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SECTION F – The Conduct of
Mankind (1:18 -
3:20)
Balanced
by SECTION f - The Conduct of The Saints (12:01
- 15:07)
Romans Two - verses 17 to 29
17. Lo! You are being denominated a Jew,
and are resting on law, and are boasting in God,
Now
the apostle is about to devote particular attention to the Circumcision.
Hitherto he has appealed to nature, or instinct, and to conscience. All
these combine to condemn those who had no access to the revealed will of
God. The Jew, who had the law, considered himself in an entirely different
class, so the apostle devotes a considerable section to prove to him that
the possession of the law did not make him immune from judgment, but rather
invited a severer sentence.
Concordant Commentary
Jews tend to boast of their
privileged position of ‘knowing’ God. Their whole system of law gave them
an exclusive relationship with
Him. They were the people of God,
the chosen nation.
Ps.147:19,20 He is telling His words to Jacob,
His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not done so for any other nation,
And His ordinances, they do not know them at
all. Praise Yah.
Deut.4:6-8 And you must observe and
obey them,
for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of all the peoples
who shall hear of all these statutes and will
say:
Surely this
great nation is a people wise and understanding.
7 For what
great nation is there which has elohim so near to it
as Yahweh our Elohim is in all that we call to
Him?
8 And what
great nation is there which has statutes and judgments
so righteous as all this law that I am putting
before you today?
2Sam.7:23,24 And who [is] as Your people, as
Israel--
one nation in the earth,
whom Elohim has gone to redeem to Him for a people,
and to make for Him a name--and to do for you the greatness--
even fearful things for Your land, at the
presence of Your people,
whom You have redeemed to You out of Egypt--
[among the] nations and their elohim?
24 Yea, You do establish to You Your people Israel,
to You for a people unto the eon,
and You,
Yahweh, have been to them for Elohim.
Ps.135:4 For Yah chose Jacob for Himself,
Israel for His
special possession.
Isa.45:25 In Yahweh shall they be just,
and in Elohim all the seed of Israel shall boast
Not only did God make a
covenant, or contract, with them
through Moses at Mt. Sinai, He even made other exclusive distinguishing
covenants with them - such as that of the Sabbath and that of circumcision.
Neh,9:13,14 And on mount Sinai You have come down,
even to speak with them from the heavens,
and You
do give to them right judgments,
and true laws, good statutes and commands.
14 And Your
holy sabbath You have made
known to them,
and commands, and statutes, and law,
You have commanded for
them, by the hand of Moses Your servant;
Ex.31:12,13 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying:
13 Now you, speak to the sons of Israel saying,
Surely, My
sabbaths shall you keep,
for it is a
sign between Me and you throughout your generations
to know
that I, Yahweh, am hallowing you.
Ex.31:16,17 Hence the sons of Israel will keep the sabbath
so as to make the sabbath an eonian covenant throughout their generations.
17 Between
Me and the sons of Israel it shall be a sign for the eon,…
Ezek.20:12 And also My sabbaths I have given to them,
To be for a
sign between Me and them,
To know
that I [am] Yahweh their sanctifier.
Ezek.20:19,20 I [am] Yahweh your Elohim,
in My statutes walk, And My judgments observe, and
do them,
20 And My sabbaths sanctify,
And they have been for a sign between Me and you,
To know
that I, Yahweh, [am] your Elohim.
Gen,17:9-14 And saying is the Elohim to
Abraham,
"And you
shall keep My covenant,
you and
your seed after you for their generations.
10 This is My covenant, which you shall
keep between Me and you
and your
seed after you for their generations:
Circumcise to yourselves every male.
11 And circumcised shall you be in the flesh of your foreskin.
And it comes to be for a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
12 And a son of eight days shall be
circumcised by you,
every male of your generations, homeborn
or acquired with money from any foreigner, he
who is not of your seed.
13 With circumcision shall be circumcised
the homeborn and the one acquired with your
money.
And My covenant comes to be in your flesh for a covenant eonian.
14 And the uncircumcised male,
the flesh of whose foreskin was not circumcised
in the eighth day,
that soul also shall be cut off from his people.
My covenant he annuls."
18. and know the will, and are testing what
things are of consequence,
being instructed out of the law.
As such, only they were privy to God’s regulations
for worship and standards for behaviour. All the other nations were
formulating their own systems for religious and social observances. But,
whatever they tried, was in error. This must be – because men, under God’s
sentence in His indignation for their irreverence in not acknowledging Him
as GOD, have been ‘given over to’ a disqualified
mind, their thinking processes inhibited from the truth.
Rom.11:34 For, who knew the mind of the Lord?
or, who became His adviser?
Ps.19:8 The precepts of Yahweh are upright, rejoicing the heart;
The
instruction of Yahweh is pure, enlightening
the eyes;
Ps.119:104,105 From Your precepts I gain understanding;
Therefore I hate every false path.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet, And a light to my tracks
Ps.119:130 The opening of Your words is enlightening,
Making the simple proficient.
Prov.6:23 For instruction is a lamp, and law
is a light,
And the
reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
Members of the body of
Christ, too, need to be finding out what things are of consequence, matters of higher importance, so that we
can have the right priorities especially in our relationships with one
another.
Phil.1:10 for you to be testing what things are of consequence,
that you may be sincere and no stumbling block
for the day of Christ,
1Cor.10:23,24 All is allowed me, but not all is expedient.
All is allowed me, but not all is edifying.
24 Let no one be seeking the welfare of
himself, but that of another.
Rom.14:2-4 One, indeed, is
believing to eat all things,
yet the
infirm one is eating greens.
