Content of the third chapter: The Apostle shows that the Jews indeed have an advantage over the heathen, but that both Jews and heathen are in need of Christ's grace.
The Law Does Not Save But Merely Declares Man Guilty Before God.
What advantage then hath the ]ew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar: as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say?
Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,~) let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of ike way, they are together become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there
66 Commentary on Romans shall no flesh he justified in his sight: for hy the law is the knowledge of sin (3:1-20).
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what 'profit is there of circumcision? Much in every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged (3:1-4). Since the Apostle has condemned those who are Jews after the flesh, and the circumcision which is outward in the flesh (2:28), it might have seemed as though he regarded circumcision as altogether worthless and its command to the Jews as purposeless. But that is by no means the case, and so he shows in this chapter what purpose circumcision and the Jews in general serve.
The advantage of the Jews over the heathen consisted above all in this that "to them were committed the oracles of God." That is to say, circumcision was of value to the Jews because they believed the divine promise (connected with it) and so they awaited its fulfillment. To the heathen God had given no such gospel promise, and it was sheer mercy on His part when in the fulness of the time He was pleased graciously to put them on the same level as the Jews. But to the Jews God showed Himself not only as merciful, but also as faithful, because he actually granted to them the mercies which He had promised them (in Christ). For this reason truth (faithfulness) and mercy are often placed side by side in Scripture as in Romans 5:8, 9: "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy"
For what if some did not believe? (3:3) God did not give His promise in such a way, nor was His promise so believed by the Jews, that they had to obtain the promised inheritance whether they wanted it or not. Some did not believe and so did not receive the promise. The fault was solely theirs who did not desire to obtain the fulfillment of the promise. But that did not keep God from being true (faithful). If they, the heirs of the circumcision, did not wish to receive the promise, though God had given it to Commentary on Romans 67 them as such, then no one can charge God with faithlessness. To the Jews He fulfilled His promise in such a way that not all, but indeed some, namely the elect, received the promise, for God cannot lie. So God is justified in His sayings or promises.
There is a difference between the two statements: "God is justified" and "God is justified in His sayings or works"; for God cannot be justified by any man, since He Himself is Righteousness, indeed, the Eternal Law, Judgment and Truth. But God is justified in His sayings when His Word is recognized and accepted by us as just and truthful. This takes place when we believe in His Word
(Gospel). Conversely, God is judged in His sayings if men regard His Word as false and fallacious. So God is justified in His sayings even by His enemies, for His Word is victorious over all. For some He, (Christ), is set for a rising, for others, a fall, namely those for whom He is a sign which is spoken against (Luke 2:34).
Such persons judge Him indeed, but their judging is in vain. If God is judged in His sayings, it is really we (the believers) who are justified; if He is judged and condemned, it is they (the unbelievers) who are judged and condemned according to Mark 16:16:
"He that believeth not shall be damned."
That in this connection the expression "faith of God" (v. 3) is to be taken in the sense of faithfulness or trustworthiness, is clear from Paul's argument: Because God is faithful, unbelief cannot make His trustworthiness without effect. God, who has given
His promises and fulfilled them, if not to all men, at least to the heirs of promise, is not a liar; but all those are liars who do not believe (the divine Gospel promise).
But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) God forbid; for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather, (as we he slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is jzist (3:5-8).
Here the Apostle digresses from his subject till verse 9, where he resumes it by asking: "What then? are we better than they?"
