Romans 2 - Introduction

A. RABBINIC DOCTRINES; MERIT, PRIVILEGE, &c. (Cch. 2, 3)

The following extracts from the Talmud are from the late Dr A. M Caul's Old Paths. The original Rabbinic, as well as the reference, is there given in each case.

(On the Talmud as evidence to opinion in St Paul's day, see just below, Appendix B.)

"Every one of the children of men has merits and sins. If his merits exceed his sins, he is righteous. If his sins exceed his merits, he is wicked. If they be half and half, he is an intermediate person, בינוני." p. 125. "Circumcision is equivalent to all the commandments that are in the Law." p. 230. "The wise men have said, that Abraham our father sits at the door of hell (Gehinnom), and does not suffer any one that is circumcised to be cast into it." p. 229. "Amongst all the commandments, there is not one that is equivalent to the study of the Law. Whereas the study of the Law is equivalent to all the commandments; for study leads to practice. Therefore, study always goes before good deeds". p. 131. "What is a sojourning proselyte? A Gentile, who has taken upon himself the commandments given to the sons of Noah, but is not circumcised nor baptized. Such a one is received, and is of the pious of the nations of the world. And why is he called a sojourner?Because it is lawful for us to let him dwell among us in the land of Israel.… But a sojourning proselyte is not received except during the celebration of the year of jubilee" (p. 34); i.e., during one year in fifty. But elsewhere the Talmud says that there has been no jubileesince the Captivity of the Ten Tribes (p. 35). Full proselytism is thus the only real hope for a Gentile. "What constitutes a Stranger(i.e. a full proselyte)? Sacrifice, circumcision, and baptism. At the present time, when there is no sacrifice, circumcision and baptism are necessary; and when the Temple is rebuilt, he must bring a sacrifice. A Ger(Stranger) is not a Geruntil he is both circumcised and baptized." p. 154.

These extracts may aid us, in some measure, in estimating the kind of prejudice against which St Paul aims in Romans 2 &c.

The work from which the extracts are taken, The Old Paths, (נתיבות צולס), is itself no mean illustration of the prophecies of Romans 11. It was originally a serial, circulated (1836 7) among the Jews of London, as "a comparison of Modern Judaism with the religion of Moses and the Prophets;" and it is a deeply earnest while most temperate appeal by a Gentile Messianistto Jews.