world. The heathen have witnessed to the comfort of a good conscience.
and to the terror of a bad one:
Their thoughts the meanwhile, metaxy allelon—among themselves, or one with another. The same light and law of nature that witnesses against sin in them, and witnessed against it in others, accused or excused one another. Vicissim, so some read it, by turns; according as they observed or broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences did either acquit or condemn them. All this did evince that they had that which was to them instead of a law, which they might have been governed by, and which will condemn them, because they were not so guided and governed by it. So that the guilty Gentiles are left without excuse. God is justified in condemning them. They cannot plead ignorance, and therefore are likely to perish if they have not something else to plead.
2. The light of the law. This the Jews had, and by this they shall be judged (Ro 2:12): As many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. They sinned, not only having the law, but en nomo—in the law, in the midst of so much law, in the face and light of so pure and clear a law, the directions of which were so very full and particular, and the sanctions of it so very cogent and enforcing. These shall be judged by the law; their punishment shall be, as their sin is, so much the greater for their having the law. The Jew first, Ro 2:9. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon. Thus Moses did accuse them (Joh 5:45), and they fell under the many stripes of him that knew his master's will, and did it not, Lu 12:47. The Jews prided themselves very much in the law; but, to confirm what he had said, the apostle shows (Ro 2:13) that their having, and hearing, and knowing the law, would not justify them, but their doing it. The Jewish doctors bolstered up their followers with an opinion that all that were Jews, how bad soever they lived, should have a place in the world to come. This the apostle here opposes: it was a great privilege that they had the law, but not a saving privilege, unless they lived up to the law they had, which it is certain the Jews did not, and therefore they had need of a righteousness wherein to appear before God. We may apply it to the gospel: it is not hearing, but doing that will save us, Joh 13:17, Jam 1:22.
3. The light of the gospel: and according to this those that enjoyed the gospel shall be judge (Ro 2:16): According to my gospel; not meant of any fifth gospel written by Paul, as some conceit; or of the gospel written by Luke, as Paul's amanuensis (Euseb. Hist. lib 3, cap. 8), but the gospel in general, called Paul's because he was a preacher of it. As many as are under that dispensation shall be judged according to that dispensation, Mk 16:16. Some refer those words, according to my gospel, to what he says of the day of judgment: "There will come a day of judgment, according as I have in my preaching often told you; and that will be the day of the final judgment both of Jews and Gentiles." It is good for us to get acquainted with what is revealed concerning that day. (1.) There is a day set for a general judgment. The day, the great day, his day that is coming, Ps 37:13. (2.) The judgment of that day will be put into the hands of Jesus Christ. God shall judge by Jesus Christ, Ac 17:31. It will be part of the reward of his humiliation. Nothing speaks more terror to sinners, or more comfort to saints, than this, that Christ shall be the Judge. (3.) The secrets of men shall then be judged. Secret services shall be then rewarded, secret sins shall be then punished, hidden things shall be brought to light. That will be the great discovering day, when that which is now done in corners shall be proclaimed to all the world.
