Writer of Fancy: The Playful Piety of Jane Austen

Solomon Among the Postmoderns

The Baptized Body

1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary

The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter

A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons

Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature

Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen

The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism

A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel

Against Christianity

From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution

Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy

Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper

A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament

Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature

Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays

Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life

The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church

« Previous Post | Next Post »
« Previous post in category |

Bible - NT - Romans: Manifest and Secret Jews

Romans 2:27-29 is frequently brought into discussions of sacramental efficacy: There’s a difference between the physical rite of circumcision and the spiritual reality to which the rite points.  I’m not so sure that’s what Paul is talking about.

The terminology of the passage is interesting.  Verse 27 speaks of those who are “uncircumcised by nature (phuseos),” picking up the language of 2:14: “the nations who have not the law by nature.”  Both are talking about those who are “naturally” Gentiles, Gentiles by birth. The contrast of “inner/outer” is perhaps better translated as “secret/manifest” (phaneros/kruptos).  That does imply some sort of inner/outer distinction but  differently colored than many have suggested.

The upshot is that the passage is about the Jew/Gentile distinction.  The true Jew is the one who, in the power of the Spirit, keeps the Law; the true Jew is the one who has entered into the new covenant reality of the Spirit, with the law written on his heart.  The contrast is not anthropological in the first instance, but redemptive-historical.