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Romans 3
- 1. Romans CHAPTER THREE Bill Fritz Adult Education Fellowship Bible Church
- 2. Chapter Summary “The apostle, in this chapter, carries on his discourse concerning justification. He had already proved the guilt both of Gentiles and Jews. Now in this chapter, I. He answers some objections that might be made against what he had said about the Jews (v. 1-8). II. He asserts the guilt and corruption of mankind in common, both Jews and Gentiles (v. 9-18). III. He argues thence that justification must needs be by faith, and not by the law, which he gives several reasons for (v. 19 to the end). --- Matthew Henry”
- 3. Scripture Reading Romans 3:1-8 God’s Judgement Defended Did the Jews have advantages not afforded to the Gentile? V2 “Oracles of God” -Devine communication. V3 God will be faithful to His covenant people (Gen 17:7) “For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?” See the answer in verse 4 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- 4. When the word but (a preposition) is used we should pause and review the previous statement, as quoted from Psalms 51:4. The author wants us to look at it from the opposition side. “Another objection: "It would appear, then, that the more faithless we are, so much the more illustrious will the fidelity of God appear; and in that case, for Him to take vengeance on us for our unfaithfulness would be (to speak as men profanely do) unrighteousness in God” (Jamieson, Faucette & Brown). We find the answer in Romans 3:6-8 as Paul continues.
- 5. Scripture Reading Romans 3:9-19 All Have Sinned Discussion Questions Who is Paul quoting in V10-18? David: Psalms 14:2-3 as repeated again in Psalms 53:1-4 What is Paul stressing in V19 and why? Those under the law are condemned by the law The phrase be justified is translated from the Greek word dikaioō meaning be righteous
- 6. Is the Jew better off than the Gentile? No! Paul writes “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Why is sin considered by the world as an archaic concept? Jesus taught from within, out of people's hearts" come all sorts of evil. (Mk 7:21) We are all heirs of Adam’s sin of disobedience. Therefore, sin is part of our natural being, because we are all descendants of Adam. This concept of sin must be accepted by the world as being inherited from the beginning. Of course the world did not accept that we all came from a common set of parents (Scripture calls Adam and Eve) until recently.
- 7. Science is inching closer. This headline appeared in an article in Phs.org “Research confirms theory that all modern humans descended from the same small group of people” study source University of Cambridge The concept of inherited sin is a bitter pill to swallow. This means that all have sinned because of the sin of one person, Adam. Because of this sin, a curse was placed on all of the descendants of Adam. Paul writes: “none are righteous no not one” (Romans 3:10). A curse was extended to all the earth and all who dwelled on it when Adam sinned.
- 8. Scripture Reading Romans 3:21-26 God’s Righteousness Through Faith DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What are the three works of the cross? (ref V 21) 1. Justification Justification is a legal term. We are all condemned before God as sinners. But through Jesus we who believe in faith have been weighed in the balance and found to be not guilty. READ THESE VERSES CAREFULLY
- 9. 2. redemption To redeem something means you have regained something either lost or taken from you. God purchased mankind from its sin through the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary. Once again those who believe by faith this redemptive act are once again united in Spirit to God. 3. Propitiation Propitiation means in place of. The propitiation animal became the sin in place of the sinner. God’s wrath was poured out on an animal as a substitute for the covering of sin. God has ordained from the beginning, that the punishment for sin must be the shedding of blood (death). God poured His wrath on Jesus His only Son, who became flesh, and suffered the punishment we all deserve. How do I know I have been saved? Looking back can you see a change in who you are now, compared to who you were before asking Jesus to come into your life?
- 10. 3:23 “All have missed the mark that God intended for the human race and have lost the glory of the original creation (Ps 8:5). Believing the good news starts the process of the restoration of glory (Rm 8:30; 2Co 3:18).”
- 11. 3:26 “The present time of the cross and preaching of the good news vindicated God, showing that He is just and Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. It has become fashionable to translate pisteos Iesou in verses 22,26 as "Jesus' faithfulness" instead of "faith in Jesus." While the Greek permits this translation, it seems to diminish somewhat Paul's emphasis on faith in Jesus' work on the cross. The HCSB's rendering is to be preferred”.
- 12. SCRIPTURE READING ROMANS 3:28-31 Boasting? DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Who can boast in his works or his faith? No one can boast V27a. Not even in their faith. What is the means of justification? It is by grace that we are justified through Jesus the Christ. The propitiation is a gift given at great cost to God.
