Texts in conversation

Compare Romans 2:15 and 2 Baruch 57:2

New Testament · Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

Summary

In Romans 2, Paul describes Gentiles who follow the Torah without possessing it. 2 Baruch similarly says people know when they act unjustly, connecting both passages with moral understanding that does not depend on knowing the written Torah.

Passages

Romans 2:15

New Testament

12 For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. 14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves. 15 They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them, 16 on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

55–58 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Romans

2 Baruch 57:2

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch

1 And after these waters you saw bright waters: this is the fount of Abraham, also his generations and advent of his son, and of his son’s son, and of those like them. 2 Because at that time the unwritten law was named among them, And the works of the commandments were then fulfilled, And belief in the coming judgement was then generated, And hope of the world that was to be renewed was then built up, And the promise of the life that should come hereafter was implanted. 3 These are the bright waters, which you have seen.

70–135 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 2 Baruch

References

"... The phrase ἔργα νόμου [works of the law] occurs only eight times in the Pauline corpus, always in Galatians and Romans (Galatians 2:16; 3:2, 5, 10; Romans 2:15, 3:20, 28 ... The lexical evidence for ἔργα νόμου is scarce. There is similar language in the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the phrase “the doing of the Torah” (4QMMT), which refers to halakic obedience (see J. C. R. de Roo, “Works of the Law” at Qumran and in Paul, NTM 13 [Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix, 2007]). In LXX Exodus 18:20 the Mosaic law reveals “the works, which they [Israel] will do [τὰ ἔργα, ἃ ποιήσουσιν/המעשה אשר יעשון].” Additionally, Paul uses νόμος and ἔργα νόμου interchangeably (e.g. Galatians 2:21; 3:11, 12; 5:4), describes the necessity of doing (ποιέω) the ἔργα νόμου (Galatians 3:10–12; see also Romans 4:10–12) and ὅλον τὸν νόμον (Galatians 5:3). Paul also refers to circumcision in association with keeping (φυλάσσω) the νόμος (Galatians 6:13). de Boer concludes “For Paul ‘the works of the law’ are the actions performed or carried out in obedience to the many commandments of the Mosaic law as preserved in the Pentateuch” (Galatians, 146). See also 2 Baruch 57:2 ..."

Tyler Allen Stewart, “‘The Present Evil Age’: The Origin and Persistence of Evil in Galatians” (diss., Marquette University, 2019), 221.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

Abraham and the First Bright Waters

2 Baruch87 chapters

Compare Romans 2:15 and 2 Baruch 57:2

Summary

Passages

Romans 2:15

2 Baruch 57:2

References

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