Romans 2:1
Διὸ ἀναπολόγητος εἶ, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, πᾶς ὁ κρίνων. ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίνεις τὸν ἕτερον, σεαυτὸν κατακρίνεις· τὰ γὰρ αὐτὰ πράσσεις, ὁ κρίνων.
Therefore, indefensible you are, Oh man, all who are judging. For in what you judge the other, yourself you condemn, for you, who are judging, practice the same things .
Paraphrase: Now brothers and sisters, I am sure that you read this list of sins (Romans 1:26-32) with horror and revulsion. You want no part in this perverted and twisted way of life, but I ask you to consider carefully something else. Some of you have set yourself up as judges. Then, you rightly condemn the pagan gentiles for their perverse way of life. What you don’t realize is that your guilty verdict condemns you as much as it condemns these pagans. (John 8:7) That’s right; you are guilty of practicing the same kinds of sin as they.
Comments:
Schaff (bottom of right column p94): Uncharitable judging is itself a grave offence against the law which enjoins humility and charity as the very soul of virtue and piety. Besides, even the most moral men carry in themselves the seed of all vices, and if kept from open transgression, it is either by the grace of God preventing them, or by (Pharisaic and Stoic) pride, which is itself a sin against God, the sin of Satan and the fallen angels.
Denney (p595): The sin of the Jews was the same, but their sins were not.
Romans 2:2
οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τὸ κρίμα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν κατὰ ἀλήθειαν, ἐπὶ τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα πράσσοντας.
Now we know that the judgment of God is according to truth on those practicing such things.
Paraphrase: Now first let me state something that we all agree on. Anyone, who lives in sins such as I’ve listed above, is condemned by God and comes under His wrath. (Romans 1:18) Furthermore, we know and confess that God never condemns anyone falsely; the sentence He passes is always in keeping with perfect justice. Finally, we know that God is no respecter of persons; he acquits the righteous and condemns the guilty regardless of their social status or ethnicity. (Exodus 23:6-8; Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:16-17; 10:17; 16:18-20; 2 Chronicles 19:5-7; Job 34:19; Proverbs 24:23; Malachi 2:9; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6)
Comments:
οἴδαμεν δε is a formula introducing a commonly accepted truth.
Romans 2:3
λογίζῃ δὲ τοῦτο, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, ὁ κρίνων τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα πράσσοντας, καὶ ποιῶν αὐτά, ὅτι σὺ ἐκφεύξῃ τὸ κρίμα τοῦ Θεοῦ;
But consider this, Oh man, who are judging those who practice such sins and doing them, that you will escape the judgment of God?
Paraphrase: Now in light of this truth, how can you condemn these wicked pagans when you are doing many of the same sins yourself? Perhaps you think that God will only punish pagans who commit such evil? Perhaps you think that, since you are God’s special people (Exodus 19:4-5), He will not punish you as He does the other nations. Is this true? Do you really think that you are exempt from God’s justice?
Comments:
Romans 2:4
ἢ τοῦ πλούτου τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἀνοχῆς, καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας καταφρονεῖς, ἀγνοῶν ὅτι τὸ χρηστὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς μετάνοιάν σε ἄγει;
or the riches of His kindness and His restraint and longsuffering do you despise? being ignorant that the goodness of God to repentance leads you?
Paraphrase: Now you might respond to this by noting that, up until this point, God has not punished you for your sin. Perhaps the thought has risen in your minds that God will overlook your sin and not punish you at all. (2 Peter 3:4) Dear friends, do not make such a fatal mistake. The delay in God’s judgments is not God overlooking your sin but is God giving you time and space to turn from your sin and to confess it. (Jeremiah 18:7-8; Jonah 3:10; 2 Peter 3:9) This delay in judgment is actually God’s goodness and kindness to you so that you might have time to reflect upon your danger and be saved. In strict justice, He could have unleashed His wrath on you a long time ago. Instead, He held back (Exodus 34:6-7; Numbers 14:18-19; Psalm 103:8-10) to give you time to repent. Now will you mock God’s kindness to you (Deuteronomy 5:29) and continue in your sinful lifestyle?
