“Or is He the God of the Jews alone and not also of the nations? Yes, of the nations also, if God is the One who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised by faith. Do we now abolish the law by faith? May this not be inferred! But we uphold the law!”
Romans 3:29-30

A turning point

This is a turning point in God’s dealings with human beings. God had once called Israel out of all the nations. Only to them had he given the law. In this scenario, the nations were to be blessed, but only via Israel. The turning point is with Paul, who declares that God is also a God of the nations through the law of faith. What is new is that He is doing this directly, that is, without the mediation of Israel. He is the God of the Jews, and equally the God of the nations.

Paul is writing to the church in Rome, where both people from Israel and people from the nations have found a place. Their faith brought them together. Only, the Jewish believers had a long history of God’s dealings with them. Such things were lacking in the nations. It is understandable that some Jewish believers in the community felt that their understanding carried more weight because of this history. Paul, however, balances this out. The apostle was himself a Jew and had derived especially much privilege (Phil 3:4-6). However, he does not do that, but points out that former preferences are no longer unique in a changed environment.

Something new had emerged and the community needed to understand that.

The one God

“For if God is the One …”. With these words Paul addresses the Jewish believer who knew from the Tenach (the Hebrew scriptures) that God is One. A God Who created heaven and earth and One Who is above all. A God who works in history. The God of the Bible is not 5 and not 3, but 1 God. The meaning of this statement is that He is in charge of all people, not just one people. One could also say that the One God has no favorites whom He favors, nor is He God of a single people who wants nothing to do with the rest of the nations.

In context, this idea is carefully built up. Paul’s reasoning points to the unity of God: “Yes, also [ein Gott] of the nations, if indeed God is the One who will justify the circumcised [die Juden] by his faith, and the uncircumcised [die Nichtjuden] by faith.” Because there is only one God, logically He must be not only the God of the Jews, but also the God of the nations. In terms of the righteousness of God, there is no difference between Jews and gentiles. This is also logical because previously the apostle has already made it clear that “there is none righteous, not even one!” (Rom 3:10). “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:22-33).

The problems of humankind are all-encompassing problems. The solution targets all affected people, not a subset of people. Because God is One, no one can be left out. The understanding of God opens the horizon so that all people are included.

Of course, this has always been the case, but God’s special action with Israel has given some experiences that could derive supposed advantages for Israel. If one does this, however, one fails to recognize the universality of God’s action and His nature.

Paul corrects a too small view of God and the world.

Out of and by faith

Paul mentions one more subtle difference:

• the circumcised person is justified by God from his faith
• the uncircumcised is justified by God through faith

The Jew, who was already acquainted with God, is justified “by his faith,” while the Gentile “by faith” now gains access to it. This is how various interpretations state it. What unites them, however, is that both are given the same access. Here, however, faith is not seen as an achievement, a precondition or a work – as is often the case, especially in evangelical circles – but rather faith is contrasted here with achievement, lineage and works.

What Paul emphasizes is that the one (the Jew) as well as the other (the Gentile) both gain access by faith. This makes them the same. Access to the community is given to both in the same way. What is true for one group is also true for the other. It is an inclusive thinking that Paul explains here and which is supported by the understanding of the one God.

Understanding God

If one could let go of the projections about Jesus and listen to what Paul has to say, a different picture emerges than some theology has sketched. Paul’s statements soberly stand in the reality of the time. He refers to the situation in Rome. It recognizes the different groups in the community. Paul wants to bring these together and he does so through the understanding of the one God. If there is one God, then it should follow that now everyone will also have access. It does not apply exclusively to Jews; in fact, it applies to all nations.

If you read the prophets in the Old Testament (Tenach), you will definitely find an outlook for the nations. Often, however, it is a preview of the messianic kingdom, wherein the nations will be blessed via Israel’s priestly ministry. Peter, in his letter to the Jews (1Pet 1:1), speaks of this in 1Pet 2:9.

Paul, however, mentions something quite different in his letter to the Romans. Here, Jews and gentiles stand side by side. The nations are not blessed via Israel, but receive the exact same access through faith. The apostle goes into more detail about this in Romans 4. Here, however, the foundation is already laid for this.

The Torah is confirmed

Paul confirms the law (of Moses, the Torah). He does not depart from the law, nor does he abrogate it, but he confirms it. For some believers, this might be a tough nut to crack. Those who thought they had advantages are taught better by Paul. Jews have no privileges in the church because God’s work in Christ is greater than what was only for Israel. Ancestry, social status, gender or wealth count for nothing. This can already be deduced from the law – if one wants to understand it.

Earlier, the apostle wrote: “For we reckon that a man is justified by faith without works of the law” (Rom 3:28). The special orders to Israel, the bills, were given exclusively to Israel. Justification by faith, however, already existed before the law. There are accounts from the Torah that allow a far broad view of this world. Then the apostle refers when he says that God justifies on the basis of faith. In the further course of the Epistle to the Romans we will come to this in detail.