Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 2:24

"For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written." — Romans 2:24 (ASV)

The name of God. This refers to the name and character of the true God. Is blasphemed.

That is, your conduct is such that it leads the pagan world to blaspheme and reproach both your religion and its Author. Through your hypocrisy and crimes, the pagan world is led to despise a religion that is seen to have no effect in purifying and restraining its adherents; and, of course, the reproach will ultimately fall upon the Author of your religion—that is, the true God.

A life of purity would tend to honor religion and its Author; a life of impurity does the reverse. There is no doubt that this was actually the effect of the Jews' behavior. They were scattered everywhere; everywhere they were corrupt and wicked; and everywhere they and their religion were despised.

Among the Gentiles. This refers to the Gentiles, in the midst of whom many Jews lived.

Through you. This means by means of you, or as the result of your conduct. It may mean that you Jews yourselves do it, or profane the name of God; but the connection seems rather to require the former sense.

As it is written. To which passage the apostle is referring cannot be certainly determined. There are two passages in the Old Testament that apply to this case, and perhaps he had them both in view: Isaiah 52:5 and Ezekiel 36:20, 23.

The meaning is not that the Old Testament passages, referred to by the phrase as it is written, had any particular reference to the conduct of the Jews in Paul’s time. Instead, it means that this had been the character of the people and the effect of their conduct as a nation, instances of which had been previously observed and recorded by the prophets.

The same thing has occurred to a most melancholy extent with regard to nations professing to be Christian. For purposes of commerce, science, war, and trade, men from nominally Christian nations have gone into almost every part of the pagan world. However, they have not often been real Christians. They have been intent on gain and have, to a melancholy extent, been profane, unprincipled, and profligate men.

Yet the pagans have regarded them as Christians—as fair examples of the effect of Christ's religion. They have learned, therefore, to abuse the name of Christian, and the Author of the Christian religion, as if it encouraged and promoted profligacy of life. Hence, this is one reason, among thousands, for the importance of Christian missions to pagans.

It is good to disabuse the pagan world of its erroneous opinions about the tendency of Christianity. It is good to teach them that we do not regard these men as Christians. Since we have sent to them the worst part of our population, it is good to send them holy men who will show them the true nature of Christianity and raise our character in their eyes as a Christian people.

And if there were no other result of Christian missions, it would be worth all the expense and effort involved to raise the national character in the view of the pagan world.