St. Raphael Parish

A Commentary on Paul’s Epistle to the Romans [2a]
Chapter 2:17-29: Paul’s Critique of his own Jewish Religion

Verses 17-20: What is Jewishness? Jews boast that they are people of Torah [Law]. Jews claim that they have their foundation upon the Law. Paul argues that Law was given to the Jews not just for their own benefits but for all nations. The wisdom for human conduct and knowledge of God that contained in the Law was meant to be a light for all who are in darkness, a guide to the blind. In Wisdom 15:3, law serves to know God’s will: ‘For to know you is complete righteousness and to know your power is the root of immortality’. Jews themselves were blind to see the light in the Law, its true purpose [In Mathew 15:14, Jesus calls the Pharisees ‘blind guides’]. God’s revelation of his design for humans cannot be static; it is a dynamic force that illumines the mind to understand truths about God, the ways of God-the truth implied in the Law was Christ.

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