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Here is the link: http://www.timberlandbiblechurch.org/audio/dustin’s%20personal%20mp3s/romansaudio3.mp3

Here are the notes:

2:1-16
-Judgment scene
-God’s impartial judgment leaves no room for moral superiority
Remember the role of the judge:
-God will judge evil (2:1-4)

-He will do it impartially (2:6-11)

 2:6
Judgment according to deeds/works
-Quoting Psalm 62:12 and Prov. 24:12.
-This principle was embraced no less by the early Christians (Matt. 16:27, 2 Cor. 5:10, Col. 3:25, 2 Tim. 4:14, 1 Peter 1:17, Rev. 2:23).
-Good works were intended to be understood as THE way of maintaining the covenant status which was instituted by nothing other than grace (Old Covenant was through election of race, New Covenant is through faith in gospel).

2:12
“for all who have sinned without the Law” - Gentiles
“all who have sinned under the Law” - Jews

 2:14 alternative translation
“For when Gentiles who do not have the Law by nature do the things of the Law…”
-do not have the Law by nature
Or
-do not have the Law, do by nature the things
γὰρ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῶσιν

2:17

What is Jewish boasting? (NIV- “brag about relationship”) Is “boast” even a good translation, in light of 5:11?
-Boasting in self-righteousness, the fact that they have earned their favor with God with all of their good works
-Boasting in their privilege as God’s special people over and against the Gentiles (and even some Jews)

2:21-22
Paul is critiquing Israel’s national boast.
You cant boast in the privilege of Torah is you yourself don’t keep it (cf. v.13 “it is not the hearers of the Law, but the doers”)
Israel’s sin exists because of their failure to be the light to the world (cf. ch. 1).

2:23
You were supposed to be God’s great people, but now you don’t even control your own land, the temple is polluted, you have no Davidic King, and God’s name is being blasphemed among the Gentiles.
-Isa. 52:5 and Ezek. 36:20-23.
      This augmented the wealth of the Jews, as also did the fact, that among themselves they are inflexibly honest and ever ready to show compassion, though they regard the rest of mankind with all the hatred of enemies. They sit apart at meals, they sleep apart, and though, as a nation, they are singularly prone to lust, they abstain from intercourse with foreign women; among themselves nothing is unlawful. Circumcision was adopted by them as a mark of difference from other men. Those who come over to their religion adopt the practice, and have this lesson first instilled into them, to despise all gods, to disown their country, and set at nought parents, children, and brethren. Still they provide for the increase of their numbers. It is a crime among them to kill any newly-born infant…
                                                                        -Tacitus Histories 5

2:26
The UNcircumcised keeping the requirements of Torah???
Which is more important? Physical circumcision (ethnic status) or keeping Torah?

2:27
“Those who are by nature uncircumcised…” Cf. 2:14

2:29
Literally, “But the in-the-secret-Jew, and…”
Circumcised in the heart, by the spirit (cf. Ezek 36)
“Judah” means “praise” in Hebrew (see Gen. 29:35), an interesting pun in v29 which shows them that their praise comes from God, not men.
 

At this point, Paul intends for his readers to be asking, “In what sense do these new people fulfill the requirements of Torah?”
We must wait for Paul to answer these questions which he is deliberately raising.
 

The story thus far (summary of the entire Old Testament)
-Creation
-Fall of humanity
-Sentence of judgment
-Call of Israel (light to the world, etc)
-Israel’s failure
…..so now what is God going to do?
 
 

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