2:1 Therefore 1 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.
(1) He convicts those who would seem to be exempt from the rest
of men (because they reprehend other men's faults), and
says that they are least of all to be excused, for if they
were searched well and carefully (as God surely does) they
themselves would be found guilty in those things which they
reprehend and punish in others: so that in condemning
others, they pronounce sentence against themselves.
2:2 But we a are sure that the judgment of God is according to
b truth against them which commit such things.
(a) Paul alleges no places of scripture, for he reasons
generally against all men: but he brings reasons such
that every man is persuaded by them in his mind, so that
the devil himself is not able to completely pluck
them out.
(b) Considering and judging things correctly, and not by any
outward show.
2:42 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and
forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness
of God leadeth thee to repentance?
(2) A vehement and grievous crying out against those that
please themselves because they see more than others do, and
yet are in no way better than others are.
2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart c treasurest
up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and
revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
(c) While you are giving yourself to pleasures, thinking to
increase your goods, you will find God's wrath.
2:63 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
(3) The foundation of the former disputation, that both the Jews
and Gentiles together have need of righteousness.
2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for
d glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
(d) Glory which follows good works, which he does not lay
out before us as though there were any that could
attain to salvation by his own strength, but, he lays
this condition of salvation before us, which no man can
perform, to bring men to Christ, who alone justifies the
believers, as he himself concludes; see (Ro 2:21-22).
2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the e
truth, but obey unrighteousness, f indignation and wrath,
(e) By "truth" he means the knowledge which we naturally
have.
(f) God's indignation against sinners, which will quickly be
kindled.
2:11 For there is no g respect of persons with God.
(g) God does not judge men either by their blood or by
their country, either to receive them or to cast them
away.
2:124 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;
(4) He applies that general accusation against mankind
particularly both to the Gentiles and to the Jews.
2:135 (For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God,
but the doers of the law shall be h justified.
(5) He prevents an objection which might be made by the Jews
whom the law does not excuse, but condemn, because it is
not the hearing of the law that justifies, but rather the
keeping of it.
(h) Will be pronounced just before God's judgment seat:
which is true indeed if any one could be found that had
fulfilled the law: but seeing that Abraham was not
justified by the law, but by faith, it follows that no
man can be justified by works.
2:146 For when the Gentiles, which have i not the law, do
by k nature the things contained in the law, these,
having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
(6) He prevents an objection which might be made by the
Gentiles, who even though they do not have the law of
Moses, yet they have no reason why they may excuse their
wickedness, in that they have something written in their
hearts instead of a law, as men do who forbid and punish
some things as wicked, and command and commend other things
as good.
(i) Not that they are without any law, but rather the law
of the Jews.
(k) Command honest things, and forbid dishonest.
2:15 Which shew the work of the law l written in their hearts,
their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts
the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
(l) This knowledge is a natural knowledge.
2:167 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by
Jesus Christ according to m my gospel.
(7) God defers many judgments, which he will nonetheless
execute at their convenient time by Jesus Christ, with a
most candid examination, not only of words and deeds, but
of thoughts also, be they ever so hidden or secret.
(m) As my doctrine witnesses, which I am appointed to
preach.
2:178 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law,
and makest thy boast of God,
(8) He proves by the testimony of David, and the other
prophets, that God bestows greatest benefits upon the Jews,
in giving them also the law, but that they are the most
unthankful and unkind of all men.
2:18 And knowest [his] will, and n approvest the things that
are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
(n) Can test and discern what things swerve from God's
will.
2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which
hast the o form of knowledge and of the truth in the p
law.
(o) The way to teach and to form others in the knowledge of
the truth.
(p) As though he said that the Jews under a pretence of an
outward serving of God, attributed all to themselves,
when in reality they did nothing less than observe the
Law.
2:259 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the
law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision
is made uncircumcision.
(9) He precisely prevents their objection, who set a holiness
in circumcision, and the outward observation of the law: so
that he shows that the outward circumcision, if it is
separated from the inward, does not justify, and also
condemns those who are indeed circumcised, of whom it is
required that they fulfil that which circumcision
signifies, that is to say, cleanness of the heart and the
whole life according to the commandment of the law, so that
if there is a man uncircumcised according to the flesh, who
is circumcised in heart, he is far better and to be more
regarded than any Jew that is circumcised according to the
flesh only.
2:26 Therefore if the q uncircumcision keep the righteousness
of the law, shall not his r uncircumcision be counted for
circumcision?
(q) This is the figure of speech metonymy, and means
"uncircumcised".
(r) The state and condition of the uncircumcised.
2:27 And shall not s uncircumcision which is by nature, if it
fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the t letter and
circumcision dost transgress the law?
(s) He who is uncircumcised by nature and race.
(t) Paul often contrasts the letter against the Spirit: but
in this place, the circumcision which is according to
the letter is the cutting off of the foreskin, but the
circumcision of the Spirit is the circumcision of the
heart, that is to say, the spiritual result of the
ceremony is true holiness and righteousness, by which
the people of God are known from profane and heathen
men.
2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one u outwardly; neither
[is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
(u) By the outward ceremony only.
2:29 But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision
[is that] of the heart, in the x spirit, [and] not in the
letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.
