The prehistory

For a whole two chapters (1:18-3:20), Paul talks about the “unrighteousness and unrighteousness of men.” We have already reached the conclusion of this speech. In Romans 3, Paul once again summarizes what he is talking about and what his remarks were for.

The back story: In Romans 1, Paul spoke about humanity in general. It concerned the “unrighteousness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom 1:18) without further distinction. In Romans 2, the apostle becomes more personal and says: “Therefore you are without excuse, O man …” (Romans 2:1), addressing himself directly to every single person who judges. From the further course of the second chapter we learn that Paul addresses this to his fellow people, the Jews, as far as they were in this church in Rome.

To the Jew first as well as to the Greek

Always the apostle moves in the tension between two groups that are in the church in Rome: The Jews, who were familiar with God and His Word, and the rest of the nations, who did not know Him. Both see themselves called into the community. They all believe. Now when Paul speaks about these groups, he can tie in with existing understanding. The expression “To the Jew first as well as to the Greek” we hear a few times in these chapters:

“The gospel … a power of God unto salvation to every believer, to the Jew first as well as to the Greek.”
Rom 1:16-17

“Anger and wrath- tribulation and pressure upon every man’s soul that doeth evil (of the Jew first as well as the Greek).”
Rom 2:9

“But glory and honor and peace to everyone who works what is good (to the Jew first as well as to the Greek).”
Rom 2:10

This preference of the Jews (these first!) concerns both blessing and judgment, as we have just read. In the church in Rome, both Jews and gentiles were present. The Jews were familiar with the law of God, but the rest were not. When Paul speaks of a man “who judges” in chapter 2:1, he is probably speaking here of the arrogance of many Jews in those days and especially within the church. This should be familiar to the Roman audience. Although this is not clear from the first verse, the next verses suggest it. Then in 2:17 it says bluntly:

“Behold, you call yourself a Jew, resting on the Law and boasting in God. Thou knowest the will, and, being instructed from the law, thou examineest the essential. You also trust yourself to be leader of the blind, light of those in darkness, educator of the imprudent, teacher of the underage, because you have the form of knowledge and truth in the law.”
Rom 2:17-20 KNT

The second chapter of Romans is addressed to the Jews. These have no privileges in the church of Jesus Christ based on circumcision (as an outward characteristic of the covenant with God). Paul concludes the chapter with the remark:

“For he is not a Jew who is it visibly; nor is that circumcision which is visibly done in the flesh; but he is a Jew (who is it inwardly), in secret; and circumcision of the heart is in the spirit, not in the letter; to whom be praise, that is, not of men, but of God.”
Rom 2:28-29 KNT

Thus, in chapter 1, the apostle presented the people without the law, and in chapter 2, the people with the law of God. Only when we clearly recognize these different target groups in the text do we realize the implications. Paul’s point is to present religious lineage or affiliation as irrelevant to justice. The apostle reckons with all self-righteousness and external religiosity. Justice has something to do with what we are inside and then put into practice ourselves. For the Jews, he clarified that external circumcision was not the essence, but the essence happens in the heart (cf. Phil 3:3-10).

As an aside, these verses are sometimes used to falsely conclude that Christians from the other nations are Jews “at heart.” This then feeds the idea of a “spiritual Israel.” It is clear from the context, however, that Paul is addressing “proper” Jews, and we cannot remove it from that context without doing violence to Scripture.

The privilege of the Jews

Chapter 3 begins with a question: “Now what is the privilege of the Jew or what is the benefit of circumcision”? This was precisely what needed to be clarified after chapter 2, because there one could get the impression that it “did not matter” and was “without advantage” if one had been brought up as a Jew with the Word of God. However, this is not the case. Paul’s response clarifies the benefits:

“Much, in every way. For they were first entrusted with the sayings of God.”
Rom 3,2 KNT

Let us also remember here Paul’s words to Timothy:

“But you persevere in what you have learned and with what you have been entrusted, knowing from whom you learned it, and because you have been familiar from childhood with the consecrated writings that can make you wise unto salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus.”
2Tim 3,14-15 KNT

