返回Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Rom. 3:1. So what advantage is there in being a Jew, or what profit is there from circumcision?
Rom. 3:2. Great advantage in every respect, and especially in that to them were entrusted the oracles of God.
Rom. 3:3. For what then? If some were unfaithful, will their unfaithfulness nullify the faithfulness of God?
Having cast aside all the ordinances of the law with the words "what advantage is there in being a Jew," he sees an objection naturally arising and forestalls it. What is this objection? The following: if there is not the slightest benefit in those ordinances, then why, after all, was the Jewish people chosen? He resolves this objection with his characteristic wisdom. In words he agrees and says that there is great benefit to the Jew, but as proof of this he brings forward not the merits of the Jews, but the gifts of God. He did not say that the Jews greatly surpass the other nations because they carried out such and such things well, but that "to them were entrusted the oracles of God," and this is a benefaction of God, not their own superiority. What does "entrusted" mean? Given, committed to their care; God deemed the Jews worthy and therefore entrusted to them the heavenly revelations.
Speaking thus, he outwardly defends them; but nevertheless brings forward a new accusation, proving that they did not believe the words of God, which served to their honor. But he presents this accusation not in his own person. He speaks as if to say: what benefit is it to the Jews that they received the oracles of God, when they did not believe them? It seems he resolves this objection as well, vindicating not the Jews, but God. If they did not believe, is this from God? Will their unbelief "nullify the faithfulness of God," that is, the oracles and beneficence entrusted to them? The unbelief of the Jews not only causes God no harm, but on the contrary, demonstrates His great love for mankind, because He does not deprive of His beneficence those who subsequently dishonor Him. Do you see how he accused the Jews by the very thing in which they boasted, that is, by the fact that they received the law?
Rom. 3:4. By no means! Let God be true, and every man a liar, as it is written: That You may be justified in Your words and prevail when You are judged.
Above he said that some did not believe. Yet it turns out that not just some, but all proved faithless. Therefore, so as not to grieve the Jews, he speaks wisely and presents what was shown by experience in the form of a supposition. Let us say, he says, that all were faithless. What of it? Even in this case God is justified. That is: if one considers and compares what God bestowed upon the Jews and how they conducted themselves before Him, then righteousness remains on God's side, as David also says (Ps. 50:6).
Rom. 3:5. But if our unrighteousness reveals the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? (I speak according to human reasoning).
Rom. 3:6. God forbid. For otherwise how shall God judge the world?
Here he presents one objection. Some could say: if from the fact that God bestowed benefits upon us and we proved ungrateful to Him, He turns out to be even more faithful, then why is He angry, that is, why does He punish us, if we became the cause of His justification and victory? Such is the objection. The Apostle resolves it very wisely and to the reproach of the Jews. From the fact that God punishes you, it does not follow that you are the cause of God's victory; for it would be unjust for a victor to punish the one who was the cause of his victory. But God is not unjust: otherwise, how could God judge the world if He were unjust? Therefore, when God punishes you, and He is not unjust, it follows that you did not become the cause of His victory by sinning, for God could have prevailed otherwise even if you had not turned out to be evil. The words "I speak in human terms" have this meaning. Thus, he says, I answer in God's defense according to human reasoning, that is, as far as a sensible person can answer, for the actions of God have certain grounds incomprehensible to us, surpass human reason, and have no need of our defense.
Rom. 3:7. If the faithfulness of God is exalted by my unfaithfulness to the glory of God, why am I still judged as a sinner?
Rom. 3:8. 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.
Again he repeats what was said before, in order to clarify it. If through my transgression God appeared righteous and faithful, then why, after all, condemn me, who has rendered a service to the glory of God? In that case I deserve not condemnation, but a reward. And if this is fair, then what the pagans say about us would also be fair. The pagans, hearing the words of Paul: "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom. 5:20), subjected them to ridicule and maintained that Christians say: let us do evil that good may come, let us sin more that grace may abound. These words of the pagans, spoken by them in reproach and mockery of us, are applicable in the present case as well, if one admits that God manifests His goodness thanks to our wickedness and ingratitude. But in reality it is not so. The speech of the pagans is the speech of those who always speak lies. "Whose judgment is just," that is, they will be punished justly. So then, by sinning I do not become the cause of God's justification, because I am condemned as a sinner; for if I were sinning for the glory of God, I would not be condemned.
