Romans 2:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here, as I noted above, the Apostle proves not only the equal honor of Jew and Gentile, but also that the Jew is more heavily burdened because the law was given to him.

The Gentile is condemned without law. But this phrase, "without having the law," indicates here not greater severity, but greater leniency. It means that the Gentile does not have the law as his accuser.

"Without having the law" means outside condemnation according to the law. The Apostle says this means that the Gentile is judged only by natural reason.

But the Jew is judged by the law. That is, together with nature, the law also exposes him. Since he enjoyed greater care, he will be subject to greater punishment.

Above he proved that the Gentile is counted worthy of the same honor as the Jew. Now he proves that, at the time of punishment, condemnation will also overtake the Jew.

The Gentiles, he says, sinned without having the law, that is, without being taught by the law. Therefore they will perish without the law, that is, they will be punished more lightly, since they do not have the law as their accuser.

For "without the law" means not being subject to condemnation according to the law. By contrast, the Jew sinned under the law, that is, while being taught by the law.

Therefore he will also receive judgment, that is, he will be condemned according to the law, as one subject to the law. The law exposes him and subjects him to greater condemnation.

How then do you, O Jew, say that you have no need of grace because you are justified by the law? ...

"Judgment" is usually used for eternal condemnation. It does not seem to me that the Apostle said a worse lot awaits those who sin in ignorance than those who sin knowingly. To perish seems worse than to be judged. When the Apostle spoke of Gentiles and Jews, he simply meant that the former did not have the law, while the latter received the law.

Whoever is ungodly without the law will perish forever. Whoever has sinned under the law while believing in God will be judged by the law and will not perish.

How can one sin without the law, when all of us alike are subject to the natural law? Yet Paul is speaking of the law of Moses, to which the Jews are subject, although they do not believe.

The Gentiles too are liable to the judgment of the natural law, and have long been so, because they were unwilling to be joined to it.

The Gentiles who do not believe become doubly guilty. They neither joined themselves to the law given through Moses, nor accepted the grace of Christ. For this reason they deserve destruction.

Therefore, just as the one who sins without the law will perish, so also the one who keeps the law without the law will be justified. For he who follows righteousness according to nature is a guardian of the law.

God is the Creator of all, says the Apostle. Therefore He will also be the Judge of all. From the Jews He will require an account according to the law of Moses. Those who did not receive this law, whom he calls lawless, and then sinned, He will punish lawfully. He will do so according to the gift implanted in their nature, by which they discern good and evil.

Question. What does this mean: "Those who sinned without having the law will also perish without the law; and those who sinned under the law will be condemned by the law" (Rom 2:12)?

And how does the Apostle again say: "When, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of man through Jesus Christ" (Rom 2:16)? If they are condemned through the law, why is it said to be through Jesus Christ?

Answer. The Word of God, Jesus Christ, as the Creator of all, is also the Maker of the natural law. As Providential Ruler and Lawgiver, He is certainly the Giver of both the written and the spiritual law, that is, the law of grace.

"Christ is the end of the law" (Rom 10:4). This plainly means the end of the written law, spiritually understood.

Until now the discourse has been addressed to all who fall under the natural law, which also operates in part for the Jews. Yet the Jew is placed before the Gentile because, beyond the natural law, he also had the written law of Moses.

Who are those who sin without the law? The Gentiles, who did not receive from God the law given through Moses, yet transgress its commandments.

And who sins in the law? The Jews, who, though they received that law of God, do not fulfill it.

Both Jews and Greeks who transgress the law are condemned. But the Jews are condemned with greater severity, because the law exposes and condemns their transgressions.

Chrysostom, on the Epistle to the Hebrews, says that the Lord said: "There is one who accuses you, Moses, in whom you trust" (Jn 5:45).

Having spoken of the difference among those who fulfill the will of God, the Apostle also indicates the difference in the judgment upon them. Some are Jews, who received the law and learned the will of God from it, and they will be judged by that same law. Others are Gentiles, who did not receive the law and lived outside its guidance. They will be judged outside the law, that is, not according to the written or Jewish law, but according to the natural law of conscience.

He explains and confirms God's impartiality. He says that those who sinned without law, that is, without having the written law and being guided only by the natural law of conscience, will also perish without law.

This means they will not be condemned to eternal torment, the final destruction, according to the written law. Rather, they will be condemned "according to the one gift innate to their nature, by which they discern good and evil" (blessed Theodoret).

They will be condemned because they did not follow this natural law written in their heart. But those who sinned in the law, that is, having the written law, will also be judged by that law and receive judgment.