3 Let not
him who is eating be scorning him who is not eating.
Yet let not
him who is not eating be judging him who is eating,
for God
took him to Himself.
4 Who are you who are judging Another's
domestic?
To his own
Master
he is standing or falling.
Now he will be made to stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
19. Besides, you have confidence in yourself to be a guide of the blind,
a light of those in darkness,
‘…confidence in yourself…’
The Jews, being
‘enlightened’ by these revelations of God, were confident that they were
well able to lead the unenlightened, blinded, nations to Him. Because they
were ‘Jews’, the chosen people of
God, they felt that they were qualified to instruct these in the ways of
righteousness. They have a pride in themselves that they were chosen
because of some innate virtues of theirs, because they were more worthy
than those of the nations. This trait is epitomized by the Pharisee.
Mt.15:14 …Blind guides are they of the blind!
Now if the blind should be guiding the blind, both shall be falling into a pit.
Mt.23:12-15 Yet anyone who shall be exalting himself shall be humbled,
and anyone who shall be humbling himself shall be exalted.
13 "Now woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites!
for you are locking the kingdom of the heavens
in front of men.
For you are not entering, neither are you
letting those entering to enter….
(no verse 14)
15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites!
or you are going about the sea and the dry land
to make one proselyte,
and whenever he may be becoming one,
you are making him more than double a son of
Gehenna than you are
Jn.9:22 …seeing that they
feared the Jews, for the Jews had
already agreed
that if anyone
should ever be avowing Him to be Christ,
he should
be put out of the synagogue.
Jn.12:42,43 …likewise, of the chiefs also
many believe in Him,
but because of the Pharisees they did not
avow it,
lest they
may be put out of the synagogue,
43 for they love the glory of men rather
than even the glory of God.
Mt.23:24-28 Blind guides! straining
out a gnat, yet swallowing a camel!
25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites!
for you are cleansing the outside of the cup and
the plate,
yet inside they are brimming with rapacity and
incontinence.
26 Blind Pharisee! Cleanse first the inside
of the cup and the plate,
that their outside also may be becoming
clean!
27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites!
for you are resembling the whitewashed
sepulchers
which outside, indeed, are appearing beautiful,
yet inside they are crammed with the bones of
the dead and all uncleanness.
28 Thus you, also, outside, indeed, are appearing
to men to be just,
yet inside you are distended with hypocrisy and
lawlessness.
We, believers in God’s
revelation directed to us, need to be careful that a similar self-confidence does not get a hold
on us. What we are we have
been made into, and whatever we have has been given to us. There is no ground for any sense of self-achieved qualities and
opportunities.
1Cor.15:10 Yet, in the grace of God I am what I am,
and His grace, which is in me, did not come to
be for naught,
but more exceedingly than all of them toil I—
yet not I, but the grace of God which is with
me.
1Cor.4:7 For who makes you
different from anyone else?
What do you have that you did not receive?
And if you did
receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Phil.3:4-9 And am I having confidence in flesh, also?
If any other one is presuming to have confidence
in flesh, I rather:
5 in circumcision the eighth day, of the race of
Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
a Hebrew of Hebrews, in relation to law, a Pharisee,
6 in relation to zeal, persecuting the ecclesia,
in relation to the righteousness which is in
law, becoming blameless.
7 But things which were gain to me, these I have deemed a forfeit
because of Christ.
8 But, to be sure, I am also deeming all to be a
forfeit
because of the superiority of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus, my Lord,
because of Whom I forfeited all, and am deeming
it to be refuse,
that I should be gaining Christ,
9 and may be found in Him,
not having my righteousness, which is of law,
but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is from God for faith:
2Cor.1:9 But we have the rescript of
death in ourselves,
that we may be having no confidence in ourselves,
but in God, Who rouses the dead,
2Cor.3:5 (not that we are competent of
ourselves,
to reckon anything as of ourselves,
but our
competency is of God),
Phil.3:3 for we are the circumcision
who are offering divine service in the spirit of
God,
and are glorying in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in flesh.
Gal.6:1 Brethren, if a man
should be precipitated, also, in some offense,
you, who are spiritual, be attuning such a one, in a spirit of meekness,
noting yourself, that you, also, may not be tried.
Gal.6:3-5 For if anyone is supposing himself to be anything, being nothing,
he is imposing on himself. 4 Now let each one be testing his
own work,
and then he shall be having his boast for
himself alone, and not for
another,
5 for each one shall be bearing his own load.
Eph.2:10 For His achievement are we,
being created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God makes ready beforehand, that we should be walking in them.
Phil.2:13 for it is God Who is operating in you
to will as well as to work for the sake of His delight.
Col.1:12 at the same time giving
thanks to the Father,
Who makes
you competent for a part of the allotment of the saints, in light,
2Tim.1:9 Who saves us and calls us
with a holy calling,
not in
accord with our acts,
but in accord with His own purpose and the grace
which is given to us in Christ Jesus before times eonian,
In Christianity, too, much
is being done to ‘convert the heathen’ in preparation for Christ’s coming
in glory ‘to establish the kingdom’. This emphasis of ‘winning souls for
God’ is at its height. All sorts of high-tech audio-visual systems are
employed in gospel presentations ‘to get the message across’. Programs are
scripted, audiences are made to feel comfortable and ‘at home’, and various
business-world techniques are utilized to make them
more receptive and responsive to that message. Psychology and emotion
seem to be the keys to conversion in these approaches and presentations. But
extant psychology is rooted in the wisdom of the world (which is at odds
with the wisdom of God), and the emotion it arouses is manipulated and,
therefore, unreliable. They forget that unless God opens the
minds of the hearers, no amount of preaching and ‘expert’ teaching will
penetrate the extant darkness. God’s
operation, and not our efforts in presentation, works the
‘conversions’.
