Romans 2:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.

NIV: A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.

NASB: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.

CSB: For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh.

NLT: For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision.

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

NKJV: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;

Paul adds another shocking statement to those in the previous verses. He has said, in essence, that when it comes to being judged by God, Jewishness doesn't even matter. Specifically, the ritual of circumcision, which identifies someone as part of the Jewish community, is meaningless when not accompanied by obedience. Only those who keep the law will be declared righteous. Later, Paul will write that no one is able to keep the law (Romans 3:10), so all must be saved through Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone (Romans 3:22–25).

Now Paul redefines what it even means to be a Jew and to be circumcised. Paul insists it's not about being born Jewish or even being physically circumcised. True Jewishness, Paul will insist in the following verse, is about the state of a person's heart before God. Specifically, Paul's words here involve Judaism and are directed to people of Israel. However, the broader point is meant to apply to everyone. Religious sacraments, labels, and other forms of good works are not what save us. We must be perfect in order to avoid judgment; since nobody can be perfect, grace becomes our only hope of redemption.

Romans 2:12–29 describes two groups of people, with an emphasis on how their sin relates to their knowledge of God's written Law for the nation of Israel. Here, ''Gentiles'' are those who sin apart from the law, while ''Jews'' are those who sin under the law. Paul shows how, in both cases, God will judge people based on whether they kept the law and were circumcised in their hearts. Even Gentiles who follow the law out of sincerity would be regarded by God as truly Jewish. Meanwhile, God will discount the Jewishness and circumcision of someone under the law who breaks the law and does not have a sincere heart. Paul will show in the following chapter that, in truth, no one can keep the law.

Romans 2 springs a trap on any religious person who read Paul's lists of sins at the end of Romans 1 and thought it wasn't about them. Paul calls them out for making themselves judges when they are also guilty. He shows that God will judge everyone, including those under the law, based on their works. This prefaces this letter's theme of salvation by grace, through faith, rather than by works. Many benefits come with having the law, but only if those under the law keep it. Jewishness—circumcision—must be an inner state, not just an outer one. Paul will show in the following chapter that none of us really meets those conditions.

Having just concluded a list of terrible sins humanity indulges in as a result of rejecting God, Paul turns to religious people and says, ''This applies to you, too.'' Nobody can judge arrogantly, because we are all guilty. Even God's people the Jews will stand before Him in judgment based on their works. Having the law only matters if someone can keep the law. Paul asks his Jewish readers why they don't and shows that they must be Jewish and circumcised in their hearts for it to matter. In the following chapter, he will show that nobody can keep the law.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.