Romans 2:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here he remains entirely beyond suspicion, since he sets forth something not directly related to his aim. Therefore, after saying, "Glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek," he added: "For there is no partiality with God."

See with what success the Apostle gained the victory. Having brought the discourse to an absurd conclusion, he concludes that it is not proper for God to act otherwise.

For this would be partiality, and in God there is no partiality. He did not say, "If this were not so, God would be partial."

Rather, he expressed himself more majestically: "For there is no partiality with God." That is, God examines not the qualities of persons, but the difference of deeds.

By saying this, he revealed that the difference between Jew and Gentile lies not in deeds, but only in persons.

After this he ought to have said: nevertheless, because one is a Jew and the other a Greek, one receives honor and the other dishonor. Yet both are repaid according to their works.

But the Apostle did not say this, because he might have stirred the Jew to anger. He offers something else and greater, casting the Jewish mind even lower and weakening it so that they might accept his teaching.

What is this? What follows next.

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.

Its violation will make him worthy of punishment according to the measure of violation. In this respect all are equal, both Jew and Greek. There is no respect of persons with God. Saint Chrysostom says: "When he said that Jew and Gentile are punished for sins, this did not need proofs. But when he wishes to suggest that the Gentile too will be deemed worthy of honor, proofs are already needed for this. For it seemed wonderful and strange that one who had not heard the law and the Prophets should be deemed worthy of honor for good deeds. The Apostle suggests to us that it is not proper to God to act otherwise, because this would be partiality, and in God there is no partiality. 'For there is no respect of persons with God' means that God examines not the quality of persons, but the difference of deeds. One receives honor and another dishonor not because the former is a Jew and the latter a Gentile. On the contrary, each is repaid according to his works." One cannot fail to see that from verse 9 until now, and further on, the Apostle has given a special direction to his thought. He is visibly approaching, unnoticed, his main thought: the equality of Jew and Gentile before grace. If he had suddenly expressed this thought, he could have astonished and repelled the Jews. To dispose them from afar toward accepting it, he first sets Jew and Greek as equal before God's judgment. In this judgment, the feeling of justice innate in all stood for him. It stopped the Jew's mouth and compelled him obediently to agree with the Apostle's decision concerning each one's eternal lot by God's unbribable righteousness. Saint Chrysostom says: "Thus the Apostle first undermines the barrier between circumcision and uncircumcision. From afar he prepares the abolition of this distinction, so as to accomplish it without giving any suspicion. If he had begun to prove this directly concerning the times of grace, his words would have aroused no small suspicion. But when, discoursing about the impiety and corruption reigning in the world, he comes to this subject by the connection of the speech, his teaching becomes entirely unsuspected. Consider this. The Apostle brought the hearer into fear and struck his hearing by remembrance of the fearful day. He said how evil a corrupt life is. He proved that everyone sins not through ignorance, and therefore is not free from punishment. And if he has not yet been punished, he will inevitably undergo punishment. Here he already wishes to prove that the teaching of the law is not something absolutely necessary. For both punishment and reward come for deeds, not for circumcision and uncircumcision. The Apostle, having said that the Gentile will be punished, drew from this premise, as undeniable, the conclusion that the Gentile will also be rewarded. By this he showed that the law and circumcision are already unnecessary. Through pride the Jews considered it base for themselves to stand equal to the Gentiles. Therefore the Apostle first accused the Gentiles, about whom he had begun the speech, so as not to arouse suspicion and so as to attack the Jews more strongly. Then he passes to the discussion of punishment and proves that the law not only does not benefit the Jew, but even burdens him. 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. Besides the same guidance, he was also taught by the law. Thus the Apostle, having persuaded the Jew to agree that the sins of the Gentiles are inexcusable, compels him involuntarily to conclude the same concerning his own sins."