Romans 3:1-9

Text

Romans 3:1-9 a. What advantage then hath the Jew? or what is the profit of circumcision? Romans 3:2 Much every way: first of all, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God. Romans 3:3 For what if some were without faith? shall their want of faith make of none effect of the faithfulness of God? Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written,

That thou mightest be justified in thy words,

And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment. Romans 3:5 But if our unrighteousness commendeth the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who visiteth with wrath? (I speak after the manner of men.) Romans 3:6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? Romans 3:7 But if the truth of God through my lie abounded unto his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? Romans 3:8 and why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just. Romans 3:9 What then? are we better than they?

REALIZING ROMANS, Romans 3:1-9 a

97.

Who is asking this question of Romans 3:1? i.e., for whom is Paul asking it?

98.

Why imagine there would be an advantage and profit? cf. Romans 3:1.

99.

The Jews had the oracles of God, but they did them no good. How did such oracles relate to Christ?

52.

How could the circumcised become uncircumcised and vice versa?

53.

How could Paul say that circumcision was of the heart when it plainly was in the flesh?

100.

Paul says, much in every way. Can you find more than one way mentioned?

101.

Show how the thought, 10,000,000 Jews can-'t be wrong, was used as an argument by the Jews against Jesus as the Messiah.

102.

Meaning of the words, faithfulness of God, as in Romans 3:3?

103.

The truth of God is totally apart from man. In what way?

104.

Why should anyone think God would not be justified in His words?

105.

In what sense could God come into judgment?

106.

Does the end ever justify the means? In Romans 3:5 Paul is suggesting that some feel this is true. Read this verse over very carefully and try to show how.

107.

On what basis or by what standard will God judge the world?

108.

Paul turns the tables on the Jewish objectors. Read Romans 3:7-8 to see if you can discover in what manner this is done.

109.

How could good possibly result from doing evil? Do not say that some feel that it could. Explain why they felt it.

110.

Who are the we and the they of Romans 3:9?

111.

There is a wonderful lesson on the dangers of having a form of godliness and denying the power thereof. See if you can find it.

Paraphrase

Romans 3:1-9 a. If our privileges will procure us no favor at the judgment, and if the want of these privileges will be no disadvantage to the Gentiles, What is the pre-eminence of the Jew above the Gentile? and what is the advantage of circumcision?

Romans 3:2 It is great in every respect; but chiefly, indeed, because the Jews were intrusted with the oracles of God; especially that concerning the blessing of the nations in Abraham's seed.

Romans 3:3 But what benefit have we received from the oracles of God, if the greatest part of us have not believed on him whom ye call the seed, and are to be cast off? Will not their unbelief destroy the faithfulness of God, who promised to be a God to Abraham's seed in their generations?

Romans 3:4 By no means: the faithfulness of God will not be destroyed by the rejection of the Jews. But let God be acknowledged true to his covenant, although every Jew be a liar, in affirming that Jesus is not the promised seed, and be rejected on that account: for as it is written, in all cases God will be justified in his threatenings, and will appear just as often as he punishes.

Romans 3:5 But if our unrighteousness, in rejecting and crucifying Jesus, establisheth the faithfulness of God in casting us off from being his people, what shall we infer? Is not God unrighteous, who likewise destroyeth us as a nation for that sin? (I write this in the character of an unbelieving Jew.)

Romans 3:6 By no means: for, if no sin can be righteously punished which is attended with good consequences, how shall God judge the world? How shall he render to every man according to his works?

Romans 3:7 Your account is not satisfactory; for if the truth of God, in casting off and punishing our nation, hath been manifested to his great honor through our lie, in affirming that Jesus is not the promised seed, why am I, an individual, farther punished also as a sinner? My being involved in the rejection and destruction of the nation, is punishment sufficient.

Romans 3:8 And to carry your objection farther, why not add, as we are slanderously reported by you Jews to practice, and as many affirm the apostles order, Certainly let us do evil, that glory may accrue to God from our pardon? Of those persons who teach and practice such things, the condemnation is both certain and just.

Romans 3:9 a Well, then, since the pre-eminence of the Jews above the Gentiles consists in their superior advantages, do we acknowledge that we excel the Gentiles in piety?

Summary

The Jews, in being such, possessed many peculiar advantages, among the most important of which was being entrusted with the revelations of God. Still, though thus highly favored, many of them were very unfaithful. But this will have no effect upon God's faithfulness. He will remain true, though all men should prove false. Moreover, even when the Jew's injustice had the effect to display the justice of God, still God must punish the injustice, and he does right in doing so. We must not do evil that good may come, and we will certainly be punished if we do.

