Romans 2:17-29 - Hypocrisy - by Ken Clezy
Romans 2:17-29
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” 25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
Here Paul deals with one of the worst sins: hypocrisy. As was so often his custom, way back in 2:1-3 he hints at what is coming. (His most striking example of this habit is probably his teaching on being controlled by the Holy Spirit (sanctification) which he introduces in Romans ch 6, but leaves a full explanation until ch 8.)
Jesus warned against hypocrisy many times, 7 of which we have on record.
(Mt 23:12-29. Lk 12:21.)
Hypocrisy is bad because it deceives the hypocrite, damages unbelievers and dishonours God. It deceives the hypocrite because he knows the truth but doesn’t obey it. Jews in particular were at risk of hypocrisy because they took pride in being Abraham’s descendants, having the Law, and having the rite of circumcision. To this day many secular Jews seem to be just as proud of all this as are their observant brothers and sisters.
While writing this Paul may have had Micah 3:11 in mind, where the prophet rebukes the Jewish leadership for their sin and then says, ‘Yet they say ‘Isn’t the Lord in our midst? Calamity won’t come upon us.’ Many Jews in Paul’s day reckoned that having the Law etc would protect them even if they didn’t obey it. Perhaps some Roman Christians of Jewish background needed reminding about hypocrisy.
2:17 The wording ‘rely on the Law’ is a little bald. A better translation is ‘rest on the Law’, which many Jews in pre-Christian times rightly did. Nowhere does Paul disparage the Law as Law. (See the last verse of ch 3.) Likewise, ‘boast’ about your relationship to God gives the wrong impression. ‘Celebrate’ is nearer to his meaning. Nothing wrong with that.
2:18-20. Again, nothing wrong with the abilities and qualities itemised here. 2:20-22. Believing but disobeying is the problem. Theft and adultery may need no explanation, but robbing temples does. Many Jews took the view that because idols weren’t real beings, gifts put in temples belonged to nobody, so anyone could lift them. Paul didn’t accept that idea.
Perhaps Christians needed (and need) some of these warnings too. My youngest daughter, Shirley Culhane, works for ACCESS Ministries, responsible for much school chaplaincy in Victoria. She tells me many young Christians, even from Christian families, have little idea of sexual morality.
Right across the Graeco-Roman world other men’s wives were off limits (in theory) but just about anything else went. No wonder Paul so often warned new Christians, in particular, about sexual immorality. It can be argued that the murderous jealousies that inevitably accompanied sexual immorality were a major contributor to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.
2:23-24 In our own time we have seen individuals in many churches exposed as child sex abusers, which has allowed and encouraged anti-Christians to attack Christianity. Reminders that more than 96% of Catholic priests and lay brothers are never even tempted cut no ice with arrant unbelievers, who will always attack us for anything perceived as hypocrisy. We must all be careful to give no legitimate excuse whatever for unbelievers to criticise us, because as Paul says, in so doing we are allowing our God to be criticised, which is blasphemy.
2:25-27. At first sight we might suppose that Paul is addressing Jewish readers only, but he may also be reminding Jewish-background Christians that they must abandon pride in the rite of circumcision, which we know wasn’t a problem in Galatia only. And it’s a reminder that pride in our God-given abilities, achievements or in our families can be sinful. Let us examine ourselves . . .
2:28-29. Paul had rightful pride in being a Jew and was able to praise other Jews, provided that their religion was sincere. These verses remind us that our behaviour must always match our beliefs. Others may praise us, but pleasing God is what really matters.