The Hiddenness of the Jew

Romans 2:17-29
July 18, 2021
Peter Yoo

Sermon Script

Review

As I mentioned earlier, we’re doing a little mini-series on the first three chapters of Paul’s letter to the Romans. And in the beginning of Romans 1, we saw how Paul began his letter and how central the gospel is. Then, while talking about the gospel, Paul tells us the importance of God’s attributes revealed. First, God has revealed his righteousness in the gospel. And second, God has revealed his wrath in some unbelievers, even now.

And at the beginning of Romans 2, Paul’s talking to another kind of unbeliever, who thinks he’s better than the unbeliever in Romans 1. And he believes this because of how God has visibly treated him better than the unbelievers in Romans 1. They sin, God handed them over to their sin. But when the man in Romans 2 sins, God showed him patience and kindness. So he thinks that God just likes him more. But Paul makes it clear, that whether an unbeliever experiences God’s wrath now or God’s patience now, this is only temporary. Both will experience the wrathful judgment of God when Christ returns. And when he returns, the wrath of God against all unbelievers will be made clear and visible to all.

And if there’s anyone who’s listening this morning and hasn’t repented of their sin because God’s shown you patience, don’t be deceived. It’s not because God likes you more. But actually, you’re storing up wrath for yourself. God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance (Rom 2:4). Repent. Confess your sins to the Lord. And if you repent of your sins to him and know your need for a Savior, then I can encourage you with the truth that all the wrath that was stored up for you was placed on Christ on the cross. There is no more wrath for you, praise the Lord! And for believers, this truth remains true for you! From the time you first believed until today, there’s nothing that you did that can “add wrath” so-to-speak toward you. Every day that you live from here on out will be in the light of God’s fatherly care, not his just wrath. Praise the Lord!

Who’s Paul Talking To?

And so, in light of all this, in light of this distinction between what’s visible now and what’s not visible now, Paul continues his argument with a new set of claims made by another person in verses 17-20. This time, these claims are specifically said to be made by a self-proclaimed Jewish teacher. And just like the unbeliever in Romans 2, this Jewish teacher makes claims about what he believes to be clear and visible differences between himself and other people. And just like the unbeliever in Romans 2, Paul will disagree with this man’s conclusion. Paul will reveal to us that this man also looks only at what’s visible and ignores what’s hidden, just like the unbeliever in Romans 2.

The Claims

We can see the teacher’s claims in verses 17-20, and we notice that his claims fall into two main categories. And each section has one central, supporting reason in it that undergirds his confidence. First, in verses 17-18, Paul tells us that he relies on the law, he boasts in God, he knows God’s will, and he approves of what’s excellent. And the reason for all that is at the end of verse 18, because he’s been instructed from the law. That word “instructed” in verse 18 is closely related to our word for “being catechized.” Just like the word we use in the Heidelberg Catechism. And so, the man says he’s been carefully catechized and carefully instructed from the law.

Now, what’s being assumed here in that claim is that the Jews, of all the peoples of the world, had the law of God in its written form, in its visible form, a form that they could visibly read from, a form that they could be carefully instructed and catechized in. And so, this Jewish teacher believes that because he possesses the law and because he’s been carefully catechized, this sets him apart. And in his mind, it makes him better.

The second half of his claims are found in verses 19-20, which focus more on the teacher himself. Paul tells us that this teacher views himself as a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children. In other words, others should look to him as a pattern or as an example to imitate, to learn from, to follow. And Paul gives the teacher’s reason why he believes this set of claims. It’s because he believes that he has in the law what Paul calls the embodiment of knowledge and truth. The word “embodiment” may even be better translated as “outward form.” So this Jewish teacher is actually really similar to the unbeliever in Romans 2 because he too is focusing on things that are visible. He sees himself as a guide and a light for others because of some outward form or outward embodiment of knowledge that he possesses that others could see.

And to perhaps be a little more clear here, when this Jewish teacher is talking about this outward form, he’s most likely referring to an outward mark, or in other words, physical circumcision. Jews in Paul’s day viewed circumcision this way, it was a sign in the flesh that was a symbol of their inward knowledge. And that’s why Paul will go on later in verses 25-29 to discuss the issue of circumcision, its significance, what it is, what it isn’t, and so on.