Rom.1:16,17 For not ashamed am I of
the evangel,
for it
is God's power for salvation to
everyone who is believing—
to the Jew first, and to the Greek as well.
17 For in it God's righteousness is being
revealed, out of faith for faith,…
Jn.6:44 No one can come to Me
if ever the
Father Who sends Me should not be drawing him.
Jn.6:65 …Therefore have I declared to you that
no one can be coming to Me if
it should not be given him of the
Father.
It is a wonder that
orthodox Christianity is actively seeking ‘dialogue’ and mutual
understanding with other religions of the world. Are we not falsely
proclaiming that we worship the same God but in different ways? Can we
compromise on the evangel in any way? Are we stooping to subterfuge to
convert the heathen? Can we trick them into conversion? On the other hand,
will they be amicable and receptive if we even suggest to them that they are ‘sons of stubbornness’ under the
control of the Adversary? Will they be pleased when we say that God has
chosen and called us rather than
them, that He has opened our
minds, but not theirs, to His truth?
2Tim.3:12 And all who are wanting to live devoutly
in Christ Jesus
shall be
persecuted.
Phil.1:29 for to you it is graciously granted, for
Christ's sake,
not only to
be believing on Him, but to be
suffering for His sake also,
Jas.4:4,5 … Are you not aware
that the friendship of this world is enmity with God?
Whosoever, then should intend to be a friend of
the world
is
constituted an enemy of God.
5 Or are you supposing that the scripture is
saying this for naught?...
‘…a guide of the
blind…’
The nations, as a whole,
cannot ‘see’ the truth of God because He did not grant them the privilege of knowing it.
Gal.4:8 But then, indeed, having no perception of God,
you were slaves of those who, by nature, are not gods.
Eph.2:12 that you were, in that era, apart from Christ,
being alienated
from the citizenship of Israel,
and guests
of the promise covenants, having no
expectation,
and without
God in the world.
Eph.4:17,18 …the nations also are walking, in the vanity of their mind,
18 their comprehension being
darkened,
being estranged
from the life of God
because of the ignorance that is in them,
because of the callousness of their hearts,
Where the evangel is
concerned, they have been made blind
to it. Only those whom God is
calling out of their ranks are enabled
to ‘see’ and respond.
2Cor.4:3,4 Now, if our evangel is covered, also,
it is covered in those who are perishing,
4 in whom the god of this eon
blinds the apprehensions of the unbelieving
so that the illumination of the
evangel of the glory of Christ,
Who is the Image of the invisible God, does not irradiate them.
‘…a light of those in darkness…’
The Jew is confident that,
since only he knows the
truth of God, he is the only one
eminently qualified to lead the nations to that truth. As the only source
of enlightenment in the midst of oppressive spiritual darkness, the Jew
feels that he holds a unique position among men. He looks with
condescension on the ignorant, unknowledgeable, nations.
Mt.5:14-16 You are the light of the world.
A city located upon a mountain can not be
hid.
15 Neither are they burning a lamp and
placing it under a peck measure,
but on a lampstand, and it is shining to all
those in the house.
16 Thus let shine your light in front of
men,
so that they may perceive your ideal acts
and should
glorify your Father Who is in the heavens.
With all the teachings and
rituals and ceremonies specified in the law, as well as the collated
pronouncements of revered rabbis through the ages, the Jew was a tome of
spiritual knowledge not available elsewhere until then.
But, with the advent of
Jesus, the Christ, the time had come for another phase of God’s operation. Faith in Him became the watershed
that separated the people.
Act.3:22,23 Moses, indeed, said that: A Prophet
will the Lord your God,
be raising up to you from among your brethren,
as me.
Him you shall hear,
according to all, whatsoever He should be
speaking to you.
23 Yet it shall be
that every
soul whatsoever which should not
hear that Prophet
shall be
utterly exterminated from among the people.
What the Jew has not been
able to reconcile to himself, in all his works-oriented righteousness, is
that God has suspended working through his agency for the enlightenment of
the nations. The Jews who were not given to believe in Jesus as their
Messiah had their spiritual eyes clouded over, and they examined spiritual
truth in a drunken haze, the facts not registering in their drugged minds.
Isa.29;9-14 Dally and be amazed! Regale
yourself and revel!
Be drunk, yet not from wine! Sway, yet not from
an intoxicant!
10 For Yahweh
has libated on you a spirit of stupor.
And He
is restraining your eyes, that is, the prophets,
and your heads, the vision seers, He covers.
11 And to you are all visions becoming as
the words of a sealed scroll,
which they are giving him acquainted with the
scroll, saying,
"Read this, pray." And he says,
"I cannot, for it is sealed."
12 And the scroll is given to one who is
not acquainted with the scroll, saying, "Read this, pray." And he
says, "I am not acquainted with a scroll."
13 And saying is Yahweh,
"Forasmuch as close to Me is this people with their mouth,
and with
their lips they glorify Me, yet their heart is far from Me,
and their fear of Me is becoming as the instruction of mortals' teaching.
14 Wherefore, behold Me! I will proceed to
distribute this people,
and I am distributing them.
And perish
shall the wisdom of their wise,
and the understanding of their understanding
ones shall conceal itself."
Rom.11:8 even as it is written, God gives them a spirit of stupor,
eyes not
to be observing, and ears not to be hearing, till this very day.
