Lessons #75 and 76
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GW = God’s Word, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New American Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+AMP = Amplified Bible, UBS = United Bible Society +
+ HCSB = Holman Christian Standard Bible +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
+ 4. Text is based on 1984 edition of the NIV +
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The True Jew keeps the Law (Rom 2:17-24)
17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
We had previously stated the message Apostle Paul wanted members of the church of Christ in Rome who claim to be of Jewish descent should hear is: A true Jew knows the Law, communicates its contents to Gentiles, while obeying its requirements since failure to do so would lead Gentiles to blasphemy the name of God of Israel. Subsequently, we derived the message that is applicable to us which is: If you claim to be an authenticate Christian, you should know the word of God, convey its applicable aspects to unbelievers, and obey the word since failure to do so would cause unbelievers to blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ. We stated that our use of the phrase “its applicable aspects to unbelievers” in stating the message to believers is to recognize that not everything in the Scripture can be communicated to unbelievers. The primary content of the Scripture that should be communicated to unbelievers is the gospel message although some moral requirements of the Scripture may be communicated to them but with the understanding that they are not usually equipped to live as the believer filled of the Spirit and even if they complied, that would not lead to their salvation. Anyway, in our last study, we began to consider five rhetorical questions the apostle addressed to the persons that claim to be true Jews based on their functions to Gentiles. As we stated, these five questions are given in Romans 2:21-23. Each of the five questions is preceded with a statement of an activity that is a function that leads to a question related to the stated function. The expected answer to the first question is “no” but “yes” for the rest, implying that the apostle is concerned with hypocrisy among the Jews who claim to be true Jews because of their function as it relates to the law although they do not obey the law. Anyway, the apostle presents what we may consider as five sets of statements of functions and related questions. The first stated function of the sets of statements of functions and related questions is that of teaching, so the apostle states in Romans 2:21 you, then, who teach others. This is followed by the question do you not teach yourself? The second stated function of the sets of statements of functions and related questions has to do with thievery, so the apostle makes the statement of Romans 2:21 You who preach against stealing. The related question is given as do you steal? It is with this that we ended our last study, so we proceed to the third.
The apostle proceeds with the third set consisting of a statement and a question that is concerned with sexual sin. Hence, he states what the person declares in the clause of Romans 2:22 You who say that people should not commit adultery. This sentence is not merely concerned with someone expressing something in words but that of exhorting or advising strongly regarding what is stated. We say this because the word “say” is translated from a Greek word (legō) that may mean “to express oneself orally or in written form” and so may mean to “tell” as Apostle Paul used it to communicate to the Thessalonians regarding the implied order of resurrection of believers in Christ as stated in 1 Thessalonians 4:15:
According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
The word may mean “to inform about / tell of something so that it may mean “to mention” as Apostle Paul used it to assert regarding the nature of things unbelievers do in secret as recorded in Ephesians 5:12:
For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
The word may mean “to express oneself in a specific way” and so, for example, it may mean “to declare” as in what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman in His interaction with her as recorded in John 4:21:
Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
In our passage of Romans 2:22, the word is used with the sense of “to enjoin or exhort.” Thus, what the one that claims to be a Jew expressed is to be understood as a strong recommendation that something should not be done.
The thing that should not be done is given in the clause of Romans 2:22 that people should not commit adultery. The word “people” does not appear in the Greek text, but it is added by the translators of the NIV to smoothen the reading of the Greek since literally the Greek reads the (one) saying not to commit adultery. The literal translation is a reminder that the person that enjoins or exhorts people not to commit adultery is basing the enjoinment or exhortation on the seventh code of the Ten Commands as stated in Exodus 20:14:
“You shall not commit adultery.
By the way, the one that enjoins or exhorts others not to commit adultery did not quote directly the seventh code of the Ten Commands but based such enjoinment or exhortation on it. We know this because the word “not” used in the enjoinment or exhortation is translated from a subjective negative Greek particle (mē) in contrast to the more objective negative Greek particle (ou) that forbids something absolutely that is used in the Septuagint to state the seventh code of the Ten Commandments. This aside, what the one that claims to be a true Jew enjoins or commands to others is not to commit adultery.
The expression “commit adultery” is translated from a Greek word (moicheuō) that means “to commit adultery,” that is, “to have sexual intercourse with other than a spouse, as a married person.” The person who claims to be a true Jew because of exhorting others not to commit adultery would not have gone to the extent that the Lord Jesus did when he expounded on the seventh code of the Ten Commands as we read in Matthew 5:28:
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Interestingly, there are few commentators that take committing adultery to be figurative in our passage of Romans 2:22. This is unlikely since those exhorted about adultery are presumably Gentile unbelievers. The use of adultery in a figurative manner in the Scripture is usually directed towards Israel in their covenant relationship with God or it is used for believers in Christ who become unfaithful to God. For example, when the people of Judah turned to idolatry, Prophet Jeremiah described them figuratively as being involved in adultery as implied in Jeremiah 5:7:
“Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods.
I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.
The word “adultery” is used in a figurative sense to describe a believer who loves the world and so is adulterous to God in James 4:4:
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
So, there is no reason to believe that Apostle Paul used the concept of committing adultery in a figurative sense in Romans 2:22. Anyway, the person the apostle addressed, focused on the external committing of adultery. Thus, the apostle having stated what the individual exhorted others against, adds the question of Romans 2:22 do you commit adultery? Again, this question is to cause the one that claims to be a Jew because of enjoining or exhorting others not to commit adultery to check if the individual is not guilty of the sin that the individual exhorts others against doing.
The fourth set consisting of a statement and a question is concerned with idolatry. Thus, Apostle Paul penned in Romans 2:22 You who abhor idols. The word “idols” is translated from a Greek word (eidolon) that means “idol” in the sense of “a pagan and material effigy that is worshiped as a representation or in lieu of a deity.” Certainly, a Jew at the time of the apostle finds idolatry repugnant. This is partly because the first two codes of the Ten Commandments prohibit idolatry as stated in Exodus 20:3–6:
3“You shall have no other gods before me. 4“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
And partly because a Jew of the time of Apostle Paul finds idolatry repugnant due to the pain it brought to Israel. The Jews of that time certainly recognized that it was because of idolatry that God sent them into exile as stated in 2 Kings 17:16–20:
16 They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. 17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sorcery and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger. 18 So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, 19 and even Judah did not keep the commands of the LORD their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. 20 Therefore the LORD rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence.
We know that the Jews of the NT times found idolatry repulsive because of the experience of their ancestors as we may gather from what is stated in the Apocryphal book of Judith 8:18–19 (NRSV):
18 “For never in our generation, nor in these present days, has there been any tribe or family or people or town of ours that worships gods made with hands, as was done in days gone by. 19 That was why our ancestors were handed over to the sword and to pillage, and so they suffered a great catastrophe before our enemies.
So, we can understand why a Jew of the time of Apostle Paul found idols that represent idolatry repugnant.
It is one thing to find idolatry repulsive, but it is another thing to totally divest oneself with anything associated with it. Apparently, some of those who claim to be true Jews because they find idolatry repugnant did not go far enough to reject everything associated with it. God’s instruction to Israel was not to have anything to do with items associated with idolatry as clearly stated to them in Deuteronomy 7:25–26:
25 The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the LORD your God. 26 Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.
This instruction means that an Israelite should not benefit from anything associated with idolatry. However, Apostle Paul implied that there were those who claim to be Jewish that ignore this instruction. Therefore, he accused such individuals of not paying attention to the instruction in Deuteronomy only that he did it in form of rhetorical question of Romans 2:22 do you rob temples? The expression “rob temples” is translated from a Greek verb (hierosyleō) that appears only here in the Greek NT; it means “to rob a temple, to commit sacrilege.” The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans considered robbing of temples as an offence that is equivalent to treason or murder and thus calls for a drastic punishment. This aside, the issue is to understand what the apostle charged those he had in mind of doing. Some interpret the charge of the apostle in a figurative way that refers to defaming sacred things. Considering the previous sins the apostle mentioned, he probably meant the charge in a literal sense. The literal sense is subject to two possible interpretations. There is the interpretation that this refers to the merchandizing taking place in the temple where people are cheated. This interpretation is based on what Prophet Jeremiah charged Israel of doing in the temple as given in Jeremiah 7:9–11:
9 “‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? 11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.
