The imagined hearer: 'O man' and the diatribe style

Says Paul turns from "they" (1:18–32) to "you": ὦ ἄνθρωπε (ō anthrōpe, "O man," 2:1, 3), the one who judges others yet does "the same things." At 2:17 the hearer is named: σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ἐπονομάζῃ, "you call yourself a Jew."

Speaking to an imagined hearer, with sharp questions and stated objections, belongs to the teaching style of the ancient philosophical schools, usually called the diatribe. Bultmann (Der Stil der paulinischen Predigt und die kynisch-stoische Diatribe, 1910) made the first full study comparing Paul's letters with it. Stowers (The Diatribe and Paul's Letter to the Romans, 1981) argued that it was a classroom form for correcting pupils, not for attacking outsiders. Epictetus often rebukes a hearer with "Man, …" (Diatr. 3.22.51, 81), and asks a pretended Stoic why he acts "the part of a Jew" when he is a Greek (Diatr. 2.9.19–21).

Uncertain Romans 2:1–5 may answer reasoning like that of Wisdom 15:1–6. After condemning Gentile idolatry (Wis 13–14), the writer says, "even if we sin, we are yours" (15:2; Swete καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν ἁμάρτωμεν, σοί ἐσμεν). If so, Paul's hearer likewise presumes on God's kindness and patience (Rom 2:4).

Uncertain Whether 2:1 already addresses a Jew, or anyone who judges, is debated. πᾶς ὁ κρίνων ("everyone who judges") is general, but the Wisdom parallels and 2:17 suggest that a Jewish hearer is in view by 2:3–5.