68 Commentary on Romans There are some who say that God's righteousness is placed in its true light by punishing our unrighteousness, for it is only then that His righteousness becomes manifest by His punishment of the unrighteous. That is correct, but it has nothing to do with the subject which the Apostle here treats, for he speaks of the righteousness of God by which He Himself is the Righteous, (that is, God's essential righteousness, or justice'). He rather denies the assertion that God's righteousness is manifested by our unrighteousness. It is not our unrighteousness (as such) which God always hates and which is opposed to His majesty, but rather the acknowledgment and confession of our unrighteousness that commends His righteousness, for by these it becomes obvious how necessary and beneficial His righteousness is. God's righteousness humbles us, casts us down before His feet and causes us to long for His righteousness; for as soon as we receive it (through faith in Christ), we glorify God as its (generous) Giver and we praise and love
Our righteousness (it may he said) commends God's righteousness in three ways. First, when God punishes the unrighteous, He thereby shows that He is righteous, and His righteousness manifests itself by His punishment of our unrighteousness. Secondly, by way of comparison, for the greater God's righteousness shines forth, the more wicked appears our unrighteousness. Lastly, God's righteousness is commended by His work in us; that is to say, since we cannot be justified by our own merit, we must appeal to Him to make us righteous. If we confess that we have no power over our sins (to cleanse ourselves of our sins). He justifies us through faith in His Word, (the Gospel promise). Through such faith
He justifies us, that is, He declares us as righteous (for Christ's sake). This is the faith-righteousness and a truly divine righteousness, which He works (in its).
Nevertheless, the Apostle does not say that our righteousness commends God's righteousness; on the contrary, he denies this.
But he puts the question (3:5) in the sense of those who thought that they might draw this conclusion. (Of these he says): "Whose damnation is just" (3:8). This passage shows clearly that the Apostle in this chapter does not direct himself against such as boast of their sins, but rather of such as think themselves righteous
Commentary on Romans 69 and trust in their own works to save them. These he tries to induce to praise and glorify the grace of God; but divine grace is magnified only after the sin which is to be forgiven has first been recognized and acknowledged as exceedingly great.
They are all under sin (3:9). So, then, though the Jews have an advantage over the Gentiles, as has already been shown, nevertheless before God they are not better, but like the heathen they are under sin. The Gentiles, on the other hand, despite the statement of the Apostle that they "by nature do the things contained in the law," have only a partial, or legal (outward) righteousness, not however, that true righteousness which is perfect, everlasting, and altogether divine, and which we may obtain only through faith in Christ.
The expression "all are under sin" must be taken in a spiritual sense; that is to say, not as men appear in their own eyes or in those of others, but as they stand before God. They all are under sin, those who are manifest transgressors in the eyes of men, as well as those who appear righteous in their own sight and before others. Those who perform outwardly good works do them from fear of punishment or love of gam and glory, or otherwise from pleasure in a certain object, but not from a willing and ready mind. In this way man exercises himself continually in good works outwardly, but inwardly he is totally immersed in sinful desires and evil lusts, which are opposed to good works. Such outward good works are doubly evil; first, because they do not flow from a good will and so are sinful (in themselves), and again, because with incredible arrogance they are upheld and defended as good.
If the will of men is not sanctified by the grace of God, which He has promised and imparts to those who believe in Christ, so that freely and joyously and solely to please God in doing His will they do the works demanded by the Law, with full freedom from fear of punishment and selfish love for the act, they always are under sin.
There is none righteous (3:10). The corruption (of which the Apostle here speaks) is so very deep that it is not fully understood even by such as are spiritual (believers). For this reason the truly righteous pray fervently and entreat God for divine grace, not only because they know that their will is evil, but also because
70 Commentary on Romans they can never fully comprehend the unspeakable depth of their depravity. So they humble themselves and earnestly ask God to sanctify them perfectly, which, however, takes place only in death.
So it is that we all offend "in many things" (Jas. 3:2); and: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8). Indeed, how does a person know, or how can he know, even though he should imagine that he does good and avoids evil, whether it is really so, since only God can decide this? It is in fact a most dangerous arrogance for men to imagine that they have such a will (that does the good and omits the evil). Man (by nature) selfishly seeks only what is to his advantage; he can love only himself above all things; and that is the sum and substance of all transgression. Such (self-sufficient) persons seek only to please themselves and secure applause, even when they follow piety and virtue.