Jn.12:37-40 Yet, after His having done so many
signs in front of them,
they believed not in Him,
38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet,
which he said, may be being fulfilled,
"Lord, who believes our tidings?
And the arm of the Lord, to whom was it
revealed?"
39 Therefore they could not believe, seeing
that Isaiah said again
40 that He has blinded their eyes and
callouses their heart,
lest they may be perceiving with their eyes,
and should be apprehending with their heart,
and may be turning about, and I shall be healing
them.
Mt.6:23 Yet if your eye should be
wicked, your whole body will be dark.
If, then, the light that is in you is darkness, how dense is the darkness!
Rom.11:10 Darkened be their eyes, not
to be observing,
And their backs bow together continually.
With the introduction of
the evangel announced through Paul, the latest phase of God’s operation
commenced.
Act.26:16-18 But rise and stand on your
feet, for I was seen by you for this,
to fix upon you before for a deputy and a
witness
both of what you have perceived and that in which I will be seen by you,
17 extricating you from the people
and from the
nations, to whom I am commissioning you,
18 to open their eyes, to turn them about from darkness to light
and from the authority of Satan to God,
for them to get a pardon of sins and an
allotment
among those who have been hallowed by faith that is in Me.'
While God’s work with
Israel is suspended, those of the
nations who have been called have become guiding lights to the truth of
Scripture. The Greek, phötizö, is
rendered enlightens, illuminates.
The message we have enlightens us, it illuminates life and incorruption and
enjoins us to, like Paul, enlighten others. We are said to be luminaries
[Gk. phöstêr, luminosity].
Eph.1:17-19 that the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may be giving you a spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the realization of Him,
18 the eyes of your heart having been enlightened,
for you to
perceive what is the expectation of His calling, and what
the riches
of the glory of the enjoyment of His allotment
among the saints,
19 and what the transcendent
greatness of His power for us who are believing,
in accord with the operation of the might of His
strength,
2Tim.1:10,11 …now is being manifested through the advent of our
Saviour,
Christ Jesus, Who, indeed, abolishes death,
yet illuminates
life and incorruption through the evangel
11 of which I was appointed a herald and an
apostle
and a teacher of the nations.
Eph.3:9,10 to enlighten all as to what is the administration of the
secret,
which has been concealed from the eons in God,
Who creates all,
10 that now may be made known
to
the sovereignties and the authorities among the celestials,
through the ecclesia, the multifarious wisdom of
God,
Phil.2:15,16 that you may become blameless
and artless, children of God,
flawless, in the midst of a generation crooked
and perverse
among whom you are appearing as luminaries in the world,
16 having
on the word of life,…
20. a discipliner of the imprudent, a teacher of minors,
having the form of knowledge and the truth
in the law.
‘…having the form of knowledge and the truth in the law…’
The law condemns when it is broken, those
transgressing it incurring the penalty of God’s indignation. At the same
time, to know every detail of it and to speak well of it, even to extol and
exalt it, and yet not put it into practice is nothing but hot air and stage
rhetoric.
Let us not for a moment
think, however, that such behaviour is reserved for the Jews. Even in
Christian circles we find this same attitude puffing up. Many are…
2Tim.3:4,5 fond of their own gratification rather than fond of God;
5 having a
form of devoutness, yet denying its power.
Tit.1:16 They
are avowing an acquaintance with
God,
yet by their acts
are denying it,
being abominable and stubborn, and disqualified for every good act.
It is easy to claim that we
are Christians believing in Jesus Christ as our Personal Saviour. If we do not
realize what this really means, it devolves into a mere password, a mantra
we repeat to get into God’s good books so that He will hear our requests
and petitions. Though it may seem good in our eyes, it is nothing but
window-dressing. Faith in the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord, should produce a willing acquiescence to His
directives.
21.
You, then, who are teaching another, you are not teaching yourself!
who
are heralding not to be stealing, you are stealing!
In his self-righteousness,
the Jew blinds himself to his own faults and is quick to point out the
shortcomings of others. He is able to specify, by chapter and verse, so to
say, where others fail to observe the demands of the law – even when the
law does not apply to them.
Rom.3:19 Now we are aware that,
whatever the law is saying,
it is speaking to those under the law,…
Rom.6:14 … for you are not under law, but under grace.
At the time of the Council
of Jerusalem, the law was already considered by the assembled apostles and
disciples to be a very difficult burden to bear even by the Circumcision believers, who were
commendably zealous for it. Since then, the
Jews have increased such loads not only on those who were already
burdened, but also on any proselyte that strayed within their religious
circle.
Act.21:20
…You are beholding,
brother,
how many tens of thousands there are among the
Jews who have believed,
and all
are inherently zealous for the law?
Act.15:10 Why, then, are you now
trying God,
by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples
which
neither our fathers nor we are strong enough to bear?
Mt.23:2-5 … "On Moses' seat are seated
the scribes and the Pharisees.
3 All, then, whatever they should be saying to you, do and keep it.
Yet according to their acts do not be doing, for
they are saying and not doing.
4 "Now they are binding loads, heavy and hard to bear,
and are placing them on men's shoulders,
yet they
are not willing to stir them with
their finger.
5 Now all their works are they doing to be gazed at by men,…
Thoroughly blinded by
self-righteousness, the reality of their concupiscence cannot penetrate
their calloused consciences and, in one way or another, they practise what
they expressly instruct others not to.
Gal.6:13 For not even they who
are circumcising are maintaining
law,
but they want you to be circumcised
that they should be boasting in that flesh of yours.
Isa.56:10,11 His watchmen are blind,
all of them.