Comments:
For καταφρονεῖς, consider principle 47.
Romans 2:5
Κατὰ δὲ τὴν σκληρότητά σου καὶ ἀμετανόητον καρδίαν, θησαυρίζεις σεαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ,
But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart, you treasure up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God.
Paraphrase: Your refusal to confess your sin and to turn from it costs you dearly. You are investing (Matthew 6:19; Luke 12:21) in a fund that is going to pay you back large returns of God’s wrath and judgment. (Romans 1:27) You may not see or experience these judgments now, but the day is coming when God will show Himself as the judge of heaven and earth. Then, you will stand before His dreadful throne and receive the return on your investment. You will fall under the wrath of God to your eternal dismay and distress. (Jude 6-7)
Comments:
Romans 2:6
ὃς Ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ, κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ,
who will repay to each according to his works.
Paraphrase: On that day, God will note the investment you made in sin and will give you exactly what you are owed. (Job 34:11; Proverbs 24:12; Jeremiah 17:10; Matthew 16:27; 1 Corinthians 3:8; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 2:23; 20:12; 22:12)
Comments:
Romans 2:7
τοῖς μὲν καθ’ ὑπομονὴν ἔργου ἀγαθοῦ, δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ ἀφθαρσίαν ζητοῦσιν, ζωὴν αἰώνιον·
to those, on the one hand, who through patience of good work, glory and honor and immortality they seek, [He will give] eternal life.
Paraphrase: Consider with me the two options here. On the one hand, there are those who make it the business of their life to do as much good as they can. They care little about their place and status in this life; they are looking for the honor and glory that will come to them in the heavenly city. (Hebrews 11:10, 16) They know that death and suffering will never enter that city (2 Timothy 1:10), and they are looking for Christ’s appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8; 1 John 2:28; 3:2) Such a lifestyle shows that they have received God’s gift of righteousness (Romans 1:17; 3:21), are accepted by Him, and are no longer under God’s wrath. Now to such, God will give them what they are seeking. They will receive the gift of eternal life. (Romans 5:21; 6:22-23)
Comments:
ζωὴν αἰώνιον is the object of Ἀποδώσει from the previous verse. δόξαν, τιμην, and ἀφθαρσίαν are the object of ζητοῦσιν,
Romans 2:8
τοῖς δὲ ἐξ ἐριθείας καὶ ἀπειθοῦσι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, πειθομένοις δὲ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, ὀργὴ καὶ θυμός·
but to those of self-interest and disobeying the truth, being persuaded by unrighteousness, [they receive] anger and wrath.
Paraphrase: On the other hand, there are those whose eyes are only fixed on earthly pleasure and wealth and who never ask what God would want them to do. These bring down on their heads God’s terrible wrath and judgment. They see no need for the righteousness which God holds out to them. (Romans 1:17) Instead, they have listened to the lies of this present world and its culture (Romans 1:22) and have been persuaded that real happiness can be found by sinking themselves ever further into darkness, sin, and perversion.
Comments:
The previous verse describes the character of those who are accepted by God; this verse, the character of those who are rejected by God. It does not give the ground for God’s acceptance of them. This ground lies entirely in the righteousness from God. (Romans 1:17; 3:21)
Romans 2:9
θλῖψις καὶ στενοχωρία ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ψυχὴν ἀνθρώπου τοῦ κατεργαζομένου τὸ κακόν, Ἰουδαίου τε πρῶτον, καὶ Ἕλληνος·
Affliction and distress on every soul of man of who is accomplishing evil, Jew first and Greek.
Paraphrase: Neither does it make any difference whether we are speaking of the pious Jew with all his spiritual privileges or the pagan gentile. Whoever they are makes no difference with God. Those whose eyes are fixed only on earthly pleasure and wealth and who never ask what God would want them to do, bring untold distress and misery upon themselves.