The charge of Jeremiah was cited by the Lord Jesus as He charged the Jews of not being true to the worship of God in the temple as stated in Matthew 21:13:
“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’”
A second interpretation based on literal interpretation is that Apostle Paul charged some Jews of robbing idol temples by taking the things the pagans offered to their gods in their temples probably believing that since idolatry was wrong, it would be permissible to take such offerings from the temples. While both literal interpretation makes sense, it is probably the second of taking from pagan temples things offered by idolaters that is meant. This is because for the first interpretation to be what the apostle meant, there must be in Roman world temples similar to the temple in Jerusalem where offerings were to be made. This was not the case. Furthermore, since the epistle we are considering is sent to those in Rome, it is unlikely that the Jews the apostle meant would be going to Jerusalem to steal from the temple. It makes better sense if those involved rob pagan temples. It is not that robbing temples was unheard of in the time of the apostle since the city clerk in defense of the apostle indicated he had not robbed a temple as stated in Acts 19:37:
You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess.
Thus, we contend that the second interpretation that Apostle Paul charged some Jews of robbing idol temples by taking the things the pagans offered to their gods in their temples probably believing that since idolatry was wrong, it would be permissible to take such offerings from the temples, is most likely what was in the apostle’s mind when he wrote the question of Romans 2:22 do you rob temples?
The fourth statement and question that we have considered may seem far-fetched in its application to us today. This is not necessarily the case. If you condemn anything as sinful and then turn around and benefit indirectly from such an activity that would be equivalent to what the apostle stated here. Take for example, if you accept that all these celebrations of Easter, Halloween, and Christmas are idolatrous practices, but you benefit from them by selling or buying things associated with such celebrations, you have done what the apostle charged the Jews who found idolatry repugnant but rob the pagan temples. Anyway, this brings us to our next consideration.
The fifth set consisting of a statement and a question is concerned with the law. Hence, Apostle made the statement in Romans 2:23 You who brag about the law.
The word “brag” of the NIV is translated from a Greek word (kauchaomai) that is a word that for all practical purposes is used mostly by Apostle Paul in the Greek NT. This is because, of the thirty-six occurrences of the word, the apostle used it thirty-four times. The Greek word means to express an unusually high degree of confidence in someone or something being exceptionally noteworthy and so means “to boast.” However, there are several nuances to the Greek word. It may mean “to brag”, that is, to say something boastfully, as it is used in Apostle Paul’s declaration about a Jew’s relationship with God as we read in Romans 2:17:
Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God;
The word may mean “to rejoice” as the word is used by Apostle Paul to describe something he and his team did in the face of suffering that all believers should do because of what suffering can produce in a believer as we read in Romans 5:3:
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
The Greek word may mean “to glory”, that is, to take great pride or pleasure in someone/something or to rejoice proudly as the apostle used it to describe what those who worship God by the Holy Spirit do or should do in Philippians 3:3:
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
The verbal phrase glory in Christ Jesus is literally boasting in Christ Jesus. The Greek word may mean to “to take pride” as the word is used to by Apostle Paul to communicate to the Corinthians what he and his team were offering them in 2 Corinthians 5:12:
We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.
The verbal phrase to take pride in us is literally to boast about us. Hence, we see that our Greek word can be used in different ways. In our passage of Romans 2:23, it is used negatively with the meaning “to boast” in the sense of “showing off verbally.” Because our Greek word is used negatively, let me review what we have recently studied about boasting.
Boasting can be right or wrong depending on the object or reason for it. Boasting that is wrong is one that is self-centered so that God is left out or robbed of His glory and a human claims credit for what God has done. Apostle Paul mentioned this kind of wrong boasting as that which characterized his opponents who want to boast as to the number of people they get to become circumcised, as we read in Galatians 6:13:
Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.
As we indicated, when God is left out, any kind of boasting is wrong, as conveyed in James 4:16:
As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
In the context of James, the boasting that is evil is any kind of assertion about the future that is devoid of the recognition that God controls the future as should be indicated by prefacing such assertion by saying “if God wills or permits” or by the thought that a person’s plan is wholly in God’s hand.
