No Covenant Connection for Jew or Gentile
There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favouritism.
Romans 2:9 -11
Our text forms part of a self-contained thought here in Romans, outlined here in a chiasm (from the Greek alphabetic letter for X).
A God will judge everyone according to their works (2:6)
B People who do good will attain eternal life (2:7)
C People who do evil will suffer wrath (2:8)
C1 Wrath for those who do evil (2:9)
B1 Glory for those who do good (2:10)
A1 God judges impartially (2:11)
Immediately before our above text Paul had written, ‘To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be ‘wrath and anger’ (2:7,8). He restates the same black and white alternatives but with three differences. Firstly he simplifies the two categories as ‘every human being who does evil’ and ‘everyone who does good’ (2:9). Jesus made the same division between ‘those who have done evil’ and ‘those who have done good’ in John 5:29.
Secondly Paul describes the two destinies slightly differently. He describes one as ‘trouble and distress’ (2:9) emphasising its anguish and the other as ‘glory, honour and peace’ (2:10) taking up the ‘glory’ and ‘honour’ of 2:7 which form part of the goal believers seek, and adding ‘peace,’ the comprehensive word for reconciled relationships with God and each other.
Thirdly, Paul adds to each sentence ‘first for the Jew, then for the Gentile’ (2:9,10). By applying the phrase to both salvation and condemnation, Paul extends the principle of ‘Jew first’ (1:16) in a direction no Jew would have anticipated. When they respond positively they are the first to receive His blessing; but in the same way, they will also be the first to be judged if they fail to respond. This shows God’s absolute impartiality: ‘For God does not show favouritism’ (2:11).
The word for ‘favouritism’ literally means ‘receiving the face’ and was coined by Christians to translate a Hebrew expression that clearly conveys the sense of partiality: treating someone on the basis of outward appearance (by looking only at their face). Paul claims God will never do this. He will not let a person go free from judgement because of some or in fact any outward circumstance. But Paul’s application, that the Jews’ covenant position will in no way enhance or even impact their standing on judgement day, is radical.
Without Christ there is no covenant connection for Jews or Gentiles. Both are exposed to the wrath of God. The new covenant replaced the old covenant (Hebrews 8:8-12 quoting Jeremiah 31:31-34). ‘By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete’ (Hebrews 8:13). So Jew and Gentile stand on equal ground before God, both desperately needing His salvation.
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Refrain:
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.
Edward Mote