Comments:
Romans 2:10
δόξα δὲ, καὶ τιμὴ, καὶ εἰρήνη παντὶ τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ τὸ ἀγαθόν, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον, καὶ Ἕλληνι.
But glory and honor and peace to all who accomplishing good, to the Jew first and the Greek.
Paraphrase: Those, on the other hand, who make it the business of their life to do good, will one day enter into the glory of the heavenly city. They will be given crowns of victory (Revelation 2:10; 3:11) and hailed as conquerors. (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21) Again, whether the pious Jew or the pagan gentile; all stand on the same footing before God.
Comments:
Romans 2:11
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν προσωπολημψία παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ.
For favoritism is not with God.
Paraphrase: Let it be a settled principle in our religion; God does not have favorites. He judges every person with perfect justice and with no regard to their status or ethnicity.
Comments:
On προσωπολημψία, Moulton and Milligan say (p553) that this is one of “the earliest definitely Christian words.” In other words, it was a word created by Christians to express the truth of God’s justice.
Romans 2:12
Ὅσοι γὰρ ἀνόμως ἥμαρτον, ἀνόμως καὶ ἀπολοῦνται· καὶ ὅσοι ἐν νόμῳ ἥμαρτον, διὰ νόμου κριθήσονται·
For as many without the law sinned, without the law even they perish and as many as under law sinned, through law they will be judged.
Paraphrase: Now at this point, you might question God’s justice. How can it be just to condemn and punish those who never knew or had a copy of God’s law? Such people never knew the law; how can they be expected to obey it? This objection cannot stand, however. When the gentiles, who never had the Bible, stand before God’s judgment seat, they will be judged based on the law which they were given, and those, who did have the Bible, will be judged based on the law which they were given. Either way, God judges people based on the law which they had. (Matthew 10:15; 11:24; Luke 10:12)
Comments:
Romans 2:13
οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἀκροαταὶ νόμου δίκαιοι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ, ἀλλ’ οἱ ποιηταὶ νόμου δικαιωθήσονται.
For not the hearers of the law are right with God but the doers of the law will be justified.
Paraphrase: Yes, it is certainly true that having a Bible is a wonderful privilege, but know this. It is not having a Bible or reading the Bible or hearing the Bible read in synagogue (Acts 15:21) that saves a person. Only those who actually do what the Bible commands (Matthew 7:24; James 1:22-25) have any reason to believe that God will pronounce them righteous on the last day when He will judge the world. In this sense, a churchgoer, who has a Bible but makes no effort to practice the principles contained in it, is in no better a position than the pagan who has no Bible and lives wickedly.
Comments:
Clearly there is a justification on the last day; see Owen (p199). Weidner uses this concept to reconcile James and Paul; see on v23. (p52)
Romans 2:14
Ὅταν γὰρ ἔθνη, τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα, φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῶσιν, οὗτοι νόμον μὴ ἔχοντες ἑαυτοῖς εἰσιν νόμος,
For when the gentiles, those not having the law, by nature do the things of the law, these not having a law are a law to themselves.
Paraphrase: Perhaps you are wondering about my previous statement that the gentiles will be judged based on the law which they had. But, you may ask, what law do they have? Certainly, not the written law of God contained in the Bible. Now I am sure you have observed, dear friends, that all people, even those who have never read or even seen a Bible, have a moral sense. They all have a basic sense of right and wrong; all of them are outraged when someone does them an injustice. All this, even though they have never read the Bible or studied the ten commands. Why? Has anyone ever seen an animal reflect on the morality of his actions? Yet all human persons have this moral sense. Doesn’t such a fact demonstrate to us that humans are able to know something of God’s law apart from reading the Bible? Previously, we said something similar when we noted that every thinking person, apart from the Bible, can come to an understanding that there is a God and that He is infinitely powerful. (Romans 1:20) In the same way, we see that every person is also able to know something of the basic principles of right and wrong simply by the use of their own reason. Now this is the law which God has given to the gentile peoples, and it is by this law that they will be judged.
Comments:
See natural law.
