Romans 3:1-4 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the Oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.” ( Psalm 51:4)
“What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the Oracles (Logion or Utterances) of God….. These oracles were committed to believing Jews from Creation until the time of the Prophets. They safeguarded them. This involves "oral proclamation, and refer[s] to the living voice of God and the truths which God spoke to men. God entrusted them to the Jews over long periods of time. The Jews collected them… the word ‘logion’ itself stresses the particular utterance of God." [The Wycliff Bible Commentary] The great gift is the red letter Words of the Old Testament—not the cry of the saint, but rather the answer of God.
For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?... ”Enjoyment of God's word and ordinances, is the chief happiness of a people. But God's promises are made only to believers; therefore the unbelief of some, or of many [false] professors, cannot make this faithfulness of no effect. He will fulfil his promises to his people, and bring his threatened vengeance upon unbelievers. God's judging the world, should forever silence all doubtings and reflections upon his justice.” (Matthew Henry)
Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.” (Psalm 51:4)… Paul quotes King David, again. The problem at hand is that the Oracles of God were committed to the likes of him… and you and me. King David was guilty of adultery and murder and those “who practice such things are worthy of death.” (Rom 1:32) BUT GOD INTERVENED. Nathan the prophet judged the king’s acts as sin and confronted him with the righteous judgment of God— KING DAVID WOULD SURELY DIE. Most kings would have said: "Away with him… and off with his head", but not King David. He responded, "I have sinned against Yahweh." The prophet did not have to check back with God. He knew that the repentance of his friend was heartfelt and so he could say with assurance that God’s judgment was stayed. And so Nathan told David, "Yahweh also has put away your sin; you shall not die."(2 Sam 12:13) Although the sins were forgiven, Nathan informed David by “by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme.” [2 Sam 12:14; Isa 52:5; Ezek 36:20-23] We simply cannot erase all of the ramifications of past sins. We can only pray for insight on how to minimize the damage done... and trust that it will all be for our good.
This is the divine dilemma: How can God judge anyone if he forgives King David’s adultery and murder? We have a clue in how the king reacted to Nathan the prophet. But we can also peek into his heart in Psalm 51 as he sought forgiveness. King David prayed: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving-kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin for I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight-- THAT YOU MAY BE FOUND JUST WHEN YOU SPEAK, AND BLAMELESS WHEN YOU JUDGE.” (Psalm 51:1-4)
The important thing is not that we be counted worthy by our own merits, but rather that Yahweh cleanses us of our sins… and that God be found guiltless when He is judged. There was a time when God was judged. The sacrifice of the Son of God’s perfect life was presented before the Father for consideration on the third day, according to the Scriptures. For Mary went to the tomb and found it empty. She wept, but Jesus caught her unaware and asked: “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She thought He was the gardener and replied, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” He replied: “Mary!” She turned and said, “Teacher!”
Then Jesus said: “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” (John 20:17) The ascension to which He referred was not His ascension on the fortieth day from the Mount of Olives, which is recorded in Acts 1:3-9. We know this, because Jesus allowed His disciples to touch Him later that same day. (John 20:19-20; Luke24:39) Jesus must have ascended to His Father sometime AFTER He talked with Mary and BEFORE that same evening when He appeared to the disciples.
Jesus prophesied: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Mat.12:40) Three days after Passover, the priests were to cut some of the barley from the fields and take a sheaf of it and wave it before the Lord to be accepted on behalf of the people. (Lev 23:5-11) This is called the Feast of Firstfruits and the sheaf itself is called the firsfruits. It was the first of the barley harvest, presented to Yahweh before any was consumed by the people. And according to Torah, the priest was to waive it at the third hour of the day in the temple to be accepted on behalf of the children of Israel.
Jesus is the Firstfruits of the Great Harvest from the dead. Perhaps, at the same hour as the waive sheaf, He ascended to heaven and was presented alive... and was "accepted on our behalf." (Lev 23:11) In other words, His death was accepted as payment for our sins… And He was “justified in His Words;” and by the sacrifice of His perfect life, He “overcame when He was judged.”
1 Cor 15:20-23 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.
Paul’s hope is "that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust” (Acts 24:15) and that he would take part in the first resurrection. The oracles of God in both the Old and New Testaments support this hope. See Daniel 12:13 & John 5:28-39. At the Second Coming the circumcision will have an Advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous. I believe that we will not speak one word in our own defense, Jesus will simply proclaim: “They are with me.” And He will render to each believer according to their deeds….BUT, AFTER THE MILLENNIUM PERIOD, there will be a resurrection of the unjust. And Jesus will execute the death sentence on unrepentant, unbelieving sinners.
Rom 3:5-8 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”? as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? … In order to judge the world, God must be blameless… and He is. And “sin, even though in the best of people, as was the case with David, resulted in a demonstration of God's justice and righteousness.” (Coffman) The KJV says that our unrighteousness “commends” the righteousness of God. Strong’s defines it as “strengthening” or “introducing favorably” the righteousness of God. It causes us to seek the righteousness testified of in Torah and the Prophets—the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus.
Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)… John Murray words this quibbling argument this way: “If unbelief (as you say) does not make void God's faithfulness, but renders it more conspicuous, or serves to exhibit more clearly the righteousness of God, then God would be unrighteous in inflicting his wrath upon the ungodly.”