17-29
The Pretensions of the Jews; The Depravity of the Jews (58 AD)
繁體中文
猶太人的自命；猶太人的敗壞（主後五十八年）
¹⁷ 你稱為猶太人，又倚靠律法，且指著神誇口；
¹⁸ 既從律法中受了教訓，就曉得神的旨意，也喜愛那美好的事；
¹⁹ 又深信自己是給瞎子領路的，是黑暗中人的光，
²⁰ 是蠢笨人的師傅，是小孩子的先生，在律法上有知識和真理的模範。
²¹ 你既是教導別人，還不教導自己嗎？你講說人不可偷竊，自己還偷竊嗎？
²² 你說人不可姦淫，自己還姦淫嗎？你厭惡偶像，自己還搶劫廟堂嗎？
²³ 你指著律法誇口，自己倒犯律法，玷辱神嗎？
²⁴ 神的名在外邦人中，因你們受了褻瀆，正如經上所記的。
²⁵ 你若是行律法的，割禮固然於你有益；若是犯律法的，你的割禮就算不得割禮。
²⁶ 所以那未受割禮的，若遵守律法的條例，他雖然未受割禮，豈不算是有割禮嗎？
²⁷ 而且那本來未受割禮的，若能全守律法，豈不是要審判你這有儀文和割禮竟犯律法的人嗎？
²⁸ 因為外面作猶太人的，不是真猶太人；外面肉身的割禮，也不是真割禮。
²⁹ 惟有裏面作的，才是真猶太人；真割禮也是心裏的，在乎靈，不在乎儀文。這人的稱讚不是從人來的，乃是從神來的。
在本章後半，使徒將他的論述更直接地指向猶太人，說明儘管他們有信仰表白和虛妄的自命，他們卻犯了何種罪。他曾說（Ro 2:13）不是聽律法的，而是行律法的，才得稱義；他在此將這大真理應用於猶太人。當留意，
I. 他承認他們的信仰表白（Ro 2:17-20），並列舉他們所引以為豪的特定自命和特權，使他們知道他不是出於對他們所能為自己辯護之話的無知而定他們的罪；不，他知道他們最好的理由。
1. 他們是獨特的子民，因擁有成文的律法和神在他們中間特別的同在，而從一切別的人中分別出來、與眾不同。(1.) 你稱為猶太人；不如說是在信仰表白上，不如說是在血統上。這是非常尊榮的頭銜。救恩是從猶太人出來的；他們對此非常驕傲——作一個分別出來的子民；然而許多如此被稱呼的人是最卑鄙的人。最惡劣的實行被最好的名稱所掩護，並非新事；撒但會堂中許多人說自己是猶太人（啟 2:9），毒蛇的種類誇口有亞伯拉罕為他們的祖宗，Mt 3:7-9。(2.) 又倚靠律法；即他們以此為驕傲——他們中間有律法，在他們的書中有，在他們的會堂裏誦讀。他們因這特權大為膨脹，以為這足以帶他們上天堂，縱然他們沒有照律法而活。以滿足和安息的心倚靠律法是好的；但以驕傲、怠惰和屬肉體的安全感倚靠它，卻是靈魂的毀壞。這些是耶和華的殿殿宇，耶 7:4。伯特利是他們所信賴的，耶 48:13。因聖山而驕傲，番 3:11。倚靠外在特權而不加以善用，是危險的事。(3.) *且指著神誇口。*看最好的事物如何被曲解和濫用。一種信心的、謙卑的、感恩的以神為誇口，是一切宗教的根和綱要，Ps 34:2，賽 45:15，1Co 1:31。但一種驕傲虛榮的在神身上、在他名的表面表白上誇口，卻是一切假冒為善的根和綱要。屬靈的驕傲在一切驕傲中最為危險。
2. 他們是有知識的子民（Ro 2:18）：既從律法中受了教訓，就曉得神的旨意，to thelema——那旨意。神的旨意就是那旨意——那主權的、絕對的、不可抗拒的旨意。世界只有在並直到神的旨意成為唯一的旨意、一切別的旨意都融化於其中時，才會被撥正。他們不僅知道神的真理，更知道神的旨意——他要他們作的事。一個假冒為善者可能在神的旨意上有許多知識。——也喜愛那美好的事——dokimazeis ta diapheronta。保羅為他的朋友祈求這作為很大的成就，Php 1:10。Eis to dokimazein hymas ta diapheronta。如此理解，(1.) 在屬神的事上有好的領悟力，如此讀作：你分辨那些有區別的事，知道如何分辨善惡，分別貴賤（耶 15:19），在潔淨與不潔淨之間加以區分，Le 11:47。善與惡有時如此接近，不易區分；但猶太人既有律法的試金石在手，就能、或至少以為能分辨，在疑難情形中抽絲剝繭。一個人可能是好的決疑者，卻是壞的基督徒——在概念上精確，在應用上卻放任馬虎。或者，我們可如德迪烏（De Dieu）那樣，以ta diapheronta理解為爭議。一個人可能在宗教的爭議上精通，卻對敬虔的大能一無所知。(2.) 對屬神的事有熱切的情意，如我們所讀的：喜愛那美好的事。宗教中有假冒為善者也可能贊同的優越之處：實踐的判斷可能同意律法是好的，然而那同意被肉體和心中的私慾所壓倒——
罪人將那贊同作為藉口是常見的，而那其實是犯罪之道的極大加重。他們獲得這對善事的認識和情意，是藉著從律法中受教訓，katechoumenos——受教導（被問答式教導）。這詞表示在童年時期的早期教導。及早受好的問答教導是大特權和益處。猶太人的習慣是在兒女年幼時費極大力氣教導他們，他們一切的功課都從律法中來；基督徒若也如此勤奮地從福音中教導他們的兒女，那就好了。如今這被稱為（Ro 2:20）律法上知識和真理的模範，即它的表面和外觀。那些知識停留在空洞概念中、未在心上留下印象的人，只有它的模範——如一幅畫得很好、色彩鮮豔的畫像，卻缺少生命。知識的模範只產生敬虔的模樣，提後 3:5。知識的模範可以欺騙人，卻不能蒙蔽察透人心的神那銳利的眼。模範可以是能力的載體；但那只以此為滿足的人如鳴的鑼、響的鈸一般。