Romans 2:15
οἵτινες ἐνδείκνυνται τὸ ἔργον τοῦ νόμου, γραπτὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν, συμμαρτυρούσης αὐτῶν τῆς συνειδήσεως, καὶ μεταξὺ ἀλλήλων, τῶν λογισμῶν κατηγορούντων ἢ καὶ ἀπολογουμένων
which show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience testifying with and between one another of reasoning accusing or excusing.
Paraphrase: Such people may not have a written copy of God’s law, but they do have something of God’s law written on their soul. That is why when they do something, they are able to reflect on that act, sometimes second guessing themselves and feeling guilty, and at other times, having a warm feeling of having done something good and praiseworthy. (Matthew 27:3-5; 1 Corinthians 8:7; 10:25; 2 Corinthians 1:12)
Comments:
On συνειδήσεως, see Sanday & Headlam (p60).
Romans 2:16
ἐν ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ὅτε κρίνει ὁ Θεὸς τὰ κρυπτὰτῶν ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου, διὰ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ.
In the day when God judges the hidden things of men according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.
Paraphrase: Now, as I said previously (Romans 2:5), there is a day coming when God will summon all people to give an account of their life. He will do this by summoning them to appear before the Man whom He has appointed to be the judge of heaven and earth. (John 5:22, 27; 17:2; Revelation 22:12) This is what I have taught everywhere and is what God Himself revealed to me (Galatians 1:11-12) when he first commissioned me to preach the gospel. (Acts 17:31; 10:42; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10; 2 Timothy 4:1) Now this judgment will expose all evil, even that which was hidden from the eyes of other people. Those things which were done in secret will then be brought into the light and receive their due reward. God’s judgments are always perfect.
Comments:
Romans 2:17
Εἰ δὲ σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ἐπονομάζῃ, καὶ ἐπαναπαύῃ νόμῳ, καὶ καυχᾶσαι ἐν Θεῷ·
But if you named Jew, and are relying on the law, and are boasting in God,
Paraphrase: Now let me direct my thoughts especially to those of you who came to Christ from a Jewish background.
First, you are called “Jew.” Both ethnically and religiously, you carry this name with great pride. (Galatians 2:15; Philippians 3:5; Revelation 2:9) You have an illustrious heritage unlike the gentiles whose background is in paganism. You take great pride in the fact that you belong to those people with whom God has made a covenant. (Matthew 3:9; Romans 9:4) Only Jews have this special relationship with God. (Deuteronomy 4:7. Psalm 147:19, 20. 2 Samuel 7:23) All this, you learned from the Bible which you know backwards and forwards and which you study constantly.
Comments:
I am understanding νόμῳ here in a broad sense as תּוֹרָה and referring to the entire Jewish canon.
Romans 2:18
καὶ γινώσκεις τὸ θέλημα, καὶ δοκιμάζεις τὰ διαφέροντα, κατηχούμενος ἐκ τοῦ νόμου·
and are knowing His will and are approving the excellent being taught from the law.
Paraphrase: From this close study of Scripture, you have learned the mind of God and how to live to His glory. You have learned what things He values most and how to build your life on this foundation.
Comments:
For το here, see principle 18.
Romans 2:19
πέποιθάς τε σεαυτὸν ὁδηγὸν εἶναι, τυφλῶν, φῶς τῶν ἐν σκότει,
You have persuaded yourself to be guide of the blind, a light of those in darkness.
Paraphrase: As a result of this study, you have come to the conclusion that you are morally superior to the people around you who do not share these privileges. You really think that you are a guide to the blind pagans and that you have the light which will lead them out of darkness. (Isaiah 49:6; Luke 2:32; John 1:8, 9, 4, 5)
Comments:
Romans 2:20
παιδευτὴν ἀφρόνων, διδάσκαλον νηπίων, ἔχοντα τὴν μόρφωσιν τῆς γνώσεως καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐν τῷ νόμῳ—
An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having the form of knowledge and the truth in the law.