- 13. What does a person do when hopelessly lost in his sin? And because of the love of God he found his way. There is only one way, and that is to seek salvation through the Lord Jesus. V31. If we are saved by grace through faith, does this then void the law? Jesus said it best when he said I have come to fulfill the law not destroy it. (Mat 5:17)” Jesus fulfilled the all the requirements of the Law, because mankind was not capable of keeping the Law. We are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, and soul this is the greatest commandment (Mark 12:30).
- 14. Bibliography and references 3:8 Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com. Ibid., 3:22 Ibid., 3:26 Jamieson, Robert , A.R. Fauseset, David Brown. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. 1871. https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/ (accessed May 04, 2018).
Editor's Notes
- 3:1 It might seem from chapter 2 that being a Jew and being circumcised conferred no advantage, but Paul listed many Jewish advantages in 9:4-5. In our day it is advantageous to have Christian parents, to attend a church, to be baptized, to attend a Christian school, and to read the Bible—but none of these advantages can save us. 3:2 It is a great privilege to be Jewish— considerable in every way. They heard God speak the "ten words" or Ten Commandments (Ex 20:1-20) directly to them. Then through a long series of prophets, God's words came to them. No other people on earth had this privilege. 3:3 Even if some of the Jewish people did not believe, God will be faithful to His covenant and will bring His promises to fulfillment. Paul referred particularly to the promises centered in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. 3:4 After he was confronted by the prophet Nathan for his sins surrounding the Bathsheba incident, David confessed in Psalm 51:4 that God is justified in His judgments. God must be true, for it would be against His infinitely perfect nature to be otherwise. [Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.] 1, 2. What advantage then hath the Jew?--that is, "If the final judgment will turn solely on the state of the heart, and this may be as good in the Gentile without, as in the Jew within, the sacred enclosure of God's covenant, what better are we Jews for all our advantages?" Answer: 2. Much every way; chiefly, because--rather, "first, that." unto them were committed the oracles of God--This remarkable expression, denoting "divine communications" in general, is transferred to the Scriptures to express their oracular, divine, authoritative character. 3, 4. For what if some did not believe?--It is the unbelief of the great body of the nation which the apostle points at; but as it sufficed for his argument to put the supposition thus gently, he uses this word "some" to soften prejudice. shall their unbelief make the faith of God--or, "faithfulness of God." of none effect?--"nullify," "invalidate" it. 4. God forbid--literally, "Let it not be," that is, "Away with such a thought"--a favorite expression of our apostle, when he would not only repudiate a supposed consequence of his doctrine, but express his abhorrence of it. "The Scriptures do not authorize such a use of God's name as must have been common among the English translators of the Bible" [HODGE]. yea, let God be--held true, and every man a liar--that is, even though it should follow from this that every man is a liar. when thou art judged--so in Psalms 51:4 , according to the Septuagint; but in the Hebrew and in our version, "when thou judgest." The general sentiment, however, is the same in both--that we are to vindicate the righteousness of God, at whatever expense to ourselves.
- V5 “But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath?” 3:5-8 Paul addressed several implications to which critics mistakenly thought his teachings would lead. For example, if God is shown to be in the right by man's sin and error, then God is honored by our shortcomings. How then can God punish us when we have helped display His righteousness? But Paul answered that as a matter of principle God's judgment of sin is always righteous. People who think otherwise deserve condemnation, for their true focus is not on glorifying God but on giving free reign to their sinful desires. [Holman Bible Staff, The HCSB Translation Team, Howard, Jeremy Royal & Blum, Edwin (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.] 5, 6. But if, &c.--Another objection: "It would appear, then, that the more faithless we are, so much the more illustrious will the fidelity of God appear; and in that case, for Him to take vengeance on us for our unfaithfulness would be (to speak as men profanely do) unrighteousness in God." Answer: 6. God forbid; for then how shall God judge the world?--that is, "Far from us be such a thought; for that would strike down all future judgment. 7, 8. For if the truth of God, &c.--A further illustration of the same sentiment: that is, "Such reasoning amounts to this--which indeed we who preach salvation by free grace are slanderously accused of teaching--that the more evil we do, the more glory will redound to God; a damnable principle." (Thus the apostle, instead of refuting this principle, thinks it enough to hold it up to execration, as one that shocks the moral sense). On this brief section, Note (1) Mark the place here assigned to the Scriptures. In answer to the question, "What advantage hath the Jew?" or, "What profit is there of circumcision?" ( Romans 3:1 ) those holding Romish views would undoubtedly have laid the stress upon the priesthood, as the glory of the Jewish economy. But in the apostle's esteem, "the oracles of God" were the jewel of the ancient Church ( Romans 3:1 Romans 3:2 ). (2) God's eternal purposes and man's free agency, as also the doctrine of salvation by grace and the unchanging obligations of God's law, have ever been subjected to the charge of inconsistency by those who will bow to no truth which their own reason cannot fathom. But amidst all the clouds and darkness which in this present state envelop the divine administration and many of the truths of the Bible, such broad and deep principles as are here laid down, and which shine in their own luster, will be found the sheet-anchor of our faith. "Let God be true, and every man a liar" ( Romans 3:4 ); and as many advocates of salvation by grace as say, "Let us do evil that good may come," "their damnation is just" ( Romans 3:8 ). Romans 3:9-20 . THAT THE JEW IS SHUT UP UNDER LIKE CONDEMNATION WITH THE GENTILE IS PROVED BY HIS OWN SCRIPTURE.
