Audio commentary on this verse

Note 1 at Rom. 2:1: In the preceding chapter, Paul had conclusively proved that the Gentiles were guilty before God. They had no excuse for their vile actions (Rom. 1:20). This, no doubt, pleased the Jews. That's exactly what they believed and what they had been arguing. They maintained that unless these Gentiles converted to Judaism and observed the law of Moses (specifically the law of circumcision), they could not be saved.

However, after Paul had taken full advantage of the Jews' prejudice, he turns his arguments to the Jews, showing them that they are just as guilty or even more guilty than the Gentiles. He ends this chapter with statements about the Gentiles' faith being superior to the Jews' circumcision and concludes a true Jew is born of faith, not of the flesh (Rom. 2:28-29).

Thus the second chapter proves the Jews or religious person just as guilty before God as the heathen. Then in the third chapter Paul draws this all together by proclaiming that since everyone-Jew and Gentile-is in "the same boat," then all can be saved by one method of salvation, through faith.

Note 2 at Rom. 2:1: From a human perspective, some people have obtained a level of holiness that gives them the right to judge others. However, when viewed from God's standpoint, we are all sinners and one sinner has no justification for condemning a fellow sinner (see note 46 at Mt. 7:1, p. 138). We may not be doing the exact same transgressions, but we are guilty of being lawbreakers (Jas. 2:10) and are, therefore, disqualified from being the judge.

Also, whenever one condemns another, he is showing that he has a knowledge of right and wrong and therefore can no longer claim ignorance for his own offenses. As verse two explains, we are better off to leave the judging to God.

Note 3 at Rom. 2:1: The Greek word that is rendered "judgest" three times in this verse and once in verse three is the word "krino." It is speaking of a harsh, condemning type of judging that was warned against in Matthew 7:1. There is a Greek word "anakrino" which signifies discernment which is encouraged in scripture (see note 46 at Mt. 7:1, p. 138).