Romans 2:18 - and know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,
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What does "Romans 2:18" mean?
Romans 2:18, "and know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law," is part of Paul's larger argument about the Jews' reliance on the Law and their hypocrisy in not living up to its standards. To understand it, let's break it down:
"and know his will": This refers to the Jews' privileged position. They believed they possessed superior knowledge of God's will, as revealed through the Law (the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament). They had direct access to God's instructions and commandments.
"and approve the things that are excellent" (or "distinguish what is best" or "discern what is vital"): This means they had the ability, through the Law, to discern what is truly right and good. They could differentiate between what is moral, righteous, and pleasing to God versus what is sinful or inferior. The phrase "things that are excellent" suggests a hierarchy of values and behaviors, with the Law providing the framework for judging them.
"being instructed out of the law": This emphasizes the source of their knowledge and discernment: the Law itself. They weren't relying on intuition or guesswork, but on the explicit teachings and principles laid down in the Law. They were "catechized" or taught from a young age based on the Law.
In Context:
Paul isn't praising the Jews here. He's actually setting up a critique. His point is that despite having all this knowledge and the ability to discern right from wrong, many Jews were still failing to live according to the Law. They knew what God wanted, and they could tell the difference between good and bad, but they weren't consistently doing good.
The verse highlights the responsibility that comes with knowledge. It's not enough to simply know God's will or be able to identify what is excellent. One must also act on that knowledge and live according to those excellent principles. In short, Paul is saying: you Jews know better, so you should do better.
Key Takeaways:
Privilege and Responsibility: Having access to God's word (the Law for the Jews, the Bible for Christians) comes with the responsibility to live according to it.
Knowledge vs. Action: Knowing what is right is not enough; one must actively pursue and practice righteousness.
Hypocrisy: The verse exposes the hypocrisy of knowing God's will and yet choosing to disobey it.
In conclusion, Romans 2:18 acknowledges the Jews' privileged position of knowing God's will through the Law and being able to discern what is excellent, but it also sets the stage for Paul's criticism of their failure to live up to that knowledge.
Romans 2:18 - and know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,
What does "Romans 2:18" mean?
Romans 2:18, "and know his will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law," is part of Paul's larger argument about the Jews' reliance on the Law and their hypocrisy in not living up to its standards. To understand it, let's break it down:
"and know his will": This refers to the Jews' privileged position. They believed they possessed superior knowledge of God's will, as revealed through the Law (the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament). They had direct access to God's instructions and commandments.
"and approve the things that are excellent" (or "distinguish what is best" or "discern what is vital"): This means they had the ability, through the Law, to discern what is truly right and good. They could differentiate between what is moral, righteous, and pleasing to God versus what is sinful or inferior. The phrase "things that are excellent" suggests a hierarchy of values and behaviors, with the Law providing the framework for judging them.
"being instructed out of the law": This emphasizes the source of their knowledge and discernment: the Law itself. They weren't relying on intuition or guesswork, but on the explicit teachings and principles laid down in the Law. They were "catechized" or taught from a young age based on the Law.
In Context:
Paul isn't praising the Jews here. He's actually setting up a critique. His point is that despite having all this knowledge and the ability to discern right from wrong, many Jews were still failing to live according to the Law. They knew what God wanted, and they could tell the difference between good and bad, but they weren't consistently doing good.
The verse highlights the responsibility that comes with knowledge. It's not enough to simply know God's will or be able to identify what is excellent. One must also act on that knowledge and live according to those excellent principles. In short, Paul is saying: you Jews know better, so you should do better.
Key Takeaways:
Privilege and Responsibility: Having access to God's word (the Law for the Jews, the Bible for Christians) comes with the responsibility to live according to it.
Knowledge vs. Action: Knowing what is right is not enough; one must actively pursue and practice righteousness.
Hypocrisy: The verse exposes the hypocrisy of knowing God's will and yet choosing to disobey it.
In conclusion, Romans 2:18 acknowledges the Jews' privileged position of knowing God's will through the Law and being able to discern what is excellent, but it also sets the stage for Paul's criticism of their failure to live up to that knowledge.