There is none that understandeth (3:11). The wisdom of God (the Gospel) is hidden and therefore it is unknown to the world.
So Christ can be known only through divine revelation. Those therefore who are wise only in earthly things — as are all who do not believe, and so know as little of God as of eternal life — are without insight and understanding, foolish and blind, even though they regard themselves as, wise. By this fact, however, they prove themselves to be fools. Theirs is not the divine wisdom which is hidden (I Cor. 2:7), but a wisdom that may be discovered by human means.
There is none that seeketh after God (3:11). That is true both of those that do not at all care for God and of those who seek after Him, or rather who imagine themselves to seek after God.
They do not seek after God as He desires to be sought and found, namely, not by human wisdom and searching, but by faith and in humility. The Apostle first says that there is none that understandeth, and that there is none that seeketh after God, for the understanding goes before the willing and doing. The true seeking after God, which moves man to dedication and obedience, follows upon the right understanding (of God). The understanding which is without the seeking after God, is dead, just as faith without works is dead and neither quickens nor justifies. The understanding, of which the Apostle here speaks, is nothing else than
Commentary on Romans 71 the faith itself or the spiritual apprehension of things which cannot be seen, but must be believed. It is the understanding of that which man cannot know of himself, as we read in John 14:6:
"No man cometh unto the Father, but by me/' Of Peter (who had this understanding), Christ said in Matthew 16:17: "Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." The inward desire or seeking after God is true love for God, which moves believers to long for and love that which this
(spiritual) understanding makes known to them. In this life we never reach such perfection that we fully possess God, but we must continuously seek after Him; indeed, we must seek Him evermore, as the Psalmist says in Psalm 105:4: "Seek the Lord . . . seek his face evermore/' Those who do not make progress in seeking after God, are bound to retrogress; indeed, those who do not seek, will lose that which they already have obtained. We must never stand still in seeking after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable (3:12). The "all" here refers to those who have not yet become children of God through faith, or who have not yet been born again "of water and of the Spirit" (John 3:5). Of these some go out of the way to the left, namely, those who serve mammon, honor, pleasure and the glory of this world. The others go out of the way to the right, namely, those who hold to their own righteousness, virtue and wisdom. Neither of them cares for God's righteousness nor obeys Him, but all fight the divine truth in its present humble form with spiritual deceit.
The term "together" must be taken in the sense that all have become unprofitable, that is, vain and chasing after things that do not benefit. Those who seek after unprofitable things, themselves become unprofitable and vain through their association with vanities; and indeed, they deserve nothing better. They may be said to be unprofitable also from the viewpoint that they profit neither God nor men; but the first interpretation is preferable, since the Apostle here means to point out that they have fallen from the truth and righteousness of God and are going their own wicked way. Here, then, we have a climax: None is righteous: none understandeth; none seeketh after God; none doeth good.
Even if such transgressors do good outwardly, they do not do it 72 Commentary on Romans with sincerity, for they do not seek God in it, but only their own glory, gain, or, to say the least, freedom from punishment. On the other hand, those who (in true faith) seek after God, do good from a thankful and joyful heart, solely for God's sake, and not to gain any spiritual or temporal good on earth. But that is the work of divine grace, and not of nature.
Their throat is an open sepulchre (3:13). In the next three verses the Apostle shows how such (unrighteous persons*) sin also against others. As they themselves have turned away from God, so they seek to draw to themselves and away from God other people.
As the sepulcher takes the dead, so their throat or doctrine devours those who already are so completely dead that there is no more hope that they might be reclaimed from damnation, unless by a special act of His power God should intervene. Their throat is an "open" sepulcher, because they devour and mislead many, as we read in II Timothy 2:17: "Their word will eat as doth a canker." Such (wicked deceivers) devour also righteous persons.
