The Shape of Romans 2:17–24

As I have been preparing to preach from Romans 2:17–14 this weekend, I have come to notice something quite interesting. That is, that the Apostle Paul has left behind a structure in the literary unit that sums up both the call and fall of Israel in 8 short verses. I will lay it out using the Dominion Pattern from my friend Mike Bull at Bible Matrix. It goes like this:

The Shape: The Call and Fall of Israel

Creation:

“But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, and know his will and appove the things that are essential, being instructed in the law,” (v. 17–18)

Division:

“And are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,” (v. 19)

Ascension:

“a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,” (v. 20)

Testing:

“You therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?” (v. 21)

Maturity:

“You who say that one should not commit ADULTERY, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?” (v. 22)

Conquest:

“You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?” (v. 23)

Glorification:

“For the name of god is blasphemed among the gentiles because of you, just as it is written.” (v. 24)

Thinking Pauline Thoughts

Now, why has Paul put this structure in place? Simply put, Paul’s reason is give readers a device to summarize and remember the call, purpose, and fall of Israel for the purpose of learning from their example.

Israel was created and constituted by God. They were given the name Jew so that the name of God would be made known among the nations. Like Adam, Israel was the son of God who was meant to take dominion of the creation, and to push the garden to the ends of the earth (Ex. 4:22). God gave to them His Law-Word so that they would know His will, approve of things that are good, and boast in Him.

The giving of the Law-Word would begin to alter the world. It would divide Israel from the other nations, which would lead to The Law becoming a lamp for those in darkness (Ps. 119:105). This was supposed to lead to Israel become a guide to the blind, and a light to those who are in darkness.

Because they had the Law-Word of God, which is the embodiment of knowledge and truth, they were supposed to ascend by becoming a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature. This would cause the nations to look to Israel and say “For what nation is so great as to have a god as near to them as the LORD of Israel? What nation is so great as to have righteous statutes and ordinances like theirs?” (Deut. 4:7–8).

When the time came and the Jews were finally tested, they failed to teach the nations because they failed to teach themselves from the Law of God. And as a result, they became hypocrites, preaching to the nations “do not steal” why they themselves stole.

Rather than becoming mature, Israel would become like a teenager who could not control its hormones by committing adultery, and ultimately, idolatry. A snapshot of this can be seen in the reign of King Solomon who would take many wives and commit idolatry (1 Kings 11:1–10).

Because Israel did not grow into maturity and remained as infants by failing to boast in God, and by disobeying His Law, they would become the subject of conquest rather than the one leading conquest. Rather than teaching the nations, they would be taught by them. They would look like Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and then eventually Rome.

Finally, rather than being obedient to their call, they would fall as Adam. This is essentially a re-telling of the Fall, except with Israel as the subject. And, rather than God being glorified among the nations and the garden being pushed to the ends of the earth, “for the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”