Romans 2:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When the hearer learns that it prevailed in ancient times, he will accept it more readily now, after receiving the faith. By Greeks the Apostle here means not idolaters, but God-fearing men obedient to the natural law. Apart from the observance of Jewish rites, they fulfilled everything relating to piety. Such were Melchizedek and those with him, Job, the Ninevites, and Cornelius. Thus the Apostle undermines beforehand the barrier between circumcision and uncircumcision. From afar he abolishes this distinction, so as to accomplish it without any suspicion from the side and to approach the matter on another basis. This is always proper to apostolic wisdom. If he had begun to prove this directly concerning the times of grace, it seems his speech would have aroused great suspicion. But when, discoursing about the impiety and corruption reigning in the world, he comes to this subject by the connection of the speech, he makes his teaching entirely free from suspicion. That this was Paul's intention, and that for this very reason he arranged his discourse so, is evident from what follows. If he had not been trying to prepare this, it would have been enough for him to say: "According to your hardness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath" (Rom 2:5), and to end this discourse. For it was already complete. But his task was not only to speak of the future judgment. It was also to prove that the Jew has no advantage over such a Greek and must not think highly of himself. Therefore he proceeds further and makes use of the indicated plan. So then, observe. The Apostle brought the hearer into fear by announcing the fearful day to him. He said how evil a corrupt life is. He proved that no one sins through ignorance and is free from punishment. Therefore, if he has not yet been punished, he will undoubtedly be punished. After this, at last, he wishes to show that the teaching of the law was not something absolutely necessary. For both punishment and reward come for deeds, not for circumcision and uncircumcision. Thus, when the Apostle said that the Greek will undoubtedly be punished, and from this undeniable premise drew the conclusion that he will also be rewarded, he had already shown that the law and circumcision are unnecessary. Here he struggles chiefly with the Jews. Since they loved to argue, and first, through pride, considered it base for themselves to be counted equal to the Gentiles, and second, mocked the teaching that faith covers all sins, the Apostle first accused the Gentiles. He had begun the speech about them, so that without any suspicion he might more boldly attack the Jews. Then, having passed to the discussion of punishment, he proves that the Jew not only gains no benefit from the law, but is even burdened by it. All this he prepared above. If the Gentile is without excuse because he did not become better under the guidance of nature and reason, much more is the Jew without excuse. Together with this guidance, he also received teaching from the law. Thus the Apostle, having persuaded the Jew easily to agree with this thought concerning the sins of others, finally compels him, even against his will, to do the same concerning his own sins. In order that his speech may be well received, he begins it with the more pleasant matter, saying: "Glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Here, whatever goods someone may have, he uses them amid many anxieties, whether he is a rich man, landowner, or king. He is often at war, if not with others, then with himself, and has fierce battle in his thoughts. But there, in the enjoyment of heavenly goods, nothing of the kind occurs. On the contrary, everything is quiet, free from turmoil, and joined with true peace. And that those who did not know Christ, because they lived before His coming in the flesh, yet withdrew from idolatry, worshiped the one God, and led a virtuous life, will enjoy all goods. Hear what Paul says about this: "Glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Do you see that for such people great rewards have been prepared for good deeds, while punishments and torments await those who do the opposite?

They are not only superfluous, but prepare a greater punishment for the Jew. For if the Gentile is condemned because he did not follow nature and the natural law, much more is the Jew condemned. He had the same guidance and was also educated in the law.

This is the aim of the Apostle's discourse. Now learn the meaning of the words. By Greeks he means here not idolaters, but God-fearing men who lived piously without the law, such as Melchizedek, Job, the Ninevites, and finally Cornelius.

Likewise, by Jews he means Jews who lived before Christ's coming. For in striving to prove that circumcision has no power, he turns attention to ancient times.

He shows that there was no difference between a God-fearing Gentile and a virtuous Jew. If the Jew had no advantage over the Gentile before Christ's coming, when Judaism was especially glorious, much less does he surpass him now, when the law has been abolished.

Thus speaks the Apostle, intending to crush the pride of the Jews, who would not receive those who came from the Gentiles. He says, glory and honor and peace.

Earthly goods always have enemies. They are joined to anxieties, exposed to envy and snares. Even if no one threatens them from without, the one who possesses them is always troubled in his thoughts.

But glory and honor with God enjoy peace. They are free from anxious thoughts, since they are not subject to snares.