But as they cannot pervert their faith, they destroy them in their bodies (by persecution). Their throat therefore is truly an open sepulcher. They devour ever so many by teaching false and deceitful doctrine; and they proclaim their false doctrine in such a way that it appears to be holy, full of salvation, and coming from God.
Those who permit themselves to be deceived by them, believe that they are listening to God and to a teaching proceeding out of the mouth of God. Every word of theirs flatters the hearts of those who take pleasure in their wisdom and righteousness, so that by word and deed they say: "Prophesy not unto us right things; speak unto us smooth things; prophesy deceits" (Isa. 30:10).
They abhor the message of the Cross (the Gospel of Christ) and desire to hear only what flatters their vanity.
Oh, what a terrible word (of condemnation)] They destroy those who listen to their doctrine, for the "poison of asps is under their lips." The asp is a serpent, and its poison is sure to kill. So also they
(who are misled by such false prophets) cannot be restored to spiritual life. Only, these most pitiable persons do not recognize the poison nor the death of their soul, as the words "under their lips" suggest. Death lurks in secret, while the words of their false teachers seemingly offer them life and truth.
Commentary on Romans 73 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness (3:14). (Here we learn how such) false teachers act toward those who do not obey, but rather resist them, yes, and who try to teach them the divine truth in order to save them from destruction. Oh, how sinfully they reward them! Against them their mouth is full of cursing.
They curse them by reviling them before men, by execrating and defaming them, and by denouncing them with every kind of foul language. Nor do they do this listlessly, but with great zeal, for their mouth is "full" of cursing, that is, they curse with the greatest vehemence. So also their mouth is full of "bitterness," that is, full of hateful backbiting. They vilify the righteous not only in their hearing; but when they are together by themselves, they drag them into the gutter by evil-speaking that is most scurrilous.
Their feet are swift to shed blood (3:15). Also this is a most graphic description. They (the wicked teachers), cannot always accomplish what they set out to do, but they are always waiting for a chance to execute their ungodly designs. If they cannot defeat the messengers of truth by vilification and defamation, they finally take steps to remove them by murder, in order that their evil teaching may not be destroyed. This way the Jews followed with great tenacity as we learn from the Book of Acts. But even today every enemy of the divine truth acts in the same way to uphold his false doctrine; for indeed, he has a "good intention" and acts from "love to God."
Destruction and misery are in their ways (3:16). Here the Apostle describes the fate of such wicked teachers. They are pursued by destruction, that is, they are cast down, crushed and debased both in body and soul as we learn from the Jews; for "they are like the chaff which the wind driveth away" (Ps. 1:4). Again, they reap misery, or wretchedness. As Christians always succeed, so they (who ofpose Christ) in the end never succeed, no matter what they may undertake. Also this we learn from the Jews, for while they progress in their wickedness, they are brought low by many misfortunes. they The way of feace have they not known (3:17). Why do not know the way of peace? Because it is hidden, for (this) peace is spiritual and concealed beneath much tribulation. No one indeed regards it as peace when he sees how a Christian day by 74 Commentary on Romans day is exposed to suffering with loss of his good name, reputation and even his life, so that as long as he lives he must count, not peace but cross and suffering his own. Yet under this tribulation their is concealed peace which only that person knows who believes and has experienced it. But the wicked do not want to believe, and they abhor the experience (of faith). Behind it all is their pride which renders them impervious (to the -peace of God). The wicked do not understand the way of peace, because they are conceited; and they are conceited, because they do not fear God.
If they would fear God, they would know that it is alone by Christ's righteousness and truth that they can escape judgment.
Praise and glory to God to all eternity for having granted all this to us in and through Christ, in order that we might be truly justified by Him and so escape His judgment.
