로마서 Chapter 3

Translation: ESV

1

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?

Key Message

In response to the question of whether Jewish privilege amounts to nothing more than an external condition, Paul explains the true meaning of privilege.

▸This is the question that naturally arises after the argument of chapter 2 — that the true Jew is one who has received circumcision of the heart.

This is the question that naturally arises after the argument of chapter 2 — that the true Jew is one who has received circumcision of the heart. Paul develops his logic further through a hypothetical Jewish interlocutor. Are Jewish privileges completely meaningless? To this question Paul answers 'no.'

Related Verses

They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
2

Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.

Key Message

The greatest Jewish privilege is the mission of being entrusted with, preserving, and transmitting the word of God.

▸The greatest privilege of the Jews is being entrusted with 'the oracles of God (λόγια τοῦ θεοῦ).

3

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?

Key Message

No matter how great human unbelief may be, the faithfulness of God and his promises are never nullified.

▸A new objection is raised: if some Jews responded with unbelief, has God's faithfulness (πιστός) failed? Paul's answer is firm: by no means.

4

By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, 'That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.'

Key Message

The truthfulness and righteousness of God never change, and human falsehood cannot alter them.

▸'By no means (μὴ γένοιτο)' is the strongest negation in Paul's letters, meaning 'absolutely not.

5

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)

Key Message

Using the logic that our unrighteousness reveals God's righteousness to justify sin is human sophistry.

▸The next objection is raised: if our unrighteousness makes God's righteousness stand out all the more, is it not unfair for God to punish us? That is, if my sin contributes to highlighting God's goodness, have I not done something meritorious? Paul acknowledges that this logic follows human thinking ('I speak in a human way') and immediately refutes it.

6

By no means! For then how could God judge the world?

Key Message

The fact that God is the righteous judge of the world guarantees that his judgment on account of human unrighteousness is just.

▸Again a strong refutation with 'by no means.

7

But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?

Key Message

The logic that one's own sin contributes to God's glory is a dangerous sophistry that justifies sin.

▸The objection of verse 5 is personalized and raised again.

8

And why not do evil that good may come? — as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

Key Message

The logic of sinning to make grace abound is blasphemy against God and deserves condemnation.

▸Following the logic of verse 7 consistently leads to the conclusion 'let us do evil that good may come.

9

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,

Key Message

Regardless of whether Jew or Gentile, all humanity is under the power of sin.

▸Summing up the discussion of verses 1–8, Paul moves toward the core conclusion.

10

as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one;'

Key Message

The Old Testament Scriptures themselves testify: there is not a single person righteous before God.

▸Verses 10–18 are a chain of Old Testament quotations proving that all humanity are sinners.

11

'no one understands; no one seeks for God.'

Key Message

Sin distorts both the intellect that understands God and the will that seeks God, making it impossible for humanity to approach God on its own.

▸Sin affects both the intellect ('no one understands') and the will ('no one seeks for God').

12

'All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.'

Key Message

Through sin, all humanity has strayed from God's purpose and lost the ability to do good.

▸'Have turned aside (ἐξέκλιναν)' means straying from the right path; 'become worthless (ἠχρεώθησαν)' means becoming useless for God's purposes.

13

'Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.' 'The venom of asps is under their lips.'

Key Message

Human language, polluted by sin, has become a tool spreading death and harm like an open grave and viper's venom.

▸The sins of language and the mouth are depicted with three vivid images.

14

'Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.'

Key Message

The hostility and malice in the heart is revealed in the words of a mouth full of curses and bitterness.

▸Quoted from Psalm 10:7.

15

'Their feet are swift to shed blood;'

Key Message

The actions of humanity corrupted by sin quickly lead to violence.

▸Quoted from Isaiah 59:7.

16

'in their paths are ruin and misery,'

Key Message

The path of sin brings ruin and suffering to oneself and others.

▸A continuation of the quotation from Isaiah 59:7.

17

'and the way of peace they have not known.'

Key Message

Sin robs humanity of the way that achieves peace with God, peace with others, and inner tranquility.

▸Quoted from Isaiah 59:8.

18

'There is no fear of God before their eyes.'

Key Message

The root of all sin is not keeping God before one's eyes — that is, the absence of the fear of God.

▸Quoted from Psalm 36:1, this is the last in the list of Old Testament quotations.

19

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

Key Message

The law speaks to seal off every human excuse and place the whole world under God's judgment.

▸The purpose of the Old Testament quotations in verses 10–18 is presented.

20

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Key Message

No one can be justified before God by works of the law; the law serves only to produce awareness of sin.

▸This is the final conclusion of the entire argument of 1:18–3:19.

21

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it —

Key Message

In Jesus Christ, the righteousness of God that could not be obtained through the law has been manifested in a new way.

▸'But now (νυνὶ δέ)' signals a turning point in salvation history.

22

the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

Key Message

The righteousness of God is given without distinction to all who believe through faith in Jesus Christ.

▸How God's righteousness comes is made clear: 'through faith in Jesus Christ (διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ).

23

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Key Message

Without exception, all people have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

▸The reason for the 'no distinction' of verse 22 is presented: because all have sinned.

24

and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Key Message

A sinner's being justified is possible only through God's grace, as a gift, through Christ's redemption.

▸The manner of justification is declared in three terms: 'by his grace (τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι)', 'as a gift (δωρεὰν)', and 'through the redemption (ἀπολυτρώσεως) that is in Christ Jesus.

25

whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Key Message

The blood of Jesus is the propitiation that achieves reconciliation between humanity and God, and through this God's righteousness was demonstrated.

▸'Propitiation (ἱλαστήριον)' in the Old Testament refers to the mercy seat — the lid of the ark of the covenant on which the high priest sprinkled blood on the Day of Atonement.

26

It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Key Message

At the cross, God accomplished the paradox of the gospel — demonstrating his own righteousness while simultaneously justifying those who believe.

▸The purpose of the cross is presented in two layers: (1) demonstrating that God himself is righteous, and (2) justifying those who believe in Jesus.

27

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.

Key Message

The gospel of justification by faith removes all human boasting; only God's grace is exalted.

▸The ethical implication of justification by faith is presented.

28

For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Key Message

It is possible for a person to be justified before God only by faith alone, not by works of the law.

▸The central thesis of Romans 3 is directly stated.

29

Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

Key Message

Justification by faith logically confirms that God is not the God of Jews only but the God of all peoples.

▸The universal implication of the doctrine of justification by faith is presented.

30

since God is one — who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

Key Message

Since God is one, both Jews and Gentiles are justified by the same method of faith.

▸The unity of God (monotheism) becomes the basis for justification by faith.

31

Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Key Message

Faith does not overthrow the law; rather, by fulfilling the purpose the law intended from the beginning — guiding people to Christ — it upholds the law.

▸The final objection: does emphasizing faith make the law unnecessary? Paul's strong negation: 'by no means.