Romans 2:23-24 - Exposition

Thou that makest thy boast in law, through thy transgression of the Law dishonourest thou God? (or, thou dishonourest God ) . For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, as it is written . The reference is to Isaiah 52:5 , where the LXX . has δἰ ὑμᾶς διαπαντὸς τὸ ὄνομά μου βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι . The passage is not quoted as a prophecy now fulfilled, or as in its original reference exactly applicable, but only as serving to express well how the character of the Jews had brought their very religion into disrepute (el. Tacitus, 'Hist..' Isaiah 5:4 , etc.). The remainder of the chapter is devoted to a clear and final exposition of the principle, involved throughout all the previous verses, that Jewish privileges were of no profit in themselves, or without their meaning and purpose being understood and acted on. The thought now passes exclusively to circumcision, as being the original token of the covenant, and the Jew's rite of initiation into his whole privileged position ( Genesis 17:1-27 .). When Jew had come to be the peculiar designation of the children of the covenant, persons were said to become Jews by circumcision. Thus Esther 8:17 , "And many of the people of the land became Jews," where the LXX . has, καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν περιετέμνοντο καὶ ἰουδάιζον . It may be here observed that the known fact of other races as well as the Jews having practised, and still practising, circumcision is not subversive of the scriptural view of its being a peculiarly Jewish rite. For to the Jew alone it had a peculiar significance.