They do not know to call. All of them are mute
curs. They can not bark.
They are having nightmares while lying, loving
to slumber,
11 and curs strongly soulish. No
satisfaction do they know.
And they are evil. They do not know to
understand.
All of them face to their own way,
each man for
his own gain, for his own end.
Mic.3:11 her heads are judging for a bribe,
and her priests are directing for a price,
and her prophets are divining for money, and on Yahweh they are
leaning,
saying: Is
not Yahweh within us? Evil shall not come on us.
Mt.23:15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites!
for you are going about the sea and the dry land
to make one proselyte,
and whenever he may be becoming one,
you are making him more than double a son of
Gehenna than you are.
Though one may not rob a
bank, one may short-change a neighbour. Though one may not perjure himself
in a court of law, one may tell a ‘white lie’ to gain an advantage or to
evade some liability. The law sees no difference.
22. who
are saying not to be committing adultery,
you are committing adultery!
who
are abominating idols, you are
despoiling the sanctuary!
The Jew holds on to the letter of the law, ignoring the spirit of it and, thus, ends up
breaking the very essence and spiritual
intent of the law. He condemns idolatry in others, but is not averse to
looking at the sanctuary in the same light, swearing by it to support his assertions.
Mt.5:28 Yet I am saying to you
that every man looking at a woman to lust for her
already
commits adultery with her in his heart.
Rom.7:14 For we are aware that the law
is spiritual,
yet I am fleshly,
having been disposed of under Sin.
This does not mean that
those of the nations who have been called are above such human failings. We
are human and we still fail to
hold on to the high goals set for us. We are disqualified as to looking in
disdain on the failure of the Jew for we, until God opened our minds to a
realization of Him, were in just as much confusion.
Eph.2:2,3 …once you walked, in accord
with the eon of this world,
in accord with the chief of the jurisdiction of the air,
the spirit now operating in the sons of
stubbornness
3 (among whom we also all behaved ourselves once in the lusts of our flesh,
doing the
will of the flesh and of the comprehension,
and were, in our nature, children of
indignation, even as the rest),
Eph.4:22-24 to put off from you, as
regards your former behavior,
the old
humanity
which is corrupted in accord with its
seductive desires,
23 yet to be rejuvenated in the spirit of
your mind,
24 and to put on the new humanity which, in accord with God,
is being
created
in righteousness and benignity of the truth.
23. who are boasting in a law,
through the transgression of the law you
are dishonoring God!
The responsibility of being the repository of the
form of knowledge and truth was very lightly felt by the Jew. He did not
realize the gravity of his position. His conduct was now no longer a matter
of private concern; it involved the name and honor of God. If he kept the
law it would mark him as a just and holy man, and God and His law would
receive praise. As it was, however, his actions did not comport with the
light in which he boasted, and as a result God's name was brought into
dishonor among the nations.
Concordant Commentary
The Jews, with all their
privileges and advantages of knowledge of the law, and filled with
self-confidence and self-righteousness as teachers of the law, themselves
transgress those very laws and, thereby, bring dishonour on the name of
God! Even today, their name has become synonymous with pride and arrogance
and ruthlessness. They are being hated for being the godless people that
they are now.
At the giving of the
covenant on Sinai, Israel was assured a special status with God above the
other nations. Looking mainly at these great blessings that were promised,
the people were more than eager to enter into that covenant. They were so
confident that they could, and would, keep the stipulations of the
law that was integral to the covenant.
Ex.19:5-8 Now,
if you shall hearken, yea hearken to My voice
and observe My covenant
then you will become Mine, a special possession, above all the peoples,
for Mine is all the earth.
6 As for you, you shall become Mine, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
These are the words which you shall speak to the sons of Israel.
7 So Moses came and called for the elders
of the people
and placed before them all these words which
Yahweh had instructed him.
8 Now all
the people responded together and said:
All that Yahweh speaks we shall do. …
Ex.24:3-8 So Moses came and related to the
people
all the words of Yahweh and all the judgments.
Then all
the people responded with one voice and said:
All the words which Yahweh has
spoken we shall do.
4 Now Moses wrote all the words of Yahweh.
And he rose early in the morning and built an
altar below the mountain
and twelve stone monuments for the twelve tribes
of Israel.
5 Then he sent youths of the sons of Israel,
and they brought up ascent offerings
and sacrificed young bulls as sacrifices of
peace offerings to Yahweh.
6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in
goblets,
and half of the blood he sprinkled on the
altar.
7 And he took the scroll of the covenant and read
it in the ears of the people;
so they said: All that Yahweh has spoken we
shall do and hearken to.
8 Now Moses took
the blood and sprinkled it on the
people and said:
Behold the blood of the covenant
which
Yahweh contracts with you concerning all these matters.
It is of interest to note
that the blood of the sacrifice was
sprinkled on the people to seal the contract. At the trial of Jesus,
too, there is a parallel concerning the Blood of the Sacrifice on the people
as the seal of the New Covenant which had been inaugurated that very
Passover Day.
Mt.26:26-28 Now at their eating, Jesus, taking
the bread, and blessing,
breaks it, and, giving to the disciples, said,
"Take, eat. This is My body."
27 And taking the cup and giving thanks, He
gives it to them, saying,
"Drink of it all,
28 for this is My blood of the new covenant,
that is
shed for
many for the pardon of sins.
Mt.27:24-26 Now Pilate,
perceiving that it is benefiting nothing, but
rather a tumult is occurring,
getting water, washes off his hands in front of
the throng, saying,
"Innocent am I of the blood of this just man. You will be seeing to
it!"