3. 他們是教導人的子民，或至少如此自認（Ro 2:19,20）：*又深信自己是給瞎子領路的。*將此應用，(1.) 對猶太人全體。他們自認為是坐在黑暗中之可憐瞎眼外邦人的嚮導，對此非常驕傲——無論誰要認識神，都必須仰賴他們。一切別的國家必須到他們這裏來上學，學習甚麼是善的、主所要求的是甚麼；因為他們有活潑的聖言。(2.) 對他們中間的拉比、博士和領袖，他們尤其是那些論斷別人的人，Ro 2:1。這些人因他們所取得的摩西座位、以及平民對他們教訓的順從而大為驕傲；使徒以幾個詞表達這一點——瞎子的領路的、黑暗中之人的光、蠢笨人的師傅、小孩子的先生——好更突出地表明他們對自己的驕傲自負和對別人的輕視。這是他們喜歡彈奏的弦，將尊榮的頭銜堆在自己身上。最好的工作若被驕傲，就不蒙神悅納。教導蠢笨人、教導小孩子是好的：但考量我們自己的無知、愚昧，以及若沒有神就不能使這些教導成功，其中沒有甚麼可驕傲的。
II. 他從兩件事加重他們的挑釁（Ro 2:21-24）：
1. 他們違背自己的知識和信仰表白而行，自己作了自己所教導別人當避免的事：你既是教導別人，還不教導自己嗎？教導是那從家開始的慈善的一部分，雖不可止於家中。法利賽人的假冒為善在於他們不行他們所教的（Mt 23:3），以生活拆毀了以講道建立的；因為誰會信那些自己也不信的人呢？榜樣比規則管治力更大。神的道之成功的最大阻礙，是那些敗壞的生活與他們好的教訓相矛盾的人——他們在講臺上講得好得令人惋惜他們竟要下來，在講臺下活得糟得令人惋惜他們竟要上去。他指明猶太人中盛行的三種特定罪：(1.) 偷竊。這被指控於那些傳說神律例的人（Ps 50:16,18），*你見了盜賊，就樂意與他同夥。*法利賽人被指控侵吞寡婦的家產（Mt 23:14），那是最壞的搶劫。(2.) 姦淫，Ro 2:22。這同樣被指控於那罪人（Ps 50:18），你與姦夫同夥。據說許多猶太拉比以此罪惡名昭著。(3.) 抢奪聖物——搶劫那時藉特定律法獻給和歸給神的聖物；這被指控於那些自稱厭惡偶像的人。猶太人在被擄於巴比倫之後確實如此顯著；那火爐將他們從偶像崇拜的渣滓中永遠分別出來，但他們在敬拜神的事上卻行事非常詭詐。正是在舊約教會的後期，他們被指控在十分之一和當獻的供物上搶奪神（瑪 3:8,9），將那特別分別歸給神的轉為己用、並服事自己的私慾。這幾乎等同於偶像崇拜，縱然這搶奪聖物被厭惡偶像的外衣所掩蓋。那些在言語上定別人的罪、自己卻作同樣、或更糟之事的人，到那日必受嚴厲的追討。
2. 他們因罪玷辱了神，Ro 2:23,24。當神和他的律法對他們是尊榮——他們所誇口和引以為豪的——他們卻是神和他的律法的羞辱，因給予外人緣由來議論他們的宗教——好像那宗教容忍並允許這樣的事。這固然是那些如此推論之人的罪（因信仰表白者的過失不當歸於信仰表白），卻也是那些給予這類推論緣由之人的罪，且必大大加重他們的過失。這正是大衛案件的定罪——他使耶和華的仇敵大得褻瀆的機會，撒下 12:14。使徒在此也提到對他們祖宗的同一指控：正如經上所記的，Ro 2:24。他未提地點，因為他寫信給那些在律法中受教的人（在努力說服人時，與有知識、熟悉聖經的人打交道是有些好處的），但他似乎指賽 52:5，結 36:22,23，撒下 12:14。那些被設立作神的名號和讚美的人竟成了他的羞辱和玷辱，這是可悲的。信仰表白者之罪的大惡，在於其信仰表白對神和宗教所造成的玷辱。因你們受了褻瀆；即你們給予了緣由，是因你們的愚昧和疏忽。你們加在自己身上的羞辱也反映在你們的神身上，宗教因你們而被刺傷。這是對信仰表白者謹慎行事為人的好警告。見提前 6:1。
III. 他斷言他們的信仰表白完全不足以使他們免除這些挑釁的罪咎（Ro 2:25-29）：你若是行律法的，割禮固然於你有益；即順從的猶太人不會失去他們順從的賞賜，反而因作猶太人而得著：他們比外邦人有更清楚的順從準則。神賜律法和設立割禮不是徒然的。這必須歸於禮儀制度被廢除之前猶太人的狀態，否則割禮對於一個信仰基督的人是被禁止的，Ga 5:1。但他在此是對猶太人說話，他們的猶太教若他們肯照其規則和律法而活，就必有益；但若不然，你的割禮就算不得割禮；即你的信仰表白對你無益；你不會比未受割禮的外邦人更被稱義，反而因犯罪違背更大的亮光而被更重地定罪。未受割禮的人在聖經中被貶為不潔淨（賽 52:1），在所應許的諸約上是局外人（Eph 2:11,12），邪惡的猶太人將如他們一樣被對待。見耶 9:25,26。為進一步說明這一點，
1. 他表明未受割禮的外邦人若照他們所有的亮光而活，就與猶太人站在同一水平上；若他們遵守律法的條例（Ro 2:26），全守律法（Ro 2:27）；即藉著誠心地順服自然之光的光引，履行律法的內容。有人將此理解為假設完全遵守律法的情形：「外邦人若能完全遵守律法，他們就會如猶太人一樣被律法稱義。」但這看起來更可能是指某些外邦人所達到的那種順從。哥尼流的情形可以澄清這一點。雖然他是外邦人、未受割禮，然而他是個虔誠人，他和全家都敬畏神（Ac 10:2），他蒙了悅納，Ac 10:4。無疑有許多這樣的例子：他們就是那未受割禮卻遵守律法之條例的人；關於這些人他說，(1.) 他們蒙神悅納，如同受了割禮一般。他們的未受割禮就算為割禮。割禮誠然對猶太人是受吩咐的本分，卻不是全世界得稱義和得救的必要條件。(2.) 他們的順從大大加重了那擁有律法字句之猶太人的不順從，Ro 2:27。審判你，即有助於增加你的定罪——你這有儀文和割禮竟犯律法的人。當留意，對屬肉體的信仰表白者，律法不過是字句；他們讀它如一紙文章，卻不照它為律法而受其治理。他們不僅是雖有字句和割禮卻犯了律法，更是藉著字句和割禮犯了律法——即他們藉此在罪中剛硬自己。外在的特權若不對我們有益，就對我們有害。那些享受較少方法、作較少信仰表白的人的順從，將有助於定那些享受更大方法、作更大信仰表白卻不照其而行的人的罪。