The right kind of boasting is one that is centered on God or what He did or does through others or directly. Thus, we have examples of the right kind of boasting in the Scripture. Apostle Paul indicates that his boasting is in what Christ did on the cross hence, his assertion of wanting to boast about the cross of Christ in Galatians 6:14:
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
It is not only what the cross of Christ meant to the apostle that led him to boast but also the impact of the cross in the spiritual lives of believers. Therefore, the apostle boasted about those who excel in their spiritual life, as he did to Titus regarding the Corinthians, according to 2 Corinthians 7:14:
I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well.
He did the same thing in praising the Corinthians to the Macedonians concerning their generosity, as we read in 2 Corinthians 9:2:
For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.
The apostle also boasted about the spiritual life of the Thessalonians in regard to faithfulness and perseverance in the face of persecution, as we read in 2 Thessalonians 1:4:
Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
Anyway, we should be careful about boasting that is self-centered. The apostle was careful of this when he boasted of the revelations he had received from the Lord, so that he used the third person when he meant himself in 2 Corinthians 12:5:
I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.
The “man” the apostle meant is himself. It is because he was cautious regarding boasting about self that he used the third person in his boasting of the visions he received from the Lord. A reason we should be careful not to boast about self is so that others do not overrate us, so to say, as the apostle stated in 2 Corinthians 12:6:
Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.
Boasting about self or self-achievement is an indicator that one does not understand that there is nothing that the person achieved or attained were it not for the grace of God, as indicated in the penetrating questions of 1 Corinthians 4:7:
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
It is important we be conscious that whatever we have by way of blessing is from God, as the Holy Spirit taught us through Apostle John in John 3:27:
To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
The word “heaven” here is a reference to God. Consequently, it is important that we constantly remind ourselves that everything we receive is from God. Boasting that is correct should be related to spiritual matters. This is the implication of boasting about knowing God that the Holy Spirit spoke through Prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 9:24:
but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.
Let me return to Apostle Paul’s statement in Romans 2:23 You who brag about the law. The object of boast by one that claims to be a true Jew is the law. The word “law” is a reference to the Torah although the Greek word (nomos) used could refer to the entire OT Scripture but because of the sins mentioned in the context, it is better to understand the word “law” as a reference to the Torah or the Mosaic law since that is part of OT Scripture that contains the sins mentioned in our context.
We stated that the Greek word translated “brag” in the apostle’s statement of Romans 2:23 You who brag about the law is used negatively with the meaning “to boast” in the sense of “showing off verbally.” This interpretation is supported by the rhetorical question of the apostle that completes the fifth set of statements and questions that is given in the question of Romans 2:23 do you dishonor God by breaking the law? The Greek texts from which our English versions are translated punctuate the Greek verse differently. One group indicated that the last sentence of the verse is a question as reflected in the NIV while the other group indicates it is a statement leading to such translation as found in ESV or the NET that reads dishonor God by transgressing the law! This latter reading is more direct charge brought against those who claim to be true Jews merely because of the possession of the law. The difference in how the last part of the Greek verse is read is whether it is a summary of all the apostle has stated or simply another charge. Following the pattern we have observed in the first four statements and questions, it is more likely that the apostle also used a rhetorical question in the last part of verse 23.
Be that as it may, the concern of the apostle in the last part of verse 23 is the despising or disrespecting of God as in the verbal phrase dishonor God. The word “dishonor” is translated from a Greek word (atimazō) that may mean “to treat shamefully” as it is used to describe the treatment of the servant the master sent to his tenants expecting some fruit from those he rented vineyard, in the parable of the Tenants as narrated in Luke 20:11:
He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.
The word may mean “to cause to be dishonored” as the word is used in the Lord Jesus’ description of how the Jews treated Him in John 8:49:
“I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me.
In our passage of Romans 2:23, the word has the sense of “to dishonor or to bring shame or to fail to respect.” It is most likely that the apostle was focused on the idea of despising or disrespecting God since our Greek word is used in the Septuagint to translate a Hebrew word (bāzāh) that means “to despise” as it is used to describe a person with devious or deceptive conduct in Proverbs 14:2:
He whose walk is upright fears the LORD, but he whose ways are devious despises him.
