Romans 2:1-11

Romans 2.1-11

¹ Therefore you are without excuse, O man, everyone rendering judgment. For in the act when you render judgment on another, you render judgment on yourself, for you who render judgment practice the same things. ² And we know that God’s judgment is according to the truth, against those who practice such things. ³ Now do you think, O man who judges those who practice such things and does them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or, do you despise the riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, because you know that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? ⁵ But because of your hard and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶ who will render to everyone according to his deeds. ⁷ To those who by persevering in a good work seek glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. ⁸ But on those who act out of selfish ambition and who disobey the truth and instead obey unrighteousness, he will inflict wrath and anger. ⁹ There will be tribulation and distress for everyone who accomplishes evil, both the Jew first and also the Greek, ¹⁰ but there will be glory and honor and peace to everyone who accomplishes good, both to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹¹ For there is no partiality with God.

In 1.18-32 Paul's focus was on the Gentiles, but this focus did not exclude, as we discussed earlier, the Jews. On the contrary Paul displayed in 1.18ff that Israel recapitulated Adam's sin, principally at the golden calf incident. Now, though Paul turns his focus to Israel, who is the one who judges, and what was implied in 1.18ff Paul makes clear: Israel is storing up wrath.

Why is the one who renders judgment under his own judgment? Is it because his judgment is incorrect? No, that does not seem to be the case. Rather, the one passing judgment in this section is under judgment, because the judgment he renders regarding others, falls on him as well, because he is guilty of the same unrighteousness. Behind this reasoning by Paul seems to be Israel who could render the actions of the Gentiles as abominations, and thus believe themselves to be in the right, because they can render an accurate judgment. But this is not how it works. To be in the right requires a persevering in a good work. That is, God's kindness to Israel was intended to lead them to repentance. But Israel has scorned the kindness and mercy of God with their hard hearts. Israel, because of God's covenant and Law, believes that it by virtue of this relationship with God that he will escape the wrath to come.

Paul's critique is that it is not simply one's ability to judge which will bring about eternal life, but it is perseverance in a good work. Why? Because God does not show partiality for the Jew in his judgments. Both Jew and Greek receive from the Lord either tribulation and distress or glory and honor and peace. What determines what one receives is not nationality, that is Jew or Greek, but what one does. That is, the evil one, whether Jew or Greek, will receive tribulation and wrath. The one who accomplishes good will receive glory and honor. Why? Because there is no partiality with God. God's judgment is based on truth, and whether Jew or Greek, God's judgment falls on all who practice evil. And because Israel has also obey unrighteousness, Israel like the Gentiles is under God's judgment.