Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?
KJV
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
Commentary
Commentary
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, ver. 1-8 .
II. He asserts the guilt and corruption of mankind in common, both Jews
and Gentiles, ver. 9-18 .
III. He argues thence that justification must needs be by faith, and
not by the law, which he gives several reasons for
( ver. 19 to the end ).
The many digressions in his writings render his discourse sometimes a
little difficult, but his scope is evident.
1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were
committed the oracles of God.
3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make
the faith of God without effect?
4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it
is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and
mightest overcome when thou art judged.
5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God,
what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I
speak as a man)
6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie
unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as
some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come?
whose damnation is just.
9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we
have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all
under sin;
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh
after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become
unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they
have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
17 And the way of peace have they not known:
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
I. Here the apostle answers several objections, which might be made, to
clear his way. No truth so plain and evident but wicked wits and
corrupt carnal hearts will have something to say against it; but divine
truths must be cleared from cavil.
Object. 1. If Jew and Gentile stand so much upon the same level before God, what advantage then hath the Jew? Hath not God often spoken with
a great deal of respect for the Jews, as a non-such people
( Deut. xxxiii. 29 ),
a holy nation, a peculiar treasure, the seed of Abraham his friend: Did
not he institute circumcision as a badge of their church-membership,
and a seal of their covenant-relation to God? Now does not this
levelling doctrine deny them all such prerogatives, and reflect
dishonour upon the ordinance of circumcision, as a fruitless
insignificant thing.
Answer. The Jews are, notwithstanding this, a people greatly
privileged and honoured, have great means and helps, though these be
not infallibly saving
( v. 2 ): Much every way. The door is open to the Gentiles as well as the
Jews, but the Jews have a fairer way up to this door, by reason of
their church-privileges, which are not to be undervalued, though many
that have them perish eternally for not improving them. He reckons up
many of the Jews' privileges Rom. ix. 4, 5 ;
here he mentions but one (which is indeed instar
omnium -- equivalent to all ), that unto them were committed
the oracles of God, that is, the scriptures of the Old Testament,
especially the law of Moses, which is called the lively oracles ( Acts vii. 38 ),
and those types, promises, and prophecies, which relate to Christ and
the gospel. The scriptures are the oracles of God: they are a divine
revelation, they come from heaven, are of infallible truth, and of
eternal consequence as oracles. The Septuagint call the Urim and
Thummim the logia -- the oracles. The scripture is
our breast-plate of judgment. We must have recourse to the law and to
the testimony, as to an oracle. The gospel is called the oracles of
God, Heb. v. 12; 1 Pet. iv. 11 .
Now these oracles were committed to the Jews; the Old Testament was
written in their language; Moses and the prophets were of their nation,
lived among them, preached and wrote primarily to and for the Jews.
They were committed to them as trustees for succeeding ages and
churches. The Old Testament was deposited in their hands, to be
carefully preserved pure and uncorrupt, and so transmitted down to
posterity. The Jews were the Christians' library-keepers, were
entrusted with that sacred treasure for their own use and benefit in
the first place, and then for the advantage of the world; and, in
preserving the letter of the scripture, they were very faithful to
their trust, did not lose one iota or tittle, in which we are to
acknowledge God's gracious care and providence. The Jews had the means
of salvation, but they had not the monopoly of salvation. Now this he
mentions with a chiefly, proton men gar --this was
their prime and principal privilege. The enjoyment of God's word and
ordinances is the chief happiness of a people, is to be put in the imprimis of their advantages, Deut. iv. 8; xxxiii. 3;
Ps. cxlvii. 20 .
Object. 2. Against what he had said of the advantages the Jews
had in the lively oracles, some might object the unbelief of many of
them. To what purpose were the oracles of God committed to them, when
so many of them, notwithstanding these oracles, continued strangers to
Christ, and enemies to his gospel? Some did not believe, v. 3 .
Answer. It is very true that some, nay most of the present Jews,
do not believe in Christ; but shall their unbelief make the faith of
God without effect? The apostle startles at such a thought: God
forbid! The infidelity and obstinacy of the Jews could not
invalidate and overthrow those prophecies of the Messiah which were
contained in the oracles committed to them. Christ will be glorious, though Israel be not gathered, Isa. xlix. 5 .
God's words shall be accomplished, his purposes performed, and all his
ends answered, though there be a generation that by their unbelief go
about to make God a liar. Let God be true but every man a liar; let us abide by this principle, that God is true to every word which he
has spoken, and will let none of his oracles fall to the ground, though
thereby we give the lie to man; better question and overthrow the
credit of all the men in the world than doubt of the faithfulness of
God. What David said in his haste
( Ps. cxvi. 11 ),
that all men are liars, Paul here asserts deliberately. Lying is a limb
of that old man which we every one of us come into the world clothed
with. All men are fickle, and mutable, and given to change, vanity
and a lie ( Ps. lxii. 9 ), altogether vanity, Ps. xxxix. 5 .
All men are liars, compared with God. It is very comfortable, when we
find every man a liar (no faith in man), that God is faithful. When they speak vanity every one with his neighbour, it is very
comfortable to think that the words of the Lord are pure words, Ps. xii. 2, 6 .
For the further proof of this he quotes Ps. li. 4 , That thou mightest be justified, the design of which is to show,
1. That God does and will preserve his own honour in the world,
notwithstanding the sins of men.
2. That it is our duty, in all our conclusions concerning ourselves and
others, to justify God and to assert and maintain his justice, truth,
and goodness, however it goes. David lays a load upon himself in his
confession, that he might justify God, and acquit him from any
injustice. So here, Let the credit or reputation of man shift for
itself, the matter is not great whether it sink or swim; let us hold
fast this conclusion, how specious soever the premises may be to the
contrary, that the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in
all his works. Thus is God justified in his sayings, and cleared
when he judges (as it is Ps. li. 4 ),
or when he is judged, as it is here rendered. When men presume
to quarrel with God and his proceedings, we may be sure the sentence
will go on God's side.
Object. 3. Carnal hearts might hence take occasion to encourage
themselves in sin. He had said that the universal guilt and corruption
of mankind gave occasion to the manifestation of God's righteousness in
Jesus Christ. Now it may be suggested, If all our sin be so far from
overthrowing God's honour that it commends it, and his ends are
secured, so that there is no harm done, is it not unjust for God to
punish our sin and unbelief so severely? If the unrighteousness of the
Jews gave occasion to the calling in of the Gentiles, and so to God's
greater glory, why are the Jews so much censured? If our
unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we
say? v. 5 .
What inference may be drawn from this? Is God unrighteous, me adikos ho Theos -- Is not God unrighteous (so it
may be read, more in the form of an objection), who taketh
vengeance? Unbelieving hearts will gladly take any occasion to
quarrel with equity of God's proceedings, and to condemn him that is
most just, Job xxxiv. 17 . I speak as a man, that is, I object this as the of carnal
hearts; it is suggested like a man, a vain, foolish, proud
creature.
Answer. God forbid; far be it from us to imagine such a thing.
Suggestions that reflect dishonour upon God and his justice and
holiness are rather to be startled at than parleyed with. Get thee
behind me, Satan; never entertain such a thought. For then how
shall God judge the world? v. 6 .
The argument is much the same with that of Abraham
( Gen. xviii. 25 ): Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? No doubt, he
shall. If he were not infinitely just and righteous, he would be unfit
to be the judge of all the earth. Shall even he that hateth right
govern? Job xxxiv. 17 .
Compare v. 18, 19 .
The sin has never the less of malignity and demerit in it though God
bring glory to himself out of it. It is only accidentally that sin
commends God's righteousness. No thanks to the sinner for that, who
intends no such thing. The consideration of God's judging the world
should for ever silence all our doubtings of, and reflections upon, his
justice and equity. It is not for us to arraign the proceedings of such
an absolute Sovereign. The sentence of the supreme court, whence lies
no appeal, is not to be called in question.
Object. 4. The former objection is repeated and prosecuted
( v. 7, 8 ),
for proud hearts will hardly be beaten out of their refuge of lies, but
will hold fast the deceit. But his setting off the objection in its own
colours is sufficient to answer it: If the truth of God has more
abounded through my lie. He supposes the sophisters to follow their
objection thus: "If my lie, that is, my sin" (for there is something of
a lie in every sin, especially in the sins of professors) "have
occasioned the glorifying of God's truth and faithfulness, why should I be judged and condemned as a sinner, and not
rather thence take encouragement to go on in my sin, that grace may
abound?" an inference which at first sight appears too black to be
argued, and fit to be cast out with abhorrence. Daring sinners take
occasion to boast in mischief, because the goodness of God endures
continually, Ps. lii. 1 . Let us do evil that good may come is oftener in the heart than
in the mouth of sinners, so justifying themselves in their wicked ways.
Mentioning this wicked thought, he observes, in a parenthesis, that
there were those who charged such doctrines as this upon Paul and his
fellow-ministers: Some affirm that we say so. It is no new thing for
the best of God's people and ministers to be charged with holding and
teaching such things as they do most detest and abhor; and it is not to
be thought strange, when our Master himself was said to be in league
with Beelzebub. Many have been reproached as if they had said that the
contrary of which they maintain: it is an old artifice of Satan thus to
cast dirt upon Christ's ministers, Fortiter calumniari, aliquid
adhærebit--Lay slander thickly on, for some will be sure to
stick. The best men and the best truths are subject to slander.
Bishop Sanderson makes a further remark upon this, as we are
slanderously reported -- blasphemoumetha. Blasphemy in
scripture usually signifies the highest degree of slander, speaking ill
of God. The slander of a minister and his regular doctrine is a more
than ordinary slander, it is a kind of blasphemy, not for his person's
sake, but for his calling's sake and his work's sake, 1 Thess. v. 13 .
Answer. He says no more by way of confutation but that, whatever
they themselves may argue, the damnation of those is just. Some
understand it of the slanderers; God will justly condemn those who
unjustly condemn his truth. Or, rather, it is to be applied to those
who embolden themselves in sin under a pretence of God's getting glory
to himself out of it. Those who deliberately do evil that good may come
of it will be so far from escaping, under the shelter of that excuse,
that it will rather justify their damnation, and render them the more
inexcusable; for sinning upon such a surmise, and in such a confidence,
argues a great deal both of the wit and of the will in the sin--a wicked
will deliberately to choose the evil, and a wicked wit to palliate it
with the pretence of good arising from it. Therefore their damnation is
just; and, whatever excuses of this kind they may now please themselves
with, they will none of them stand good in the great day, but God will
be justified in his proceedings, and all flesh, even the proud flesh
that now lifts up itself against him, shall be silent before him. Some
think Paul herein refers to the approaching ruin of the Jewish church
and nation, which their obstinacy and self-justification in their
unbelief hastened upon them apace.
II. Paul, having removed these objections, next revives his assertion
of the general guilt and corruption of mankind in common, both of Jews
and Gentiles, v. 9-18 .
" Are we better than they, we Jews, to whom were committed the
oracles of God? Does this recommend us to God, or will this justify us?