- 3:9 All the world is under sin, and yet sin is considered an archaic topic in our secular society. It is not hard to guess why. Vice is something done against oneself; crime is something done against society or an individual; but sin is against God. Since modern culture is essentially atheistic, "sin" has become a meaningless term. [Holman Bible Staff, The HCSB Translation Team, Howard, Jeremy Royal & Blum, Edwin (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.]
- 3:9 All the world is under sin, and yet sin is considered an archaic topic in our secular society. It is not hard to guess why. Vice is something done against oneself; crime is something done against society or an individual; but sin is against God. Since modern culture is essentially atheistic, "sin" has become a meaningless term. 3:9 “All the world is under sin, and yet sin is considered an archaic topic in our secular society... Vice is something done against oneself; crime is something done against society or an individual; but sin is against God. Since modern culture is essentially atheistic, "sin" has become a meaningless term.” 3:10-18 In these verses Paul linked seven OT passages to demonstrate that all of mankind is under sin's dominion. No one is righteous; no one understands (Jn 8:43-44; 1Co 2:14), and no one... seeks God. Since Adam and Eve's fall, people have hidden from God, but God sent His Son "to seek and to save the lost" (Lk 19:10). All have gone astray (Isa 1:2-4; 53:6), and in God's sight none are right. Paul cited Bible passages that show the extent of corruption. As Jesus taught, "from within, out of people's hearts" (Mk 7:21) come all sorts of evil. Man is quick to shed blood. During the last century over 39 million people lost their lives in wars. And by conservative estimates, human governments killed an additional 125 million people—led by Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Hitler, and others. The root problem is that humans are often practical atheists even when they profess belief in God. They choose against God's will and show no fear for it. 3:19 Someone may argue that the seven passages cited above are addressed not to Jews but to pagan nations. But everything in the Hebrew Bible is first addressed to the Jews for their instruction so they can learn about sin's power. All people from every nation and ethnicity are sinners, and God will judge the whole world. In God's court, everyone is speechless. 3:20 No one can earn justification by obedience to the law's requirements. The law was never intended to be a means of salvation. A primary purpose of the law was to reveal sin in its full scope, thus pointing to man's need for the gift of righteousness. [Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.] 9. are we better than they?--"do we excel them?" No, in no wise--Better off the Jews certainly were, for having the oracles of God to teach them better; but as they were no better, that only aggravated their guilt. 10-12. As it is written, &c.--( Psalms 14:1-3 , 53:1-3 ). These statements of the Psalmist were indeed suggested by particular manifestations of human depravity occurring under his own eye; but as this only showed what man, when unrestrained, is in his present condition, they were quite pertinent to the apostle's purpose. 13-18. Their, &c.--From generals, the apostle here comes to particulars, culling from different parts of Scripture passages which speak of depravity as it affects the different members of the body; as if to show more affectingly how "from the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness" in us. throat is an open sepulchre--( Psalms 5:9 ); that is, "What proceeds out of their heart, and finds vent in speech and action through the throat, is like the pestilential breath of an open grave." with their tongues they have used deceit--( Psalms 5:9 ); that is, "That tongue which is man's glory ( Psalms 16:9 , 57:8 ) is prostituted to the purposes of deception." the poison of asps is under their lips--( Psalms 140:3 ): that is, "Those lips which should 'drop as an honeycomb,' and 'feed many,' and 'give thanks unto His name' ( Solomon 4:11 , Proverbs 10:21 , Hebrews 13:15 ), are employed to secrete and to dart deadly poison." 14. Whose mouth, &c.--( Psalms 10:7 ): that is, "That mouth which should be 'most sweet' ( Solomon 5:16), being 'set on fire of hell' ( James 3:6 ), is filled with burning wrath against those whom it should only bless." 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood--( Proverbs 1:16 , Isaiah 59:7 ): that is, "Those feet, which should 'run the way of God's commandments' ( Psalms 119:32 ), are employed to conduct men to deeds of darkest crime." 16, 17. Destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known--This is a supplementary statement about men's ways, suggested by what had been said about the "feet," and expresses the mischief and misery which men scatter in their path, instead of that peace which, as strangers to it themselves, they cannot diffuse. 