Therefore {1} thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

(1) He convicts those who would seem to be exempt from the rest of men (because they reprehend other men's faults), and says that they are least of all to be excused, for if they were searched well and carefully (as God surely does) they themselves would be found guilty in those things which they reprehend and punish in others: so that in condemning others, they pronounce sentence against themselves.

People's New Testament

2:1 The Sinfulness of the Jews; Their Need of the Gospel

SUMMARY OF ROMANS 2:

He Who Condemns Others Condemns Himself. God's Judgments According to Truth, Without Respects of Persons. of Race. Having the Law Does Not Justify Without Obedience to the Law. The Jews Condemned by Their Own Law. Circumcision Cannot Save. The True Circumcision, That of the Heart.

Therefore thou art inexcusable. Paul has just shown that the Gentiles are great sinner, and are without excuse before God (Ro 1:32). The Jew, however, would pronounce that conclusion just, but would excuse himself. Hence Paul makes the application to them also.

Whosoever thou art. Ro 2:17 shows that the Jews are in the apostle's mind. Besides, the Jews, filled with spiritual pride, were greatly given to judging others.

Another. The Greek says the other; the other division of the world, the Gentiles.

Thou condemnest thyself. Because he practices the very thing he condemns in others.

Wesley's Notes

2:1 Therefore - The apostle now makes a transition from the gentiles to the Jews, till, at Rom 2:6, he comprises both. Thou art inexcusable - Seeing knowledge without practice only increases guilt. O man - Having before spoken of the gentile in the third person, he addresses the Jew in the second person. But he calls him by a common appellation, as not acknowledging him to be a Jew. See verse s Rom 2:17,28. Whosoever thou art that judgest - Censurest, condemnest. For in that thou judgest the other - The heathen. Thou condemnest thyself; for thou doest the same things - In effect; in many instances.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 2

Ro 2:1-29. The Jew under Like Condemnation with the Gentile.

From those without, the apostle now turns to those within the pale of revealed religion, the self-righteous Jews, who looked down upon the uncovenanted heathen as beyond the pale of God's mercies, within which they deemed themselves secure, however inconsistent their life may be. Alas! what multitudes wrap themselves up in like fatal confidence, who occupy the corresponding position in the Christian Church!

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:1-16 The Jews thought themselves a holy people, entitled to their privileges by right, while they were unthankful, rebellious, and unrighteous. But all who act thus, of every nation, age, and description, must be reminded that the judgment of God will be according to their real character. The case is so plain, that we may appeal to the sinner's own thoughts. In every wilful sin, there is contempt of the goodness of God. And though the branches of man's disobedience are very various, all spring from the same root. But in true repentance, there must be hatred of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of the mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the evil. It shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the great change wrought in repentance, it is conversion, and is needed by every human being. The ruin of sinners is their walking after a hard and impenitent heart. Their sinful doings are expressed by the strong words, treasuring up wrath. In the description of the just man, notice the full demand of the law. It demands that the motives shall be pure, and rejects all actions from earthly ambition or ends. In the description of the unrighteous, contention is held forth as the principle of all evil. The human will is in a state of enmity against God. Even Gentiles, who had not the written law, had that within, which directed them what to do by the light of nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they kept or broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences either acquitted or condemned them. Nothing speaks more terror to sinners, and more comfort to saints, than that Christ shall be the Judge. Secret services shall be rewarded, secret sins shall be then punished, and brought to light.