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3
Advantage
1 So what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way!* For a fuller list of the advantages, see Romans 9:1-5. To be born into a culture that has been blessed with God's Light is certainly an advantage. First of all, because they were entrusted with the oracles of God.† Job was written by a pre-Jew, but all the rest of the Old Testament, which is what Paul is referring to, was written by Jews. For that matter, all the books of the New Testament were also written by Jews (with the possible exception of Luke). “The oracles of God” are God's written Revelation to the human race. 3 So, what if some did not believe? Their unbelief will not nullify God's faithfulness, will it? 4 Of course not! Rather, let God be found true, but every man a liar; just as it is written:
“That you may be justified in your words,
and may overcome when you are judged.”‡ See Psalm 51:4. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful—He is incapable of denying Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).
A conundrum
5 Now if our unrighteousness highlights God's righteousness, what shall we say? God is not unrighteous for inflicting His wrath, is He? (I speak as a man.) 6 Of course not! Otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7 Still, if the truth of God abounded to His glory by my falsehood, just why am I still judged as a sinner?§ If I choose falsehood, it is an evil choice, and I deserve to be punished, quite apart from any highlighting of God's righteousness. Any ‘highlighting’ does not alter the nature of my choice. 8 However, we must not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come” (as some people slanderously claim that we do)—their condemnation is well deserved!* I suppose that part of the point is that all evil has consequences in this life and in this world, and any eventual ‘good’ does not undo those consequences, and neither does it compensate for them.
All are under sin
9 What then? Are we any better? Not at all! For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks† Paul uses ‘Greeks’ as a cover term for all non-Jews. that they are all under sin. 10 Just as it is written:
“No one is righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned aside, together they have been made useless;
there is no one who shows kindness,
no, not so much as one.”‡ See Psalm 14:1-3, 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20.
13 “Their throat is an opened grave;
they habitually deceive with their tongues.”§ See Psalm 5:9.
“Viper's venom is under their lips”;* See Psalm 140:3.
14 “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”† See Psalm 10:7.
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”‡ See Isaiah 59:7-8.
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”§ See Psalm 36:1. The picture painted in verses 10-18 is not pretty! The description includes both Jews and Gentiles. Since the Creator is the only one who is competent to dictate moral values, someone who denies His authority (or worse, His existence) will not be bound by such values. We have already commented on what Satan does with a ‘son of the disobedience’; the result is ‘ruin and wretchedness’. Why would any sane person want that?
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world become accountable to God. 20 It follows that no flesh will be justified in His sight by the works of the law, because through the law comes the real knowledge of sin.* The final accounting is based on our works, what we did—but no one will be justified on that basis. Our justification comes through the shed blood of God's Lamb.
Righteousness by faith
21 But now, apart from law, a righteousness from God has been revealed, being attested by the Law and the Prophets, 22 namely, a righteousness from God through faith in Jesus Christ, into all and upon all† That righteousness is available to all, but is only applied to those who believe. Perhaps 7% of the Greek MSS omit “and upon all”, to be followed by NIV, NASB, TEV, LB, etc.—an inferior proceeding (it is an easy case of ‘similar ending’—the eye of the copyist skipped from one ‘all’ to the next). those who believe. There is no difference: 23 all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,‡ What do you think ‘the glory of God’ refers to? In this context it can scarcely be brilliance or effulgence. I suggest that God's true glory is what He Himself is, His essence—truth, holiness, justice, love, among others. Although pristine Adam presumably reflected that essence quite well, the Fall resulted in a barrier that man cannot cross, apart from divine assistance. I suspect that modern man is but a poor reflection of what pristine Adam once was (due to accumulated congenital weaknesses). Alas, we fall far short! 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God has openly made available as a propitiation through the faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness because of the passing over, in God's forbearance, of the previously committed sins;§ “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). “When I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13, 22-23). “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). 1 Peter 1:18-20 states that the Lamb, with His blood shed, was so foreknown before the foundation of the world. All the animal blood shed in the Old Testament only covered sin; it did not pay for it. All those sacrifices looked forward to Christ's perfect sacrifice. But all of that was only validated by the death of God's Lamb. So as verse 25 here states, the true propitiation is now available “through the faith in His blood”. This propitiation also benefits the Old Testament saints. 26 to demonstrate His righteousness at this present time, so as to be just, Himself, and the justifier of him who is of the Faith of Jesus.* I take the reference to be to the Faith that revolves around the person and work of Jesus.
27 Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law, that of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from works of law. 29 Or is God for Jews only? Is He not also for Gentiles? Yes, also for Gentiles, 30 since indeed there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through the Faith.† How could a ritual performed on a baby justify that baby? A circumcised person had to demonstrate faith in God by shedding animal blood to cover his sin; this before the perfect Sacrifice. Now justification comes through the Faith. 31 Do we then nullify law through the Faith? Of course not! Rather, we uphold law.‡ The proper function of the law is recognized within the Faith.

