Charles Ellicott Commentary Romans 2:22

"thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?" — Romans 2:22 (ASV)

Commit sacrilege. Properly, rob temples—that is, idol temples, with a pointed antithesis to that abhorrence of idols on which the Jew prided himself. This is certainly the last offense of which we would have expected the Jews at that time to be guilty, knowing the scrupulousness with which they shunned all contact with idolatry.

They may, however, have thought the idol temples fair plunder. At any rate, it is clear that this charge was commonly brought against them. Compare to Acts 19:37, where the town-clerk of Ephesus specially acquits St. Paul and his companions of being robbers of temples.

Josephus also (Ant. iv. 8, § 10) quotes as a precept of the Mosaic legislation, “Let no one blaspheme those gods which other cities esteem as such; nor may any one steal what belongs to foreign temples; nor take away the gifts that are dedicated to any god.”