Romans 2:20 Meaning and Explanation
“An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →He sees himself as a teacher of the foolish and immature, possessing in the law the very embodiment of knowledge and truth.
What Does Romans 2:20 Mean?
Paul completes the portrait of the confident teacher: an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, one who holds in the law the form of knowledge and of the truth. The word form suggests the full outline, the very embodiment of what is true.
Yet form can be the shape without the substance. To possess the outline of truth, and even to teach it, is not the same as being inwardly conformed to it. Paul has built up an impressive figure, every credential in place, precisely so that his coming questions will land. The danger he exposes is having the form of truth while missing its transforming power.
Romans 2:20 in the Original Language
morphosis (μόρφωσις), 'form' -- the outward shape or embodiment of something, which may or may not carry its inner reality.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 2:20
What does Romans 2:20 mean?
He sees himself as a teacher of the foolish and immature, possessing in the law the very embodiment of knowledge and truth.