The Word of God contains promises and it is also a record of God’s action in the midst of Israel. Thus, Israel has always experienced many benefits. In Romans 9, the apostle speaks of the privileges of Israel as follows:

“The Israelites … to whom belong the state of sonship and the glory, the covenants and the legislation, the worship and the promises, to whom belong the fathers and from whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is above all, God, blessed for the eons! Amen!”
Rom 9:4-5 KNT

Now that the advantages have been clarified, the apostle asks whether the unbelief of some people calls the credibility of God into question? (Rom 3:3). Of course it does not.

Human inferences

Rather, it is that “our unrighteousness sets forth God’s righteousness” (Rom 3:5). The unbelief of some or the unrighteousness of many – they show all the more that God’s justice is quite different and His grace is especially needed. However, this idea is not easy to digest for everyone. Paul addresses these entirely human implications when he asks what we should bring to the table:

“Is God unjust when He brings up His judgment of wrath? (According to man I say this.) May this not be inferred! How else will God judge the world? But if the truth of God overflows through my lying to His glorification, what else will I be judged as a sinner? And why then do we not say (as we are blasphemed and as yes some claim we say): May we do evil that good may come of it? The judgment on them is justified.”
Rom 3:5-8

Paul mentions here the typical objections of human self-righteousness. Again, God is not held in knowledge (cf. Rom 1:21). But if even my mistakes contribute to His glorification, why am I still being judged? Or worse, should we not sin and add so much more to His glorification? There the self-righteousness is drawn into the absurd. Paul says: “The judgment on them is justified”.

Human self-righteousness is always in conflict with God’s grace and with His righteousness. 100% grace is a problem for all those who think in terms of “performance” and “reward”. Grace cannot be earned. There is no room for self-effort when it comes to God’s righteousness.

All are under the sin

Paul, as a Jew, now continues to ride along:

“Now what follows from this? Do we (= Jews) have something ahead of others (= rest of the nations)? By no means! For we accused Jews as well as Greeks earlier of all being under sin.”
Rom 3:9

Here is the summary. All are under sin. All of them miss the target. This is nothing new; it is already in the Old Testament (Tenach). Paul now quotes a number of scriptures from the Tenach, showing his Jewish audience from the church the basis from the scriptures and prophets (“as it is written” Rom 3:10):

“There is none righteous, not even one! There is none who has understanding! There is no one who earnestly seeks God. They all shun Him, and at the same time have become useless. There is none who shows kindness; there is not even one!”
Ps 14:1-3

“Like an open tomb is her throat!”
Ps 5:10

“With their tongues they deceive; adder poison is under their lips, whose mouth is full of imprecation and bitterness.”
Ps 140,4

“Nimble are their feet to shed blood.”
Prov 1:16

“Ruins and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they know not.”
Isa 59:7-8

“No fear of God is before their eyes.”
Ps 36:2

In Romans 3:10-18 we read statements about “fools,” “ungodly,” “liars,” “idolaters,” “men of blood and deceit,” “sinners,” “unrighteous.” While one might think that this was said about the non-Jewish nations. But Paul emphasizes that “all that the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that everyone’s mouth may be stopped and the whole world may come under the righteous judgment of God” (Rom 3:19).

There is no privileging by lineage in God’s eyes. We had already seen that. Even if one has the Torah and follows the laws, it is not an advantage, because one’s own effort cannot bring about God’s righteousness.

“Because from works of the law no flesh at all will be justified in His sight. For through the law comes only knowledge of sin.”
Rom 3:20

No one can attain the righteousness of God by himself. The real difference between the Creator and the creation, between God and man, is sin (missing the mark) and death. Countering them requires very different possibilities than we have. We are empty-handed. We can’t do it on our own.

Whoever recognizes this can also see that we need a real good news, a gospel. In the first chapter, the apostle mentioned that God’s righteousness “is revealed in the gospel” (Rom 1:16-17). He has not yet explained this. Here’s what follows.