Paraphrase: You believe that you are the ones to instruct the ignorant and to catechize the young. You are the ones with the word of God and thus your understanding of God, though partial, is still true to the reality of whom God is.
Comments:
Lightfoot says (p262) about μόρφωσιν that it “the outline, the framework as it were” of the truth.
Romans 2:21
ὁ οὖν διδάσκων ἕτερον, σεαυτὸν οὐ διδάσκεις; ὁ κηρύσσων μὴ κλέπτειν, κλέπτεις;
Therefore, teaching another, do you teach yourself? Preaching not to steal, do you steal?
Paraphrase: Now here’s the question I would like you to answer. When you teach others, do you teach yourself? When you preach the eighth command, do you violate this command?
Comments:
Romans 2:22
ὁ λέγων μὴ μοιχεύειν, μοιχεύεις; ὁ βδελυσσόμενος τὰ εἴδωλα, ἱεροσυλεῖς;
The one saying not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? The one who detests idolatry, do you rob temples?
Paraphrase: When you press on others the obligations of the seventh command, do you yourself obey this command? (Matthew 5:27-28) All of you detest the very thought of idolatry, but do you rob temples and steal away for yourself the gold and silver which belonged to those temples? (Acts 19:37) You know very well what God thinks of this practice. (Deuteronomy 7:25-26)
Comments:
Others understand the temple robbing here in a non-literal way suggesting the Jews were guilty of stealing from God in the sense of Malachi 3:8. cf also (Malachi 1:8, 12, 13, 14; Mark 7:11) Fitzmyer writes:
Do you who abominate idols, rob temples? i.e., do you succumb to the idolatry of elevating the Mosaic law to a position of unwarranted devotion and of bestowing on it a permanence it was never intended to have in God’s ultimate plan? For Paul, Israel’s clinging to the law is the exclusion of Christ and his role in God’s plan. Thus Paul uses the verb hierosylein in a figurative sense and shapes to his purpose an accusation that was otherwise made against Israel in other respects.” (See his Romans commentary on v22)
Luther writes on Isaiah 61:8:
“Robbery of a burnt offering,” thus He defines any and every righteousness of the Jews and of self, as Paul says Romans 2:22: “You abhor idols and commit sacrilege,” as if to say, “You do not commit (as you think) idolatry, but I judge you to be sacrilegious.” Therefore all human righteousness is nothing but sacrilege, which robs God of honor and glory. Because I consider myself righteous through this righteousness, I consider myself justified by this work. Human effrontery always clothes its works in justification. This is sacrilege. If, however, I would separate this righteousness from my works, then it would be a work and obedience to God or to men. But since justification is of God alone, whoever justifies himself simply grasps divinity and robs God of His honor. This is sacrilege, a robber’s worship; that is, “I hate these burnt offerings which rob Me of My honor.” Works 17:339–340.
Romans 2:23
ὃς ἐν νόμῳ καυχᾶσαι, διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου, τὸν Θεὸν ἀτιμάζεις;
Who in the law to boast, through the transgressions of the law, do you dishonor God?
Paraphrase: You who boast of your detailed knowledge of the Bible, do you dishonor God by breaking the commands of this very Bible which you know so well?
Comments:
Romans 2:24
τὸ γὰρ, Ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ δι’ ὑμᾶς βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, καθὼς γέγραπται.
For the Name of God, on account of you, is blasphemed among the nations even as it is written.
Paraphrase: This is just what your Bible says about you when it speaks of the Name of God being ridiculed among the nations because of the way you live. (Ezekiel 20:9, 14, 22, 41; 36:20-24; Isaiah 52:4-6)
Comments:
Romans 2:25
Περιτομὴ μὲν γὰρ ὠφελεῖ, ἐὰν νόμον πράσσῃς· ἐὰν δὲ παραβάτης νόμου ᾖς, ἡ περιτομή σου ἀκροβυστία γέγονεν.