All things considered then, verses 17-20 seem to hinge on 2 main things. First, this man has been carefully catechized and instructed from the written Law of God; second, he also possesses circumcision as a visible form or mark or embodiment of that same knowledge from the Law of God. And just like the unbeliever in Romans 2, this teacher thinks that there’s something visible that he can point to that shows his superiority to others.

The Teacher’s Error

But before we see what Paul’s response to this Jewish teacher is, we must first remember this important notion. That the things this man bases his confidence in are not bad things, as far as they go. Possessing God’s law is hardly a bad thing. And to be carefully instructed in God’s law? Even better. And to have the sign of circumcision was also a great privilege for the Jews. In the Old Testament, being circumcised was commanded, it was something that one ought to do for all the males. So in one sense, we can say, then, that this teacher is actually focused on things that are good in themselves. Well, as far as they go. It’d be like claiming to be baptized into the covenant community of God, and being catechized in Sunday School, going to Bible study faithfully every week. Good things! As far as they go.

But what do they ultimately mean? The problem isn’t that these things aren’t good, they are good, God tells us these things in his Word. The problem is that they don’t possess ultimate and lasting significance in themselves. These good things aren’t reasons for confidence in life. “I do all these good things, I’m well-taught, I obey God’s Law, I go to church every week. Do you see the difference between me and others? Other people? No. Me? I’m much better. It’s pretty clear.” And so, understood in this way, these claims are not only misguided, but they’re also very, very dangerous. Precisely because this man looks at things that are good, as far as they go. But he mistakes them for something they’re not.

Paul’s Response

So Paul begins to dismantle these claims starting from verse 21. First, in verses 21-22, Paul points out how ineffective the Jewish teacher’s great knowledge has been for him morally-speaking. “You teach others! Do you not teach yourself?” If you know something that others don’t and you teach others, all that means is that you know what you should do, but the more important question is, do you actually do what you know you should do? Do you actually do what you know you should do? This man clearly doesn’t. Paul tells us, While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? And the assumed answer to these rhetorical questions is, “Yes, he does” or “Yes, he has.” So then, Paul’s basically asking this simple question: “So, where’s this great distinction between you and those you boast over? I don’t really see it.”

The man is outwardly religious, he might even be really religious, studying God’s law intensely, not ashamed of the fact that he’s circumcised. Because in Paul’s day, circumcision was seen as something bizarre and strange to the Greeks and Romans, and yet this man is proud of that distinction. But what difference does that make in and of itself? The Law that he boasts in, the superior inward knowledge that he claims really only serves to condemn him more since he doesn’t obey it. That’s why Paul says in verse 23 that the man dishonors and actually brings shame to God’s name, just like the Jews in the Old Testament did when they went into exile because of their sin. And then Paul quotes from Isaiah 52 in verse 24, pointing to how he’s no different. “You say you have knowledge, you say you can teach others, but what’s the real difference, what difference of ultimate significance does that make in your life? You might be somewhat better than others, but that boast in the end is hollow if you don’t even do what you claim.”

Circumcision

Paul then finishes this chapter by directly addressing the topic of circumcision in verses 25-29. First, in verse 25 he describes what is basically an empty, physical circumcision, a circumcision devoid of any value. He says yes, bodily circumcision could be something to boast in as the teacher seeks to, if he could actually keep the law fully. But when he breaks the law, the distinction between himself and others is gone. At that point, they’re both just sinners. This visible distinction between him and others is empty. His precious circumcision becomes uncircumcision. Then in verse 26, he describes a person who has no outward sign of circumcision, but embodies the meaning intended for it. That this person actually obeys the Law. And in verse 27, Paul points out that a Gentile who obeys the Law, even while physically uncircumcised, only increases the condemnation of the Jew who has the Law and circumcision, but is a transgressor through his sin.

In other words, Paul is saying to this Jewish teacher, “Why are you boasting in your circumcision? If you kept the whole law, then it’s something to boast about. But you don’t even do that! Your circumcision, then, that you hold so dear, is actually worthless. And if someone isn’t physically circumcised like you but keeps the Law, embodies what the Law and circumcision is all about, then isn’t he considered better than you? Doesn’t that actually make things worse for you?”

