“Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?”
King James Version (KJV)
2:20 Having the form of knowledge and truth - That is, the most accurate knowledge of the truth.
2:21 Thou dost not teach thyself - He does not teach himself who does not practise what he teaches. Dost thou steal, commit adultery, commit sacrilege - Sin grievously against thy neighbour, thyself, God. St. Paul had shown the gentiles, first their sins against God, then against themselves, then against their neighbours. He now inverts the order: for sins against God are the most glaring in an heathen, but not in a Jew. Thou that abhorrest idols - Which all the Jews did, from the time of the Babylonish captivity. Thou committest sacrilege - Doest what is worse, robbing Him who is God over all of the glory which is due to him. None of these charges were rashly advanced against the Jews of that age; for, as their own historian relates, some even of the priests lived by rapine, and others in gross uncleanness. And as for sacrilegiously robbing God and his altar, it had been complained of ever since Malachi; so that the instances are given with great propriety and judgment.
2:24 #Isaiah 52:5|
Ro 2:22 Commit adultery. In spite of the strictness of their Decalogue and moral code, the lax divorce practices of the Jews permitted adultery (Mt 19:8,9), and the Talmud says that some of the most celebrated rabbis were guilty of the same sin. Also see PNT "Joh 4:18". Dost thou commit sacrilege? This question has caused much discussion. The best rendering is, "Dost thou rob temples"? (Revised Version). Or, Are you a temple robber? Schaff suggests that the meaning is as follows: ``Dost thou abhor idols, according to thy law, and yet engage in traffic whereby thou makest gain off the temples where this idol worship is practiced?'' Macknight says that the reference is to robbing the temple at Jerusalem of what was due it. I think not. The apostles refers to practices which dishonor God among the Gentiles.