For circumcision, on the one hand, profits when you practice the law; but when you are a violator of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Paraphrase: But perhaps, at this point, you might object. You will remind me that you are circumcised and bear the sign and seal of God’s covenant. Would God condemn one of His circumcised people? Indeed, circumcision is a great privilege. When this visible sign is accompanied by the inner, spiritual reality which it represents, then you may take great comfort from it. It is a sign of having been reborn by the Holy Spirit (Colossians 2:11) and being righteous before God. (Romans 4:11) But when this visible sign is not accompanied by the inner, spiritual reality, then the sign itself is worthless. The sign, all on its own, does not entitle you to God’s favor! You should know this since this was so clearly taught by Moses. Recall that he called the people to be circumcised in their heart. (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6) The prophet Ezekiel also makes the same distinction. (Ezekiel 44:7-9) At this point, you might ask, but how can I know if I possess this inner spiritual reality when it is invisible? The answer to this question was given us by Jesus Himself. He taught us that a tree is known by its fruits. (Matthew 7:15-29) So now, I say the same thing to you. When our circumcision is accompanied by a sincere love for God’s law and an earnest desire to do good, then this shows that we possess the inner, spiritual reality which corresponds to the outward, physical sign. Whether a person is circumcised or not makes little difference; the real question is whether he loves and obeys the law of God. It is this kind of a lifestyle which is the real sign of being circumcised in heart. In fact, there is not one particle of difference between a circumcised person who does not love and obey God’s law and an uncircumcised person who does not love and obey God’s law. They both have the same standing before God.
Comments:
Romans 2:26
ἐὰν οὖν ἡ ἀκροβυστία, τὰ δικαιώματα τοῦ νόμου φυλάσσῃ, οὐχ ἡ ἀκροβυστία αὐτοῦ εἰς περιτομὴν λογισθήσεται;
Therefore, when the uncircumcised keep the righteous requirements of the law, is not his circumcision to circumcision reckoned?
Paraphrase: Surely, you must agree that when an uncircumcised person keeps God’s laws, he is regarded by God as a circumcised person?
Comments:
See principle 26.
Clearly circumcision was always intended to be a sign and seal of spiritual benefits, not just physical descent from Abraham.
Justin Martyr (died 165ad) calls (chp 28) baptism the “true circumcision.” See also chp 19 and chp 43.
Romans 2:27
καὶ κρινεῖ ἡ ἐκ φύσεως ἀκροβυστία, τὸν νόμον τελοῦσα, σὲ τὸν διὰ γράμματος καὶ περιτομῆς παραβάτην νόμου.
And the by nature uncircumcised, keeping the law, will judge you, who through letter and circumcision, a violator of the law.
Paraphrase: Now, hear this. Think about that person who does not have the outward, visible sign of God’s covenant but still loves and obeys God’s law. That person, I tell you, is going to be your judge! Yes, he will pass down his verdict. He will pronounce you to be a violator of God’s law and covenant even with your circumcision. Yes, it is true that you have both the written law of God (Romans 2:14) and the outward, visible sign of God’s covenant, but this will do you no good when you stand before My judgment seat.
Comments:
Romans 2:28
Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ Ἰουδαῖός ἐστιν· οὐδὲ ἡ ἐν, τῷ φανερῷ ἐν σαρκὶ, περιτομή·
For not the one in appearance is a Jew, neither the one in appearance circumcised in flesh,
Paraphrase: The real Jew is not the ethnic Jew who claims to be descended from Abraham; neither is the real Jew the one who has physical circumcision.
Comments:
Romans 2:29
ἀλλ’ ὁ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖος· καὶ περιτομὴ καρδίας, ἐν πνεύματι, οὐ γράμματι· οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλ’ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
but the one in secret is a Jew and circumcision of heart, by the Spirit, not letter whose praise is not of men but of God.
Paraphrase: The real Jew is the one who has the inward and invisible reality to which physical circumcision points. This is the circumcision performed, not by human hands (Colossians 2:11), but by the Spirit of God. (John 3:5) Such are the real children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7); these are ones with whom God is well pleased. (Psalm 147:11)
Comments:
Note footnote 6 on p151.