Whom does Paul address when he refers to “every one of you who judges”?

Explanation:

In Romans 1:18–32, Paul has explained that God’s wrath falls justly on all who fail to praise and thank God and live by his commands. Then in Romans 2:1 he writes, Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. It is interesting to note that in Romans 1:18–32, Paul used the third-person plural (they) when speaking about the ungodly, while in Romans 2:1 he shifts to the second-person singular you. Who is this you whom Paul addresses? Most likely, he is addressing the Jewish Christians in Rome. We can detect this because he says as much in Romans 2:12, Romans 2:17, Romans 2:23, and Romans 2:25.³ That is, he refers to those who are judged according to the law because they have the law, which is a reference to the Jews (Romans 2:12). Then in Romans 2:17 he mentions the Jews specifically, while in Romans 2:23 he refers to those who boast in the law. Finally, in Romans 2:25 he explains that circumcision is of no value if one breaks the law; again, he is clearly mentioning Jewish sentiments.

Counterargument:

While it might be that Paul’s audience includes Jews, it also includes Gentiles. So the fact that he sometimes addresses the Jews specifically, as in Romans 2:17, does not mean that he does not address the Jews and Gentiles in Romans 2:1. The fact is, Romans 2:17 falls outside the immediate context of Romans 2:1, and the immediate context is what determines the meaning of a text. When it comes to Romans 2:1, the immediate context suggests that Paul addresses both Jews and Gentiles. For he refers to every one who judges. In other words, everyone, including both Jews and Gentiles, who judges, is condemned.⁴

Response to counterargument:

That Paul uses the phrase every one who judges does not entail that he has everyone including Jews and Gentiles in mind. For before he introduces the phrase, he writes, Therefore you have no excuse. That the verb is in the second-person singular suggests that Paul has turned his attention to a particular conversation partner, namely, the Jews. Paul is saying, Therefore you Jew, any one of you Jewish persons who judges. In other words, Paul uses the second-person singular to indicate that he will now address the Jews, which implies that every one who judges refers to every one of the limited audience he now addresses, that is, every one of the Jews.

Explanation:

Paul opens Romans 2:1 by writing, Therefore, you have no excuse, O man. He likely has the Jewish Christians in Rome in mind. We can detect this because of how Paul has cleverly structured his argument in Romans 1:18–2:29 in order to address both the Gentiles and the Jews.⁵ First, in Romans 1:18–32 he has addressed the Gentiles. He explains that God has revealed himself to everyone, which includes the Gentiles, so that even the Gentiles know the power and invisible nature of God (Romans 1:20). Further, these also know they ought to praise and thank God (Romans 1:21), and that disobedience deserves death (Romans 1:32). Thus, Paul has articulated the condemnation of the Gentiles. Then when we reach Romans 2:1–29, Paul articulates the condemnation of the Jews. For he knows that the Jews pass judgment on the Gentiles for failing to recognize God. But, Paul says, you who pass judgment, referring to the Jews, also fail to praise and thank God, and practice wickedness knowing it deserves death. So by passing judgment on the Gentiles, which was a tendency for the Jews, they are also condemned. Thus, Paul has set up his argument so that both the Gentile and Jewish Christians in Rome would recognize they are condemned, before presenting them with the gospel.⁶

Counterargument:

Unfortunately for this view Paul does not clearly identify the Gentiles as his audience in Romans 1:18–32, and the Jews from Romans 2:1–29. Rather, he seems to have all humans in mind in both sections. First, in Romans 1:18–32 he says that the wrath of God from heaven is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Notice that Paul uses the adjective all to indicate that God’s wrath is against not just the Gentiles, but all ungodliness and unrighteousness. He goes on to explain that humans ignore what God has revealed about himself and instead exchange the truth for a lie and worship idols. Of course, we know that both Gentiles and Jews worshipped idols. Finally, we reach Romans 2:1 where Paul again uses the adjective all to indicate that anyone who passes judgment is likewise condemned. In other words, anyone, whether Gentile or Jew, who is tempted to judge the disobedient, fails to recognize that they partake in the same condemnation for their own wicked behaviour.