Comment

The argument of Paul would suggest three objections to the Jewish mind. These objections and their answers are the subjects of the first nine verses of the third chapter. The objections are:

a.

If the moral Gentile is better off than the immoral Jew (as you seem to point out in your words concerning circumcision, etc.) what becomes of the Jew's advantages? Romans 3:1

Answer: He still has many advantages. First of all, he has been and is the depository for the oracles of God, the advantage being that within these oracles are the promises of the coming Messiah; thus the Jew was privileged to be the one who could recognize and welcome the Christ when He came, Besides this paramount advantage the oracles also gave him the will of God for his life, and he could thus conduct himself accordingly and receive the approval of God and the benefits of right living in his own person. Romans 3:2

54.

What was the first of the three objections the Jews had to justification by faith?

55.

What particular advantage did having the oracles of God give the Jew?

Paul, although saying there were many advantages, here only mentions one and does not take up a discussion of any others until chapter nine, verse four.

b.

The second objection is suggested by the answer of the first. Since the Jews have the oracles of God, which contain God's will, will not their unbelief and consequent disobedience cancel His promises? Romans 3:3

Answer: God forbid. If every Jew on earth were a liar it would not affect the truthfulness of Jehovah. It is even as the Psalmist has said: God is just in every word spoken and in every case brought to trial he is only proved true. So your faithfulness or lack of it cannot alter the character of God; it can only magnify his eternal righteousness. Romans 3:4

c.

Again we find the objection growing out of the answer to the foregoing. Here it is: If our unrighteousness only results in the magnifying of God's righteousness, is he not unrighteous to visit us with wrath? (Paul speaks in the first person in giving this objection, thus indicating that he is speaking as an unbelieving Jew.) Romans 3:5

Answer: How then shall God judge the world? If, as you say, God now excuses evil and counts it as good because it serves the purpose of establishing his faithfulness, what will be the standard for judgment? Wrong is wrong and sin is sin under whatever conditions it is enacted and regardless of what the final results might be. On what other basis could He judge all men according to their works and be no respecter of persons? Romans 3:6

The apostle then places before the mind of the Jew the illustration that completes in a unique way the answer to the third objection. He puts himself in the role of the Jew who has offered this objection and then says: You believe what I have been telling you concerning the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth is a lie, do you not? Well, if the truth of God (which you claim to have) is made to abound, or to be more evident by my lie, why are you calling me a sinner? (My, what an application of their own principle!) Indeed, says the apostle, why not do the very thing some of you are accusing me ofdo evil that good may come? Why, the justice of condemning those who would so slander the apostle is self-evident. Romans 3:7-8

56.

State in your own words the second objection.

57.

What is the answer?

58.

Give in your own words the third objection. How is it answered?

59.

How would the third objection destroy the basis for judging the world?

60.

Explain the illustration the apostle uses to complete the answer to the third objection.

In chapter two the need of the Jews was thoroughly dealt with; they were laid under the wrath of God and were thus shown to be without hope except it be in the gospel. In concluding his demonstration of the need of the Jew, Paul found it necessary to digress in order to answer the objections of chapter 3, Romans 3:1-8. Now he returns to the subject and speaks of the pride of the Jews. Romans 3:9 a. Even though the Jews see themselves as lost along with the Gentiles, they somehow imagined that in spite of their sin and failure and because of the favors God has bestowed upon them (Romans 2:17-20) they still were a little bit better than the Gentiles. Paul places himself with them in voicing this egotistical question: What then? are we better than they? He then immediately rebels at the thought and denies it with the strong words, No, in no wise. Romans 3:9 a

61.

How is it that the Jew could consider himself somewhat better than the Gentile?

Rethinking in Outline Form

2.

Needed by the Jews. Romans 2:1, Romans 3:9 a

a.

Reasons why the gospel means of justification was needed by the Jew:

(1)

He possessed the law but did not practice it. Since man is to be judged by the law under which he lives, the Jew, like the Gentile, is tragically in need. Romans 3:1-16

(2)

The Jew boasts of his high standing given him by his possession of the law, but all the while his practice shows him to be no better than the Gentile. Romans 3:17-24

(3)

His effort to seek special consideration because of circumcision avails nothing, for the true meaning and purpose of circumcision shows it to be of value only to the one who keeps the law. Even the uncircumcised can be counted as circumcised through obedience to his law. Romans 3:25-29

(4)

The three objections of the Jew to this position are completely answered by Paul. Romans 3:1-9 a