“No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people” (Romans 2:29 NLT).
The “circumcision of the heart” referenced here in Romans 2:29 is a figure of speech that conveys the idea of internal virtue. The following commentary underscores the importance of this concept for Jewish and non-Jewish audiences alike…
“To be a Jew meant you were in God’s family, an heir to all his promises. Yet Paul made it clear that membership in God’s family is based on internal, not external, qualities. All whose hearts are right with God are true Jews-that is, part of God’s family (see also Gal 3:7). Attending church or being baptized, confirmed, or accepted for membership is not enough, just as submitting to circumcision was not enough for the Jews. God desires our heartfelt devotion and obedience (see also Deu 10:16; Jer 4:4).” (1)
Paul the Apostle thus employed circumcision as a metaphor to characterize the transformative change that results from the work of God’s Spirit in one’s life. One source finds an important point of application for contemporary readers within this passage…
“Many Jews in Paul’s day had a deficient understanding of covenant that reduced their relationship with God to mere externals. This is the tendency of fallen sinners, namely, to think that they are right with the Lord as long as they perform the right rituals or render perfunctory outward obedience. We should never think that we are immune from this temptation. The heart is what is most important to God, so let us put our hearts into our service to Him.” (2)
So, having now established the sinful state of all humanity in Romans chapter one and the fearsome reality of God’s wrath in Romans chapter two, our author will next proceed to answer some objections in Romans chapter three. But like any good author, Paul will vary his literary style to help maintain his reader’s interest. That will lead to a noticeable shift in his rhetorical approach as we enter chapter three.
The following chapter of Romans will function very much like a modern-day FAQ, or “frequently asked questions” section of a document. In it, Paul will address several challenges to his teachings in a “Q & A” format. But before we enter that portion of Scripture, our study in Romans chapter two will close with a helpful reminder from Romans 2:29: “…you should want praise from God and not from humans” (CEV).
(1) Life Application Study Bible NKJV [Romans 2:28-29] Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved.
(2) The Place of Circumcision (2014, February 11). Ligonier Ministries. https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/place-circumcision