There is no fear of God before their eyes (3:18). Where there is no fear of God, there men become proud and presumptuous; but where the fear of God prevails, there men become humble and pious. Nevertheless, the wicked imagine that they possess the fear of God, and that in the highest degree. They boast of having all virtues, in particular, righteousness and insight. They boast above all, to be seeking, after God, and of fearing God and doing every good work which the Apostle denies to them. If we do not accept the words of the Holy Spirit in Psalm 14:3 (quoted in v. 12) in true faith, then no one is righteous before God. Again, no one who is truly righteous can believe this (that he is truly righteous) to be possible by his own power. We must therefore always believe that what is here said is the divine truth concerning all men, and that it pertains to each and every one of us, for by nature we are unrighteous and without the fear of God. Hence, we must deeply humble ourselves and confess our depravity and ignorance before God, so that we may be found worthy to be justified by Him.
The law saith (3:19). Here the Apostle meets the subterfuge of those (the Jews) who say: "What he said does not apply to us since we are righteous, (that is, obedient to the Law)." But most certainly it does! And this (their subterfuge) clearly proves that Psalm 14:3, quoted in Romans 3:12, must be understood as referring mainly to the Jews; for the heathen did not have the Commentary on Romans 75 revealed Law, so that the Psalmist here does not speak of them, at least not primarily.
That every mouth may he stopped, and all the world may hecome guilty hefore God (3:19). The Law declares all men to be unrighteous, in order that through this very judgment all may confess themselves to be unrighteous, no longer regard themselves righteous and no longer boast of their righteousness, but acknowledge themselves guilty before God. To praise and glorify God means for us to be silent (hefore Him), not to extol ourselves, (our good works), but believe that we are lost sinners.
Here the question arises: How can a person be justified without the works of the Law, or how can it be that justification does not flow from our works? For St. James writes: "We see how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only" (Jas. 2:24).
So also St. Paul: "Faith . . . worketh by love" (Gal. 5:6); and: "The doers of the law shall be justified" (Rom. 2: 13). To this we reply:
As the Apostle distinguishes between the law and faith, the letter and grace, so also he distinguishes between the works resulting from these. He calls those deeds "works of the Law" that are done without faith and divine grace, merely because of the law, moved either by fear of punishment or the alluring hope of reward. But works of faith he calls those deeds which are done in the spirit of (Christian) liberty and flow from love to God. These can be done only by such as are justified by faith. Justification, however, is not in any way promoted by the works of the Law, but they rather hinder it, because they keep a person from regarding himself as unrighteous and so in need of justification. When James and Paul say that a man is justified by works, they argue against the false opinion of those who think that (for justification) a faith suffices that is without works. Paul does not say that true faith exists without its proper works, for without these there is no true faith.
But what he says is that it is faith alone that justifies, regardless of works. Justification therefore does not presuppose the works of the Law, but rather a living faith, which performs its proper works, as we read in Galatians 5:6.
By the law is the knowledge of sin (3:20). Such knowledge of sin is obtained in two ways. First, by meditation (of the Law), as we read in Romans 7:7: "I had not know lust except the law had
76 Commentary on Romans said, Thou shalt not covet/' Secondly, by experience, namely, by trying to fulfill the Law, or we may say, through the Law as we assume to fulfill its obligations. Then the Law will become to us an occasion to sin, for then the perverted will of man, inclined to evil, but urged by the Law to do good, becomes all the more unwilling and disinclined to do what is good. It hates to be drawn away from what it loves; and what it loves is sin, as we learn from Genesis 8:21. But just so, man, forced by the Law and obeying it unwillingly, sees how deeply sin and evil are rooted in his soul.
He would never notice this, if he did not have the Law and would not try to follow it. The Apostle here only mentions this thought, since he intends to treat it more fully in Chapters 5 and 7. Here he merely meets the objection that the Law would be useless if its works would not justify.
Christ's Righteousness by Faith Saves and Establishes the Law But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, "being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith?
God forbid: yea, we establish the law (3:21-31).
