ὁ οὖν διδάσκων ἕτερον σεαυτὸν οὐ διδάσκεις; ὁ κηρύσσων μὴ κλέπτειν κλέπτεις; (Romans 2:21)
Paul’s Piercing Mirror: The Irony of Instruction
In Romans 2:21, Paul turns the rhetorical spotlight on those who pride themselves in religious teaching. With devastating irony, he calls out the hypocrisy of moral instruction divorced from personal integrity. The grammar here is precise and biting. Two articular participles, balanced clauses, and rhetorical questions craft a powerful challenge: Do you teach yourself? Do you steal?
In this article, we’ll explore how Greek participle constructions and the structure of rhetorical questions help Paul expose hypocrisy, both grammatically and spiritually.
Articular Participles as Subjects
Paul opens with ὁ διδάσκων ἕτερον — literally, “the one teaching another.” This is not a general verbal form but an articular present active participle used substantivally. Let’s examine both cases:
| Greek Phrase | Parsing | Function | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ διδάσκων ἕτερον | Present Active Participle, Nominative Masculine Singular | Subject (used substantivally) | The one teaching another |
| ὁ κηρύσσων μὴ κλέπτειν | Present Active Participle, Nominative Masculine Singular | Subject (used substantivally) | The one proclaiming “do not steal” |
These participles name a category of person — not just what someone does, but the identity they claim. In Koine Greek, the articular participle is frequently used to express identity or a class, making it ideal for Paul’s general condemnation.
Reflexive Pronoun: σεαυτόν
In the piercing question σεαυτὸν οὐ διδάσκεις;, the reflexive pronoun σεαυτόν emphasizes personal accountability.
- σεαυτόν – Accusative Masculine Singular Reflexive Pronoun
- Refers back to the subject, i.e., “yourself”
The structure creates a stark irony: Do you, who teach others, not teach yourself? It forces self-examination — a mirror rather than a pulpit.
Infinitive After Proclamation: μὴ κλέπτειν
The construction ὁ κηρύσσων μὴ κλέπτειν includes a present active infinitive with the negation μή. This is a common grammatical form when expressing general prohibitions.
- κλέπτειν – Present Active Infinitive, “to steal”
- μή – Negation for non-indicative moods (here, the infinitive)
This shows that what is being preached is a moral command, not an abstract statement. The infinitive here functions as the content of the proclamation.
Rhetorical Questions and Word Order
Both sentences are structured as rhetorical questions:
- σεαυτὸν οὐ διδάσκεις; – “Do you not teach yourself?”
- κλέπτεις; – “Do you steal?”
The use of the negative particle οὐ expects a positive answer: “Yes, you do teach others — but you fail to teach yourself.” Paul doesn’t need to make an accusation directly — the syntax delivers the force.
Additionally, the emphatic placement of σεαυτὸν at the front of the clause magnifies the irony.
A Grammatical Rebuke with Theological Weight
Paul’s grammar isn’t accidental. His use of substantival participles isolates the hypocrite as a type — not just one individual, but a whole category of person. The rhetorical questions hit harder than a plain accusation. Greek allows Paul to ask without softening the edge.
And spiritually, the lesson is timeless: it is not enough to know the law or to teach others — one must be transformed by it personally.
Grammatical Integrity, Spiritual Integrity
Romans 2:21 invites us not only to parse participles and infinitives, but to examine whether our lives match our words. The grammar mirrors the message: the one who teaches must also be taught. May we let the structure of the text instruct us in both language and life.