Rom. 3:9. What then? Are we better off? Not at all. For we have already proved that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin,
Rom. 3:10. As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one;
Rom. 3:11. There is none that understands; there is none that seeks after God;
Rom. 3:12. All have turned aside from the path, to the last one they are worthless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.
Rom. 3:13. Throat of theirs is an open grave; with their tongue they deceive; the venom of asps is upon their lips.
Rom. 3:14. Mouths full of cursing and bitterness.
Rom. 3:15. Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Rom. 3:16. Destruction and misery are in their ways;
Rom. 3:17. They do not know the way of peace.
Rom. 3:18. Fear of God is not before their eyes.
Having said above that the Jews have a certain advantage, because the law was entrusted and committed to them, he now proves that they have no advantage by their deeds. For, as those who did not preserve what was entrusted to them, they will be subjected to great condemnation. Therefore, although they had a certain advantage, as chosen by God, yet since by their deeds they dishonored the One who honored them and chose them, they not only no longer have any advantage, but will also be subjected to greater condemnation.
He speaks as if from the person of the Jews: "What then? Do we have an advantage," do we surpass others, are we more pleasing to God than the rest, we Jews who received the law and circumcision? "Not at all." For the Jews, not to say more, sinned just as the Gentiles did. And from where is this evident? From the prophets, namely David and Isaiah. For the passage beginning with the words "there is none righteous" and ending with "their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness" belongs to David (Ps. 13:3–5, 9:28, 139:4), while the passage from the words "their feet are swift" to the words "they have not known the way of peace" belongs to Isaiah (Isa. 59:7–8); then again follow the words of David (Ps. 35:2).
So, he presents the most notable prophets as accusers of the Jews, and shows that they speak in complete agreement. This is why after the words of Isaiah he again brings in the words of David. For Isaiah speaks clearly about the Jews, and David speaks about them as well. Furthermore, as soon as anyone turns away from good, he immediately becomes useless. For vice is nothing other than a perversion of the natural impulses toward good; therefore, by driving a person toward what is contrary to nature, it renders him useless. For nature no longer makes use of him, just as it does not make use of those who are sick in the conduct of its affairs. "Destruction and misery" is sin, for nothing destroys the soul like sin, by its crooked path. For virtue, as our natural good, prepares for us a smooth and level path, while vice, as something contrary to nature, marked by deficiencies and excesses, causes us sometimes to be carried upward and sometimes downward, and therefore makes our movement uneven and difficult — to say nothing of the fact that it prepares punishment for us afterward. "They do not know the way of peace," that is, of a godly life; for a godly life is a path of tranquility. "Take," says the Lord, "My yoke... and you will find rest" (Matt. 11:29): this is the way to the true peace of Christ!
Rom. 3:19. 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 become guilty before God.
Rom. 3:20. By works of the law shall no flesh be justified before Him; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Lest the Jews be able to object: this is not spoken to us, he declares: "the law, if it says anything, speaks to those who are under the law." What need, he says, is there to speak to others, when the law was given to you? By "law" he means the entire Old Testament, and not the law of Moses alone, just as now he called the prophecies of Isaiah and David "law." With the words "every mouth is stopped" he depicts the boasting of the Jews and the unstoppable impulse of their tongue. With these words the prophet bridled it, like a rushing torrent.
The Apostle does not mean that they sinned so that their mouths would be stopped; but they were reproved by the prophets so that they would not present their sins as sins of ignorance and boast. And not only the Jews, but "the whole world becomes guilty before God," that is, condemned, lacking boldness, not justified by their own works, but in need of outside help, that is, the grace of Christ. Why then do you, O Jew, boast in the law, when you are equally guilty along with the rest of the world as one not justified by the works of the law?
Rom. 3:21. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.