Certainly not! …“Paul’s riposte is more violent than is suggested… John Ziesler suggests ‘not on your life’ or ‘not in a thousand years’ gives something of the flavor.” (John Stott) It does not even merit an answer.
For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?.. Speaking to the Jew who says this, Paul says: “Now, I will prove that your reasoning is false. In order to do this, I take my own case and show you how you view me. I am held by you to be false to the religion of my fathers. I am consequently condemned by you as a sinner. But in all this I am wronged, according to your own reasoning. For if the truthfulness of God has abounded the more to His honor by my being false, why do you still condemn me as a sinner? If, according to your reasoning, you should not be punished, neither should I.” (Moses E. Lard)
And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?— as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say… “Evidently his teaching had been charged with giving an excuse for sinning. Salvation by grace was said to have an immoral tendency… This (by the way) shows quite evidently the meaning of the Pauline doctrine of righteousness without works, for against no other teaching could such a charge be made.”(Griffith Thomas) The condemnation of these quibblers is just.
Rom 3:9-20 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one." (Ps 14:1-3; Ps 53:1-3; Eccl 7:20) "Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips;"(Ps 5:9; Ps 140:3) "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." (Ps 10:7) "Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known." (Is 59:7-8)"There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Ps 36:1)
Are we better than the Jews? Not at all. We are merely setting forth a level playing field—all under sin, according to these verses of Scripture.
Rom 3:19-20 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it says to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the Law is the knowledge of sin.
The Torah can only speak to those who have subjected themselves to its teachings. Students of Torah will eventually conclude that it cannot save them; it can only condemn them to death. John Wesley was on a decade-long [plus] journey before he finally cried: “I see that the whole Law of God is holy, just, and good. I know every thought, every temper of my soul, ought to bear God's image and superscription. But how am I fallen from the glory of God! I feel that I am sold under sin. I know that I, too, deserve nothing but wrath, being full of all abominations; and having no good thing in me, to atone for them, or to remove the wrath of God. All my works, my righteousness, my prayers, need an atonement for themselves. So that my mouth is stopped. I have nothing to plead. God is holy; I am unholy. God is a consuming fire; I am altogether a sinner, meet to be consumed.”
Rom 3:21-22a But now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.
“This new section begins with the words 'But now.' What tremendous words they are! D Martyn Lloyd-Jones called them the turning point in God’s dealings with the human race. Ray C. Stedman called them 'God’s great ‘nevertheless’ in the face of man’s failure.' If we had not studied the first two and a half chapters of Romans carefully, we would not be in a position to appreciate these words, because the change they speak of would not seem to be a change at all. With no understanding of our ruin we would never appreciate God’s grace. But now we can! We have studied our past." [Bible Study Fellowship Intl] After becoming acutely aware of his fallen state, John Wesley finally records: "Yet I hear a voice (and is it not the voice of God?) saying, ‘Believe, and thou shalt be saved. He that believeth is passed from death unto life. God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’”This righteousness is “to all— and on all— who believe” in Jesus.
Rom 3:22-26b For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation (mercy seat) by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
God set forth Jesus as a mercy seat for sinners, according to the pattern of the tabernacle in the wilderness. The mercy seat was the cover for the Ark of the Covenant in the holy of holies. "In the ark were the tablets of the Law which Israel had broken. The broken Law demanded judgment and death for the transgressors. The Law could not save them; it could only condemn them. It could not take away sin; it could only reveal sin. It could not give life to sinner; it could only kill the transgressor." (M. R. Dehaan) But the mercy seat was over the ark, above the broken Mitzvah, between it and God, who came down upon it in the shekinah pillar of holiness and fire. The mercy seat is a perfect picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. The mercy seat was made of beaten gold— which represents deity in Scriptures. Christ was beaten prior to His death on the cross. Upon this mercy seat was sprinkled the blood from the special sacrifices on the annual Day of Atonement. We find that Jesus is “both just… and the justifier of those who believe” in Him.
Rom 3:27-31 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law (teaching) of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
There are two alternatives for salvation. They are not actually two actual ways to be saved, but there are two teachings-- “the teaching of works” or “the teaching of faith.” Yahweh God justifies by faith. So, where is boasting then? It is excluded… You can boast about your works before men all day, but though good works wrought in Christ please God (See Hebrews 11), they do not merit your eternal salvation. One of the most essential biblical truths is that the believer's justification before Yahweh is based upon the finished work of Christ—His perfect life and atoning death. Any person, if they are justified, is thus by faith apart from the deeds of Torah.
Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith… Paul then seems to distinguish between the justification of Jews and that of the Gentiles, but this would be contrary to prior teachings. Matthew Henry explains: "it is one God of grace that justifies the circumcision ‘by faith,’ and the un-circumcision ‘through faith,’ that is, both in one and the same way. However the Jews, in favor of themselves, will needs fancy a difference, really there is no more difference than between ‘by’ and ‘through,’ that is, no difference at all." Or perhaps the different prepositions contrast between the faith established ‘by’ the Jews and offered to the Gentiles ‘through’ the content of that same faith—trust in the Jewish Messiah of Israel.
Do we then make void the Torah through faith? Certainly not, we establish it!... Faith establishes Torah in our hearts, according to the apostle. Faith makes it so that by meditating on Torah, we are endeared more and more to the Lord Jesus Christ; and thus, we are enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit to learn His precepts and keep His Mitzvah.