25 And, answering, the entire people said,
"His
blood be on us and on our children!"
26 Then he releases to them Bar-Abbas.
Now, whipping Jesus, he gives Him over that He
may be crucified.
The history of Israel has
been a record of dismal failure on her part to keep to the spirit, and even
the letter (which they gave high emphasis to), of the law. Almost with the
giving of the law, the people broke it with outright aplomb.
Ex.32:1-9 The people saw that Moses was tardy
to descend from the mountain.
So the people assembled themselves against Aaron
and said to him:
Rise! Make
for us elohim who shall go before us,
for this Moses, the man who brought us up from
the land of Egypt,
we know not what has become of him.
2 Then Aaron said to them: Tear off the pendants
of gold
which are in the ears of your wives, your sons
and your daughters,
and bring them to me.
3 So all the people tore off the pendants
of gold
which were in their ears and brought them to
Aaron.
4 He took it from their hands
and formed it with a stylus and made of it a molten calf. And they
said:
These are your elohim, Israel, who brought you up
from the land of Egypt.
5 When Aaron discerned this, he built an altar
before it.
Then Aaron called out and said: A celebration to Yahweh tomorrow!
6 So they rose early on the morrow
and brought up ascent offerings and brought
close peace offerings.
And the people sat to eat and drank and rose to
make fun.
7 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses: Go! Go down, for
your people
whom you brought up from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.
8 They have
withdrawn quickly from the way I instructed them.
They have made for themselves a molten calf
and bowed themselves down to it. They have
sacrificed to it and said:
These are your elohim, Israel, who brought you
up from the land of Egypt.
9 And Yahweh said to Moses:
I have seen this people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people.
24. For because of you the name of God is being
blasphemed among the nations, according as it is written.
People have become averse
to the God of the Jews. People could very well ask: ‘What kind of a God is
He Who cannot instruct and control His people well enough to keep their
obnoxious behaviour in check?’.
Isa.52:5 And now, what is for Me
here," averring is Yahweh,
"that My people are taken gratuitously?
Their rulers are howling,"
averring is Yahweh, "and continually, the
entire day,
My name is
spurned among the nations.
Ezek.36:20 And one goes in unto the nations whither they have
gone,
And they
pollute My holy name by saying to them,
The people
of Yahweh
[are] these, And from His land they have gone forth.
Ezek.36:22 Therefore, say to the house of Israel,
Thus said the Lord Yahweh:
Not for your sake am I working, O house of
Israel, But--for My holy name,
That you
have polluted among nations whither you have gone in.
Isa.1:11-15 "Why, to Me, your many
sacrifices?" saying is Yahweh.
"I am surfeited with ascent approaches of
rams, and the fat of fatlings,
and in the blood of young bulls and he-lambs and
he-goats I do not delight.
12 In case you are coming to appear before
Me—
Who seeks this from your hand, to tramp My
courts?
13 Do not continue to bring a futile
approach present.
Incense--it is an abhorrence to Me!
The new moon and the sabbath, the calling of a
meeting--!
I cannot bear a fast and a day of restraint!
14 Your new moons and your appointments are
hated by My soul.
They become an encumbrance to Me. I am tired of
bearing them.
15 And when you spread your palms to Me, I
will obscure My eyes from you.
Moreover, in case you are increasing your
prayers,
there is no hearing by Me.
Your hands are full of blood. Amidst your
fingers extrudes lawlessness….”
25. For circumcision, indeed, is benefiting
if you should be putting law into practice,
yet if you should be a transgressor of
law,
your circumcision has become
uncircumcision.
God's
judgment, let us remember, is based on acts; His gifts are granted to
faith. We have not yet come to the bestowal of gifts. The rite of
circumcision was the outward sign, in the first place, of an inward faith,
but it degenerated into a mere mark of privilege. But misused privilege is
of no avail at the bar of God.
Concordant Commentary
Circumcision involves the
recipient in a covenant relationship
with God. It qualifies him for the other
covenants God made with His people.
None of the others apply if this one has not been undertaken. But, if he
breaks these other covenants, transgressing the law in particular, his
circumcision gains him nothing. It is then worthless, a mere physical
disfigurement. Scripture calls such who depend on the efficacy of this
rite, of itself, ‘the maimcision’,
from the Greek katatomên rather
than peritomê (Phil.3:3). He
might as well have not been circumcised.
Gal.5:3 Now I am attesting again to
every man who is circumcising,
that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Gal.3:10 For whoever are of works of
law are under a curse,
for it written that, Accursed is everyone
who is not remaining in all things written in the scroll of the law to do them.
Jas.2:10 For anyone who should be keeping the whole law,
yet should be tripping in one thing, has become liable for all.
26. If the Uncircumcision, then,
should be maintaining the just requirements of
the law,
shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned
for circumcision?
Here, the reference is to
the Uncircumcision, those
out of the nations who are believers in Christ, and not generally the uncircumcised, which applies
to all non-Jews. Now, if such a
one fulfills the very essence of the
law through loving God and loving his associate, will he not be in
relationship with God as if he were circumcised?
The uncircumcised unbelieving of the nations, not having a concept of Him,
cannot be loving God in truth and, thus, cannot ‘be maintaining the just
requirements of the law’.
Mt.22:37-40 Now He averred to him,
"You
shall be loving the Lord your God with your whole heart,
and with your whole soul, and with your whole
comprehension.
38 This is the great and foremost
precept.
39 Yet the second is like it: `You shall be loving your associate
as yourself.'
40 On these
two precepts is hanging the whole
law and the prophets."
