The Name of God Blasphemed
Romans 2:24
“For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”” -Romans 2:24
Paul seems to have paraphrased this concluding statement about his Jewish interlocutor’s hypocrisy from either Ezekiel 36:20 or Isaiah 52:5. Both have merit to their arguments.
“But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that people said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go out of his land.’” -Ezekiel 36:20
“Now therefore what have I here,” declares the Lord, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers wail,” declares the Lord, “and continually all the day my name is despised.” -Isaiah 52:5
In either case, both verses highlight the fact that because of the Jews, God’s name has been blasphemed among the Gentiles. That is, the name of God has been reviled and defamed because those to whom his character and reputation had been entrusted were themselves untrustworthy.
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” -Proverbs 22:1
“A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.” -Ecclesiastes 7:1
Don’t want Crumbs delivered every day?
Navigate to your.substack.com/account and toggle off Crumbs From Our Master’s Table. Instead of receiving Crumbs in your inbox daily, you will receive a collection of the week’s Crumbs each Sunday as part of your BOOKS AND LETTERS subscription.