But now the righteousness of God without the Law is manifested (3:21). St. Augustine writes in the ninth chapter of his book
Concerning tlie Spirit and the Letter: "He does not speak of the righteousness of God, by which God is righteous, but of that with which He clothes a person when He justifies the ungodly." Again in the eleventh chapter he comments: "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested; that is, God imparts it to the believer by the Spirit of grace without the work of the Law, or withCommentary on Romans 77 out the help of the Law. Through the Law God opens man's eyes so that he sees his helplessness and by faith takes refuge to His mercy and so is healed." The Apostle therefore does not describe the righteousness of God, by which He is essentially righteous, but the righteousness (by which a sinner is justified) , which they can obtain only by faith in Christ.
Being witnessed hy the law and tlie prophets (3:21). An example for this we have in Habakkuk 2:4: "The just shall live by his faith." St. Augustine says in the thirteenth chapter of his book
Concerning the Spirit and the Letter: "What the Law of works commands with threatening, that the Law of faith accomplishes through faith." In the nineteenth chapter he remarks: "The Law was given, in order that we might seek after grace. Grace was given, in order that we might fulfill the Law. It was not the fault of the Law that it was not fulfilled, but the fault was man's carnal mind. This guilt the Law must make manifest, in order that we may be healed by divine grace."
Even tlie righteousness of God which is hy faith of ]esus Christ (3:22). This is a most important addition, and is directed against the rebellious mind of arrogant objectors who say: "Very well, then, we know of ourselves that we are unrighteous; we also know that we are inclined to evil and that inwardly we are enemies of God. We believe therefore that we must be justified before God, but this we desire to achieve by our prayers, repentance and confession. We do not want Christ, for God can give us His righteousness even without Christ." To this the Apostle replies:
Such a wicked demand God neither will nor can fulfill, for Christ is God; righteousness for justification is given us only through faith in Jesus Christ. So God has willed it, and so God is pleased to do, and this He will never change. And who is there to resist
His will? Now, however, if that is true then there is no greater arrogance than not to desire to be justified by faith in Christ.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (3:23).
Men are altogether without any virtue in which they may glory (before God). They have no righteousness at all of which to boast before God, as we read in I Corinthians 1:29 "No flesh should glory in his presence." In Romans 4:2 the Apostle says: "If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before 78 Commentary on Romans
God." So also they (the self-righteous Jews') may have cause to glory in their works before men. But they have no glory before God. The real glory before God is righteousness, wisdom and spiritual strength, and all these come from God and are given to us freely by His grace. In these we glory, both in God and with respect to God, (He being the Donor).
Being justified freely hy his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (3:24). God does not justify us freely by His grace in such a way that He did not demand any atonement to be made (for our sins), for He gave Jesus Christ into death for us, in order that He might atone for our sins. So now He justifies freely by His grace those who have been redeemed by His Son,
(as he adds: "Through tlie redemption that is in Christ Jesus").
Whom God hath set forth to he a propitiation through faith in his blood (3:25). This is a perplexing and difficult text that must be explained and understood as follows: God from eternity has ordained and set forth Christ as the propitiation for our sins, but that only for those who believe in Him. Christ wanted to become a propitiation for us only through His blood, that is, He first had to make amends for us through the shedding of His blood. And all this God did "to declare his righteousness," that is, to make it known that all men are sinners and in need of His righteousness.
The very fact that Christ suffered for us, and through His suffering became a propitiation for us, proves that we are (by nature) unrighteous, and that we for whom He became a propitiation, must obtain our righteousness solely from God, now that forgiveness for our sins has been secured by Christ's atonement.
By the fact that God forgives our sins (only) through Christ's propitiation and so justifietn us by faith, He shows how necessary is His righteousness (for all). There is no one whose sins are not forgiven (in Christ).
Of sins that are past (3:25). That is, the sins which preceded the demonstration of His righteousness (through Christ's propitiation). These were committed before the world knew that those who are justified are justified alone through (faith in) Christ.