1Jn.4:19,20 We are loving God, for He first loves us.
20 If anyone should be saying that "I
am loving God,"
and should be hating his brother, he is a liar;
for he who is not loving his brother whom he has seen
can not be loving God Whom he has not seen.
1Cor.7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing,
but the keeping of the precepts of God.
Phil.3:3 for we are the circumcision
who are offering divine service in the spirit of God,
and are glorying in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in flesh.
Col.2:11 in Whom you were
circumcised also
with a circumcision not made by hands,
in the stripping off of the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ.
27. And the Uncircumcision who, by nature,
are discharging the law's demands,
shall be judging you,
who through letter and circumcision, are
a transgressor of law.
These, of the Uncircumcision who, though neither
constrained nor obligated by the dictates of the law, live by the essence
of that law, will be judging those of the Jews who transgress those laws.
Rom.8:3,4 …He condemns sin in the
flesh,
4that the just requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us,
who are
not walking in accord with flesh, but in accord with spirit.
Rom.13:10 Love is not working evil to
an associate.
The complement,
then, of law, is love.
Gal.5:14 For the entire law is fulfilled in one word,
in this: "You shall love your associate as
yourself."
Even the inhabitants of
Nineveh who repented when Jonah preached to them, when they arise for
judgment together with the unbelieving generation of Jews of Christ’s time,
will condemn the Jews for their unbelief and unrighteousness.
Mt.12:41,42 Men, Ninevites, will be
rising in the judging with this
generation
and will
be condemning it, for they repent at the heralding of Jonah,
and lo! more than Jonah is here!
42 "The queen of the south will be roused in the judging with this generation
and will
be condemning it, for she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and lo! more than
Solomon is here!
28. For not that which is apparent is the Jew,
nor yet that which is apparent in
flesh is circumcision;
In
the judgment the outward visible tokens will count for nothing. Only that
which is vital, in spirit, which will meet the scrutiny of God, will
receive recognition. Men may applaud many an action which God detests, and
may condemn that which God approves. Human standards and outward
appearances will weigh little in the judgment. Concordant Commentary
Though the self-righteous
may hide their weaknesses and dark deeds from, and flaunt their pretentious
good deeds before, the eyes of men, nothing is hidden from God. He does not
judge by appearances, He is not taken in by pretences.
Rom.9:6-8 …for not all those out of Israel, these are Israel;
7 neither that Abraham's seed are all children,…
Isa.48:1 …house of Jacob, called by the name of Israel,
and those who from the waters of Judah fare forth,
those swearing by the name of Yahweh,
and the
Elohim of Israel are mentioning, not
in truth, and not in
righteousness
Jn.2:24,25 Yet Jesus Himself did not entrust
Himself to them,
because of
His knowing all men,
25 for He had no need that anyone should be
testifying concerning mankind,
for He
knew what was in mankind.
Heb.4:13 …all is naked and bare
to the eyes of Him to Whom we are accountable.
Rev.2:23 NIV … I am he who searches hearts and minds,
and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
29. but that which is hidden is the Jew,
and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit,
not in letter, whose applause is not of men, but of God
Outer trappings carry no
weight. It is what is inside, the hidden man with all its motivation and
intent, that counts. Circumcision is a token
of the cutting off of dependence on
the flesh to meet God’s standards. It represents a spiritual condition in the reality, a dependence
on God rather than on self.
1Sam.16:7 And Yahweh said unto Samuel,
`Look not unto his appearance, and unto the height of his stature,
for I have rejected him; for [it is] not as man sees--
for man looks at the eyes, and Yahweh looks at the heart.'
Jer.4:4 Be circumcised to Yahweh,
And turn aside the foreskins of your heart,…
Deut.10:16 Hence you will circumcise the
foreskin of your heart,
and you should no longer stiffen your neck
Ezek.44:9 No
son of a stranger,
uncircumcised of heart, and uncircumcised of flesh,
comes in unto My sanctuary,
even any son of a stranger, who [is] in the
midst of the sons of Israel,
Deut.30:6 Yahweh
your Elohim will circumcise your
heart
and the
heart of your seed so as to love Yahweh your Elohim
with all your heart and with all your soul, that
you may stay alive.
Col.2:11 in Whom you were circumcised also
with a circumcision not made by hands,
in the stripping off of the body of flesh in the circumcision of Christ.
Phil.3:2,3 …Beware of the
maimcision,
3 for we are the circumcision
who are offering divine service in the spirit of God,
and are glorying in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in flesh.
Rom.7:6 … it is for us to be slaving in newness of spirit
and not in oldness of letter.
2Cor.3:6 Who also makes us competent
dispensers of a new covenant,
not of the letter, but of the spirit,
for the letter is killing, yet the spirit is
vivifying.
1Pet.3:3,4 whose adornment, let it
not be the outside,
of braiding aught into the hair and of decking
with gold,
or putting on of garments,
4 but the hidden
human of the heart,
in the
incorruptibility of a meek and quiet spirit,
which, in God's sight, is costly.
Jn.5:44 How can you believe, getting glory
from one another,
and are not seeking the glory which is from God alone?
Jn.12:43 for they love the glory
of men rather than even the glory
of God.
2Cor.10:18 For not he who is
commending himself is qualified,
but whom the
Lord is commending.
We have to be very careful
in dealing with this passage. Too often it is taken out of its context and
made to bring out doctrines which are not really there at all!
It is often taken to mean
that we, non-Jews, can be considered as spiritual
Israel. From this assumption it is derived that, since physical Israel
has now been cast aside because of her rejection of their Messiah, all the
blessings and promises God has made with the nation of Israel may now be
applied to us. Somehow God's promises must come true for, otherwise, they
would only go to waste - so we 'protect' God's integrity by providing a
substitute recipient for His blessings.
