Beyond Sunday: Then for the Gentiles

[Editor's note: Beyond Sunday is a Monday refresher to carry you through the week.]

Focus Verse of the Week

God "will give to each person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. - Romans 2:6

Classic Commentary

2:7 To them that seek for glory - For pure love does not exclude faith, hope, desire. See 1 Corinthians 15:58

1 Corinthians 15:582:8 But to them that are contentious - Like the Jews who fights against God. The character of a false Jew is disobedience, stubbornness, impatience. Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish. The verse alludes to Psalms 78:49: "He cast upon them," the Egyptians. "the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble;" and finely intimating, that the Jews would in the day of vengeance be more severely punished than even the Egyptians were when God made their plagues so horrible.

2:9 Of the Jew first - Here we have the first express mention of the Jews in this chapter. And it is introduced with great propriety. They have been trained up in the true religion, and have had Christ and his apostles first sent to them. Therefore, they will have a place in the foremost rank of the criminals that do not obey the truth.

2:10 But glory - Just opposite to "wrath," from the divine approbation. Honor - Opposite to "indignation," by the divine appointment; and peace now and for ever, opposed to tribulation and anguish.

(Adapted from wesley's explanatory notes, romans 2)

A Thought to Keep

Once we know the Gospel, we are responsible for what we do with it.