If you, O Jew, boast in the law, then know that it serves as the cause of greater punishment for you. For through it you learned of sin, and whoever sins with awareness faces greater punishment. But this happened through your own negligence, for you did not flee from sin once it became known to you, and therefore you brought greater punishment upon yourself. How then will you be freed from this punishment? If you accept the righteousness of God, independent of the law. For God justifies us even if we have no works, because God is almighty. He expressed it beautifully: "has been manifested," in order to show that the righteousness of God existed before, but was hidden. And with the words "to which the law and the prophets bear witness," he also shows that it is not something new, but that both the law of Moses and the prophets spoke of it, and therefore it is worthy of acceptance; for although it is independent of the law, it is nevertheless in complete agreement with the law in its aim of justifying us.
Rom. 3:22. The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all who believe, for there is no distinction,
Rom. 3:23. because all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God,
Rom. 3:24. Receiving justification freely, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
This is true, he says, that is, the justification by which God justified us, descends upon all through faith. When we bring faith, we are all justified, both Jews and Gentiles. "For there is no distinction." The Jew is not preferred over the Gentile because he received the law. For he too sinned, since from the law he learned only how to recognize sin, not how to avoid it. Even if he did not sin in the same way as the Gentile, he is equally deprived of glory, because he offended God, and the offender reaps the fruit not of glory, but of disgrace. But do not despair. All are justified freely by the grace of God, and this grace comes through redemption, that is, through the complete liberation accomplished by Christ, for He justified us by giving Himself as a ransom for us.
Rom. 3:25. God set Him forth as a propitiation in His Blood through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness in the forgiveness of sins committed previously,
Rom. 3:26. During the time of God's longsuffering, for the demonstration of His righteousness in the present time, that He might be shown to be righteous and the one who justifies the believer in Jesus.
He mentioned purification (the propitiatory sacrifice) and blood in order to convince the Jew that forgiveness and justification are accomplished through Christ. If, he reasons, you believed that sins were absolved by the blood of sheep, then all the more are they absolved by the Blood of Christ, and if the legal purification, being a type of Christ, had such power, then the truth itself has far greater power. The "purification" (mercy seat) was the cover of the ark, adorned with cherubim placed on both sides of it. It pointed to human nature, which was the covering of the Divinity, concealing Him, yet was glorified by the angelic powers that serve it on account of its union with God the Word. He said "set forth" in order to show that redemption by the Blood of Christ was foreordained from of old for the healing of paralysis, that is, the deadening from sins committed before, during the time of God's forbearance. For although we enjoyed much goodness, we nevertheless became like the paralyzed and the dead. And this happened "to demonstrate the righteousness" of God, so that not only would God Himself appear righteous, but that He might also raise and justify others who had died in sin, just as the manifestation of wealth consists not only in being rich oneself, but also in being able to make others rich. Therefore, do not be ashamed of being justified in this way. If God claims this work as His own, that is, He exalts and boasts in it, as the One who justifies us "at the present time," that is, when sin had reached its utmost limit and when we were deemed paralyzed and dead, then what is there for you, O Jew, to be ashamed of in such glory of God?
Rom. 3:27. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
The Apostle proved that we are justified through faith, which is why he rightly asks the Jew: where then is that in which you would boast and take pride? He does not say: where is virtue? For the Jews did not have virtue, but only boasting. And he continues: "it is excluded," which means: it is no longer the time to boast.
Before Christ it was timely to boast in the law, but now it is no longer timely, for it has become evident that boasting in it is useless. For if the law could justify us, there would be no need for us of Christ. By what law, he asks, is it "excluded"? By the law of works, that is, the one which says that the man who does them shall live by them (Lev. 18:5)? (For this is what the law of Moses said). No, he answers; but by the law of faith, which justifies by grace, and not by works. Behold, he even calls faith a law, because the word "law" was held in honor among the Jews. So boast, O Jew, in faith, which is able to justify you.
Rom. 3:28. For we hold that a man is justified by faith, apart from works of the law.
Rom. 3:29. God of Jews only? Is He not also the God of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also,
Rom. 3:30. Because it is one God, Who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
Having proved that justification is in the Blood of Christ and not in the works of the law, he concludes his discourse and says: from all that has been said, we conclude that every person is justified by faith. Do not be troubled by this, O Jew, as though it were an absurdity. God is not a partial God, so as to save only you and not every person. Here he also shames the Jews and greatly frightens them as fighters against God, if they do not admit that the Gentiles are saved through faith; for they do not believe that He is the God of all and equally provides for all.