2. 他描述真割禮，Ro 2:28,29。(1.) 它不是那外面肉體和儀文上的。這不是要使我們遠離對外在制度的遵守（它們在本位上是好的），而是要使我們不倚靠它們、不以它們為足以帶我們上天堂——以活著的名號為滿足，卻沒有真正活著。外面作猶太人的，不是真猶太人，即不蒙神悅納為信之亞伯拉罕的後裔，也不被承認為已經成全了律法的宗旨。作亞伯拉罕的兒女就是行亞伯拉罕所行的事，Joh 8:39,40。(2.) 它是裏面的、在心和靈裏的。神所看的是心，使心受割禮才使我們蒙他悅納。見申 30:6。這是不是人手所行的割禮，Col 2:11,12。脫去肉體情慾的身體。所以在靈裏——在我們的靈裏作為主體，並由神的靈作為創始者而成。(3.) 它的稱讚雖不是從人來的——人是憑外貌判斷的，卻是從神來的——即神自己必承認、悅納並賞賜這真誠；因為耶和華不像人看人。美好的託辭和似是而非的信仰表白可能欺騙人：但神不能如此被欺騙；他看透表象達到實質。這對基督信仰同樣真實。外面作基督徒的，不是真基督徒；外面肉身的洗禮，也不是真洗禮；惟有裏面作的，才是真基督徒；真洗禮也是心裏的，在乎靈，不在乎儀文；這人的稱讚不是從人來的，乃是從神來的。
英文原文
The Pretensions of the Jews; The Depravity of the Jews (58 AD)
¹⁷ Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
¹⁸ And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
¹⁹ And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
²⁰ An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
²¹ Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
²² Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
²³ Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
²⁴ For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
²⁵ For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
²⁶ Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
²⁷ And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
²⁸ For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
²⁹ But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
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 (Ro 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 (Ro 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 (Re 2:9), for a generation of vipers to boast they have Abraham to their father, Mt 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, Ps 34:2, Isa 45:15.1Co 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 people (Ro 2:18): and knowest his will, to thelema—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, Php 1:10. Eis to dokimazein hymas 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, Le 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:—
