Introduction
In Romans 2 Paul explains how true righteousness is not found in outward markers like circumcision or possession of Torah alone, but in a heart aligned with obedience. Romans 3 builds on this foundation, confronting misunderstandings about sin, judgment and the purpose of Torah, while clarifying that faithfulness has always been rooted in trust that produces obedience.
3:1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
3:2 Much in every way! In the first place, they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
The phrase “oracles of God” in Greek- logion tou Theou isn’t a stand alone phrase:
It’s also repeated later in the book of Hebrews-
Even indeed you ought to be teachers by this time; but you have need of [one] to teach you what are the principles of the beginning of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk, not solid food!
– Hebrews 5:12
In both instances, this phrase refers to the “divine utterances of God”; all He has said, from the Old Testament and on.
3:3 What if some were untrusting? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?
3:4 Never may it be! Let God be true however, every man on the other hand, a liar. As it is written,
“That You may be justified in Your words, and prevail in Your Judgment.”
Paul is referring to Psalms here:
Against You, and only You have I sinned, and done evil in your sight, that You may be found righteous when You speak, blameless when You judge.
— Psalms 51:4
God is the true one, Justified and prevailing- not man.
3:5 If however our unrighteousness serves to show the justness of God, what shall we say? “God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us” ? -From among man I speak-
3:6 Never may it be! For then how could God judge the world?
3:7 But if through my falsehood God’s truth abounds to His glory, why am I still being judged as a sinner?
3:8 And it is not as some people slanderously charge us with saying- “let us do evil things that may come good things” Their condemnation is just.
Paul is referring to those that would take his teachings and twist them to say “If God is glorified when sin is exposed, then let’s sin more so good can come from it.”.
This is a misunderstanding- slander that Paul and his circle are being condemned for.
He’s telling the Romans here, ‘if that were true, their hatred of us would be just, but that’s not what I’m teaching.’
3:9 What then? Are we any better? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin.
3:10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
3:11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.
3:12 All have turned away; together they have become worthless; none there is who practices good, there is not so much as one.”
3:13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps (Cobras) is under their lips.”
3:14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
3:15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
3:16 ruin and misery are in their paths
3:17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
This passage is commonly misquoted
Paul is using a string of various quotes from Scripture- Psalms mainly, and Isaiah:
- Psalm 14:1–3
- “corrupt, abhorrent works, none who does good”
- Psalm 53:1–3
- “God looks down… to see if any understand, who seek God”
- “all have turned aside, corrupt, none who does good”
- Psalm 5:9– “For none in their mouth faithful, their midst is destruction as a tomb open their throat, tongues separating
- Psalm 140:3– “They sharpen tongues as a serpent, the poison of asps under their lips.”
- Psalm 10:7– “An oath the mouth filled with deceit and oppression; under the tongue toil and inequity.”
- Isaiah 59:7–8
- “Their feet to evil run making haste to shed blood…”
- “The way of peace they have not known, there is no justice in their ways…”
“The Way of peace” derek shalom is Torah- YHVH’s righteous Instructions:
“Great shalom have those who love Your Torah,
and nothing causes them to stumble.”– Psalm 119:165
- Psalm 36:1– “of the wicked within the heart there is no dread of God before his eyes.”
These are all about Yisrael, who physically had Torah but lived their lives as if God didn’t see them. They were willingly defiant and could not claim ignorance.
Paul is using these quotes to reiterate that just knowing Torah or possessing it is not enough- you have to Follow it. They are not justified simply by having Torah because they do not practice by it.
Righteousness by obedience to God’s voice is always the end goal.
3:19 Now we know that whatever Torah says, it speaks to those who are under Torah, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God’s judgement.
3:20 Therefore by works (tasks) of Torah no flesh will be justified before Him- on account of through Torah comes knowledge of sin.
Justification is a verdict from God which qualifies you as righteous
“Works of Torah” does not mean obedience to Torah-
It means using Torah-keeping as a legal defense– “I am righteous because of my works”
Rather than the truth– we would not know righteousness if not for God telling us; therefore we are only righteous because we follow His instruction and serve Him.
Paul has been specifically addressing boasting and self-righteousness in one’s own personal identity or performance- not obedience.
Rather he is pointing out Torah’s authority to show what sin is- Torah is the standard. He’s telling them
You cannot be justified by Torah because it’s purpose is to identify sin.
A judge uses the law to identify guilt, but the law cannot remove that guilt. – That’s where Grace comes in.
3:21 But now, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being borne by the witness of Torah and the Prophets
3:22 the righteousness of God through faith from Yeshua Messiah toward all those believing. For there is no distinction:
3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
3:24 Justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Yeshua Messiah
3:25 whom God put forward as a sin offering by His blood through faith, for a showing of God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins.
3:26 Toward showing His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one of faith in Yeshua
3:27 Then where is our boasting? It has been excluded. Through what principle? By that of works? No, but through the principle of faith.
3:28 We hold therefore that one is justified by faith apart from works of Torah.
Again Justified– made non-guilty in the eyes of God
Torah only defines sin and punishes it- justification is not it’s purpose.
Once you have sinned:
- obedience cannot undo guilt
- law keeping cannot reverse condemnation
- performance cannot acquit the past
So justification must come from:
- God’s mercy
- Messiah’s faithfulness
- trust in God, not through merit
3:29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also!
3:30 If indeed God is One, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through the same faith?
3:31 Do we then separate from Torah by this faith? Never may it be! On the contrary, we establish Torah.
This is going to be the anchor going forward.
Paul’s message so far outlines:
- Torah reveals God’s standard
- Humans violate it
- Torah exposes guilt
- Faith and Grace bring mercy
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