This all leads to verses 28-29, where Paul draws some conclusions and summarizes his point. You’ll notice three things in verses 28-29. First, Paul says that the Jew is properly defined inwardly, not outwardly. More specifically, the circumcision that counts, is not circumcision of the body or of the flesh, but a circumcision of the heart. This is classic Old Testament language. In Deuteronomy 10, a circumcised heart is a heart that’s not stubborn against the Lord, but soft and receptive to his Word (Deut 10:16). In Jeremiah 4, a circumcised heart is a repentant heart, a heart that turns away from evil and wickedness and turns toward the Lord for forgiveness and mercy and for help to obey. It’s not merely something outward, but it’s something inward.

Second, in verses 28-29, Paul says that this inward circumcision can only be accomplished, can only be brought about by God himself. Verse 29 says circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not the letter, meaning the Law. Clearly, then, no amount of reading, studying, or being catechized in the Law will in and of itself produce a soft and repentant heart. Generally-speaking, when we read God’s Law we have 2 tendencies. We either don’t like God’s Law and reject it, or we try to obey it by our own strength and fail to do it. But a soft and repentant heart is only something God can give. Our efforts won’t do it, following the law won’t do it, Pastor Abe’s efforts won’t do it, your parents’ efforts won’t do it. The Lord must produce this heart in us, so we must go to him. Ask him to produce a softness of heart, a receptiveness to his Word, a repentance that only he can produce in and through us.

Third, in verses 28-29, we notice that this inward circumcision produced by God’s Spirit, is something that’s invisible to other people, but it’s something that’s known and praised by God. Honestly, in these verses, it’s a little hard to see Paul’s focus in our English translations, at least most of them. But it’s very clear in the Greek. ESV translations say that a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, but rather inwardly. The Greek says that a Jew is not visible but hidden. And that’s why the true Jew’s praise is from God, because the heart is only something only God sees. If you remember 1 Samuel 16:7, the prophet Samuel is going to anoint the future King of Israel, and it ends up being David, the least of all his brothers, in everyone’s eyes. But the Lord says to Samuel, the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. Very much the same concept as what Paul’s saying here.

Taken altogether then, verses 28-29, the conclusion of the passage, say that what properly defines a Jew in right relationship to God is not something that’s visible to others. It’s not something done in the body, it’s not something done merely in accordance to the law. Rather it’s hidden, done in the heart, it’s done by God’s Spirit. It’s something only God knows for certain is there, it’s something that God rejoices over and praises. This Jewish teacher was so focused on outward things. He’s been catechized, he’s been circumcised, and he thought that made him better than the average person, at least better than those in Romans 1. But Paul says, those things or any other merely outward things don’t make any ultimate difference. They don’t have any ultimate and lasting significance. They’re not grounds for confidence, they’re not something to place your identity in. Any outward, visible way of distinguishing one person from another literally, Paul says, misses the heart of the matter. The only crucial, ultimate difference between people lies within your heart’s relationship to the Lord.

For Christians

Maybe you’re here this morning with a similar mindset, a mindset that overlaps with this Jewish teacher. “I did this better, I did that better, I certainly don’t do those things. At least I’m not like that guy.” But all of that can be a mere illusion. Any form of obedience that doesn’t come from an inward and repentant heart towards the Lord doesn’t have any ultimate or lasting significance. Whatever it is that you believe makes you better than the other person, think twice about it. “I’m a better student than that person. I’m a better co-worker than that person. I’m a better spouse or parent than that person.” Careful. If your obedience doesn’t come from an inward and repentant heart towards the Lord, then I warn you this morning that your forms of good behavior or whatnot actually has zero ultimate or lasting significance. At the end of the day, the distinction is really between a hard heart and a soft, repentant one.

And just to be clear, what Paul is saying in verses 28-29 is not just true of a Jew, as he words it here, but it’s also true of Christians. Paul makes it clear in Romans 8:19 that Christians, the children of God, will only finally be revealed on that future day of Christ when he returns. In other words, it’s not possible to know now with perfect and infallible certainty that someone’s a Christian or not just by looking at them. God knows, but it’s not something that we’re able to know as God knows it. One day, there will be no mistaking those who are Christians, those who are circumcised in the heart. Because God will make it clearly known and visible before all to see. He will raise our bodies and we will be glorified and shine more brilliantly than the sun. And unbelievers, even those who pose as godly and religious, will go to destruction and there won’t be any question on that day, will there? But that’s not the way it is today. Until that day comes, God alone infallibly knows what’s truly going on in the heart.

