Head Turner of the Day

I hate it when I come across things like this. I love them, but they make me feel so stupid. Maybe one day I'll deserve my doctorate in New Testament.

Here is a quote from Epictetus written about AD 100. I've highlighted the part that affects our understanding of Romans 2:

"Philosopher... why do you treat the weightiest matters as if you were playing a game of dice? For it is one thing to lay up bread and wine as in a storehouse, and another thing to eat. That which has been eaten, is digested, distributed, and is become sinews, flesh, bones, blood, healthy colour, healthy breath. Whatever is stored up, when you choose you can readily take and show it; but you have no other advantage from it except so far as to appear to possess it.

"For what is the difference between explaining these doctrines and those of men who have different opinions? Sit down now and explain according to the rules of art the opinions of Epicurus, and perhaps you will explain his opinions in a more useful manner than Epicurus himself.

"Why then do you call yourself a Stoic? Why do you deceive the many? Why do you deceive the many? Why do you act the part of a Jew, when you are a Greek? Do you not see how each is called a Jew, or a Syrian or an Egyptian? and when we see a man inclining to two sides, we are accustomed to say, "This man is not a Jew, but he acts as one." But when he has assumed the affects of one who has been imbued with Jewish doctrine and has adopted that sect, then he is in fact and he is named a Jew. Thus we too being falsely imbued, are in name Jews, but in fact we are something else. Our affects are inconsistent with our words; we are far from practicing what we say, and that of which we are proud, as if we knew it. Thus being, unable to fulfill even what the character of a man promises, we even add to it the profession of a philosopher, which is as heavy a burden, as if a man who is unable to bear ten pounds should attempt to raise the stone which Ajax lifted."

So is Paul addressing Jews when he says, "So you call yourself a Jew" in Romans 2:17? The customary saying mentioned above implies not. Apparently, Paul is addressing Gentiles who are conservative in their Law-keeping.

Chalk another example up to the fact that you can't just read the words and have any certainty that you know what they meant originally. It just wasn't written to us originally.