Since God is one, He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith" (Rom 3:29-30). Why then, after saying this, does he give precedence to the Jew? "To the Jew first and also to the Greek," he says. And above this: "Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek" (Rom 2:9). The Apostle placed the Jew first for punishment before the Greek because the wicked Jew transgresses two laws, the natural and the written. The Greek transgresses only the natural law. For the same reason the Jew is worthy of glory, honor, and peace first, and then the Greek. For the virtuous Jew fulfills not only the promptings of nature, but also the ordinances of the law, believing that the words written in the law are the words of God Himself. "What advantage then has the Jew," says Saint Paul, "or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way. Chiefly because to them were entrusted the oracles of God" (Rom 3:1-2). This is confirmed by the following words: Rom 2:12. "For as many as have sinned without the law will also perish without the law. And as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law."

O how greatly the apostolic words read today strengthen virtuous people in their virtue, and how answerless they render sinners in their sins. You who love God and neighbor, who have prudence in the soul, humility and meekness in the heart, chastity and temperance in all bodily members. You who observe uprightness in all your deeds, who show mercy to the poor, receive strangers, visit the sick. You who fast, pray, and keep vigil. You, I say, who keep the commandments of the Lord as the apple of your eye, and who, like an industrious bee, gather with all diligence and zeal the sweetest honey of the virtues. Come and hear what rewards are set before you for your labors: glory, honor, and peace. Let no one doubt this. Whether you are Scythian, Arab, Egyptian, Indian, Jew, Greek, noble or lowborn, rich or poor, master or slave, free or bondservant, king or subject. Whatever your condition, race, or rank may be, if only you do good works, you will without doubt receive glory, honor, and peace for yourself. "Glory, honor, and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Rom 2:10). God is no respecter of persons. He looks only at your deeds: "for there is no respect of persons with God" (Rom 2:11).

The Apostle said, glory. Glory is of two kinds. One is the glory of virtue, the other is the glory of this world. The first is unfading and unchanging, while the second quickly fades and changes. The man rich in virtue is always glorious. By contrast, the man rich in worldly goods is glorious today and dishonored tomorrow. The glory of virtue is immortal and eternal. By contrast, worldly glory is temporal and corruptible. Those crowned with virtue also die as men, yet their glory never dies. It lives and abides unto ages of ages. "And their glory shall not be blotted out" (Sir 44:12), says Jesus, son of Sirach. Those who grow rich in the goods of this world die, and their glory dies with them. "All human glory is as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls," says Isaiah (Isa 40:6-7). The glory of virtue is light, enlightening the mind and benefiting the soul. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Mt 5:16). But the glory of worldly prosperity is darkness, darkening the mind and harming the soul. "The whole world lies in evil" (1 Jn 5:19), says John the Theologian. Therefore, as light differs from darkness, benefit from harm, and the eternal from the temporal, so the glory of virtue differs from the vain glory of this world.

"Glory and honor" (Rom 2:10). The honor rendered for good works is true honor. You do not honor the rich man who loves silver and is miserly. You despise him. If you hope for something from him, you merely flatter him. You do not honor him. Your tongue weaves praises for him, but your heart spews reproaches against him. You do not honor an official, or one honored with ranks, who is proud, unapproachable, unjust, and cruel. You fear him and tremble before his face. You bow to the ground before him, moved not by heartfelt disposition, but by fear and timidity. Your body bends before him and shows signs of honor, while your soul is angered and says with the Prophet, "Add evils to them, O Lord. Add evils to the glorious of the earth" (Isa 26:15). Thus do we honor the glorious of the earth who are not virtuous.

By contrast, a virtuous man, whatever his condition or rank, is praised not only by your lips, but also by your heart. Not only your body, but also your soul honors him and bows before him. Your heart's own disposition compels you to incline your head before him. Thus the honor rendered to the virtuous surpasses the honor rendered to the glorious of the earth as much as true honor surpasses false and hypocritical honor, and as much as the soul surpasses the body.

"Glory and honor and peace" (Rom 2:10). There are two kinds of peace: inward and outward. When carnal desires die in us and our conscience does not accuse us, then, according to Paul's command, we "are at peace among ourselves" (1 Thess 5:13). That is, we enjoy inward peace or tranquility. When we love our neighbor as ourselves according to the Lord's commandment (Mt 19:19), then, as far as it depends on us, we "have peace with all men" (Rom 12:18), as the same Paul teaches. Then we enjoy outward peace. The God-man bestowed these two kinds of peace on His holy disciples, saying twice, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you" (Jn 14:27). Therefore, if we have both inward and outward peace, we have true and perfect peace.

