ROMANS 2 WHO SHALL ESCAPE ?

[Doug]

The wrath of God has been revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men in Romans 1:18.

In Romans 2 the wrath of God is focused on Israel as can be seen from verse 17.

Romans 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

Israel will be judged by their deeds to determine entrance into the kingdom on earth (Psalm 62:12 Isaiah 3:10-11 Ezekiel 18:30 Matthew 16:25-28 Matthew 5:20).

2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Israel was to be patient and endure to the end in order to enter into the Davidic kingdom on earth (Luke 21:19 Matthew 24:13 Matthew 3:2 Exodus 19:5-6 Isaiah 2:1-3 Jeremiah 23:5).

This verse is not for this dispensation; we are not justified unto eternal life by doing good, as there is none righteous (Romans 3:10). We are justified freely by the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24).

2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;

The unbelieving, wicked Jew will be first to face wrath.

2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

The Gentiles were to be blessed by Israel in the kingdom on earth (Isaiah 60:3 Genesis 12:2-3 Micah 4:2 Matthew 28:19 Zechariah 8:22-23). Gentiles could also be blessed through Israel (Luke 7:9) and by believing the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom (Acts 13:48). God is no respecter of persons, Gentiles would enter the kingdom as well if they continued in belief (Matthew 25:34-46 Romans 11:20-21).

2:12 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;

Israel would not escape wrath by simply being Israel and having the law.

2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

This verse upholds the contention that Romans 2 is directed to Israel and to refute the belief that by being Israel they would escape judgment and wrath.

2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

The name of God being blasphemed as it is written in 2 Samuel 12:14. Israel by breaking the law blasphemed the name of God.

2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

2:29 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.

Romans 2 is directed to Israel, to correct the notion that by being a Jew they would escape wrath and the verses above demonstrate this. The true Jew is not a Jew by the flesh, by being born an Israelite and circumcised, but is a Jew by faith.

 

[hedrick]

Not exactly. Remember that Romans is directed against Judaizers, Christians who believe that you have to be circumcized before you can be Christian, because only Israel can be God’s people.

Rom 1 and 2 are the first part of debunking this claim. Rom 1:18-32 is the stereotypical Jewish attack on pagans, presumably quoted by Paul because it’s part of the Judaizers’ attack on Gentile Christians. Paul rejects this in Rom 2. His rejection has at least three parts, (1) it is judging others (2) the people judging have a log in their own eye, and (3) some pagans are acceptable because they unconsciously obey an inner law.

2:6 is not an attack on Israel but on the Judaizers, though by implication it does reject any Jewish claims of moral superiority. This is clear from 2:3. The passage starting there says that those who judge others (as the Judaizers attacked Gentiles) are storing up wrath for themselves, Remember that Jesus says we’ll be judged the way we judge other.

The section starting in 2:2 is a rejection of the whole argument of 1:18-32. 2:2 starts the section by quoting 1:32, which is the culmination of 1:18-32, in order to reject it. The initial basis of the rejection is that it judging others when you’ve got problems of your own. (see, e.g. Mat 7:1-5) Chap 2 then goes on to point out that some Gentiles have an inner law.

 

[hedrick]

In short, 2:6 was originally part of a warning for Christians who would judge all Gentiles, but the same arguments would apply to Christians who would judge all Jewe.