Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Romans: Chapter 2].
2:15 {In that they} (\hoitines\). "The very ones who,"
qualitative relative. {Written in their hearts} (\grapton en tais
kardiais aut•n\). Verbal adjective of \graph•\, to write. When
their conduct corresponds on any point with the Mosaic law they
practise the unwritten law in their hearts. {Their conscience
bearing witness therewith} (\sunmarturous•s aut•n t•s
suneid•se•s\). On conscience (\suneid•sis\) see on ¯1Co 8:7;
10:25f.; 2Co 1:12. Genitive absolute here with present active
participle \sunmarturous•s\ as in 9:1. The word \suneid•sis\
means co-knowledge by the side of the original consciousness of
the act. This second knowledge is personified as confronting the
first (Sanday and Headlam). The Stoics used the word a great deal
and Paul has it twenty times. It is not in the O.T., but first in
this sense in Wisdom 17:10. All men have this faculty of passing
judgment on their actions. It can be over-scrupulous (1Co
10:25) or "seared" by abuse (1Ti 4:12). It acts according to
the light it has. {Their thoughts one with another accusing or
also excusing them} (\metaxu all•l•n t•n logism•n kat•gorount•n •
kai apologoumen•n\). Genitive absolute again showing the
alternative action of the conscience, now accusing, now excusing.
Paul does not say that a heathen's conscience always commends
everything that he thinks, says, or does. In order for one to be
set right with God by his own life he must always act in accord
with his conscience and never have its disapproval. That, of
course, is impossible else Christ died for naught (Ga 2:21).
Jesus alone lived a sinless life. For one to be saved without
Christ he must also live a sinless life.
2:16 {According to my gospel} (\kata to euaggelion mou\). What
Paul preaches (1Co 15:1) and which is the true gospel
2:17 {Bearest the name} (\eponomaz•i\). Present passive
indicative in condition of first class of \eponomaz•\, old word,
to put a name upon (\epi\), only here in N.T. "Thou art surnamed
Jew" (Lightfoot). Jew as opposed to Greek denoted nationality
while Hebrew accented the idea of language. {Restest upon the
law} (\epanapau•i nom•i\). Late and rare double compound, in LXX
and once in the Didache. In N.T. only here and Lu 10:6 which
see. It means to lean upon, to refresh oneself back upon
anything, here with locative case (\nom•i\). It is the picture of
blind and mechanical reliance on the Mosaic law. {Gloriest in
God} (\kauch•sai en the•i\). _Koin•_ vernacular form for
\kauch•i\ (\kauchaesai, kauch•sai\) of \kauchaomai\ as in verse
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