Romans 2:29
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is
that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of
men, but of God.
a. NLT: No, a true Jew is one
whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the
letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit.
And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
b. NIV: No, a person is a Jew who
is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit,
not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but
from God.
c. YLT: but a Jew is he who
is so inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit, not
in letter, of which the praise is not of men, but of God.
d. Amplified Bible Classic: But he
is a Jew who is one inwardly, and [true] circumcision is of the heart, a
spiritual and not a literal [matter]. His praise is not from men but from God.
e. Worrell Translation: But he is
a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in spirit,
not in letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.
f. Wuest Translation: But he who
is so in the sphere of the inner man is a Jew, and circumcision is of the
heart, in the sphere of the spirit, not in the sphere of the letter, concerning
whom the praise is not from men but from God.
1. “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly...”
a. But [Strong: 235. alla
al-lah' neuter plural of 243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially)
contrariwise (in many relations):--and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay,
nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]
b. he [is] [Strong: 3588. ho
ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their
inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others
omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]
c. a Jew [Strong: 2453. Ioudaios
ee-oo-dah'-yos from 2448 (in the sense of 2455 as a country); Judaean,
i.e. belonging to Jehudah:--Jew(-ess), of Judaea.]
d. which is one [Strong: 1722.
en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place,
time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or
constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537);
"in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X
altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (...
sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because)
of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X
that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when,
where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the
same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction,
except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]
e. inwardly [Strong: 2927. kruptos
kroop-tos' from 2928; concealed, i.e. private:--hid(-den), inward(-ly),
secret.]
1). Very clearly Paul is
identifying from a spiritual/covenant perspective who and what a Jew is. He is
distinguishing between inward and I assume outward circumcision. He is not
saying that a physical Jew is not a Jew. He is speaking of a Covenant Jew.
Because of what Jesus did in his death and resurrection and then our believing
what he did we become grafted into Israel, we become Jews spiritually.
a). Romans 11:13-18 For I speak to
you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine
office:
11:14 If by any means I may
provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.
11:15 For if the casting away of
them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but
life from the dead?
11:16 For if the firstfruit be
holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
11:17 And if some of the branches
be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them,
and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
11:18 Boast not against the
branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
2. “…and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit,
and not in the letter…”
a. and [Strong: 2532. kai
kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes
also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in
connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also,
both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
b. circumcision [4061 * peritome] [Strong:
circumcision (the rite, the condition or the people, literally or
figuratively):--X circumcised, circumcision.] [Webster-Merriam: a Jewish rite performed on male infants as a
sign of inclusion in the Jewish religious community, to cut off the foreskin of
(a male)].
c. [is that of] the heart [Strong:
2588. kardia kar-dee'-ah prolonged from a primary kar
(Latin cor, "heart"); the heart, i.e. (figuratively) the thoughts or
feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle:--(+ broken-)heart(-ed).]
d. in [Strong: 1722. en
en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or
state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e.
a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at,
(up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as,
at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self
wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on,
(open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X
there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with),
while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import;
rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except
(elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]
e. the spirit [Strong: 4151.
pneuma pnyoo'-mah from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath
(blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the
rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or
(superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy
Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.]
f. not [Strong: 3756. ou
oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch
ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+
long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special,
un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]
g. [in the] letter [Strong: 1121. gramma gram'-mah
from 1125; a writing, i.e. a letter, note, epistle, book, etc.; plural
learning:--bill, learning, letter, scripture, writing, written.]
1). Circumcision was the Old
Testament method for males by which one entered the Jewish community, into
Covenant with God.
a). Genesis 17:10-14 This is my
covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee;
Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
17:11 And ye shall circumcise the
flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and
you.
17:12 And he that is eight days
old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he
that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not
of thy seed.
17:13 He that is born in thy
house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my
covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
17:14 And the uncircumcised man
child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut
off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
2). Under the New Covenant the
circumcision is inward, a spiritual circumcision.
a). Colossians 2:11-13 In whom
also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting
off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism,
wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God,
who hath raised him from the dead.
And you, being dead in your sins
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses;
3). Notice the similarity in the
words “body of the sins of the flesh” in Colossians and from Romans
a). Romans 6:3-6 Know ye not, that
so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
6:4 Therefore we are buried with
him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by
the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
6:5 For if we have been planted
together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his
resurrection:
6:6 Knowing this, that our old man
is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth
we should not serve sin.
4). We enter into the New Covenant
through the New Birth, the born again experience when we believe and confess
what God did for us through Jesus Christ. With that one act of obedience we
receive righteousness and salvation.
a). Romans 10:6-10 But the
righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart,
Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
10:7 Or, Who shall descend into
the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
But what saith it? The word is
nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith,
which we preach;
That if thou shalt confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised
him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
3. “…whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
a. whose [Strong: 3739. hos
hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary
word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes
demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some,
that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]
b. praise [Strong: 1868. epainos
ep'-ahee-nos from 1909 and the base of 134; laudation; concretely, a
commendable thing:--praise.]
c. is not [Strong: 3756. ou
oo, also (before a vowel) ouk ook, and (before an aspirate) ouch
ookh a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+
long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special,
un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]
d. of [Strong: 1537. ek
ek or ex ex a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence
action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or
figurative; direct or remote):--after, among, X are, at, betwixt(-yond), by
(the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among,
forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in,
...ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over,
since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with(-out). Often used in
composition, with the same general import; often of completion.]
e, men [Strong: 444. anthropos
anth'-ro-pos from 435 and ops (the countenance; from 3700); man-faced,
i.e. a human being:--certain, man.]
f. but [Strong: 235. alla
al-lah' neuter plural of 243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially)
contrariwise (in many relations):--and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay,
nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]
g. of [Strong: 1537. ek
ek or ex ex a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence
action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or
figurative; direct or remote):--after, among, X are, at, betwixt(-yond), by
(the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among,
forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in,
...ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over,
since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with(-out). Often used in
composition, with the same general import; often of completion.]
h. God [Strong: 2316. theos
theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the
supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding,
God, god(-ly, -ward).]
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