The world snatches from us both inward and outward peace. It inflames carnal passions in us. It revives the passion for greed, self-indulgence, and vainglory. But what tranquility, what peace of soul, can the greedy man have? He is ceaselessly tossed here and there, seeking where he might become rich. Even when he becomes exceedingly rich, he is still not satisfied. He is like one suffering from dropsy, who thirsts the more he drinks. Can a dissolute man be at peace when he feels that he is exhausting not only his property, but also his bodily strength, his health, and his very body? What peace can a vainglorious man have, when he ceaselessly seeks praise and base servility for himself? He argues about precedence and the first place, and he strives after honors and distinctions. These destructive passions not only agitate and trouble a man, but also cast him into the abyss of injustices, envy, deceits, lies, evil counsels, hatred, and other dreadful transgressions. Here conscience becomes a scourge that lashes cruelly, and an undying worm that gnaws the very bones. Therefore it leaves not even traces of peace. "There is no peace," said David the Porphyrogenite, "in my bones because of my sins" (Ps 37:4). Thus the lover of the world cannot have inward peace, because the passions of the world continually disturb him, and the strong reproaches of conscience torment him.

But can he not have outward peace? Does he not have peace with men? O how far this peace also is from him. Here rulers and thieves, intending to snatch away his wealth, bring fear and terror upon him. There lustful rivals, hindering the fulfillment of his desires, expose him to unavoidable dangers. Here envious and vainglorious men, wishing to take away his present distinctions and obstruct his hopes of primacy, honors, or promotion, trouble his soul. He is like a ship sailing in mid-sea, where discordant sailors quarrel among themselves, while hostile winds and mighty waves strike it from without. He is like a city disturbed within by the discord of its citizens, and surrounded from without by enemies.

Thus only the virtuous man enjoys true peace. For where there is virtue, carnal passions die there, and there is peace of conscience. Where there is virtue, there is also love. Where there is love, there is no place for envy, slander, injustices, or all the other vices that cause our quarrels and discord. The virtuous man tastes the heavenly sweetness of peace. Neither the scandals of the corrupt, nor evil counsels, nor persecutions can deprive him of inward tranquility. It fills the heart and can never depart from him. Paul's joy at the very time when he was outwardly encompassed by sufferings can serve as proof of this. "Now I rejoice," he said, "in my sufferings for you" (Col 1:24).

Therefore glory, honor, and peace belong not to the rich, not to the self-indulgent, not to the glorious of the earth, but to everyone who does good. Whatever a man's rank, race, or condition may be, rich or poor, glorious or inglorious, eminent or wholly unknown, glory, honor, and peace are his if he practices the works of virtue. These are the rewards promised by Paul, or rather by the Holy Spirit through his lips, to virtuous men. They are great rewards, constituting true human blessedness, eternal rewards. Glory, honor, and peace to the virtuous on earth. Glory, honor, and peace in the heavens. The virtuous man is in glory among men and in glory with God. He is in honor on earth and in the heavens. He is peaceful in life and peaceful after death, for he has received the peace of God, of which there is no end (Isa 9:7). With these divine and saving words Saint Paul encouraged the hearts of virtuous people.

From the section examined concerning the liability of the Jews, the following words of the Apostle Paul must be singled out for special notice: He, that is, the Lord God. "will render to each one according to his works." Also: "For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified" (Rom 2:6, 13).

Why are these words remarkable on the lips of the holy Apostle Paul? Because he is considered, and truly is, the chief and insistent preacher of justification by faith alone, without the works of the law.

Yet here he makes the lot of men depend on the righteous recompense given to each according to his works. He promises justification only to the doers of the law.

Let the Lutheran false teachers, who so love to appeal to the Apostle Paul, understand this. He sets as the condition of salvation not mere faith, but faith that brings forth works.

Or, as he says elsewhere, faith working through love, that is, through works of love toward God and neighbor (Gal 5:6).

"Nothing unclean will enter the Kingdom of God," one interpreter of Paul's words remarks on this matter. "Therefore, when you hear, 'Only believe and you will be saved,' stop your ears. This is the speech of the serpent" (Bishop Theophan).