There are passages which
state that we are looked on as figurative
Israel - that is, we are considered Israel in figure only - based on the fact that we have no confidence
in the flesh, which is the true significance of circumcision (Phil.3:3).
Our realm or sphere of operations for the on-coming eons is inherent in the heavens, and that is where we
will be (Phil.3:20,21) when the faithful of Israel enjoy the
fulfillment of God's promises to them in the kingdom on earth! Israel was, and will be, the chosen nation, the
chosen people of God.
What the passage we are now
considering really says, if we keep to the context (from v.17-27), is
addressed to the Jew who looks on his physical circumcision as a talisman
or passport into the Kingdom! It asserts that external circumcision, of
itself, is no real indication of belonging to true Israel. The followers of
Islam, in their millions, have a similar rite of circumcision at age
fourteen (after Ishmael’s) but they are not counted as among the chosen
nation. It is internal circumcision, that of the heart, that counts!
Ezek.44:9 Thus said the Lord Yahweh:
No son of a stranger, uncircumcised of heart, and
uncircumcised of flesh, comes in unto
My sanctuary, even any son of a stranger, who [is] in the midst of the
sons of Israel,
In would
follow that, then,
If one is circumcised in flesh, but not in heart, he is disqualified;
If one is circumcised in heart, but not in flesh, he is also disqualified;
If one is circumcised in heart, and
in flesh, then only is he qualified!
The context of this passage
is eligibility for worship at the Temple during the Millenium. During this
time Israel is once again the
people of God!
Ezek.34:30 …they have known that I, Yahweh,
their Elohim, [am] with them,
And they--the
house of Israel--My people, An affirmation of the Lord Yahweh.
Ezek.36:22 …
say to the house of Israel, Thus said the Lord Yahweh:
Not for your sake am I working, O house of Israel, But--for My holy name,
That you have polluted among nations whither you
have gone in.
Ezek.36:26-28 And I have given to you a new
heart,
And a new spirit I give in your midst,
And I have turned aside the heart of stone out
of your flesh,
And I have given to you a heart of flesh.
27 And My Spirit I give in your midst,
And I have done this, so that in My statutes you
walk,
And My judgments you keep, and have done
them.
28 And you have dwelt in the land that I
have given to your fathers,
And you
have been to Me for a people, And I--I
am to you for Elohim.
Ezek.37:26-28 And I have made to them a covenant
of peace,
A covenant eonian it is with them,
And I have placed them, and multiplied them,
And placed My sanctuary in their midst--to the eon.
27 And My tabernacle has been over them,
And I have been to them for Elohim, And they
have been to Me for a people.
28 And known have the nations that I Yahweh am sanctifying Israel,
In My sanctuary being in their midst--to the eon!'
Ezek.39:25-29 Therefore, thus said the Lord
Yahweh:
Now do I bring back the captivity of Jacob,
And I have pitied all the house of Israel,
And have been zealous for My holy name.
26 And they have forgotten their shame,
And all their trespass that they trespassed
against Me,
In their dwelling on their land confidently and
none troubling.
27 In
My bringing them back from the peoples,
I have assembled them from the lands of their
enemies,
And I have been sanctified in them before the
eyes of the many nations,
28 And they have known that I [am] Yahweh
their Elohim,
In My
removing them unto the nations,
And I have
gathered them unto their land,
And I leave none of them any more there.
29 And
I hide not any more My face from them,
In that I have poured out My spirit on the house of Israel,
An affirmation of the Lord Yahweh!'
God's promises WILL come
true for the people He made those promises to. In fact His reputation is at
stake, His integrity depends upon it!
Isa.43:1-12
thus says Yahweh Elohim, your Creator, Jacob,
and your Former, Israel: "You must not
fear, for I redeemed you,
I called you by your name. You are Mine…
For I, Yahweh, am your Elohim, The Holy One of
Israel, your Redeemer. …
You are more precious than riches, in My eyes.
Glorified are you, and I, I love you. … You must not fear, for I am with you!
From the rising of the sun will I bring your
seed,
and from the west will I convene you.
I will say to the north, `Give.' And to the
south, `You must not detain.'
Bring My sons from a land afar, and My daughters
from the ends of the earth;
everyone being called by My name.
And for My glory I created him, I formed him.
Indeed, I made him. …
"You
are My witnesses," averring is Yahweh Elohim,
"And My
servant whom I have chosen,
that you may know
and will believe Me, and understand that I am He:
Before Me was formed no El. And after Me none
shall come.
I, I,
Yahweh am El!
And there is no Saviour apart from Me. I tell
and save and announce.
And an alien is not among you. And you are My witnesses,"
averring is Yahweh, "And I am El…."
Isa.43:21 This people I have formed for Myself,
and they shall
relate My praise.
Isa.44:21,22 "Remember
these things, Jacob and Israel,
for My
servant are you. I formed
you.
A servant of Mine are you, Israel. You shall not
be oblivious of Me.
For behold! I wipe out as a dense
haze, your transgressions,
and as a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I redeemed you."
Isa.46:11 Calling from the sunrise, a bird of
prey,
from a land far off, the man of My counsel.
Indeed, I speak! Indeed, I will bring
it about! I formed. Indeed, I will do it.
This fulfillment will come
about by GOD's own doing. We do not have to engineer a devious 'stop-gap'
contingency action to help Him hold on to His integrity.
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Index of Articles - Romans
May 2006
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