No, by no means." Or, "Are we Christians (Jews and Gentiles) so much
better antecedently than the unbelieving part as to have merited God's
grace? Alas! no: before free grace made the difference, those of us
that had been Jews and those that had been Gentiles were all alike
corrupted." They are all under sin. Under the guilt of sin:
under it as under a sentence;--under it as under a bond, by which they
are bound over to eternal ruin and damnation;--under it as under a
burden
( Ps. xxxviii. 4 )
that will sink them to the lowest hell: we are guilty before God, v. 19 .
Under the government and dominion of sin: under it as under a tyrant
and cruel task-master, enslaved to it;--under it as under a
yoke;--under the power of it, sold to work wickedness. And this he had
proved, proetiasametha. It is a law term: We have
charged them with it, and have made good our charge; we have proved
the indictment, we have convicted them by the notorious evidence of the
fact. This charge and conviction he here further illustrates by several
scriptures out of the Old Testament, which describe the corrupt
depraved state of all men, till grave restrain or change them; so that
herein as in a glass we may all of us behold our natural face. The 10th, 11th, and 12th verses are taken from Ps. xiv. 1-3 ,
which are repeated as containing a very weighty truth, Ps. liii. 1-3 .
The rest that follows here is found in the Septuagint translation of
the 14th Psalm ,
which some think the apostle chooses to follow as better known; but I
rather think that Paul took these passages from other places of
scripture here referred to, but in later copies of the LXX. they
were all added in Ps. xiv. from this discourse of Paul. It is observable that, to prove the
general corruption of nature, he quotes some scriptures which speak of
the particular corruptions of particular persons, as of Doeg
( Ps. cxl. 3 ),
of the Jews
( Isa. lix. 7, 8 ),
which shows that the same sins that are committed by one are in the
nature of all. The times of David and Isaiah were some of the better
times, and yet to their days he refers. What is said Ps. xiv. is expressly spoken of all the children of men, and that upon a
particular view and inspection made by God himself. The Lord looked
down, as upon the old world, Gen. vi. 5 .
And this judgment of God was according to truth. He who, when he
himself had made all, looked upon every thing that he had made, and
behold all was very good, now that man had marred all, looked, and
behold all was very bad. Let us take a view of the particulars.
Observe,
(1.) An habitual defect of every thing that is good.
[1.] There is none righteous, none that has an honest good
principle of virtue, or is governed by such a principle, none that
retains any thing of that image of God, consisting in righteousness,
wherein man was created; no, not one; implying that, if there
had been but one, God would have found him out. When all the world was
corrupt, God had his eye upon one righteous Noah. Even those who
through grace are justified and sanctified were none of them righteous
by nature. No righteousness is born with us. The man after God's own
heart owns himself conceived in sin.
[2.] There is none that understandeth, v. 11 .
The fault lies in the corruption of the understanding; that is blinded,
depraved, perverted. Religion and righteousness have so much reason on
their side that if people had but any understanding they would be
better and do better. But they do not understand. Sinners are fools.
[3.] None that seeketh after God, that is,none that has any
regard to God, any desire after him. Those may justly be reckoned to
have no understanding that do not seek after God. The carnal mind is so
far from seeking after God that really it is enmity against him.
[4.] They are together become unprofitable, v. 12 .
Those that have forsaken God soon grow good for nothing, useless
burdens of the earth. Those that are in a state of sin are the most
unprofitable creatures under the sun; for it follows,
[5.] There is none that doeth good; no, not a just man upon the
earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not, Eccl. vii. 23 .
Even in those actions of sinners that have some goodness in them there
is a fundamental error in the principle and end; so that it may be
said, There is none that doeth good. Malum oritur ex quolibet
defectu--Every defect is the source of evil.
(2.) An habitual defection to every thing that is evil: They are all
gone out of the way. No wonder that those miss the right way who do
not seek after God, the highest end. God made man in the way, set him
in right, but he hath forsaken it. The corruption of mankind is an
apostasy.
2. That which is actual. And what good can be expected from such a
degenerate race? He instances,
(1.) In their words
( v. 13, 14 ),
in three things particularly:--
[1.] Cruelty: Their throat is an open sepulchre, ready to
swallow up the poor and innocent, waiting an opportunity to do
mischief, like the old serpent seeking to devour, whose name is Abaddon
and Apollyon, the destroyer. And when they do not openly avow this
cruelty, and vent it publicly, yet they are underhand intending
mischief: the poison of asps is under their lips ( Jam. iii. 8 ),
the most venomous and incurable poison, with which they blast the good
name of their neighbour by reproaches, and aim at his life by false
witness. These passages are borrowed from Ps. v. 9 and cxl. 3 .
[2.] Cheating: With their tongues they have used deceit. Herein
they show themselves the devil's children, for he is a liar, and the
father of lies. They have used it: it intimates that they make a
trade of lying; it is their constant practice, especially belying the
ways and people of God.
[3.] Cursing: reflecting upon God, and blaspheming his holy name;
wishing evil to their brethren: Their mouth is full of cursing and
bitterness. This is mentioned as one of the great sins of the
tongue, Jam. iii. 9 .
But those that thus love cursing shall have enough of it, Ps. cix. 17-19 .
How many, who are called Christians, do by these sin evince that they
are still under the reign and dominion of sin, still in the condition
that they were born in.
(2.) In their ways
( v. 15-17 ): Their feet are swift to shed blood; that is, they are very
industrious to compass any cruel design, ready to lay hold of all such
opportunities. Wherever they go, destruction and misery go along
with them; these are their companions--destruction and misery to the
people of God, to the country and neighbourhood where they live, to the
land and nation, and to themselves at last. Besides the destruction and
misery that are at the end of their ways (death is the end of these
things), destruction and misery are in their ways; their sin is its own
punishment: a man needs no more to make him miserable than to be a
slave to his sins.-- And the way of peace have they not known; that is, they know not how to preserve peace with others, nor how to
obtain peace for themselves. They may talk of peace, such a peace as
is in the devil's palace, while he keeps it, but they are strangers to
all true peace; they know not the things that belong to their peace.
These are quoted from Prov. i. 16; Isa. lix. 7, 8 .
(3.) The root of all this we have: There is no fear of God before
their eyes, v. 18 .
The fear of God is here put for all practical religion, which consists
in an awful and serious regard to the word and will of God as our rule,
to the honour and glory of God as our end. Wicked people have not this
before their eyes; that is, they do not steer by it; they are governed
by other rules, aim at other ends. This is quoted from Ps. xxxvi. 1 .
Where no fear of God is, no good is to be expected. The fear of God is
would lay a restraint upon our spirits, and keep them right, Neh. v. 15 .
When once fear is cast off, prayer is restrained
( Job xv. 4 ),
and then all goes to wreck and ruin quickly. So that we have here a
short account of the general depravity and corruption of mankind; and
may say, O Adam! what hast thou done? God made man upright, but thus he
hath sought out many inventions.
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith
to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped,
and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is
manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no
difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith
in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of
sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he
might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of
works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law.
29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the
Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision
by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea,
we establish the law.
From all this Paul infers that it is in vain to look for justification
by the works of the law, and that it is to be had only by faith, which
is the point he has been all along proving, from ch. i. 17 ,
and which he lays down
( v. 28 )
as the summary of his discourse, with a quod erat
demonstrandum--which was to be demonstrated. We conclude that a man is
justified by faith, without the deeds of the law; not by the deeds
of the first law of pure innocence, which left no room for repentance,
nor the deeds of the law of nature, how highly soever improved, nor the
deeds of the ceremonial law (the blood of bulls and goats could not
take away sin), nor the deeds of the moral law, which are certainly
included, for he speaks of that law by which is the knowledge of sin
and those works which might be matter of boasting. Man, in his
depraved state, under the power of such corruption, could never, by any
works of his own, gain acceptance with God; but it must be resolved
purely into the free grace of God, given through Jesus Christ to all
true believers that receive it as a free gift. If we had never sinned,
our obedience to the law would have been our righteousness: "Do this,
and live." But having sinned, and being corrupted, nothing that we can
do will atone for our former guilt. It was by their obedience to the
moral law that the Pharisees looked for justification, Luke xviii. 11 .
Now there are two things from which the apostle here argues: the
guiltiness of man, to prove that we cannot be justified by the works of
the law, and the glory of God, to prove that we must be justified by
faith.
I. He argues from man's guiltiness, to show the folly of expecting
justification by the works of the law. The argument is very plain: we
can never be justified and saved by the law that we have broken. A
convicted traitor can never come off by pleading the statute of 25 Edward III., for that law discovers his crime and condemns him:
indeed, if he had never broken it, he might have been justified by it;
but now it is past that he has broken it, and there is no way of coming
off but by pleading the act of indemnity, upon which he has surrendered
and submitted himself, and humbly and penitently claiming the benefit
of it and casting himself upon it. Now concerning the guiltiness of
man,
1. He fastens it particularly upon the Jews; for they were the men that
made their boast of the law, and set up for justification by it. He had
quoted several scriptures out of the Old Testament to show this
corruption: Now, says he
( v. 19 ), this that the law says, it says to those who are under the law; this conviction belongs to the Jews as well as others, for it is
written in their law. The Jews boasted of their being under the law,
and placed a great deal of confidence in it: "But," says he, "the law
convicts and condemns you--you see it does." That every mouth may be
stopped --that all boasting may be silenced. See the method that
God takes both in justifying and condemning: he stops every mouth;
those that are justified have their mouths stopped by a humble
conviction; those that are condemned have their mouths stopped too, for
they shall at last be convinced
( Jude 15 ),
and sent speechless to hell, Matt. xxii. 12 . All iniquity shall stop her mouth, Ps. cvii. 42 .
2. He extends it in general to all the world: That all the world may
become guilty before God. If the world likes in wickedness
( 1 John v. 19 ),
to be sure it is guilty.-- May become guilty; that is, may be
proved guilty, liable to punishment, all by nature children of
wrath, Eph. ii. 3 .
They must all plead guilty; those that stand most upon their own
justification will certainly be cast. Guilty before God is a dreadful
word, before an all-seeing God, that is not, nor can be, deceived in
his judgment--before a just and righteous judge, who will by no means
clear the guilty. All are guilty, and therefore all have need of a
righteousness wherein to appear before God. For all have sinned ( v. 23 );
all are sinners by nature, by practice, and have come short of the
glory of God --have failed of that which is the chief end of man. Come short, as the archer comes short of the mark, as the runner
comes short of the prize; so come short, as not only not to win, but to
be great losers. Come short of the glory of God. (1.) Come short of glorifying God. See ch. i. 21 , They glorified him not as God. Man was placed at the head of the
visible creation, actively to glorify that great Creator whom the
inferior creatures could glorify only objectively; but man by sin comes
short of this, and, instead of glorifying God, dishonours him. It is a
very melancholy consideration, to look upon the children of men, who
were made to glorify God, and to think how few there are that do it.
(2.) Come short of glorying before God. There is no boasting of
innocency: if we go about to glory before God, to boast of any thing we
are, or have, or do, this will be an everlasting estoppel--that we have
all sinned, and this will silence us. We may glory before men, who are
short-sighted, and cannot search our hearts,--who are corrupt, as we
are, and well enough pleased with sin; but there is no glorying before
God, who cannot endure to look upon iniquity.
(3.) Come short of being glorified by God. Come short of justification,
or acceptance with God, which is glory begun--come short of the
holiness or sanctification which is the glorious image of God upon man,
and have overthrown all hopes and expectations of being glorified with
God in heaven by any righteousness of their own. It is impossible now
to get to heaven in the way of spotless innocency. That passage is
blocked up. There is a cherub and a flaming sword set to keep that way
to the tree of life.
3. Further to drive us off from expecting justification by the law, he
ascribes this conviction to the law
( v. 20 ): For by the law is the knowledge of sin. That law which convicts
and condemns us can never justify us. The law is the straight rule,
that rectum which is index sui et obliqui--that which points
out the right and the wrong; it is the proper use and intendment of
the law to open our wound, and therefore not likely to be the remedy.
That which is searching is not sanative. Those that would know sin must
get the knowledge of the law in its strictness, extent, and spiritual
nature. If we compare our own hearts and lives with the rule, we shall
discover wherein we have turned aside. Paul makes this use of the law, ch. vii. 9 , Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his
sight. Observe,
(1.) No flesh shall be justified, no man, no corrupted man
( Gen. vi. 3 ), for that he also is flesh, sinful and depraved; therefore not
justified, because we are flesh. The corruption that remains in our
nature will for ever obstruct any justification by our own works,
which, coming from flesh, must needs taste of the cask, Job xiv. 4 .
(2.) Not justified in his sight. He does not deny that justification
which was by the deeds of the law in the sight of the church: they
were, in their church-estate, as embodied in a polity, a holy people, a
nation of priests; but as the conscience stands in relation to God, in his sight, we cannot be justified by the deeds of the law.
The apostle refers to Ps. cxliii. 2 .
II. He argues from God's glory to prove that justification must be
expected only by faith in Christ's righteousness. There is no
justification by the works of the law. Must guilty man then remain
eternally under wrath? Is there no hope? Is the wound become incurable
because of transgression? No, blessed be God, it is not
( v. 21, 22 );
there is another way laid open for us, the righteousness of God
without the law is manifested now under the gospel. Justification
may be obtained without the keeping of Moses's law: and this is called the righteousness of God, righteousness of his ordaining, and
providing, and accepting,--righteousness which he confers upon us; as
the Christian armour is called the armour of God, Eph. vi. 11 .
1. Now concerning this righteousness of God observe,
(1.) That it is manifested. The gospel-way of justification is a
high-way, a plain way, it is laid open for us: the brazen serpent is
lifted up upon the pole; we are not left to grope our way in the dark,
but it is manifested to us.
(2.) It is without the law. Here he obviates the method of the
judaizing Christians, who would needs join Christ and Moses
together--owning Christ for the Messiah, and yet too fondly retaining
the law, keeping up the ceremonies of it, and imposing it upon the
Gentile converts: no, says he, it is without the law. The righteousness
that Christ hath brought in is a complete righteousness.
(3.) Yet it is witnessed by the law and the prophets; that is,
there were types, and prophecies, and promises, in the Old Testament,
that pointed at this. The law is so far from justifying us that it
directs us to another way of justification, points at Christ as our
righteousness, to whom bear all the prophets witness. See Acts x. 43 .
This might recommend it to the Jews, who were so fond of the law and
the prophets.
(4.) It is by the faith of Jesus Christ, that faith which hath
Jesus Christ for its object--an anointed Saviour, so Jesus
Christ signifies. Justifying faith respects Christ as a Saviour in all
his three anointed offices, as prophet, priest, and king--trusting in
him, accepting of him, and adhering to him, in all these. It is by this
that we become interested in that righteousness which God has ordained,
and which Christ has brought in.
(5.) It is to all, and upon all, those that believe. In this
expression he inculcates that which he had been often harping upon,
that Jews and Gentiles, if they believe, stand upon the same level, and
are alike welcome to God through Christ; for there is no
difference. Or, it is eis pantas -- to all, offered to all in general; the gospel excludes none that do not exclude
themselves; but it is epi pantas tous pisteuontas, upon all that believe, not only tendered to them, but put upon
them as a crown, as a robe; they are, upon their believing, interested
in it, and entitled to all the benefits and privileges of it.
(1.) It is for the glory of his grace
( v. 24 ): Justified freely by his grace -- dorean te autou
chariti. It is by his grace, not by the grace wrought in
us as the papists say, confounding justification and sanctification,
but by the gracious favour of God to us, without any merit in us so
much as foreseen. And, to make it the more emphatic, he says it is freely by his grace, to show that it must be understood of grace
in the most proper and genuine sense. It is said that Joseph found
grace in the sight of his master
( Gen. xxxix. 4 ),
but there was a reason; he saw that what he did prospered. There was
something in Joseph to invite that grace; but the grace of God
communicated to us comes freely, freely; it is free grace, mere
mercy; nothing in us to deserve such favours: no, it is all through
the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. It comes freely to us, but
Christ bought it, and paid dearly for it, which yet is so ordered as
not to derogate from the honour of free grace. Christ's purchase is no
bar to the freeness of God's grace; for grace provided and accepted
this vicarious satisfaction.
(2.) It is for the glory of his justice and righteousness
( v. 25, 26 ): Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, &c. Note,
[1.] Jesus Christ is the great propitiation, or propitiatory sacrifice,
typified by the hilasterion, or mercy-seat, under
the law. He is our throne of grace, in and through whom atonement is
made for sin, and our persons and performances are accepted of God, 1 John ii. 2 .
He is all in all in our reconciliation, not only the maker, but the
matter of it--our priest, our sacrifice, our altar, our all. God was
in Christ as in his mercy-seat, reconciling the world unto himself.
[2.] God hath set him forth to be so. God, the party offended,
makes the first overtures towards a reconciliation, appoints the
days-man; proetheto -- fore-ordained him to this, in
the counsels of his love from eternity, appointed, anointed him to it,
qualified him for it, and has exhibited him to a guilty world as their
propitiation. See Matt. iii. 17, and xvii. 5 .
[3.] That by faith in his blood we become interested in this
propitiation. Christ is the propitiation; there is the healing plaster
provided. Faith is the applying of this plaster to the wounded soul.
And this faith in the business of justification hath a special regard
to the blood of Christ, as that which made the atonement; for
such was the divine appointment that without blood there should be no
remission, and no blood but his would do it effectually. Here may be an
allusion to the sprinkling of the blood of the sacrifices under the
law, as Exod. xxiv. 8 .
Faith is the bunch of hyssop, and the blood of Christ is the blood of
sprinkling.
[4.] That all who by faith are interested in this propitiation have the remission of their sins that are past. It was for this that
Christ was set forth to be a propitiation, in order to remission, to
which the reprieves of his patience and forbearance were a very
encouraging preface. Through the forbearance of God. Divine
patience has kept us out of hell, that we might have space to repent,
and get to heaven. Some refer the sins that are past to the sins
of the Old-Testament saints, which were pardoned for the sake of the
atonement which Christ in the fulness of time was to make, which looked
backward as well as forward. Past through the forbearance of
God. It is owing to the divine forbearance that we were not taken
in the very act of sin. Several Greek copies make en te anoche
tou Theou -- through the forbearance of God, to begin v. 26 ,
and they denote two precious fruits of Christ's merit and God's
grace:--Remission: dia ten paresin -- for the
remission; and reprieves: the forbearance of God. It is
owing to the master's goodness and the dresser's mediation that barren
trees are let alone in the vineyard; and in both God's righteousness is
declared, in that without a mediator and a propitiation he would not
only not pardon, but not so much as forbear, not spare a moment; it is
owning to Christ that there is ever a sinner on this side hell.
[5.] That God does in all this declare his righteousness. This
he insists upon with a great deal of emphasis: To declare, I say, at
this time his righteousness. It is repeated, as that which has in
it something surprising. He declares his righteousness, First, In the propitiation itself. Never was there such a demonstration of the
justice and holiness of God as there was in the death of Christ. It
appears that he hates sin, when nothing less than the blood of Christ
would satisfy for it. Finding sin, though but imputed, upon his own
Son, he did not spare him, because he had made himself sin for us, 2 Cor. v. 21 .
The iniquities of us all being laid upon him, though he was the Son of
his love, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, Isa. liii. 10 . Secondly, In the pardon upon that propitiation; so it follows,
by way of explication: That he might be just, and the justifier of
him that believeth. Mercy and truth are so met together,
righteousness and peace have so kissed each other, that it is now
become not only an act of grace and mercy, but an act of righteousness,
in God, to pardon the sins of penitent believers, having accepted the
satisfaction that Christ by dying made to his justice for them. It
would not comport with his justice to demand the debt of the principal
when the surety has paid it and he has accepted that payment in full
satisfaction. See 1 John i. 9 .
He is just, that is, faithful to his word.
(3.) It is for God's glory; for boasting is thus excluded, v. 27 .
God will have the great work of the justification and salvation of
sinners carried on from first to last in such a way as to exclude
boasting, that no flesh may glory in his presence, 1 Cor. i. 29-31 .
Now, if justification were by the works of the law, boasting would not
be excluded. How should it? If we were saved by our own works, we might
put the crown upon our own heads. But the law of faith, that is,
the way of justification by faith, doth for ever exclude boasting; for
faith is a depending, self-emptying, self-denying grace, and casts
every crown before the throne; therefore it is most for God's glory
that thus we should be justified. Observe, He speaks of the law of
faith. Believers are not left lawless: faith is a law, it is a
working grace, wherever it is in truth; and yet, because it acts in a
strict and close dependence upon Jesus Christ, it excludes
boasting.
From all this he draws this conclusion
( v. 28 ): That a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the
law.
III. In the close of the chapter he shows the extent of this privilege
of justification by faith, and that it is not the peculiar privilege of
the Jews, but pertains to the Gentiles also; for he had said
( v. 22 )
that there is no difference: and as to this,
1. He asserts and proves it
( v. 29 ): Is he the God of the Jews only? He argues from the absurdity of
such a supposition. Can it be imagined that a God of infinite love and
mercy should limit and confine his favours to that little perverse
people of the Jews, leaving all the rest of the children of men in a
condition eternally desperate? This would by no means agree with the
idea we have of the divine goodness, for his tender mercies are over
all his works; therefore it is one God of grace that justifies
the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith, that is, both in one and the same way. However the Jews, in favour of
themselves, will needs fancy a difference, really there is no more
difference than between by and through, that is, no
difference at all.
2. He obviates an objection
( v. 31 ),
as if this doctrine did nullify the law, which they knew came from God:
"No," says he, "though we do say that the law will not justify us, yet
we do not therefore say that it was given in vain, or is of no use to
us; no, we establish the right use of the law, and secure its
standing, by fixing it on the right basis. The law is still of use to
convince us of what is past, and to direct us for the future; though we
cannot be saved by it as a covenant, yet we own it, and submit to it,
as a rule in the hand of the Mediator, subordinate to the law of grace;
and so are so far from overthrowing that we establish the law." Let
those consider this who deny the obligation of the moral law on
believers.
INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS 3
In this chapter are an answer to several objections which follow one upon another, relating to what the apostle had said concerning the equality of the Gentiles with the Jews; and various proofs out of the Psalms and Prophets, showing the general depravity and corruption of mankind, of the Jews as well as of the Gentiles; and the conclusion from all this, that there is no justification by the works of the law, but by the righteousness of God received by faith, of which a large and clear account is given. The first objection is in Ro 3:1, and is taken from the unprofitableness of being a Jew and a circumcised person, if that is true which is asserted in the preceding chapter; to which an answer is given, Ro 3:2, showing that though many things might be instanced in, in which the Jew had the advantage of the Gentile in external things; this might be mentioned as one for all, and taken sufficient answer, that the Jews had the oracles or word of God committed to their trust, by which they became acquainted with the will of God. The apostle foreseeing that another objection would arise upon this; what signifies their having the oracles of God, when these are not believed by them? prevents it by observing, Ro 3:3, that though some did not believe, some did, and as for the unbelief of others, the truth and faithfulness of God in his word were not made void by it; however false and deceitful men are, God is always true to his word, Ro 3:4, and which is confirmed by a passage of Scripture, cited out of Ps 51:4, hence arises another objection, that if the righteousness of God is commended and illustrated by the unrighteousness of man, then it would be unjust in God to take vengeance on men for their sins, Ro 3:5, which is removed with abhorrence, and answered by observing, that if there was any truth in it, the world could not be judged by God, as it certainly will, Ro 3:6, but still the objection is continued and strengthened, Ro 3:7, that if God is glorified through the sins of men, not only men ought not to be punished for them, but they should not be reckoned sinners, or as doers of evil things, but of good things, and be indulged in them; to which is replied, that this was the common calumny cast upon the doctrine of the apostle, and persons of such principles and practices are deserving of damnation, Ro 3:8. Having removed these objections, the apostle reassumes his former assertion, and supports it, that a carnal circumcised Jew is no better than a carnal uncircumcised Gentile; it being already sufficiently made to appear, that they are both under the power and guilt of sin; and as a further evidence of it, he produces several passages out of the book of Psalms, and out of the prophecies of Isaiah, which fully express the sad corruption of human nature, and especially of the Jews; and this account begins in Ro 3:10, and ends in Ro 3:18, and which account he suggests, Ro 3:19, carries in it such a full conviction of the truth of what he had said, that all men are under sin, that no one would be able to open his mouth in his own defence, but all must acknowledge themselves guilty before God: and then he proceeds to the conclusion he meant to draw from all this, that there is no justification of any before God by the deeds of the law; giving this as a reason for it, because the law discovered sin, but not a justifying righteousness, Ro 3:20, that is revealed in another way, by the Gospel, and not the law, though both law and prophets bear a testimony to it, Ro 3:21, which righteousness is described by the author of it, God; by the means through which it comes to the use and comfort of men, the faith of Christ; and by the subjects of it, them that believe; in the justification of which there is no difference, Ro 3:22, of which a reason is given, Ro 3:23, taken from the general state of men, as sinners, and bereaved of the image of God: the several causes, ways, means, and end of the justification of such persons are suggested; the moving cause is the free grace of God, the meritorious or procuring cause the redemption that is in Christ, Ro 3:24, and his propitiatory sacrifice, Ro 3:25, which is owing to the eternal purpose of God, whose end in it was to declare his purity, holiness, and justice; which end is repeated and enlarged on, in Ro 3:26, upon which the apostle asks, Ro 3:27, what is become of boasting in the creature? and answers himself by saying, it was excluded, not by the doctrine of works, but by the doctrine of faith, and particularly the doctrine of justification by faith in the righteousness of Christ; wherefore the conclusion stands firm and just, from the premises, that justification is by faith without the works of the law, Ro 3:28, and it is further confirmed, that Jews and Gentiles, with respect to their state and condition God-ward, are on a level; he is the God of the one, as well as of the other, Ro 3:29, and this appears by his justifying both in one and the same way, through faith in the righteousness of this Son, Ro 3:30, and the chapter is concluded by obviating an objection that might be made, that through this doctrine of justification by faith the law is made void, and is of no use, Ro 3:31, to which the apostle answers, that this is so far from being fact, that the law is established by it.
Ver 1. What advantage then hath the Jew?.... If he is not properly a Jew, who is born of Jewish parents, and brought up in the customs, rites, and religion of the Jewish nation, but anyone of whatsoever nation, that is born again of water, and of the Spirit; where is the superior excellency of the Jew to the Gentile? A man may as well be born and brought up a Heathen as a Jew; the one has no more advantages than the other by his birth and education: it may be rendered, "what hath the Jew more?" or "what has he superfluous" or "abundant?" the phrase answers to the Hebrew Mdal Nwrty hm in Ec 1:3, which is rendered, "what profit hath a man?" and in Ec 6:8, Mkxl rtwy hm, "what hath a wise man more", &c. and in Ro 3:11, Mdal rty hm, "what is a man better?" the first of these passages the Septuagint render by tiv perisseia, "what abundance?" and the last by ti
perisson, "what more", or "superfluous", or "abundant?" the phrase used by the apostle here:
or what profit is there of circumcision? since that which is outward in the flesh profits not unless the law is kept, otherwise circumcision is no circumcision; and if an uncircumcised Gentile keeps the law, he is a better man than a circumcised Jew; yea, he judges and condemns him; for the only true circumcision is internal, spiritual, and in the heart. To this the apostle answers in the Ro 3:2.
Romans 3:2
Ver. 2. Much every way,.... The circumcised Jew has greatly the advantage of the uncircumcised Gentile, Mynp lkm, "in all respects",
du lk le, "on every side", as the Rabbins speak; phrases to which this in the text answers:
chiefly; more especially, particularly, and in the first place;
because that unto them were committed the oracles of God; by which are meant the law of Moses, and the writings of the prophets, the institutions of the ceremonial law, and the prophecies of the Messiah and the Gospel church state; and in a word, all the books of the Old Testament, and whatsoever is contained in them; which are called so, because they are of divine inspiration, contain the mind and will of God, and are infallible and authoritative: and it was the privilege and profit of the Jews that they were intrusted with them, when other nations were not, and so had the advantage of them; they had them for their own use; for hereby they had a more clear and distinct knowledge of God than the Gentiles could have by the light of nature; and besides, became acquainted with the doctrines of a trinity of persons in the Godhead, of the sonship and deity of the Messiah, of the sacrifice, satisfaction, and righteousness of the Redeemer, and of salvation by him; and also with the manner of worshipping of God according to his will; all which the Gentiles were ignorant of. Moreover, they had the honour of being the keepers of these sacred books, these divine oracles, and of transmitting them to posterity, for the use of others.
Romans 3:3
Ver. 3. For what if some did not believe?.... It is suggested, that though the Jews enjoyed such a privilege, some of them did not believe; which is an aggravation of their sin, that they should have such means of light, knowledge, and faith, such clear and full evidences of things, and yet be incredulous: though it should be observed that this was the case only of some, not of all; and must be understood, not of their disbelief of the Scriptures being the word of God, for these were always received as such by them all, and were constantly read, heard, and attended to; but either of their disobedience to the commands of God required in the law, or of their disregard to the promises of God, and prophecies of the Messiah, and of their disbelief in the Messiah himself when he came; but now this was no objection to the advantage they had of the Gentiles, since this was not owing to want of evidence in the word of God, but to the darkness and unbelief of their minds: and,
shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? no, their unbelief could not, and did not make void the veracity and faithfulness of God in his promises concerning the Messiah, recorded in the oracles of God, which they had committed to them; for notwithstanding this, God raised up the Messiah from among them, which is another advantage the Jews had of, the Gentiles; inasmuch as "of" them, "as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is God over all, blessed for evermore", Ro 9:5, and he sent him to them, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, as a prophet and minister; he sent his Gospel to them first, and called out by it from among them his elect, nor did he take it from them until he had done this: and he took it away only; until "the fulness of the Gentiles", Ro 11:25, is brought in; and then the Gospel shall come to them again with power, and "all Israel shall be saved" (#Ro 11:26).
Romans 3:4
Ver. 4. God forbid, yea, let God be true, but every man a liar,.... Let no such thing ever enter into the minds of any, that the truth of God can be, or will be made of none effect by the want of faith in man; let it be always asserted and abode by; that God is true, faithful to his word, constant in his promises, and will always fulfil his purposes; though "every man is a liar", vain, fallacious, and inconstant: referring to Ps 116:11;
as it is written, Ps 51:4;
that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. This is a proof that God is true, and stands to his word, though men are fallacious, inconstant, and wicked. God made a promise to David, that of the fruit of his body he would set upon his throne; that the Messiah should spring from him; that he would of his seed raise up unto Israel a Saviour. Now David sinned greatly in the case of Bathsheba, 2Sa 11:3 (title), but his sin did not make of no effect the truth and faithfulness of God: though David showed himself to be a weak sinful man, yet God appeared true and faithful to every word of promise which he had sworn in truth to him; and therefore when he was brought to a sense of his evil, and at the same time to observe the invariable truth and faithfulness of God, said, "I acknowledge my transgression, &c. against thee, thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight", Ps 51:3, which confession of sin I make, "that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings"; or "when thou speakest", Ps 51:4, which is all one; that is, that thou mightest appear to be just, and faithful, and true in all thy promises, in every word that is gone out of thy mouth, which shall not be recalled and made void, on account of my sins; for though I have sinned, thou abidest faithful; and this also I declare with shame to myself, and with adoring views of thine unchangeable truth and goodness: "that thou mightest overcome"; that is, put to silence all such cavils and charges, as if the faith of God could be made void by the unfaithfulness of men: "when thou art judged"; when men will be so bold and daring to arraign thy truth and faithfulness, and contend with thee about them. This now is brought as a full proof, and is a full proof of this truth, that God is always true to his word, though men fail in theirs, and fall into sin. God kept his word with David concerning the stability of his kingdom, his successor, and the Messiah that should spring from him, though he acted a bad part against God. There is some little difference between these words as they stand in the Hebrew text of Ps 51:4; and as they are cited and rendered by the apostle, in the last clause of them; in the former it is, "that thou mightest be clear"; in the latter, "that thou mightest overcome". Now to vindicate the apostle's version, let it be observed, that the Hebrew word hkz signifies to "overcome", as well as to "be clear"; of which instances may be given out of the Jewish writings. Says {l} Rabba; concerning an argument used by R. Chanina, in a controversy with other Rabbins, by this R. Chanina ben Antigonus, whnkz, "hath overcome" them: and in another place {m}, whosoever ykzd, "overcomes" a king, they cast him into an empty ditch; where the gloss upon it is, xuwn, he that overcomes a king by words, that is, by disputing with him, which is a disgrace to a king. So the word is used in the Syriac language in
Joh 16:33. Moreover, the sense is the same, be it rendered either way; for as a man, when he overcomes his adversary, and carries his point against him, is clear of his charges and cavils, so God, when he overcomes in judgment, is clear of the imputations of wicked men. Another difference in the citation is, that what in the psalm is rendered "when thou judgest", is by the apostle, "when thou art judged", Ps 51:4, the word, which is used by the Psalmist, Kjpvb, may be rendered either way; either "when thou judgest", as a word of the same form is rendered, when "thou speakest", in Ps 51:4; or "when anyone judges of thee", or "when thou art judged": a like instance is in Ps 46:2; and so it is rendered by the Septuagint, and followed by the apostle, though the word he uses may be considered in the middle voice, and may have an active signification in it; and the phrase, en tw krinesyai se, may be rendered, "when thou judgest", and then both agree.
{l} T. Bab. Niddah, fol. 52. 2. {m} T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 10. 2. Sanhedrim, fol. 39. 1. & Becorot, fol. 8. 2.
Romans 3:5
Ver. 5. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God,.... Hence it appears, that the unrighteousness of men commends the righteousness, or faithfulness of God; and yet all unrighteousness is sin; the wrath of God is revealed against it; and would exclude from heaven, were it not for pardon through the blood of Christ; and besides, the one is contrary to the other, and of itself, of its own nature, cannot influence and affect the other: wherefore this can only be understood of the manifestation and illustration of, the righteousness of God by it; which is covered and commended, in punishing the unrighteousness of men; in setting forth Christ to be a propitiation for sin; and in fulfilling his promises, notwithstanding the failings of his people, of which the case of David is a pregnant proof; just as the love of God is illustrated and commended, by the consideration of the sins of men, for whom Christ died, and his grace and mercy in the conversion of them: but if this be true,
what shall we say? shall we allow the following question to be put? this answers to rmyml akya yam, "what is there to say", or "to be said?" a way of speaking, often used by the Talmudists {n}:
is God unrighteous, who taketh vengeance? if the premises are true, this is a just consequence of them; whereas God does take vengeance on men for their unrighteousness, both here and hereafter, it must be a piece of unrighteousness in him so to do; since that for which he takes vengeance on them commends his own righteousness; but that you may know as well by what follows, that this is not an inference of his own, but another's, he adds,
I speak as a man; Mda ynb Nwvlk, "according to the language of the children of men", a phrase often used by the Jewish doctors {o}. The apostle did not speak the sentiments of his own mind, he represented another man, and spoke in the language of an adversary.
{n} T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 4. 1. & passim. {o} T. Bab. Ceritot, fol. 11. 1. & passim.
Romans 3:6
Ver. 6. God forbid, for then how shall God judge the world?] hlylx, "far be it"; such a notion is detestable and abominable, nor can it be fairly deduced from what is asserted; for it is the unrighteousness of his own people, on whom he takes no vengeance personally, and not the unrighteousness of others, on whom he does take vengeance, which commends his righteousness; and supposing it was that of others, God cannot be unrighteous in performing his threatenings, in a way of righteousness: moreover, unrighteousness is sin, and does not of itself but by accident, illustrate the righteousness of God; wherefore God is not unjust in punishing it; for how should God "judge the world?" whereas nothing is more certain than that he will do it, and that this will be done in righteousness; which could not be, was he unrighteous in taking vengeance; which will be one considerable part of that righteous judgment.
Romans 3:7
Ver. 7. For if the truth of God,.... The "truth of God" is the same with "the righteousness of God", Ro 3:5, and means his faithfulness; of which it is hypothetically said, it
hath more abounded; or has been more illustrated,
through my lie to his glory: nothing is more opposite to truth than a lie; a lie of itself can never be of any advantage to truth, or to the God of truth; nothing is more contrary to the nature of God, and more abominable to him; a lie is of the devil, and punishable with eternal death; wherefore it may seem strange, that the truth of God should abound through it to his glory: now let it be observed, that the apostle is not speaking of himself, nor of his lie of unbelief, in his state of unregeneracy; but in the person of a sinful man, "for every man is a liar", Ro 3:4, as he says, "I speak as a man", Ro 3:5; representing a wicked man, who from what was before said, might collect this as the sense of it, that the truth of God is illustrated by the lies of men: and so much may be owned as the apostle's sense, that the truth of God is commended, illustrated, and made to abound, when it is asserted, that he is true and faithful, and every man is a liar, fallacious, and deceitful; "let God be true, and every man a liar", Ro 3:4: moreover, the truth of God may be allowed to abound through the lies of men, in a comparative sense, the one being set against the other; and so as contraries do, illustrate each other: this may be assented to, as that sometimes a lie has been overruled by God, for the accomplishing of his purposes and promises, in which his truth and faithfulness have been displayed, as in the cases of Jacob and the Egyptian midwives; but then this does not arise from its nature and tendency, but from the overruling wisdom and providence of God, and therefore not to be excused hereby from sin; and consequently the inference from it is not just, that therefore "no man can, or ought to be, judged as a sinner"; since his sin turns to such account, as to make for the glory of God, which is intimated in the question:
why yet am I also judged as a sinner? if this be the case, I ought not to be reckoned a sinner, or to be treated as such here, or judged and condemned as one hereafter, which is a most wicked, as well as weak consequence; for though God is true and faithful to his promises, notwithstanding the sins of his people, which are as a foil, to set off the lustre of his truth the more, yet their sins are nevertheless sins, and are taken notice of by him as such, and they are corrected for them; and however God may overrule, in a providential way, the sins of others for his glory, this is no excuse for their sins, nor will it be an exemption of them from punishment. This is the sense of the passage; unless by "the truth of God" should be meant, the Gospel, the word of truth, which is of God; and which through the apostle's "lie", as the Jews might call his ministration of it, "abounded to" the "glory" of God; being spread far and near, and made useful for the conversion of sinners, for turning men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; and for the planting of churches in the Gentile world, as well as in Judea; which much conduced to the honour of God, and the interest of true religion: and then the meaning of the last clause is, "why yet am I also judged as a sinner?" why am I accounted and condemned as an heretic? as an apostate from the faith? as he was by the Jews, and who are used to call heretics sinners: so "the sinner" in Ec 7:26 is thus interpreted {p}, Mynymh wla "these are the heretics": and elsewhere it {q} is observed, that concerning the heretics it is said, Pr 10:7, "the name of the wicked shall rot": and I very much suspect this to be the sense of the word in Joh 9:24, "we know that this man is a sinner"; an heretic, a man of bad principles; and in Joh 9:31; "now we know that God heareth not sinners"; men of corrupt minds; since this character stands opposed to a worshipper of the God of Israel.
{p} Midrash Kohelet, fol. 77. 1. {q} Juchasin, fol. 130. 2.
Romans 3:8
Ver. 8. And not rather, as we be slanderously reported,.... These are the apostle's own words, in answer to the objector he represented; and it is as if he should say, why do not you go on? why do you stop here? "and not rather" say, as we are evil spoken of, and our doctrine is blasphemed:
and as some affirm; ignorantly and audaciously enough:
that we say; and teach:
let us do evil that good may come; a slander cast upon the apostle's doctrine of unconditional election, free justification, and of God's overruling the sins of men for good; and is the same which is cast on ours now, and is no small proof of the likeness and sameness of doctrines:
whose damnation is just; whose judgment would have been right, and their censure of our doctrines just, had it been true that we held such a principle, taught such a doctrine, or encouraged such a practice: or their condemnation is just, for aspersing our principles and practices in so vile a manner; and all such persons are deserving of damnation, who teach such things, or practise after this sort.
Romans 3:9
Ver. 9. What then? are we better than they?.... The apostle returns to what he was treating of in the beginning of the chapter, and suggests, that though the Jew has the advantage of the Gentile, with respect to some external privileges, yet not with regard to their state and condition God-ward, and as in his sight; "are we [Jews] better than they [Gentiles]?"
no, in no wise; upon no consideration whatever, neither as men, nor as Jews; which is directly opposite to a notion that people have of themselves:
"in mankind (they say {r}) there are high degrees, one higher than another, and the Israelites Mda Nym lkm hleml, "are above all mankind"; they are the head, and the nations of the world are the tail, and are like to a serpent, for they come from the filth of the old serpent.''
Again, they say {s},
"worthy are the Israelites, for the holy blessed God hath given to them holy souls, from an holy place, "above all the rest of the people", that they may do the commandments, and delight in the law.''
And elsewhere {t} it is observed on those words, Ge 1:24, "the living creature", or "the soul of the living creature", by R. Aba:
"these are the Israelites, for they are the children of the holy blessed God, and their holy souls come from him; the souls of the rest of the people, from what place are they? says R. Eleazar, from the side of the left hand, which is defiled; for they have polluted souls, and therefore they are all defiled, and defile whoever comes nigh them:''
but they are no better, especially with regard to their estate by nature:
for we have before proved; in the preceding chapters, by full instances to a demonstration; and if that cannot be thought sufficient, he goes on to give more proof in the following "verses":
that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin; under the power and guilt of sin, and a sentence of condemnation for it; which is equally true of the Jews, who were no better than the Gentiles, for being Abraham's seed, for being circumcised, for having the ceremonial law, and other outward privileges; for they were equally born in sin, and by practice sinners, as the Gentiles: and this is true of God's elect in all nations, who are no better by nature, by birth, than others; as deserving of the wrath of God as the rest; no better in their tempers and, dispositions, or in the endowments of their minds, or outward circumstances of life; nor better qualified to receive and improve the grace of God bestowed on them, than others.
{r} Tzeror Hammor, fol. 103. 2. Vid. Nishmat Chayim, orat. 2. c. 7. fol. 61. 1. {s} Zohar in Lev. fol 28. 2. {t} Zohar in Gen. fol. 31. 1.
Romans 3:10
Ver. 10. As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. The several passages cited here, and in some following verses, are taken out of the Psalms and Isaiah; and are brought to prove, not only that the Jews are no better than the Gentiles, being equally corrupt and depraved as they; but also to show the corrupt state and condition of mankind in general: and the words are not always literally expressed, but the sense is attended to, as in this passage; for in the original text of Ps 14:1, it is, "there is none that doth good"; from whence the apostle rightly infers, "there is none righteous"; for he that does not do good, is not righteous; and therefore if there is none on earth that does good and does not sin, there is none righteous upon earth, "no, not one" single person. The Jews allegorizing that passage in Ge 19:31, "there is not a man in the earth to come into us", remark {u} on it thus,
"Urab qydu vya Nya, "there is not a righteous man in the earth"; and there is not a man that rules over his imagination.''
There is none righteous as Adam was, in a state of innocence; for all have sinned, and are filled with unrighteousness, and are enemies to righteousness; none are righteous by their obedience to the law of works; nor are there any righteous in the sight of God, upon the foot of their own righteousness, however they may appear in their own eyes, and in the sight of others; nor are any inherently righteous, for there is none without sin, sanctification is imperfect; nor is it, either in whole or in part, a saint's justifying righteousness; indeed there is none righteous, no, not one, but those who are justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them.
{u} Midrash Haneelam in Zohar in Gen. fol. 68. 1.
Romans 3:11
Ver. 11. There is none that understandeth,.... This is rightly concluded, from what the Psalmist says, Ps 14:2, "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men", on all the children of men, Jews and Gentiles, "to see if there were any that did understand"; and it appears, upon this survey of them, there was not one understanding person among them: man thinks himself a very wise and understanding creature, though he is born a very ignorant one: true indeed, he has not lost by sin the natural faculty of the understanding, so as to become like the horse and mule, which are without any; and it must be allowed, that natural men have some understanding of things natural, civil, and moral; though there is none that understands even these, as Adam did: but then they have no understanding of things spiritual; no spiritual knowledge of God; no true sense of themselves, their sin and misery; nor do they truly know the way of salvation by Christ; nor have they any experience of the work of the Spirit of God upon their souls; nor any experimental knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel: no man can understand these of himself, by the mere strength of reason, and light of nature; nor can even a spiritual man fully understand them in this life; in consequence of this account and character of men it follows, that
there is none that seeketh after God; that worships him in Spirit and in truth, or prays to him with the Spirit, and with the understanding; who seek him chiefly, and in the first place, with their whole hearts, earnestly, diligently, and constantly; who seek him in Christ, and under the assistance of the Spirit; who seek after the knowledge of God in Christ, communion with him through the Mediator, or his honour and glory.
Romans 3:12
Ver. 12. They are all gone out of the way,.... In Ps 14:3; it is said, "they are all gone aside"; as persons in debt: man had a considerable stock of righteousness, holiness, knowledge, &c. but he has run through all, has contracted large and numerous debts, has been obliged to hide himself, has been used as a bankrupt, and turned out of house and home: Christ indeed has undertook to pay, and he has paid all the debts of his people; and has put them into a better state than ever Adam was in: in Ps 53:3, it is rendered, "everyone of them is gone back"; that is, from God; from his commands, and from their former state and condition: here the phrase is rendered by the apostle, "they are all gone out of the way": that is, out of the way of God and his precepts, out of the way of holiness and righteousness, of light and life; into their own ways, the ways of sin, Satan, and the world of darkness, and of death: so Aben Ezra explains it, "out of the right way"; Kimchi and Ben Melech paraphrase it, "out of the good way: and so"
they are together become unprofitable; the word wxlan, in
Ps 14:3 and Ps 53:3; is translated, "they are become filthy"; which R. Aben Ezra interprets by wtxvn, "they are corrupt"; and R. Solomon Jarchi by lwqlql wkphn, "they are turned to corruption"; the metaphor is taken from stinking flesh, which is tainted and corrupted, and so good for nothing, hence here rendered "unprofitable"; for so men being corrupted by sin, are of no use, service, and advantage to God, to men, or to themselves; but, on the contrary, nauseous to God, and to all that are good, and hurtful to themselves and others: for
there is none that does good, no, not one; and therefore must be unprofitable. There is none that can do good in a spiritual manner, without the grace of God, strength from Christ, and the assistance of the Spirit; and there is not even a spiritual man, that can do good perfectly, and without sin.
Romans 3:13
Ver. 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre,.... The several vices of the instruments of speech are here, and in the following verse, exposed: "the throat" is said to "be an open sepulchre", as in Ps 5:9, so called, for its voracity and insatiableness; both as an instrument of speech, for the words of the wicked are devouring ones; and as an instrument of swallowing, and so may denote the sinner's eager desire after sin, the delight and pleasure he takes in it, the abundance of it he takes in, and his insatiable greediness for it; likewise for its filthy stench, the communication of evil men being corrupt; and because, as by an open grave, persons may fall unawares to their hurt, so the evil communications of wicked men, as they corrupt good manners, are dangerous and hurtful: R. Aben Ezra explains it by
dym Nwoa, "immediate destruction", or sudden death:
with their tongues they have used deceit; which may design the sin of flattery, for the words in Ps 5:9; the place referred to, are, "they flatter with their tongue"; either God or men, themselves or others, their princes or their neighbour; for there are flatterers in things sacred and civil, there are self-flatterers, court flatterers, and flattering preachers, and all abominable and mischievous; or the phrase may design the sin of lying, either politically, officiously, perniciously, and religiously; and in this latter way, either with respect to doctrine or practice:
the poison of asps is under their lips; or as in Ps 140:3, "adders' poison is under their lips". The asp is but a small creature, and so is the tongue, Jas 3:5, but there is a world of mischief in it, signified by poison; which, as that, is latent and secret, is under it; and as that stupefies and kills insensibly, so an evil tongue does, and that in a deadly and incurable manner: oftentimes the Jews speak of the evil imagination, or corruption of nature entering into persons, and operating in them, owekb orak "as poison in an angry serpent" {w}.
{w} T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 62. 2. Yoma, fol. 9. 2.
Romans 3:14
Ver. 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. These words are taken from Ps 10:7, by cursing is meant, cursing of God, which is sometimes internal with the heart, and sometimes external with the mouth, as here; and of all good men, though without cause, and to no purpose with respect to the persons they curse, since God has blessed them, and they are blessed, and greatly to their own detriment, for, in the issue, their curses will be turned against themselves. There is also a cursing of superiors, as parents, masters, magistrates, kings, and governors; which is a sore evil, and attended with bad consequences; likewise of themselves, and their fellow creatures: and "the mouth [being] full [of it]", denotes the frequency of the sin; scarce anything else comes out of it but cursing; which discovers the sad corruption of the heart; "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh", Mt 12:34. By "bitterness" is meant, either sin in general, which is "an evil and bitter [thing]", Jer 2:19, in its nature and effects; or sinful words, such as oaths, curses, imprecations, all wrathful and deceitful words.
Romans 3:15
Ver. 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood. The sins of the heart and mouth are before described, and now the sins of action are taken notice of; for "the feet" are the instruments of motion and action: and when these are said to be "swift to shed blood", it denotes the readiness and eagerness of men, to murder innocent creatures; which shows the dreadful malice and hatred that is in them. The words are cited from Isa 59:7, and seem to point at the times of Manasseh, who shed so much innocent blood, as to fill Jerusalem with it from one end to the other.
Romans 3:16
Ver. 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways. This passage also is to be found in Isa 59:7, and may be understood either actively thus: all the ways they take, and methods they pursue, are to make their fellow creatures miserable, to ruin and destroy them; or passively, that by their sinful ways and vicious course of life, they themselves are brought to destruction and misery: the way they are walking in is, "the broad way, that leadeth to destruction", Mt 7:13; the end of it, what it issues in, is eternal death, the destruction of the body and soul in hell, which will be attended with endless and inexpressible misery.
Romans 3:17
Ver. 17. And the way of peace have they not known. This is a citation front Isa 59:8, and expresses the ignorance of mankind, with regard to true peace, and the way unto it: men are naturally ignorant of the way of peace with God; of the first step which God took towards it; of the council and covenant of peace, in which the scheme of it was drawn, and the method fixed; of Christ the peacemaker, and of the way in which he has made it; and of the Gospel, which reveals and publishes it. They are ignorant of the true way of enjoying peace of conscience; they have no true peace of mind, their consciences are often tortured; and though they may have a stupid and secure peace, yet nothing that is true, real, and solid; for they are without the Spirit, whose fruit is peace; and without faith in Christ, by which true peace only is enjoyed; nor are they spiritually minded, which is life and peace; nor have they any knowledge of the way to have it; they are ready to think it must be had by doing something of their own, and not that it is to be had only in Christ, in his blood and righteousness. They are ignorant of the paths of wisdom, which are peace; peace is enjoyed in them, they lead unto it, and issue in it: they know not the way to eternal peace; they imagine something done by the creature is the way; and are ignorant that Christ is the only way of salvation, the true way to eternal life, everlasting peace and happiness: yea, they know not the way of peace among men, and one another; nor will they do that which is just and right, in order to support and maintain it, but are unjust, deceitful, and quarrelsome; they do not study peace, but rather contention, which they like and approve of. The Jews talk {x} much of their good nature, affability, and condescension, and of their doing this and that, and the other thing, Mwlv ykrd ynpm, "because of the ways of peace".
{x} Misn. Gittin, c. 5. sect. 8, 9. T. Hieros. Demai, fol. 24. 1. Maimon. Obede Cochabim, c. 10. sect. 5.
Romans 3:18
Ver. 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes. The place referred to is Ps 36:1, by the "fear of God", is not meant a fear of God's wrath, of hell and damnation; nor a fearful distrust of his presence, power, providence, and grace; much less an hypocritical fear; but a reverential affection for God, and which is peculiar to the children of God, which springs from a sense of divine goodness, is attended with holiness of heart and life, is consistent with faith, even full assurance of it, and with spiritual joy in its highest degree; it stands opposed to pride and haughtiness, and is a blessing of the covenant of grace: now this is not to be found in unregenerate men, for this springs from grace, and not nature, and is only implanted in the heart in conversion; it appears from the whole life and conversation of unconverted men, that the fear of God is not in their hearts, nor before their eyes.
Romans 3:19
Ver. 19. Now we know that what things soever the law saith,.... By "the law" is meant, not the law of nature, nor the civil law of nations, nor the ceremonial law of the Jews, nor barely the five books of Moses, nor the book of Psalms, of the Prophets, or the writings of the whole Old Testament; but the moral law, as it appears in the whole word of God, which every man is bound to observe, of which all are transgressors, by which is the knowledge of sin, which no man can be justified by, and which Christ was made under, and came to fulfil. This law is represented as a person speaking, and saying many things, some of which are here mentioned; so, hrwt hrma, "the law says" so and so, is an usual phrase with Jewish writers {y}. The persons it speaks to, are
them that are under the law; the Jews were in a peculiar sense under it, as it was given to them by Moses; all mankind are under it, as to the matter of it; they are under obligation to obedience to it, and, through disobedience, come under its sentence of condemnation. The elect of God themselves were, and are in some sense under it; not indeed as a covenant of works, or as in the hands of Moses, nor as a yoke of bondage; nor are they obliged to seek for justification by it, and are entirely delivered from the curse and condemnation of it by Christ. They were under it, and that as a covenant of works, as in Adam, the federal head and representative of all mankind; and came under its sentence of condemnation and death, for his sin, and their own actual transgressions; which is consistent with the everlasting love of God to them in Christ, the covenant of grace made with them in him, as their head and surety, and their justification by him: and they are now under it, as in the hands of Christ; and look upon themselves as obliged, by the love of Christ, to yield a cheerful obedience to it: here it means such as are transgressors of the law, and so under obligation to punishment, without any regard to Jew or Gentile, or any distinction God has made in his own breast: and the things it says to such are, it charges them with sin, and convicts them of it, both of its pollution and guilt: so
that every mouth may be stopped; and have nothing to say of the purity of their nature, which appears to be so sadly stained; nor of their works of righteousness, which are so few, and so very imperfect. The law makes such a representation of things to them, that their mouths are stopped from glorying in themselves, and in their works, which are far from being adequate to the demands of the law; and from complaining against the righteous judgment of God, should he proceed against them in the most rigorous manner:
and all the world may become guilty before God; Jews and Gentiles; all the individuals of mankind are guilty before God, and will be found to be so, sooner or later: some read it, "subject to God", and understand it of a subjection to his grace, being brought to see their need of it, and of salvation by it; but this is not the case of all the world, rather upodikov, signifies a subjection to that justice, vengeance, and wrath of God, to which all men are liable in their own persons; since they are all found guilty by the law, and will appear to be so, and therefore can never be justified by their obedience to it; which is what the apostle is aiming at in all he here says, as appears from what follows; all which "we know" to be true, and are fully assured of, who know the nature and spirituality of the law, and to whom it has come with light and power.
{y} T. Bab. Roshhashanah, fol. 16. 1. Taanith, fol. 21. 2.
Romans 3:20
Ver. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law,.... Hence it most clearly appears, that there can be no justification before God by the law, since it stops the mouths of men, and pronounces them guilty: by "the deeds of the law" are meant, works done in obedience to it, as performed by sinful men, which are very imperfect; not as performed by Adam in innocence or by Christ in our nature whose works were perfect; but as performed by sinful men and of themselves, and not as performed in and by Christ for them who is the fulfilling end of the law for righteousness to all believers: now by such works as these whether wrought before or after conversion, with or without the strength and grace of Christ,
there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: that is, no one person: "flesh" designs men, and men as corrupt and carnal, in opposition to God, who is a Spirit pure and holy; and may have respect to the vain opinion of Jews and Gentiles, who were vainly puffed up in their fleshly mind; the one on account of their wisdom and learning, the other on account of their righteousness; and includes all the individuals of human nature:, the word "justified", does not signify being made righteous by the infusion of righteousness, for the infusion of a righteousness, or holiness, is sanctification, which is a work of the Spirit of God, is internal, and imperfect, and so not justifying; but it is a forensic word, or legal term, and stands opposed to a being condemned; and signifies to be acquitted, discharged, and made righteous in a legal sense, which can never be done by an imperfect obedience to the law: men may be justified hereby in their own sight, and in the sight of others, but not in "his sight"; in the sight of God, who is omniscient, and sees not as man seeth; who is pure, holy, and righteous, and whose judgment is according to truth: this is said in direct contradiction to the Jews {z}, who say,
"a man is not justified for ever, but by the words of the law:''
but in his sight none can be justified, but by the perfect obedience and righteousness of Christ. The reason for it is,
for by the law is the knowledge of sin; it discovers to a man, by the light of the Spirit of God, and as under his influence, and attended with his power, the sins both of his heart and life; and so he is convinced by it as a transgressor and finds himself guilty, and liable to condemnation and death; wherefore he can never hope for and expect justification by it. The Jews ascribe such an use as this to the law, which they suppose it performs in a very gentle manner;
"he that rises in the night (say they {a}), and studies in the law, hbwx hyl aedwm aq atyrwa, "the law makes known to him his sin", but not in a way of judgment, but as a mother makes known to her son in tender language:''
but this is generally done in a rougher way, for the law works wrath.
{z} Zohar in Lev. fol. 33. 3. {a} Zohar in Lev. fol. 10. 2.
Romans 3:21
Ver. 21. But now the righteousness of God,.... The apostle having proved that all men are unrighteous, and that no man can be justified in the sight of God by his obedience, either to the law of nature or of Moses, proceeds to give an account of that righteousness, which does justify before God; and so returns to his former subject, Ro 1:17, concerning "the righteousness of God", the revelation of which he makes to be peculiar to the Gospel, as he does here; since he says, that it
without the law is manifested: meaning, either that this righteousness is without the law, and the deeds of it, as performed by sinful men; or that the manifestation of it is without the law, either of nature or of Moses; for the law discovers sin, but not a righteousness which justifies from sin; it shows what righteousness is, but does not direct the sinner where there is one to be had, that will make him righteous in the sight of God: this is made known without the law, and only in the Gospel:
being witnessed by the law and the prophets; a testimony is borne to the justifying righteousness of Christ both "by the law", particularly in the five books of Moses; which testify of Christ, of his obedience, sufferings, and death, by which he brought in life and righteousness; see Ge 3:15, compared with Da 9:24; and
Ge 15:6 with Ro 4:9; and Ge 22:18 with Ga 3:8; and De 30:11 with Ro 10:5. And the prophets; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and others; see Isa 42:21.
Romans 3:22
Ver. 22. Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ,.... A further account is given of this righteousness: why it is called "the righteousness of God", and in what sense revealed and manifested, See Gill on "Ro 1:17"; Here it is said to be "by faith of Jesus Christ"; not by that faith which Christ himself had as man, but by that faith, of which he the author and object: the Alexandrian copy reads, "by faith in Jesus Christ"; and not by that as the cause of justification; for faith is neither the efficient, nor the moving, nor meritorious cause of it; no, nor the instrumental cause of it on the part of God or Christ: nor is faith the matter of a justifying righteousness; for faith is a part of sanctification, is itself imperfect, is a man's own, as it is implanted in him, and exercised by him; is here and elsewhere distinguished from righteousness; something else, and not that, as the obedience and blood of Christ, are said to be what men are made righteous and justified by: but faith is a means of apprehending and receiving righteousness; it views the excellency of Christ's righteousness; it owns the sufficiency of it; the soul by it renounces its own righteousness, submits to Christ's, rejoices in it, and gives him the glory of it: now this is by, or through faith,
unto all, and upon all: not all men, for all have not faith, nor are all justified and saved: but
all that believe; which must be understood, not of believing any thing, nor of any sort of believing; but of such, who truly and with the heart believe in Christ for salvation; and who are here opposed to the wise philosophers among the Gentiles, had to all self-righteous persons among the Jews. Though this character does not design any cause or condition of justification, but is only descriptive of the persons, who are declaratively interested in a justifying righteousness, which is said to be "unto", and "upon them"; that is, it is appointed, provided, and wrought out for them, and directed and applied unto them, and put upon them as a garment, and that upon all of them:
for there is no difference; of nation, age, or sex, or of state and condition; no respect is had to persons or works; nor is there any difference with respect to weak or strong believers; the righteousness is equally applied to one as to another, and one is as much justified by it in the sight of God as another.
Romans 3:23
Ver. 23. For all have sinned,.... This is the general character of all mankind; all have sinned in Adam, are guilty by his sin, polluted with it, and condemned for it; all are sinners in themselves, and by their own actual transgressions; this is the case of the whole world, and of all the men in it; not only of the Gentiles, but of the Jews, and the more righteous among them: hence there is no difference in the state and condition of men by nature; nor is there any reason from and in themselves, why God saves one and not another; nor any room to despair of the grace and righteousness of Christ, on account of persons being, in their own view, the worst of sinners:
and hence it is, that they are all
come short of the glory of God; either of glorifying of God; man was made for this purpose, and was capable of it, though now through sin incapable; and it is only by the grace of God that he is enabled to do it: or of glorying: before him; sin has made him infamous, and is his shame; by it he has forfeited all external favours, and has nothing of his own to glory in; his moral righteousness is no foundation for boasting, especially before God: or of having glory from God; the most pure and perfect creature does not of itself deserve any glory and praise from God; good men, in a way of grace, will have praise of God; but sinners can never expect any on their own account: or of the glorious grace of God, as sanctifying and pardoning grace, and particularly the grace of a justifying righteousness; man has no righteousness, nor can he work out one; nor will his own avail, he wants a better than that: or of eternal glory; which may be called the glory of God, because it is of his preparing, what he calls persons to by his grace, and which of his own free grace he bestows upon them, and will chiefly lie in the enjoyment of him; now this is represented sometimes as a prize, which is run for, and pressed after; but men, through sinning, come short of it, and must of themselves do so for ever: or rather of the image of God in man, who is called "the image and glory of God", 1Co 11:7, which consisted externally in government over the creatures; internally, in righteousness and holiness, in wisdom and knowledge, in the bias of his mind to that which is good, and in power to perform it; of all which he is come short, or deprived by sinning.
Romans 3:24
Ver. 24. Being justified freely by his grace,.... The matter of justification is before expressed, and the persons that share in this blessing are described; here the several causes of it are mentioned. The moving cause of it is the free grace of God; for by "the grace of God" here, is not meant the Gospel, or what some men call the terms of the Gospel, and the constitution of it; nor the grace of God infused into the heart; but the free love and favour of God, as it is in his heart; which is wonderfully displayed in the business of a sinner's justification before him: it appears in his resolving upon the justification of his chosen ones in Christ; in fixing on the method of doing it; in setting forth and pre-ordaining Christ to be the ransom; in calling Christ to engage herein; in Christ's engaging as a surety for his people, and in the Father's sending him to bring in everlasting righteousness; in Christ's coming to do it, and in the gracious manner in which he wrought it out; in the Father's gracious acceptation, imputation, and donation of it; in the free gift of the grace of faith, to apprehend and receive it; and in the persons that partake of it, who are of themselves sinners and ungodly. The meritorious cause of justification is,
the redemption that is in Jesus Christ: redemption supposes a former state of captivity to sin, Satan, and the law, in which God's elect were by nature, and is a deliverance from it; it is of a spiritual nature, chiefly respects the soul, and is plenteous, complete, and eternal: this is in and by Christ; he was called unto it, was sent to effect it, had a right unto it, as being the near kinsman; and was every way fit for it, being both God and man; and has by his sufferings and death obtained it: now, as all the blessings of grace come through redemption by Christ, so does this of justification, and after this manner; Christ, as a Redeemer, had the sins of his people laid on him, and they were bore by him, and took away; the sentence of the law's condemnation was executed on him, as standing in their legal place and stead; and satisfaction was made by him for all offences committed by them, which was necessary, that God might appear to be just, in justifying all them that believe: nor is this any objection or contradiction to the free grace of God, in a sinner's justification; since it was grace in God to provide, send, and part with his Son as a Redeemer, and to work out righteousness; it was grace in Christ, to come and give himself a sacrifice, and obtain salvation and righteousness, not for angels, but for men, and for some of them, and not all; and whatever this righteousness, salvation, and redemption cost Christ, they are all free to men.
