Please explain to me what a Jew is according to Romans 2:28-29?

Question

You'll have to read it to understand what I'm referring to...

Answer 1

Hi Brian B,

In the context of this passage, a Jew refers to one who has placed his faith in Christ.

The Jews are God's chosen people, and Paul was reminding them that they were people of privilege, and that they should understand the purpose of that privilege. Which is they were given the Law to know God and to share him with the other nations.

Many of them were relying upon their heritage instead of understanding the gospel and so they kept the law outwardly but not inwardly. (ie: romans 3:1- Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?) Paul would later say that those who truly had faith were those who had their heart's circumcized (See the book of Galatians).

Hope that helps. Kindly,

Nickster

Answer 2

Romans 2:28 "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:"

This word "Jew" should read "Israelite", one of the twelve tribes. In other words, your outward appearance has very little to do with circumcision [repentance and belief by faith]. Paul is stating that it is what is inside your heart, which is your mind that is important to God.

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."

Paul is saying that anyone that knows to do good, and does what he knows is right and just, that person is of Israel, and this virse is directed to both male and female. This is a spiritual circumcision and not of the flesh, and that is why gender doesn't matter. God is the one that gives the praise to those that not only have the form of Godliness, but do the spirit of the letter of the law, either by written law or by nature.

If the letter of the law is taught by a preacher, then the very emotions of God that are placed in the Word must be expressed also. The pages of God's Word must come alive to the listener, to where there is no confusion to those being taught. God is saying that He has praise for those that will teach in this fashion.

Answer 3

Romans 2:28-29:
A major idea in the book of the Romans that Paul wrote has to do with what kind of people we are inside of us. That is why it is stated that the book of the Romans is the most powerful book in the New Testament.
When Jesus was born, lived, and died on the cross his whole purpose was to fulfill many things in the Old Testament. One of those things is circumcision.
Verse 28 & 29 means that being circumcised on the outside is outwardly in the body.
Circumcision of the heart has to do with when we are born, we are born into the wickedness of this world and in the flesh which is of sin. As we live our lives we may stumble upon hard times in hurt and pain.
To become circumcised in the heart is following what The Lord has taught us in life when we are in times of tribulation. For being born of wickedness, and it is so that it is the wicked one who tests our Faith in God by putting us in times of tribulation. It is then when we are in times of tribulation to follow the word of God because when we do that, it takes away what we are born of and that is sin. It is then that we become circumcised of the heart.
The reason Jesus Christ fulfilled circumcision is because the word and Old Testament belongs to God. With the birth, and resurection of Jesus Christ being the Image of God is of spiritual nature. The fulfillment came to when he resurrected because dying is of spiritual nature.
That is a huge note that is completely different in the Old and New Testament. The beliefs in the Old Testament have all to do with the way one lives there life in the physical sense. The New Testament is all about how to live life from within. That is what the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ did for mankind. Jesus Christ moved Gods Word to a whole new level in Faith when it comes to the gospels.
The Jewish believe in the Old Testament.

Answer 4

Paul is telling that a Jew is not a Jew because of the formalism of the circumcision. A Jew is a Jew because of the heart and spirit.

Answer 5

Galatians 5:6 says: "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." I think it means that the characteristics that Jews took pride in had now passed to the Christians.

Answer 6

it means that a Jew (chosen people by God) is determined by what a person is from the heart. It's the condition of the heart that shows if a man gives honor to God