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, by being instructed out of the law, katechoumenos—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 (Ro 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, 2Ti 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 (Ro 2:19,20): 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, Ro 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 (Ro 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 (Mt 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 (Ps 50:16,18), When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him. The Pharisees are charged with devouring widows' houses (Mt 23:14), and that is the worst of robberies. (2.) Adultery, Ro 2:22. This is likewise charged upon that sinner (Ps 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 3:8,9), 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, Ro 2:23,24. 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, 2Sa 12:14. And the apostle here refers to the same charge against their forefathers: As it is written, Ro 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 36:22,23, 2Sa 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 1Ti 6:1.
III. He asserts the utter insufficiency of their profession to clear them from the guilt of these provocations (Ro 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 policy was abolished, otherwise circumcision to one that professed faith in Christ was forbidden, Ga 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 2:11,12) and wicked Jews will be dealt with as such. See Jer 9:25,26. 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 (Ro 2:26), fulfil the law (Ro 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 (Ac 10:2), he was accepted, Ac 10:4. 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, Ro 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, Ro 2:28,29. (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 8:39,40. (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 De 30:6. This is the circumcision that is not made with hands, Col 2:11,12. 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.
本書信頭兩章的要旨可從羅3:9看出：「我們已經證明：猶太人和希利尼人都在罪惡之下。」對於外邦人，我們已經在羅1:1-32證明了這一點；如今在本章，他把這定罪證明在猶太人身上，正如羅2:1-17所顯示的——「你稱為猶太人」。一、他概括地證明，猶太人與外邦人在神的公義面前同處一個水平線上（羅2:1-11）。二、他更具體地指出猶太人雖然有信仰的認信和虛浮的託辭，卻犯了甚麼罪（羅2:17-29）。