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes--( Psalms 36:1 ): that is, "Did the eyes but 'see Him who is invisible' ( Hebrews 11:27 ), a reverential awe of Him with whom we have to do would chasten every joy and lift the soul out of its deepest depressions; but to all this the natural man is a stranger." How graphic is this picture of human depravity, finding its way through each several organ of the body into the life ( Romans 3:13-17 ):but how small a part of the "desperate wickedness" that is within ( Jeremiah 17:9 ) "proceedeth out of the heart of man!" ( 7:21-23 , Psalms 19:12 ). 19. Now we know that what . . . the law--that is, the Scriptures, considered as a law of duty. saith, it saith to them that are under the law--of course, therefore, to the Jews. that every mouth--opened in self-justification. may be stopped, and all the world may become--that is, be seen to be, and own itself. guilty--and so condemned before God.
- 3:21-26 The phrase but now marks a decisive shift in Paul's argument. According to one interpreter, verses 21-26 are the "centre and heart of the whole of Romans 1.16b-15:13" (Cranfield, Romans, I:199). This paragraph (one long sentence in the Greek original) is a wonderful compression of theology. It contains three ways of describing Jesus' work on the cross and the benefits that come from the gospel: justification, redemption, and propitiation. Each term pictures the gospel by appealing to a different realm of ancient life. "Justification" is a term from the courts. Sinners stand condemned in God's court, and yet He freely declares "not guilty" anyone who places his faith in Christ. 3:22 Jesus is the object of faith and the means of obtaining the gift of God' s righteousness. The gift is for both Jews and Gentiles who believe. 3:23 All have missed the mark that God intended for the human race and have lost the glory of the original creation (Ps 8:5). Believing the good news starts the process of the restoration of glory (Rm 8:30; 2Co 3:18). [Mar 10:45 NKJV] 45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.“ [1Pe 1:18-19 NKJV] 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, [like] silver or gold, from your aimless conduct [received] by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.] 21-23. But now the righteousness of without the law--that is, a righteousness to which our obedience to the law contributes nothing whatever ( Romans 3:28 , Galatians 2:16 ). is manifested, being witnessed--attested. by the law and the prophets--the Old Testament Scriptures. Thus this justifying righteousness, though new, as only now fully disclosed, is an old righteousness, predicted and foreshadowed in the Old Testament. 22. by faith of--that is, "in" Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe--that is, perhaps, brought nigh "unto all" men the Gospel, and actually "upon all" believing men, as theirs in possession [LUTHER and others]; but most interpreters understand both statements" of believers as only a more emphatic way of saying that all believers, without distinction or exception, are put in possession of this gratuitous justification, purely by faith in Christ Jesus. for there is no difference. 23. for all have sinned--Though men differ greatly in the nature and extent of their sinfulness, there is absolutely no difference between the best and the worst of men, in the fact that "all have sinned," and so underlie the wrath of God. and come short of the glory--or "praise" of God--that is, "have failed to earn His approbation" (compare John 12:43 , Greek). So the best interpreters. 24. justified freely--without anything done on our part to deserve. by his grace--His free love. through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus--a most important clause; teaching us that though justification is quite gratuitous, it is not a mere fiat of the divine will, but based on a "Redemption," that is, "the payment of a Ransom," in Christ's death. That this is the sense of the word "redemption," when applied to Christ's death, will appear clear to any impartial student of the passages where it occurs. 25, 26. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation--or "propitiatory sacrifice." through faith in his blood--Some of the best interpreters, observing that "faith upon" is the usual phrase in Greek, not "faith in" Christ, would place a "comma" after "faith," and understand the words as if written thus: "to be a propitiation, in His blood, through faith." But "faith in Christ" is used in Galatians 3:26 andEphesians 1:15 ; and "faith in His blood" is the natural and appropriate meaning here. to declare his righteousness for the remission--rather, "pretermission" or "passing by." of sins--"the sins." that are past--not the sins committed by the believer before he embraces Christ, but the sins committed under the old economy, before Christ came to "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." through the forbearance of God--God not remitting but only forbearing to punish them, or passing them by, until an adequate atonement