Through the forbearance of God (3:25). Had God not patiently borne the sinners, there never could have been any remission of sins, nor any proof of His righteousness. God bears sinners so patiently to forgive them. He forgives them to show forth His righteousness
Commentary on Romans 79 and the justification of sinners which they receive through faith in His, (Christ's") blood, (as the Afostle adds: "That He might he just, and the justifier of him which helieveth in Jesus").
There are some who explain the words "for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God," thus: God showed
His righteousness to the Fathers of the Old Covenant. He forgave them their sins through His forbearance, that is, in view of the promised atonement to be made by Christ. But I prefer the explanation: God reveals Himself through the remission of sins that are past as the One who justifies all men. His gracious remission of sins proves Him to be the God who is just and who alone has power to justify. With these words he also gives the answer to foolish objectors: Well, then, God has fulfilled the Law; hence, from now on He will no longer impute sin. Nor will He regard that as sin which He regarded as sin in the past. Hence, we may sin as we please, for what used to be sin, is no longer sin.
Where is the boasting then? It is excluded. (3:27). The Law of works of necessity puffs up and increases vainglory, for he who regards himself as just by fulfilling the Law, doubtlessly has something of which he might arrogantly boast. The Jews thus regard themselves as righteous, because they outwardly obey the Law.
Therefore they do not seek to be justified (hy grace through faith in Christ). They do not want Christ's righteousness, because they fully believe that they are already in possession of righteousness.
Those who are of the Law say to God, as he speaks in the Law:
"We have done what thou hast commanded us." On the other hand, those who are of faith say: "We cannot do it, nor have we done it; but grant us grace that we may do what Thou hast commanded us." While therefore they who are of the Law are arrogant and boastful, they who are of faith are humble and despise their own righteousness.
So throughout life (God's) believing, spiritual people pray with their hearts, their lips and their whole conduct that they might be justified (hy grace) and kept in faith till the end. They also pray that they may never regard themselves as having apprehended and so cease (in their striving after sanctification). They finally pray that they may never regard any work of theirs as one by which they have obtained the righteousness (of life). While their life remains burdened with sin, they are always seeking
80 Commentary on Romans after the perfect righteousness (of life') which, so to speak, keeps waiting outside.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith (3:28).
The words "we conclude" must not be taken in the sense "we think," as though there were attached to the righteousness of faith any doubt, for such doubt would be wicked. The expression rather means: We believe most assuredly and firmly; indeed, we know; or, we are persuaded (by the divine Word) to believe that sinners are justified by faith.
When the Apostle says that we are justified "without the deeds of the law," he does not speak of the works of faith and grace; for he who does such works, does not believe that he is justified by doing these works. (While doing such works of faith), the believer seeks to be justified (by faith). What the Apostle means by "deeds of the law" are works in which the self-righteous trust as if, by doing them, they were justified and so were righteous on account of their works. In other words, while doing good, they do not seek after righteousness, but they merely wish to boast that they have already obtained righteousness through their works.
Seeing it is one God, which shall justify . . . by faith (3:30).
Christ takes away all our sins, provided we (believers) do not take pleasure in them. But (by faith) they no longer are our sins, but His; and in exchange His righteousness is ours.
We establish the law (3:31). The Law is made void if its validity and authority are denied, so that it is no longer obligatory and men may transgress it. The carnally minded might have accused the Apostle of making void the Law, since he said that sinners are not justified by the Law, but that the righteousness of God is manifested and imparted without the Law. On the other hand, the Law is established and confirmed when its demands or injunctions are heeded. In this sense the Apostle says: "We establish the Law"; that is: We say that it is obeyed and fulfilled through faith. But you who teach that the works of the Law justify without faith, make the Law void; for you do not obey it; indeed, you teach that its fulfillment is not necessary: The Law is established in us when we fulfill it willingly and truly. But this no one can do without faith. They destroy God's covenant (of the Law) who are without the divine grace that is granted to those who believe in Christ.