_The Justification by Faith, and the Curse of the Law_. Paul addresses himself again directly to the Galatians with an expression of his indignant surprise at the folly of their relapse into Judaism, and passes from the historical to the doctrinal part of the Epistle, from the apology of his apostol... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:1. WHAT THEN IS THE ADVANTAGE, etc. On the connection of thought, see above. THE JEW. Used generically for the Jews. THE PROFIT, or, ‘benefit,' OF CIRCUMCISION. This is a specification, which is naturally introduced in view of the previous discussion (chap. Romans 2:25-29).... [ Continue Reading ]
3. _The Scriptural Proof of the Guilt of the Jews._ This section forms the conclusion of the first part: ‘Every one needs this power unto salvation.' While in general it may be regarded as presenting the Scriptural proof that the Jews are guilty, the train of thought is so involved, that it is right... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:2. MUCH EVERY WAY. This refers to both the preceding questions. ‘Every way' means, under every moral and religious aspect, whichever way you look at it. FIRST OF ALL. This is more literal than ‘chiefly' (comp. chap. Romans 1:8). The possession of the Old Testament was the chief advantage,... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:3. FOR WHAT IF; as is the case, thus introducing the fact as an objection to be answered. Others divide the verse: ‘For what? (_i.e._, what is the case). If some,' etc. This turns the whole into a guarantee that the oracles are still intrusted to them. Both views are grammatical, but the us... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:4. G OD FORBID, or, ‘let it never be' (far from it). The expression is used in animated discussions, fourteen times by Paul (ten times in this Epistle), and elsewhere in the New Testament (Luke 20:16). It is an indignant denial, including pious horror, and hence is equivalent to the English... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:5. BUT, introducing the common objection: ‘If God thus prevails, do we not, by our sin, help on His glory.' The answer to this objection follows (Romans 3:5-8). Paul admits the premise but denies the conclusion. OUR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. The opposite of ‘righteousness;' here used quite general... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:6. LET IT NEVER BE. Exactly as in Romans 3:4. F OR THEN HOW, for otherwise how, etc. The denial rests on the universally accepted truth that God will judge the world, all mankind. This he does not prove, but assumes as an accepted truth. The argument is: God will judge the world; to do thi... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:7. BUT. This reading is more difficult, but preferable. If ‘for' were correct, it would introduce an illustrative confirmation; ‘but' presents an objection or contrast. Yet even with this reading the thought is explanatory. God must judge the world; _but_ if, etc. ‘The argument accordingly... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:8. AND WHY NOT. This is parallel to ‘why am I,' etc. (Romans 3:7). The second absurd consequence, as respects man, is the evil principle, so strongly condemned, as carrying its refutation with it. The construction would regularly be: and why not let us do evil, etc., but the mention of the... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:9. WHAT THEN. The Apostle now returns to his main argument, after the digression, which, however, is referred to in this question. ARE WE BETTER THAN THEY? That ‘we' refers to the Jews appears, from the whole argument, as well as from Paul's usage. But the exact meaning of the verb used (t... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:10-18. AS IT IS WRITTEN. This formula here introduces a number of Old Testament quotations, describing the moral corruption of the times of David and the prophets. Human nature being essentially the same always and everywhere, the description holds good universally, but the application here... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:11. THERE IS NONE THAT UNDERSTANDETH, etc. Latter half of Psalms 14:2; ‘so quoted that the _negative_ sense which results indirectly from the text in the Hebrew and LXX. is expressed by Paul directly'(Meyer). As regards the meaning, both parts of the verse refer to impiety; sin being repres... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:12. THEY HAVE ALL TURNED ASIDE, etc. Accurately quoted from Psalms 14:3 (LXX.). UNPROFITABLE. More literally, ‘useless,' ‘worthless. NOT EVEN ONE. ‘ There is not even unto one.' The same form occurs in Romans 3:1 of the Psalm, from which Romans 3:10 here varies.... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:13. THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN SEPULCHRE. Quoted accurately from the Greek version of Psalms 5:9. The reference is to sinful speech. The figure is either from the noxious odor, or from the insatiableness of an open grave. In either case, the reference is to the _corrupting_ character of the sp... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:14. WHOSE MONTH, etc. (From Psalms 10:7.) The variations from the LXX. are slight. The Hebrew is: ‘His mouth is full of oaths, and deceit, and fraud.' ‘Deceit,' which occurs in the original, was omitted, because already mentioned (Romans 3:3). FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS. The bitternes... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:15-17. THEIR FEET, etc. Sinful doings are here described in a quotation from Isaiah 59:7-8. There are some omissions, as will appear from the following rendering of the original passage in the Hebrew: ‘Their feet run to do evil. And they haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are t... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:18. THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD, etc. (From Psalms 36:1.) ‘The transgression of the wicked is affirming within my heart: “Fear of God is not before his eyes.”‘ The quotation from the LXX. is exact. ‘Fear of God,' reverence of Him, is here figuratively spoken of, as if it existed external to man... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:19. NOW WE KNOW. As in chap. Romans 2:2, a truth admitted by all his readers is thus introduced. The Apostle's argument is that these Scripture passages must apply to the Jews as well as to the Gentiles. THE LAW FAITH, _i.e.,_ the Old Testament, as a whole; not the Mosaic law alone, since... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:20. BECAUSE. The word here used means, in classical authors, ‘therefore' giving a conclusion from preceding; statements; but the prevailing sense in the New Testament is ‘because,' assigning a reason for what precedes. Taken in that sense here, it shows why this conviction of the whole worl... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:21. BUT NOW. Either, ‘at this time,' _i.e._, in the gospel dispensation, or, ‘in this state of things,' _i.e.,_ as further defined. The latter is preferable. APART FROM THE LAW. Though the article is wanting, there can be no question that the Mosaic law is meant. This phrase should come... [ Continue Reading ]
1. RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD IS TO ALL, JEW AND GENTILE, BY FAITH. The section opens (Romans 3:21) with the statement of the theme of this division, as contrasted with Romans 3:20; Romans 3:22-26 set forth this way of faith, grounding justification upon the propitiatory death of Christ; Romans 3:27-30... [ Continue Reading ]
2. RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD IS BY FAITH. The theme of this second main division of the doctrinal part of the Epistle may be found in Romans 3:21: (1.) The righteousness of God apart from the law has been made manifest (_i.e.,_ a righteousness by faith), and (2.) this is attested by the law and the pro... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:22. EVEN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH, or, ‘a righteousness, however (mediated), through faith' (Meyer); the article being omitted, as in Romans 3:21, before ‘righteousness.' There is a contrast implied between ‘the righteousness of God' in general, and this specific form. IN JE... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:23. FOR ALL SINNED; this is the historical fact, they became sinners. For this reason there is no distinction. ‘Have sinned,' is not altogether objectionable, since it implies a relation to what precedes. FALL SHORT. As the result of their having become sinners. GLORY OF G OD. This is v... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:24. BEING JUSTIFIED. The present tense points, not to continuous justification of the individual, but to an action continuous as respects those spoken of in Romans 3:22-23. Because they are all in this condition (fallen snort of the glory of God), if they are justified it is in this way, na... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:25. WHOM. The personal redeemer Christ Jesus stands immediately connected with justification; how is here declared (Romans 3:25; Romans 3:20). G OD SET FORTH. One historical fact is spoken of. The meaning ‘purposed,' which the original word may have, is inappropriate, because the purpose i... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:26. FOR THE EXHIBITION. The noun is the same as in Romans 3:25, but a different preposition has been chosen, perhaps for euphony. This verse, however, points more to the historical demonstration, Romans 3:25 to the purpose. RIGHTEOUSNESS, as in ROMANS 3:25. IN THE PRESENT TIME, when the... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:27. WHERE IS THE BOASTING (or ‘glorying') THEN? We have here an inference (‘then') vivaciously set forth in question and answer. In view of this manifestation of God's righteousness apart from the law, the Jew cannot boast. Such a scheme prevents any glorying; but the immediate reference to... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:28. FOR WE RECKON. This reading is supported by the most ancient authorities (with the exception of the Vatican MSS.). It suggests the reason for the previous assertion: Glorying is excluded by the law of faith, for (we have already proved and hence) we reckon, etc. The common reading makes... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:29. OR IS GOD THE GOD OF JEWS ONLY? ‘ Or,' which is omitted in the E. V., presents an alternative, in case the principle of Romans 3:28 should be doubted. ‘Belong to Jews only' is the full sense. The Jews made this claim, and it would hold good, if justification were by works of the law, si... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:30. SEEING THAT GOD IS ONE, HE WHO SHALL, etc. (A slight change of reading gives the sentence a lively argumentative form; the word used being that translated ‘if so be that' in chap. Romans 8:9.) The argument is pressed further to the undoubted fact ‘that God is one.' ‘The unity of God imp... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 3:31. DO WE THEN MAKE VOID THE LAW THROUGH FAITH? This verse may be regarded either as the proposition of chap. 4, or as the conclusion of the preceding argument. It is both in fact, being a transition from the doctrine of justification by faith to the proof that Abraham was thus justified. T... [ Continue Reading ]