Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whosoever you are that judge: for in what you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you that judge do the same things.
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Ambrosiaster
AD 400
Paul shows that the man who does evil and consents to others who do it is deserving of death, lest perhaps the one who does it and pretends not to approve of others who do it … might think he can be excused, because he can conceal his sin for a time…. It is not right to give in to someone who pretends to be better when in fact he is worse. Such a person appears to escape notice and to be worthy of honor, but in fact he will be punished. Commentary on Paul’s Epistles.
Paul is speaking here of sins already committed. And when he says “O man, whoever you are,” he includes not only the Gentile but also the Jew who wanted to judge the Gentiles according to the law. –.
Wherefore thou art inexcusable He seems to give a general admonition to every one, both Jews and Gentiles, not to blame, judge, or condemn others, when perhaps he, or those of his religion, may be guilty of the like sins. Let him rather call to mind the just judgment of God, which, they that are sinners, cannot escape. Let him also reflect, that if God hath hitherto deferred to punish him, it hath been through the riches and abundance of his goodness, patience, and long-forbearance, or longanimity: that he must take care not to harden his heart any longer, lest he heap up to himself a fatal treasure at the day of judgment, when God will render to every one according to his works, and not according to his faith only, says St. Chrysostom, hom. v. (Witham)
Paul says this with the rulers of the city in mind, because at that time they ruled the entire world. He was telling them … that when they pass sentence on someone they are passing sentence on themselves as well.
169. After showing that the Gentiles did not become just from the knowledge of the truth they had, the Apostle now shows that neither were the Jews made just by the things in which they gloried. Consequently, both of them need the power of the gospel’s grace for salvation. First, therefore, he says that the Jews were not made just by the Law; secondly, that they were not made just by the race in which they gloried, in chapter 3 [n. 246] at Then what advantage has the Jew?; 90 thirdly, that they were not made just by circumcision, in chapter 4 [n. 322] at What therefore shall we say? 170. In regard to the first point it should be noted that Jews and Gentiles converted to the faith judged each other on their previous life. For the Jews objected to the Gentiles that when they lived without God’s law, they sacrificed to idols. The Gentiles on their part objected to the Jews that even though they received God’s law, they did not keep it. First, therefore, he rebukes both sides and their ext...