Response to counterargument:

Any Jew would have recognized the description of sins that Paul lists in Romans 1:22–32 and associated these with the Gentiles.⁷ For the Jews explicitly taught that one should not create idols, and that homosexual activity was strictly forbidden. Further, Paul has highlighted the fact that everyone knows God through what he has made, leaving even the Gentiles, who do not have God’s special revelation, without excuse. Likely, Paul identifies sins such as idolatry and homosexuality, knowing that his Jewish audience would judge such behaviour before widening the scope to include all manner of envy, murder, greed, hatred and so on (Romans 1:29–31).⁸ By highlighting specifically Gentile sins, Paul induces a sense of judgment over the Gentiles from his Jewish audience in Rome, but by widening the scope he shows that the Jews fall under the same condemnation. Thus, Paul can now say in Romans 2:1 that by judging others, the Jews condemn themselves, for they participate in at least some of the wicked behaviours listed.⁹

One weakness of this view is that the plain meaning of the text suggests that Paul has in mind everyone who judges. Not only that, but we know the essence of Paul’s teaching also applies to everyone. That is, everyone who judges is condemned, because everyone who judges participates in the same disobedient behaviour. So the plain meaning and the essence of Paul’s teaching suggest that Paul has everyone in mind.

Explanation:

When Paul says that those who judge are without excuse, he used the phrase every one of you who judges. Paul is writing to Gentiles and Jewish Christians in Rome, and now he says that every one of you who judges, that is, anyone at all, is without excuse. By using the adjective all with any one…who judges, Paul makes clear that everyone, Gentiles and Jews, who judge, are without excuse.¹³

Counterargument:

It is important to notice that Paul opens Romans 2:1 with the second-person singular you. Then he follows this up with every one of you who judges. It is important to notice that Paul first uses the second-person singular you because by using this he limits his audience to the Jews (see interpretation 1, argument 1, response to counterargument). He then follows this up by saying every one of you who judges, that is, every one of the people in his limited audience who judges, are without excuse. By first limiting his audience with the second-person singular you, we can deduce that Paul means every one in the limited sense of every one of the Jews who judge, not every one as in every Gentile and Jew.

Response to counterargument:

This counterargument assumes that by using the you, Paul limits his audience to the Jews. The fact is, the use of the second-person singular was a common rhetorical device used in ancient times known as a diatribe.¹⁴ The diatribe was used by introducing an imaginary interlocutor, who may or may not be specifically identified, which allowed the writer to address particular issues as though he were in direct correspondence with someone. Paul clearly deploys this tactic in Romans 2:1, which allows him to address anyone who might have judged those Paul describes in Romans 1:18–32. For Paul will point out that everyone who judges practices the same behaviour, so by condemning others, they condemn themselves.

Explanation:

Paul says that every one of you who judges is without excuse. Likely, Paul addresses everyone in the Roman church, including both Gentiles and Jews. We can detect that Paul likely refers to both Gentiles and Jews because it is likely that Paul knew both Gentiles and Jews who judged others and yet practiced the same wicked behaviour. We know that Paul travelled many miles as a missionary, and it is likely that he met many Gentiles who claimed to be enlightened by the Greek philosophers, who professed virtues, but who continued to act wickedly.¹⁵ Likewise, we can be sure that Paul knew Jews who claimed to be morally superior to the Gentiles.¹⁶

Counterargument:

While Paul may have known hypocritical Gentiles and Jews, we have to admit that the Jews were especially judgmental of other groups, such as Gentiles. It was common for Jews to perceive Gentiles as sinners, a label that is even used by Paul himself in Galatians 2:15 when he contrasts those who are Jews by birth from Gentile sinners.¹⁷ Given that the Jews might consider themselves superior, it was important for Paul to make clear that they do not escape condemnation. For while the Jews were ready to judge those who acted wickedly, they partake in the same behaviour, and so by judging others they condemn themselves.

Response to counterargument:

It is true that when Paul addresses the Christians in Galatia, he refers to Gentile sinners. Further, we know that the Jews considered themselves superior to the Gentiles who seemed to fall outside the scope of God’s covenant. Still, Paul is not addressing only Jewish Christians in Rome but also Gentiles. We also know there were many Gentiles who carried a similar attitude as the Jews, which is to say, they believed themselves to be enlightened by the writings of the Greek philosophers. Still, while these judge others, they partake in the same sins they condemn, and so condemn themselves. Given that Paul addresses both Gentiles and Jews in his letter to Rome, and that both Gentiles and Jews were guilt of self-righteousness, every one who judges likely refers to Gentiles and Jews.

The weakness of this view is that while the letter to Rome is addressed to both Gentile and Jewish Christians, Paul does seem to target specific groups with specific messages throughout the letter. We know from what follows that Paul will specifically address the notion that while the Jews have the law and the Gentiles do not, both fall under God’s condemnation. Although the Gentiles are not excluded from these teachings Paul does seem to aim these at the Jews.