Romans 2:22: Robbing Temples

I developed the following table for a course that I am teaching on Romans. It was developed from discussions found in Colin G. Kruse, Paul’s Letter to the Romans, PNTC, ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012), 149-51; Douglas Moo, Romans, NICNT (Grand Rapids:Eerdmans, 1996), 163-65; Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, BECNT 6 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998), 132-33.

 

Romans 2:22: Views on Robbing Temples
Metaphorical Views	Literal Views
·     Sacrilegious actions (cf. Acts 19:37) ·     Idolatrous devotion to the law	Jerusalem Temple	Pagan Temples
	Failure to pay the temple tax	·     Robbing of pagan temples ·     Using or profiting from items stolen from temples
Observations: ·     The literal views seem preferable since stealing and adultery appear to be literal ·     It seems best to see pagan temples in view since the word used is most often used in this context ·     The sin of robbing temples is tied in some way to idolatry.