Romans 2:17-29

Romans 2:17-29

[17] 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  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  not  steal,  [22] Thou that sayest  not  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  as  it is written.  [25] For  circumcision  verily  profiteth,  if  thou keep  the law:  but  if  a breaker  of the law,  circumcision  is made  uncircumcision.  [26] Therefore  if  the uncircumcision  keep  the righteousness  of the law,  his  uncircumcision  be counted  for  circumcision?  [27] And  uncircumcision  which is by  nature,  if it fulfil  the law,  judge  who by  the letter  and  circumcision  dost transgress  the law?  [28] For  not  a Jew,  which is one outwardly;  neither  is that circumcision,  which is outward  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. 

What does Romans 2:17-29 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Even though the Jews had the advantages of the Mosaic Law and circumcision, their arrogance and fruitlessness offset these advantages. Divinely revealed religion is no substitute for trust and obedience toward God. Romans 2:17-29 are similar to Romans 1:18-32. In Romans 2:17-29, Paul showed that Jews are guilty before God just as he formerly proved all humanity guilty. In both sections he pointed out that man knew the truth but rejected it and consequently became guilty of idolatry, sensuality, and immorality.
"In the previous section Paul addressed his Jewish readers in a relatively restrained manner. But here the mood changed. Once again he employed the diatribe style that he used in the opening verses of chap2. His tone became quite severe as he laid out before them the absolute necessity of bringing their conduct into line with their profession. From this point on to the end of the second major division ( Romans 3:20), we hear Paul the preacher convincing his listeners of their need for a different kind of righteousness. Although in another letter he claimed that his preaching was not eloquent ( 1 Corinthians 2:1-5), it is hard to deny that here in Romans we are dealing with the dynamic rhetoric of an evangelist bent on persuasion." [1]
"Paul here claims for the Jew nothing more than what the Jews of his day were claiming for themselves; every item on the list in Romans 2:17-20 is paralleled in Jewish literature of the time." [2]