Application

So I ask again this morning, what is it that we place our confidence in? What does your identity consist in? Where do you find the difference between yourself and those headed to destruction? Our passage this morning warns us not to rely upon or to place our confidence in merely outward things. It’s easy, isn’t it? To be so preoccupied with what we can see? We can easily place our confidence and find out identity in merely outward things. Things we have, material things, things we do or say that can be observed. Without even realizing it, we might at times begin to subtly place our confidence in merely outward things. “Well, at least I’m not like that guy at work, that nobody seems to be able to tolerate. Well, at least I turn in my papers on time. Well, at least I raise my kids right.” And of course, we understand that these things might be good, as far as it goes. But we need to understand too that these are not permanent and ultimate distinctions. They’re certainly not distinctions that we need to base any kind of confidence in. Let us be careful about how we think of outward distinctions like these. God doesn’t find favor with his people according to outward distinctions. We might try to do that, but God doesn’t.

Other times, we might be tempted to place our confidence in things that we do that other people don’t do. And this can be things that God commands us to do, things that are good and things that we ought to do. But again, these good things and good commandments that we ought to obey are not the basis for our confidence. Think about baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Scripture teaches us that these sacraments are outward, visible signs of an invisible reality. And they have great value to us as they point to something beyond themselves, something that’s hidden and invisible. They point to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we don’t see that, then these outward signs remain empty. The mere outward ritual, though commanded by God, means nothing unless the Lord blesses it spiritually, in a way that we can’t see.

You could say something similar about our confidence in church attendance or church membership, especially during these times. Again, good things, things that Scripture commands us to do. But again, not the source of our hope, not the basis of our identity in themselves. Many can join a church, many can go regularly out of habit, to hang out with friends, and so forth. But they can do all these things without believing a single word in a church service. The outward and visible act of being at church, though good and commanded by God, means little to nothing if our hearts are not soft to hear God’s Word and to be molded by it. And so, if you’re not in right relationship with the Lord through a soft heart of repentance that he produces in you under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, then coming to Highland each week in worship or fellowship doesn’t make any ultimate difference. You should come, but come casting yourself on the Lord for his mercy.

Let us not be deceived by outward appearances. It’s true, that there are non-Christians who give generously time, money, efforts to noble humanitarian causes, some even give money to churches. Some might even give their resources more than Christians. But I remind you this morning that it’s very possible to do many outward things and deceive many. And they may even be good things, as far as they go. But without a relationship to Jesus, it makes no ultimate difference. Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).

Let us also be humble. It’s true that we have eternal life and salvation secured by our Lord Jesus Christ. We have many reasons to boast, all of which are found in Christ. But think carefully then about your outward behavior. Because if we think we’re better than others, they pick up on that. “Ugh, you just think you’re better than me. Good for you, going to church with all those other people who are all probably as proud as you. I don’t need that kind of God. I don’t need that kind of God in my life.” How we live outwardly matters. And when we live lives inconsistent with what we teach, then we’re not give a winsome testimony of the goodness of our God. Yes, we should continue to do what’s right, but out of a sense of our own bankruptcy, out of a sense of our own need. And in that, your lost neighbors can join you, and in that God is pleased. We don’t tell people we go to church because we’re morally-superior to them. We go to church because our God has loved the unloveables, shown grace to the heartless, raised to life those who were once dead. With that in mind, what visible thing can we really point to in our lives and say, “This makes me better than you.”

Paul points us to a different direction. He points us onward and upward to our Lord Jesus Christ, who rules and reigns from heaven, who ministers to us now by his Word and Spirit. The solution to our most basic and fundamental need is more sin, it’s not presuming upon God’s kindness, it’s not even God’s law itself. The one and only solution to our most basic and fundamental need in both life and death is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The second person of the triune God made visible to a sinful people. Jesus Christ, who obeyed the law for us, that it might not be the cause of our condemnation, but the commandments we obey out of love and joy for Christ. And just because we can’t see him visibly right now, does not mean that he’s not truly risen and ascended to the right hand of the Father. So I ask you this morning to find your confidence in Christ. When we look to ourselves, what do we really have to boast about any way? Paul tried. He boasted about many good things about himself in Philippians 3. But he counts it as garbage, trash, worthless compared to know Christ and finding his boast in him. Let us join him in knowing our weakness, boasting all the more in it, so that we might praise Christ.

Soli Deo Gloria