for them should be made. In thus not imputing them, God was righteous, but He was not seen to be so; there was no "manifestation of His righteousness" in doing so under the. ancient economy. But now that God can "set forth" Christ as a "propitiation for sin through faith in His blood," the righteousness of His procedure in passing by the sins of believers before, and in now remitting them, is "manifested," declared, brought fully out to the view of the whole world. (Our translators have unfortunately missed this glorious truth, taking "the sins that are past" to mean the past sins of believers--committed before faith--and rendering, by the word "remission," what means only a "passing by"; thus making it appear that "remission of sins" is "through the forbearance of God," which it certainly is not). 26. To declare . . . at this time--now for the first time, under the Gospel. his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus--Glorious paradox! "Just in punishing," and "merciful in pardoning," men can understand; but "just in justifying the guilty," startles them. But the propitiation through faith in Christ's blood resolves the paradox and harmonizes the discordant elements. For in that "God hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin," justice has full satisfaction; and in that "we are made the righteousness of God in Him," mercy has her heart's delight! Note, (1) One way of a sinner's justification is taught in the Old Testament and in the New alike: only more dimly during the twilight of Revelation; in unclouded light under "its perfect day" ( Romans 3:21 ). (2) As there is no difference in the need, so is there none in the liberty to appropriate the provided salvation. The best need to be saved by faith in Jesus Christ; and the worst only need that. On this common ground all saved sinners meet here, and will stand for ever ( Romans 3:22-24 ). (3) It is on the atoning blood of Christ, as the one propitiatory sacrifice which God hath set forth to the eye of the guilty, that the faith of the convinced and trembling sinner fastens for deliverance from wrath. Though he knows that he is "justified freely, by God's grace," it is only because it is "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" that he is able to find peace and rest even in this ( Romans 3:25 ). (4) The strictly accurate view of believers under the Old Testament is not that of a company of pardoned men, but of men whose sins, put up with and passed by in the meantime, awaited a future expiation in the fulness of time ( Romans 3:25 Romans 3:26 ;
- "Redemption" is a term borrowed from the slave market. All people are slaves to sin by their fallen nature, but Christians are purchased by God and freed to new life in Christ. "Propitiation" is a term borrowed from temple rites, where the sacrificial animal figuratively comes under God's wrath as it is killed. Jesus received God's wrath on the cross. By our faith in Christ, God's wrath is counted satisfied and we are no longer under wrath. God' s righteousness was thus manifested and given in the event of the cross. Sinners gain pardon not through their adherence to the law, but through faith in the One who fulfilled all righteousness on our behalf. The Law and the Prophets refers to the OT, and the entire OT is correctly understood as a witness to Jesus and His work.
- 3:25 “Propitiation is a term borrowed from the sacrificial system and the temple. The Greek word hilasterion was used for the cover of the ark of the covenant. Luther translated it as the "mercy seat" (Heb 9:5)”.
- 3:26 The present time of the cross and preaching of the good news vindicated God, showing that He is just and Justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. It has become fashionable to translate pisteos Iesou in verses 22,26 as "Jesus' faithfulness" instead of "faith in Jesus." While the Greek permits this translation, it seems to diminish somewhat Paul's emphasis on faith in Jesus' work on the cross. The HCSB's rendering is to be preferred.
- 3:27-28 No one can boast in his works. No one can boast even in his faith. Faith is not the cause of justification but the means of justification. The cause of salvation is grace and mercy.
- [Mat 5:17 ESV] 17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 3:29-30 There is only one God and only one way to be justified by Him, no matter your ethnic and national identity: by faith. The phrase who will justify does not mean that justification occurs at a future time (at the last judgment) and is therefore not a present reality for the believer. Rather, it points to the fact that God counts each of us justified as we come to faith. Thus God "will justify" your neighbor tomorrow if he comes to faith. 3:31 Does the gospel destroy the law? To answer this question, Paul considered the case of Abraham in the following chapter. [Howard, Jeremy Royal, The HCSB Translation Team, Blum, Edwin & Holman Bible Staff (2010). HCSB Study Bible. B&H Publishing Group. Retrieved from https://app.wordsearchbible.com.]