Anyhow, the apostle charged the one that claims to be a Jew of despising or dishonoring God. But he did not leave us to guess what it means to dishonor or even despise God, so he explained what it means in the verbal phrase of Romans 2:23 by breaking the law.
The word “breaking” of the NIV is translated from a Greek word (parabasis) that refers to the “act of deviating from an established boundary or norm.” Thus, “it has the meaning of “violating” or “transgression” as Apostle Paul used it to explain a reason the law was given as stated in Galatians 3:19:
What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator.
In our passage of Romans 2:23, it means “transgression,” that is “the action of going beyond or overstepping some moral boundary or limit.” So, when a person ignores what the law requires, that individual has transgressed or broken the law. The implication is that anytime a person disobeys God’s word that is an act of despising or dishonoring God. It is for this reason that God charged David of despising Him when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for the death of her husband, Uriah, as stated in 2 Samuel 12:9:
Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.
For the apostle, those who claim to be Jews but do not keep to the requirements of God as stated in the Torah were indeed dishonoring or despising God. We should emphasize that if we disobey God’s word, such an act is despising or dishonoring Him. Hence, if you do not want to dishonor or despise God, you should strive first to know what is in His word and then strive to obey it. What I am saying is that whether we know it or not, whenever we disobey God’s word, we have shown that at that instant we despise Him, for if that was not the case, we will not disobey Him. There should be no doubt that once we know what God’s word requires of us but do not carry it out that we have sinned since the Holy Spirit through James defined that as sin in James 4:17:
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
The point we are stressing is that to avoid despising God or dishonoring Him, you should first learn His requirements as given in the Scripture and then strive to obey them. It is not sufficient to hear the word of God, but we must go the next step of doing what it says as stated in James 1:22:
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Disobedience to God’s word draws His wrath or punishment but that was not what the apostle stated next, after charging those who claim to be Jews but do not obey the law. Instead, he went to provide an explanation of the consequence or impact of disregarding or despising God’s word on the person or name of God among the Gentiles. We say that the apostle provided an explanation of the impact on Gentiles of a Jew dishonoring God by disobedience to His word because of a Greek conjunction the apostle used in Romans 2:24 that was not directly translated in the NIV but translated “for” in majority of our English versions. The word “for” not translated in the NIV is translated from a Greek word (gar) that has several usages. For example, it can be used as a marker of inference with the meaning “so, then” or it may mean “yes, indeed” especially in replies to confirm what has been asked about. In our verse, it is used as a marker of explanation with the meaning “for, you see.” As we have already stated, the NIV did not translate it. Of course, it could be argued that a reason for not translating it is the apostle used it to introduce a quotation from OT Scripture. Even if that was the case, the quotation would not make much sense unless it is used to provide an explanation to what preceded. Hence, no matter how we slice it, the Greek conjunction should be interpreted as providing explanation to the impact on Gentiles of the failure to obey God’s word by those that claim to be Jews.
In any case, the apostle used the formula that he and other NT writers used often to indicate that they are quoting from the OT Scripture as stated the sentence of Romans 2:24 As it is written. The apostle then states his quotation in Romans 2:24“God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
The word “name” is translated from a Greek word (onoma) that refers to the proper name of a person or object. However, the word has other nuances. It may mean “authority” as that is the sense the word is used in Jesus’ declaration to the Jews about not believing in Him despite the miracles He did, as recorded in John 10:25:
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me,
The phrase in my Father’s name refers to the authority of the Father, hence the TEV rendered the phrase as by my Father’s authority. It is in this sense of authority that the word translated “name” in our English versions is also used in the miracle performed through Peter, according to Acts 3:6:
Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”
The word can also mean “reputation” as it is used in the Lord’s criticism of the church in Sardis that have become superficial in their Christian living as described in Revelation 3:1:
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
The sentence you have a reputation of being alive is more literally you have a name that you are alive. In our passage of Romans 2:24, our Greek word is used with the meaning “name” in the sense of “the divine majesty and perfections.” So, it is God Himself that is blasphemed.