Blessed Theodoret says: "The Apostle spoke beautifully: you are storing up for yourself, showing that none of our words or deeds will be given over to oblivion."

Now this treasure is not visible, but it will be revealed on the day of judgment. Perhaps some will see this treasure of theirs only then, contrary to their desire.

The Apostle instills all these thoughts so that all who hear him and live impiously may be contrite, grieve over their condition, and strive in every way to change their life.

A fearful lot awaits them. But for those who strive toward good and do good, tranquility, glory, and honor have been prepared. This is for all without distinction of peoples: Jews, Greeks, and other nations, for before the face of God all are equal.

But one asks: on the basis of what law will men be judged? For the deep difference in this respect between the Jew and the Gentile is known. The Apostle answers this question in the following verses.

Glory and honor were explained somewhat above. What is peace? Peace within oneself, peace with all, and above all peace with God. When peace is established and reigns, those who have the happiness of living under its kingdom continually enjoy a state of delight, spreading everywhere the joy of life. Perhaps the Apostle added peace here to the previously mentioned glory and honor to signify the summit of blessedness there. At the same time, he indicates that this glory and honor have nothing divisive or disturbing, as they do on earth. Thus Saint Chrysostom says: "Whatever goods someone has on earth, possessing them is bound up with many anxieties. A rich man, a landowner, or a king, if not with others, is often at war with himself and wages a fierce battle with his thoughts. But in the possession of heavenly goods nothing of the kind occurs. On the contrary, everything is quiet, undisturbed, and enjoys true peace." Theophylact writes the same: "Earthly goods always have enemies. They are bound up with anxieties, subject to envy and snares. Even if no one threatens them outwardly, the possessor himself is always anxious in his thoughts. But glory and honor with God enjoy peace and are foreign to anxiety in thoughts, since they are not subject to snares." Blessed Theophylact, who above drew attention to the Greek expression κατεργαζόμενος, doing evil with effort, is disposed to turn attention here also to the Greek expression for "doing," ἐργαζομένῳ. It means simply doing good, even without effort. The Apostle wished, as it were, to hint that it is easier to receive a reward than to fall under punishment. He does this to encourage and drive away hopelessness and despair in those who feel themselves weak. Only begin to do good even a little, and you will already be on the side of those whom glory and honor await. To the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Is this just? That greater punishment should come to the Jew who does evil is obviously just. Having more motives and means for doing good, he not only did not do it, but turned aside to the opposite, explicitly forbidden evil. But by the same reason it would seem that his reward should be set lower. He was surrounded by greater motives and means toward good, and therefore it was easier for him to do it. It was harder for the Gentile to resist evil and stand firm in good. Therefore, if he proves good, it would seem that a greater reward should follow for him. So it would seem. Yet if the Jew had more motives to do good, he also had a greater sphere of good-doing. By remaining fully faithful to the law, he did more good, and therefore bore more labor. This is so even in that part of the good which, together with the written law, was also suggested by conscience. But the law laid many things upon the Jew which conscience does not declare, yet which had to be fulfilled unswervingly. This required labor and made the law a perceptible yoke. Is it unjust to repay more to one who faithfully and patiently bore this yoke? Not only the measure of zeal and exertion of moral powers determines the worth of the doer, but also the sphere of the objects of action. Moreover, although Judaism was not God's final dispensation for human progress, it could not remain without effect upon the soul. It could not fail to leave a seal upon it, setting it in sharp distinction from a soul that is only naturally good. There was within it the beginning of a sanctifying power from the Lord and Savior. For Judaism was characterized by faith in the Savior Who was to come. Therefore a Jew faithful to his Judaism could not but stand higher than any Gentile faithful only to the natural laws of conscience. Saint Chrysostom reasons: "What Jew does the Apostle mean here, and of what Greeks does he speak? Of those who lived before the coming of Christ. For the speech has not yet reached the coming of grace. On the contrary, the Apostle has as his subject more distant times. By Greeks Paul here means not idolaters, but God-fearing men obedient to the natural law, who, apart from the observance of Jewish rites, preserved everything relating to piety." Let us add: they believed in God as Creator, Provider, and Rewarder. They placed all their hope in Him alone and feared to offend Him by violating anything that conscience suggested to them as pleasing to God. Being always so disposed, they grew rich in works of righteousness and love, whose obligation they recognized.