And knowest his will and approvest the more profitable things, being instructed by the law:
και γινωσκεις το θελημα και δοκιμαζεις τα διαφεροντα κατηχουμενος εκ του νομου
10 Church Fathers comment on this verse
"And you know the will, and discern the better things." Certainly this too was a deficiency if it was not confirmed by deeds. Yet the Jews thought that their advantage consisted in this, and therefore the Apostle clearly points it out. But he did not say, "you fulfill." He said, "you know and discern," while you yourself do not follow or fulfill this.
"And you know His will," that is, God's will. "And approve what is excellent," that is, you decide what must be done and what must not be done. By "what is excellent," διαφέροντα, one must understand what is proper or useful for each person.
He who was brought up in piety from the beginning, escaped every perversity in teachings about God, and was instructed in the law of God, which condemns sin and teaches the opposite, has no such excuse if he falls into idolatry.
He is unlike one who received his upbringing from parents who did not know the law, from Gentiles taught idolatry from childhood. "The Lord shall judge the peoples" (Ps 7:8): He judges the Jew in one way and the Scythian in another.
For the Jew rests in the law, boasts in God, and discerns what is better. He has been instructed in the law.
Beyond the notions common to all, he was persuaded and admonished by the writings of the prophets and the law. If he is found to have fallen into lawlessness, this is reckoned to him as a much heavier sin.
The Scythians are a nomadic people. They were brought up in savage and inhuman customs, accustomed to raids and mutual violence.
They give themselves uncontrollably to anger, are easily provoked by mutual insults, and are used to settling every dispute by weapons. They have been trained to end quarrels by bloodshed.
If they show one another even a little humanity and condescension, then by their services they prepare for us a harsher punishment.
That the Jew can believe does not seem too remarkable, for he is taught to do so by the law. It is truly dangerous for him not to believe, when he has the law as his instructor.
"And you know the will," that is, God's will, "and discern the better things." That is, you distinguish opposites from one another: righteousness and unrighteousness, chastity and indecency, piety and impiety. "Being instructed from the law." For in all these things it became your teacher.
"You discern the better things," τὰ διαφέροντα, the things that differ. "He did not say, 'you fulfill,' but 'you know and discern,' while you yourself do not follow this and do not do it," as Chrysostom says.
Neither teaching others (v. 21), nor boasting in God (v. 17), nor knowing His will and discerning what is better (v. 18) is counted as sin. But it is counted as a great sin when a man knows God's will, boasts in God, teaches others, and yet himself commits transgressions (v. 22). Teaching is not abolished. Rather, teachers are charged with the obligation to be the first doers of the law they preach.
The Jews must prove to be even more guilty than the Gentiles at God's judgment. For, knowing the will of God and being taught what is better from the law, they only dishonored the name of God among the Gentiles by their life.
The prophets also rebuked them for this. "Behold, you are called a Jew, and rest in the law, and boast in God," as though He were especially your God and not the God of the Gentiles.
"And you understand what is better, being instructed from the law, and are confident that you are a guide of the blind ... an instructor of the foolish."
How then do you not teach yourself? "You boast in the law, yet by transgressing the law you dishonor God."
"For because of you, as it is written, the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles" (Isa 52:5; Ezek 36:20).
As though sparing the Hebrews, the Apostle until now has spoken of them without naming them directly. Now, when the essential thought concerning their guilt has already been expressed, he unfolds it in greater detail.
He points out in what they were especially sinful. Here the arrogance of the Hebrews over their divine election and knowledge of the law, without fulfilling it, is exposed with full force.
It is also shown that the Hebrews violate the most essential and first commandments. They do not believe, they commit adultery, and they commit sacrilege.
Even decent Gentiles abhor violations of such commandments. For this reason the Jews even give the Gentiles occasion to think badly of the true God Himself.
They unjustly call themselves His worshipers, as the holy prophets had already said concerning this (Isa 52:5; Ezek 36:20).
According to John Chrysostom: "In this accusation there are two offenses, for it is said that they not only insult God themselves, but also lead others to do so.
Above he blamed them because, while teaching others, they do not teach themselves. Now he blames them for something greater.
You not only fail to teach men to live according to the law, but teach the opposite. You teach them to blaspheme God.
For when the Gentiles see your depravity, they say: Can the God who loves such people be the true God?" (blessed Theophylact).
"And know His will," that is, "the will of God" (blessed Theodoret, blessed Theophylact), definitely expressed in the law and interpreted by the prophets.
It contains precise indication of how to please God, how to live in a God-pleasing way among one another, how to blot out one's sins and correct one's vices, and what to expect in this life and after death.
All this, he says, you understand, O Jew, and you would be blessed if you also did it. But since this is not so, such understanding serves only to your greater condemnation.
Chrysostom says: "To understand only is not important when it is not witnessed by deeds, though it was considered an advantage. Therefore the Apostle especially notes this.
He did not say, 'You fulfill,' but, 'You understand,' without following it and without doing it."
"And approve what is better," δοκιμάζεις τά διαφέροντα. Δοκιμαζειν means to test, to know by experience, to discern and be assured.
Διαφέροντα means what stands out from the ordinary, what is better and excellent. If understood generally, it means: "You distinguish things opposed to one another: righteousness and unrighteousness, chastity and impurity, piety and impiety" (blessed Theodoret).
But since δοκιμαζειν points to a particular activity, or to its particular trials, these words more likely indicate something else.
The Jew could well determine what, when, where, and under what circumstances he ought to do in order to please God. He could choose the better manner of acting.
That he understood what ought to be done in general is indicated by the words, "you know His will." By the words, "you approve what is better," it is indicated that he could also decide what was better for him to do in particular cases.
Blessed Theophylact writes: "By 'what is better' one must understand what is fitting or useful for each person. By 'you approve' he means: you decide what should be done and what should not be done in each case."
"Being instructed out of the law." "For in all this, it has become your teacher" (blessed Theodoret).
"Being instructed," κατηχούμενος, means being catechized. In the synagogues the law was read, and through the hearing of the ear each person, even unwillingly, received knowledge of what was required.
This instruction by the law taught exact discernment of how one ought to act in each circumstance. Yet they fulfilled nothing in deed and prided themselves only on this ability to discern what was required" (Oecumenius).
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 12 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS