NOW
he emphasizes, for the sake of the Jews, that although they do
have some benefits, as far as behaviour is concerned they are
the same as Gentiles. No one is righteous and all have to come
to God through the same way – faith in Christ.]
v.1-8
Benefits of being a Jew & God's Righteousness
v.1
(so is there
any value in being a Jew?) What
advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there
in circumcision?
v.2
(oh yes, Jews
were given God's word – the Law) Much
in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with
the very words of God.
v.3 (but
what about when Jews were unfaithful) What
if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God's
faithfulness?
v.4
(their being
wrong doesn't make God wrong) Not
at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is
written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and
prevail when you judge.” [Psa 51:4]
v.5
(but some might
ask if their unrighteousness reveals more clearly God's righteousness,
isn't it unfair that he judges us) But
if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly,
what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on
us? (I am using a human argument.)
v.6
(Oh, come on!
How could God overlook sin and not judge it?) Certainly
not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?
v.7
(some silly
person might argue, if my lack of truth only emphasizes God's
truth, why am I condemned?) Someone
might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and
so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?”
v.8
(that's silly
– do evil so good can result? No way!) Why
not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil
that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!
v.9-20
No One Is Righteous
v.9 (So
do we Jews have an advantage? As far a wrong behaviour goes –
no!) What shall we conclude
then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already
made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the
power of sin.
v.10
(listen to the
various scriptures on this: first, no one is righteous) As
it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;
v.11 (second ,no one truly seeks out God)
there is no one who understands; there
is no one who seeks God.
v.12 (third, everyone [since Adam]
has turned away and falls short) All
have turned away, they have together become worthless; there
is no one who does good, not even one.” [Psa 14:1-3; 53:1-3;
Eccles 7:20]
v.13 (fourth, just listen to how they speak
wrongly) “Their throats are
open graves; their tongues practice deceit. ” [Psa
5:9] “The poison of vipers is
on their lips.” [Psa 140:3]
v.14 (fifth, they curse and are bitter)
“Their mouths are full of cursing
and bitterness.” [Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)]
v.15-17 (sixth, they constantly look to create
trouble for others ) “Their
feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their
ways, and the way of peace they do not know.” [Isa
59:7,8]
v.18 (seventh, they don't fear God)
“There is no fear of God before their
eyes.” [Psa 36:1]
v.19
(so all those
Jews living by the Law find themselves condemned ) Now
we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under
the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world
held accountable to God.
v.20 (so
the Law just makes them more aware of their sin and failure)
Therefore no one will be declared
righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through
the law we become conscious of our sin.
v.21-31
Righteousness that comes through Faith
v.21
(but God has
revealed through both the Law and the Prophets, a way of being
righteous apart from the Law) But
now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made
known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
v.22
(this righteousness
comes through faith in Christ – Jew or Gentile) This
righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who
believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,
v.23
(because the
reality is that ALL have sinned and fallen short of God's splendour
seen in His revelation [of Himself and His design seen through
His Law]) for all have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God,
v.24
(and so ALL
will be put right in His sight by Christ's death that brings his
grace to us) and all are justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ
Jesus.
v.25
(you see, in
the pattern of the Old Testament sacrifices, God made Christ a
sacrifice that deals with all past sins, and this is received
by faith) God presented Christ
as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to
be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness,
because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand
unpunished—
v.26
(this was His
way of putting things right) he
did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so
as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in
Jesus.
v.27
(so it leaves
no room for human boasting, it's no longer works but simple faith)
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded.
Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because
of the law that requires faith.
v.28
(faith not trying
to keep the Law) For we maintain
that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the
law.
v.29
(this is for
both Jew and Gentile) Or is
God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes,
of Gentiles too,
v.30
(they will all
be put right by faith) since
there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith
and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
v.31
(the result
of faith is we end up keeping the Law) Do
we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we
uphold the law.