Romans 2:18

18 And have knowledge of his desires, and are a judge of the things which are different, having the learning of the law,

Romans 2:18 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 2:18

And knowest his will
Not the secret will or purpose of God; nor his revealed will in the Gospel, for of this they were ignorant; but his declared will in the law, showing what is to be done, and what is not to be done: to know which in express terms was a privilege, that other people had not; but then the bare knowledge of this will be of no avail: for persons may know their Lord's will, as the Jews did, and not do it, and so be worthy to be beaten with many stripes:

and approvest the things that are more excellent:
or "triest the things that differ"; from one another, and from the will and law of God; or as the Syriac, "discernest" (atylw) , "things that are convenient"; agreeable, which are fit and ought to be done: and having tried and discerned them, they approved of them in their judgment as the things more excellent; but then they did not put these excellent things in practice which they approved of; and the knowledge and approbation they had of these things, arose from their

being instructed out of the law,
and not the Gospel; for the excellent things of the Gospel, they had no discerning, knowledge and approbation of; see ( Philippians 1:10 ) .

Romans 2:18 In-Context

16 In the day when God will be a judge of the secrets of men, as it says in the good news of which I am a preacher, through Jesus Christ.

17 But as for you who have the name of Jew, and are resting on the law, and take pride in God,

18 And have knowledge of his desires, and are a judge of the things which are different, having the learning of the law,

19 In the belief that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those in the dark,

20 A teacher of the foolish, having in the law the form of knowledge and of what is true;