Discussion Questions

The teacher argues that Paul’s “opponent” in Romans 2 is not a Christian legalist but a fictional *unbelieving Jew*—what specific observations from Romans 2:17–24 and from Acts/Paul’s letters does he use to rule out Luther’s common reading, and what would change in Romans if Luther’s identification were correct? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What details in Romans 2:17–24 and in Acts/Paul’s letters does the teacher use to show Paul is talking to an unbelieving Jew, not a Christian legalist? If Luther’s view were right, how would that change how we read Romans?

Paul says, “you are *called* a Jew,” and the lesson claims Paul will soon deny the name “Jew” to ethnic descendants who reject Christ—how does Origen’s distinction (“to actually be a Jew” vs. “to be called a Jew”) challenge modern assumptions about religious identity, heritage, and who gets to claim God’s people-status? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Paul says, "you are called a Jew," and Origen says there’s a difference between being a Jew and just being called one. How does that challenge today’s ideas about identity, family background, and who counts as God’s people?

The lesson says Paul chooses an unbelieving Jew (not a Judaizer) “as a matter of tact” so he can argue about the Law without directly attacking Jewish Christians in Rome—what does that suggest about Paul’s pastoral strategy, and how should it shape the way Christians address errors inside a church without unnecessarily wounding faithful people? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If Paul chooses to speak to an unbelieving Jew so he doesn’t attack Jewish Christians in Rome, what does that show about his leadership style? How should Christians correct wrong ideas in a church without hurting faithful people?

Chrysostom is quoted as saying Paul repeats the Jews’ “pompous language” (“guide to the blind…teacher of babes”) to turn their supposed praises into accusations—what does this expose about spiritual pride that grows out of real theological advantages, and where might serious Christians today treat others (including new believers) as “blind, foolish, and babes”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Chrysostom says Paul repeats the Jews’ proud titles to expose them. What does this teach about spiritual pride that can come from real Bible knowledge, and where might serious Christians today look down on others as "blind" or "babies"?

The lesson insists Romans 2:21–22 should be read as indictments rather than rhetorical questions, and then expands “theft” to include stealing messianic prophecies and “taking away the key of knowledge”—in what ways can Scripture-handling become a form of theft today (concealing Christ, explaining away inconvenient passages, controlling who gets access), even among orthodox Christians? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If Romans 2:21–22 is meant as accusations, how can mishandling Scripture become a kind of "theft" today? In what ways might Christians hide Christ, explain away hard passages, or control who gets access to truth?

“Adultery” is interpreted primarily as *spiritual adultery*: adulterating God’s law with man-made traditions and loving self-righteous customs more than God—what modern church traditions or subcultures might function like the Pharisees’ tradition in the lesson (making God’s command void), and how can a group honestly tell the difference between faithful practice and tradition-as-idolatry? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If "adultery" here means mixing God’s commands with man-made traditions, what church traditions today might do something similar? How can a church tell the difference between a helpful practice and a tradition that becomes an idol?

On “You abhor idols, but you commit sacrilege,” the lesson rejects the “robbed temples” translation as unlikely and argues for “sacrilege,” including denying Christ (the true temple) and misusing money meant for the poor—what does it mean, practically, to commit sacrilege in a Christian setting, and what kinds of “respectable” church behaviors might actually violate the true temple, Jesus Christ? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If "sacrilege" includes denying Christ and misusing money meant for the poor, what does sacrilege look like in a church today? What “respectable” church habits might actually dishonor Jesus, the true temple?

Isaiah is brought as a witness: “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” and the lesson adds the spectacle of the temple’s destruction leading pagans to mock Israel’s God—what are realistic ways Christian hypocrisy today causes outsiders to blaspheme rather than be drawn to God, and how should that fear shape our priorities compared to maintaining appearances? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What are some real ways Christian hypocrisy makes outsiders mock God instead of wanting Him? How should that change what we care about most, compared to just trying to look good?

The lesson reconciles “circumcision truly profits if you keep the law” with Galatians (“if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing”) by arguing Paul is protecting Jewish Christians’ freedom to remain Jewish while resisting forcing Gentiles into Moses—what early-Christian assumptions about unity, mission (“to the Jews I became as a Jew”), and cultural practices are operating here, and how does that confront modern instincts to standardize everyone’s discipleship culture? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How does the lesson explain that circumcision can "profit" in Romans but not in Galatians? What does this show about early Christian unity, mission, and culture, and how does it challenge our desire to make everyone follow the same discipleship style?

Paul’s “most radical teaching” here is that an unbelieving ethnic Jew is “not a real Jew,” while a Gentile circumcised in heart is a “real Jew,” reinforced by Jesus’ words, John the Baptist, and Revelation’s “synagogue of Satan”—how should Christians handle the lesson’s strong identity claims without arrogance or ethnic hostility, and what would it look like for your church to live as the “inward Jew…whose praise is from God,” especially regarding obedience (“good works”), faith in Christ, and assurance? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If Paul says an unbelieving ethnic Jew isn’t a “real Jew,” but a Gentile with a changed heart is, how can Christians talk about this without pride or ethnic hatred? What would it look like for your church to live as the “inward Jew” who seeks praise from God through obedience, faith in Christ, and true assurance?