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*3:2 For a fuller list of the advantages, see Romans 9:1-5. To be born into a culture that has been blessed with God's Light is certainly an advantage.

†3:2 Job was written by a pre-Jew, but all the rest of the Old Testament, which is what Paul is referring to, was written by Jews. For that matter, all the books of the New Testament were also written by Jews (with the possible exception of Luke). “The oracles of God” are God's written Revelation to the human race.

‡3:4 See Psalm 51:4. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful—He is incapable of denying Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13).

§3:7 If I choose falsehood, it is an evil choice, and I deserve to be punished, quite apart from any highlighting of God's righteousness. Any ‘highlighting’ does not alter the nature of my choice.

*3:8 I suppose that part of the point is that all evil has consequences in this life and in this world, and any eventual ‘good’ does not undo those consequences, and neither does it compensate for them.

†3:9 Paul uses ‘Greeks’ as a cover term for all non-Jews.

‡3:12 See Psalm 14:1-3, 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20.

§3:13 See Psalm 5:9.

*3:13 See Psalm 140:3.

†3:14 See Psalm 10:7.

‡3:17 See Isaiah 59:7-8.

§3:18 See Psalm 36:1. The picture painted in verses 10-18 is not pretty! The description includes both Jews and Gentiles. Since the Creator is the only one who is competent to dictate moral values, someone who denies His authority (or worse, His existence) will not be bound by such values. We have already commented on what Satan does with a ‘son of the disobedience’; the result is ‘ruin and wretchedness’. Why would any sane person want that?

*3:20 The final accounting is based on our works, what we did—but no one will be justified on that basis. Our justification comes through the shed blood of God's Lamb.

†3:22 That righteousness is available to all, but is only applied to those who believe. Perhaps 7% of the Greek MSS omit “and upon all”, to be followed by NIV, NASB, TEV, LB, etc.—an inferior proceeding (it is an easy case of ‘similar ending’—the eye of the copyist skipped from one ‘all’ to the next).

‡3:23 What do you think ‘the glory of God’ refers to? In this context it can scarcely be brilliance or effulgence. I suggest that God's true glory is what He Himself is, His essence—truth, holiness, justice, love, among others. Although pristine Adam presumably reflected that essence quite well, the Fall resulted in a barrier that man cannot cross, apart from divine assistance. I suspect that modern man is but a poor reflection of what pristine Adam once was (due to accumulated congenital weaknesses). Alas, we fall far short!

§3:25 “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). “When I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13, 22-23). “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). 1 Peter 1:18-20 states that the Lamb, with His blood shed, was so foreknown before the foundation of the world. All the animal blood shed in the Old Testament only covered sin; it did not pay for it. All those sacrifices looked forward to Christ's perfect sacrifice. But all of that was only validated by the death of God's Lamb. So as verse 25 here states, the true propitiation is now available “through the faith in His blood”. This propitiation also benefits the Old Testament saints.

*3:26 I take the reference to be to the Faith that revolves around the person and work of Jesus.

†3:30 How could a ritual performed on a baby justify that baby? A circumcised person had to demonstrate faith in God by shedding animal blood to cover his sin; this before the perfect Sacrifice. Now justification comes through the Faith.

‡3:31 The proper function of the law is recognized within the Faith.

© 2016 Wilbur N. Pickering, ThM, PhD