Romans 3:25
Ver. 25. Whom God had set forth to be a propitiation,.... Redemption by Christ is here further explained, by his being "a propitiation": which word may design either Christ the propitiator, the author of peace and reconciliation; or the propitiatory sacrifice, by which he is so; and both in allusion to the mercy seat, which was a type of him as such. The apostle here uses the same word, which the Septuagint often render trpk "the mercy seat", by; and Philo the Jew calls it by the same name, and says it was a symbol, thv ilew tou
yeou dunamewv "of the propitious power of God" {b}. Christ is the propitiation to God for sin; which must be understood of his making satisfaction to divine justice, for the sins of his people; these were imputed to him, and being found on him, the law and justice of God made demands on him for them; which he answered to satisfaction, by his obedience and sacrifice; and which, as it could not be done by any other, nor in any other way, is expressed by "reconciliation", and "atonement": whence God may be said to be pacified, or made propitious; not but that he always loved his people, and never hated them; nor is there, nor can there be any change in God, from hatred to love, any more than from love to hatred: Christ has not, by his sacrifice and death, procured the love and favour of God, but has removed the obstructions which lay in the way of love's appearing and breaking forth; there was, a law broken, and justice provoked, which were to be attended to, and Christ by his sacrifice has satisfied both; so that neither the wrath of God, nor any of the effects of it, can fall upon the persons Christ is the propitiation for, even according to justice itself; so that it is not love, but justice that is made propitious: for this is all owing to the grace and goodness of God, who "hath set him forth", for this intent, in his eternal purposes and decrees; in the promises of the Old Testament, in the types, shadows, and sacrifices of the old law; by the exhibition of him in our nature, and in the ministration of the Gospel; and this is said to be
through faith in his blood. The "blood" of Christ is that, by which Christ is the propitiation; for without the shedding of that blood, there is no redemption, no peace, no reconciliation, or remission of sin; and "faith" in his blood is the means by which persons become partakers of the benefits of his propitiation; such as peace, pardon, atonement, justification, and adoption: and the end of Christ's being set forth as a propitiation, on the part of God's people, is,
for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God: by "sins that are past", are meant, not sins before baptism, nor the sins of a man's life only, but the sins of Old Testament saints, who lived before the incarnation of Christ, and the oblation of his sacrifice; and though this is not to be restrained to them only, for Christ's blood was shed for the remission of all his people's sins, past, present, and to come; yet the sins of the saints before the coming of Christ, seem to be particularly designed; which shows the insufficiency of legal sacrifices, sets forth the efficacy of Christ's blood and sacrifice, demonstrates him to be a perfect Saviour, and gives us reason under the present dispensation to hope for pardon, since reconciliation is completely made: "remission" of sin does not design that weakness which sin has brought upon, and left in human nature, whereby it is so enfeebled, that it cannot help itself, and therefore Christ was set forth, and sent forth, to be a propitiation; but rather God's passing by, or overlooking sin, and not punishing for it, under the former dispensation; or else the forgiveness of it now, and redemption from it by the blood of Christ, "through the forbearance of God"; in deferring the execution of justice, till he sent his Son, and in expecting satisfaction of his Son; which shows the grace and goodness of God to his people, and the trust and confidence he put in his Son: the other end on the part of God, in setting forth Christ to be a propitiation, was
to declare his righteousness Ps 22:31; meaning either the righteousness of Christ, which was before hid, but now manifested; or rather the righteousness of God the Father, his faithfulness in his promises relating to Christ, his grace and goodness in the mission of his Son, the holiness and purity of his nature, and his vindictive justice, in avenging sin in his own Son, as the surety of his people: the execution of this was threatened from the beginning; the types and sacrifices of the old law prefigured it; the prophecies of the Old Testament express it; and the sufferings and death of Christ openly declare it, since God spared not his own Son, but sheathed the sword of justice in him.
{b} Philo de Vita Mosis, l. 3. p. 668.
Romans 3:26
Ver. 26. To declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness,.... This end is further explained, it being to declare the righteousness of God "at this time", under the Gospel dispensation; in which there was such a display of the grace, mercy, and goodness of God:
that he might be just; that is, appear to be so: God is naturally and essentially just in himself; and he is evidentially so in all his works, particularly in redemption by Christ; and when and while he is
the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus: Jesus, the Saviour, is the object of faith, as he is the Lord our righteousness; the believer in Jesus is a real, and not a nominal one; God is the justifier of such in a declarative way, and God only, though not to the exclusion of the Son and Spirit; and which sentence of justification is pronounced by him on the foot of a perfect righteousness, which neither law nor justice can find fault with, but entirely approve of; and so he appears just and righteous, even though he justifies the sinner and the ungodly.
Romans 3:27
Ver. 27. Where is boasting then?.... There is no room nor reason for it, either in Jews or Gentiles: not in the Jews, who were very apt to boast of their being Abraham's seed; of their circumcision; of their being Israelites; of their having and keeping the law; of God being their God; and of their knowledge of him: nor in the Gentiles, who were ready to boast of their philosophy, wisdom, and learning; of their self-sufficiency, freewill, and of the things they had in their own power.
It is excluded; it is shut out of doors; the key is turned upon it; it is not allowed of; it is entirely exploded:
by what law? of works? nay; for, that establishes boasting when men seek life, righteousness, and salvation by the works of it, and fancy they shall be able to attain them this way:
but by the law of faith: not by a law requiring faith; nor as if the Gospel was a law, a new law, a remedial law, a law of milder terms; but the word "law" here answers to the Hebrew word hrwt, which signifies any "doctrine" or "instruction", and oftentimes the doctrine of the Gospel, as in Isa 2:3, and here particularly, the doctrine of a sinner's justification by faith in the righteousness of Christ; according to which doctrine the most unlikely persons are justified, even ungodly persons, the worst and vilest of sinners; and that without any consideration of works, by faith only, which is freely given them; and by faith in Christ's righteousness only: so that there is not the least room for boasting in the creature, but all their boasting is in Christ, who is made unto them righteousness, and by whom they are justified.
Romans 3:28
Ver. 28. Therefore we conclude,.... This is the conclusion from the premises, the sum total of the whole account:
that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. The subject of justification is, "man", not in opposition to angels; nor does it design the Jew against the Gentile, though some have so thought; but the apostle names neither Jew nor Gentile, but "man", to show that Christ's righteousness is unto all, and every man, that believes, be he who he will; and is to be understood indefinitely, that every man that is justified is justified by faith. The means is "by faith", not habitually or actually considered; that is, either as an habit and principle infused into us, or as an act performed by us; but either organically, as it is a means of receiving Christ's righteousness; or objectively, as it denotes Christ the object of it: and all this is done "without works", of any sort; not by a faith which is without works, for such a faith is dead, and of no avail; but by faith without works joined to it, in the affair of justification; or by the righteousness of Christ imputed by God the Father, without any consideration of them, and received by faith, and relied upon by the believer, without any regard unto them.
Romans 3:29
Ver. 29. Is he the God of the Jews only?.... The Jews made their boast of him as such, and would not allow the Gentiles any interest in him: but
is he not also of the Gentiles? yes, of the Gentiles also: God is the God both of Jews and Gentiles; not only as the Creator, preserver, and Governor of them, or as he has a right to demand worship and service of them, but as he is their covenant God; not by virtue of the covenant of circumcision, or by the Sinai Covenant, but by the covenant of grace; as appears by his loving them in Christ, choosing them in him, putting them into his hands, providing blessings of grace for them in him, and sending his Son to redeem them; by calling them by his grace; by their sanctification, adoption, pardon, and justification; by taking out of them a people for his name with whom he dwells, and of whom he takes care; and will never leave nor forsake: all which may lead us to observe the distinguishing grace of God, the happiness of our state and condition, and what encouragement we have for faith and hope in God.
Romans 3:30
Ver. 30. Seeing it is one God,.... God is one in nature and essence, though there are three persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; whence it appears, that he that is the God of the Jews, is also the God of the Gentiles, or there would be more gods than one; and that these are justified in one and the same manner, or God must be divided; for God, as he is one in nature, so he is one in will, in his promises, and in the methods of his grace:
which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. The objects of justification are "the circumcision", the circumcised Jews, and "the uncircumcision", the uncircumcised Gentiles; the circumcision of the one does not forward, and the uncircumcision of the other does not hinder, nor neither of them effect the grace of justification: the justifier of them is one and the same, who is God; and the matter of their justification is the same, which is the righteousness of Christ; and the manner of it, or the means of their comfortable apprehension of it, is the same; for those phrases, "by faith", and "through faith", mean one and the same thing; see Php 3:9.
Romans 3:31
Ver. 31. Do we then make void the law through faith?.... Which question is answered by way of detestatation,
God forbid! and by asserting the contrary,
yea, we establish the law. The law is not made void, neither by the grace nor doctrine of faith: not by the grace of faith; for that faith is not right which is not attended with works of righteousness; and those works are not right which do not flow from filth. Such a connection there is between faith and works; and so much do the one depend upon the other. Moreover, none but believers are capable of performing good works aright, and they do them, and they ought to do them: besides, faith, as a grace, looks to Christ, as the end of the law for righteousness, and therefore do not make it void. Nor is it made void by the doctrine of faith, and by the particular doctrine of a sinner's justification by faith in Christ's righteousness, which is here more especially intended; for though it is made void by it, as to any use of it for justification by the deeds thereof; yet its use in other respects is not set aside, such as to inform us of the mind and will of God, to discover and convince of sin, to show believers their deformity and imperfection, to render Christ and his righteousness more valuable, and to be a rule of walk and conversation to them; and it still remains a cursing and condemning law to Christless sinners, though justified ones are delivered from it as such: yea, the law is so far from being made void, that it is established by this doctrine; for by it the perpetuity of it is asserted, the spirituality of it is acknowledged, the perfect righteousness of it is secured: according to this doctrine all its demands are answered; whatever it requires it has, such as holiness of nature, perfect obedience to its precepts, and its full penalty borne: it is placed in the best hands, where it will ever remain; and a regard to it is enforced under the best influence, by the best of motives, and from the best of principles. It is indeed abolished as a covenant of works, and in this sense is made void to believers; and it is done away as to the form of administration of it by Moses; and it is destroyed as a yoke of bondage; and the people of God are free from the malediction of it, and condemnation by it, and so from its terror; yet it remains unalterable and unchangeable in the hands of Christ; the matter of it is always the same, and ever obligatory on believers, who, though they are freed from the curse of it, are not exempted from obedience to it: wherefore the law is not made void, so as to be destroyed and abolished in every sense, or to be rendered idle, inactive, useless, and insignificant; but, on the contrary, is made to stand, is placed on a sure basis and firm foundation, as the words used signify.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
The law could not save in or from sins, yet it gave
the Jews advantages for obtaining salvation. Their stated
ordinances, education in the knowledge of the true God and his
service, and many favours shown to the children of Abraham, all
were means of grace, and doubtless were made useful to the
conversion of many. But especially the Scriptures were committed
to them. 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 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 for ever silence all
doubtings and reflections upon his justice. The wickedness and
obstinate unbelief of the Jews, proved man's need of the
righteousness of God by faith, and also his justice in punishing for
sin. Let us do evil, that good may come, is oftener in the heart than
in the mouth of sinners; for few thus justify themselves in their
wicked ways. The believer knows that duty belongs to him, and
events to God; and that he must not commit any sin, or speak one
falsehood, upon the hope, or even assurance, that God may
thereby glorify himself. If any speak and act thus, their
condemnation is just.
The law could not save in or from sins, yet it gave
the Jews advantages for obtaining salvation. Their stated
ordinances, education in the knowledge of the true God and his
service, and many favours shown to the children of Abraham, all
were means of grace, and doubtless were made useful to the
conversion of many.
The believer knows that duty belongs to him, and
events to God; and that he must not commit any sin, or speak one
falsehood, upon the hope, or even assurance, that God may
thereby glorify himself. If any speak and act thus, their
condemnation is just.
Sources: Matthew Henry; Gill's Exposition; Matthew Henry Concise
Commentary
Commentary