The word “blasphemed” is translated from a Greek verb (blasphēmeō) that means to speak in a disrespectful way in such a way as to harm or injure one’s reputation whether human or divine. Thus, on the one hand, when it is used with respect to humans the appropriate meaning is “to malign, to slander”, as it is used of the conduct expected of believers in Titus 3:2:
to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
On the other hand, when the word is used with respect to God, the most appropriate meaning is “to blaspheme”, as it is used in the declaration of the Lord Jesus about the Holy Spirit as recorded in Luke 12:10:
And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
In our passage of Romans 2:24, the sense of the word is “to be blasphemed,” that is, “to speak irreverently/impiously/disrespectfully of or about.” This irreverent disrespect of God is among the Gentiles.
The word “Gentiles” is translated from a Greek noun (ethnos) that refers to a group of persons united by kinship, culture, and common traditions and so means “nation, people.” It is in the sense of “nation” that the word is used in the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
When the Greek word is used in the plural with the definite article, it refers to people groups foreign to a specific people group. Thus, the word was used in Greek for foreigners. However, in the NT it is used in two ways. First, it is used for those who do not belong to groups professing faith in the God of Israel so means “Gentiles, pagans.” It is in this sense that the word is used by Apostle Paul when he chastised the Corinthians for the sinful conduct of one of their members as stated in 1 Corinthians 5:1:
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.
The word is also used to describe non-Israelite Christian, as in Romans 16:4:
They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
In our context of Romans 2:24, the word is used to describe a person from an ethnic group or nation not allied with and trusting in the God of Israel (and later in Jesus as the Messiah). It is usually used collectively hence means “Gentiles.” With this understanding of the meaning of the word, we proceed to consider the quotation of the apostle in its context.
The apostle’s quotation in Romans 2:24“God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” is from the Septuagint of Isaiah 52:5:
“And now what do I have here?” declares the LORD. “For my people have been taken away for nothing, and those who rule them mock,” declares the LORD. “And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed.
The Septuagint version of Isaiah that we have, reads differently from the apostle’s quotation, implying that he either had a different version of the Septuagint than the one available to us or that he under the guidance of the Holy Spirit inserted words that were not in the Septuagint but are necessary interpretation of what Prophet Isaiah wrote. The apostle’s quotation, as we have stated, reads “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” but the Septuagint reads “Because of you my name is always blasphemed among the nations.” In the context, the prophet described foreign leaders that mocked the name of Yahweh. The foreign leaders may be the leaders of Babylon or Assyria. It is the blaspheming and despising of Yahweh by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, in the time of King Hezekiah that are reflected in the song of his fall that Prophet Isaiah gave to King Hezekiah as recorded in Isaiah 37:23:
Who is it you have insulted and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel!
Babylonian officials may have also ridiculed or blasphemed the name of Yahweh in that they mocked at the possibility of Israel being restored to their land despite the promise through Prophet Jeremiah as stated in Jeremiah 29:10:
This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place.
Regardless of the officials involved in the passage of Isaiah 52:5 Apostle Paul quoted, it is the condition of Israel brought about by God’s judgment on them for idolatry that led the blaspheming or insulting the name or person of Israel’s God. Consequently, the apostle in citing this passage in Isaiah wants to convey to those who claim to be Jews but are not keeping the law as those who place themselves in the position where Gentiles would not believe that their God is the supreme God, the creator and so speak disparagingly about Him. For if they believed their God, they would not despise His word. It is the application of this explanation to us today that led to the message of this section we stated which is: If you claim to be an authenticate Christian, you should know the word of God, convey its applicable aspects to unbelievers, and obey the word since failure to do so would cause unbelievers to blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ.
One of the troubling situations today, especially in this country, is that those who claim to be believers do not live up to their claim. This reality has caused many unbelievers to ridicule the name of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is a challenge for all of us that we should strive not to give an opportunity to unbelievers to ridicule the notion of being a Christian and so ridicule the name of our Savior because of our hypocrisy. Again, let me end our exposition of this section of Romans 2:17-24 by reminding you once more of the message of the section we have expounded. It is that If you claim to be an authenticate Christian, you should know the word of God, convey its applicable aspects to unbelievers, and obey the word since failure to do so would cause unbelievers to blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ.
12/20/24