One, he says, is God, that is, the God of both Jews and Gentiles, Who justifies the circumcised not by the law, but by faith, and accepts the uncircumcised through faith. Having mentioned circumcision and uncircumcision, he also recalls what was said above, where he proved that neither does circumcision bring benefit when there are no works, nor does uncircumcision harm in and of itself. Thus, in both cases faith is needed.
Rom. 3:31. Do we then abolish the law through faith? By no means; but we establish (ἰστώμεν) the law.
The statement that the law is overthrown by faith threw the Jews into confusion. Therefore he heals them with his great wisdom, saying that faith establishes the law. For what the law also desired, that is, to justify man, but could not do, faith accomplishes. Whoever has believed has already been justified. So faith did not destroy, but established the law. By the expression ίστώμεν he suggests that the law was lying down, and that which is lying down must be raised up and set upright.
Rom. 3:1. So what advantage is there in being a Jew, or what profit is there from circumcision?
Rom. 3:2. Great advantage in every respect, and especially in that to them were entrusted the oracles of God.
Rom. 3:3. For what then? If some were unfaithful, will their unfaithfulness nullify the faithfulness of God?
Having cast aside all the ordinances of the law with the words "what advantage is there in being a Jew," he sees an objection naturally arising and forestalls it. What is this objection? The following: if there is not the slightest benefit in those ordinances, then why, after all, was the Jewish people chosen? He resolves this objection with his characteristic wisdom. In words he agrees and says that there is great benefit to the Jew, but as proof of this he brings forward not the merits of the Jews, but the gifts of God. He did not say that the Jews greatly surpass the other nations because they carried out such and such things well, but that "to them were entrusted the oracles of God," and this is a benefaction of God, not their own superiority. What does "entrusted" mean? Given, committed to their care; God deemed the Jews worthy and therefore entrusted to them the heavenly revelations.
Speaking thus, he outwardly defends them; but nevertheless brings forward a new accusation, proving that they did not believe the words of God, which served to their honor. But he presents this accusation not in his own person. He speaks as if to say: what benefit is it to the Jews that they received the oracles of God, when they did not believe them? It seems he resolves this objection as well, vindicating not the Jews, but God. If they did not believe, is this from God? Will their unbelief "nullify the faithfulness of God," that is, the oracles and beneficence entrusted to them? The unbelief of the Jews not only causes God no harm, but on the contrary, demonstrates His great love for mankind, because He does not deprive of His beneficence those who subsequently dishonor Him. Do you see how he accused the Jews by the very thing in which they boasted, that is, by the fact that they received the law?
Rom. 3:4. By no means! Let God be true, and every man a liar, as it is written: That You may be justified in Your words and prevail when You are judged.
Above he said that some did not believe. Yet it turns out that not just some, but all proved faithless. Therefore, so as not to grieve the Jews, he speaks wisely and presents what was shown by experience in the form of a supposition. Let us say, he says, that all were faithless. What of it? Even in this case God is justified. That is: if one considers and compares what God bestowed upon the Jews and how they conducted themselves before Him, then righteousness remains on God's side, as David also says (Ps. 50:6).
Rom. 3:5. But if our unrighteousness reveals the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? (I speak according to human reasoning).
Rom. 3:6. God forbid. For otherwise how shall God judge the world?
Here he presents one objection. Some could say: if from the fact that God bestowed benefits upon us and we proved ungrateful to Him, He turns out to be even more faithful, then why is He angry, that is, why does He punish us, if we became the cause of His justification and victory? Such is the objection. The Apostle resolves it very wisely and to the reproach of the Jews. From the fact that God punishes you, it does not follow that you are the cause of God's victory; for it would be unjust for a victor to punish the one who was the cause of his victory. But God is not unjust: otherwise, how could God judge the world if He were unjust? Therefore, when God punishes you, and He is not unjust, it follows that you did not become the cause of His victory by sinning, for God could have prevailed otherwise even if you had not turned out to be evil. The words "I speak in human terms" have this meaning. Thus, he says, I answer in God's defense according to human reasoning, that is, as far as a sensible person can answer, for the actions of God have certain grounds incomprehensible to us, surpass human reason, and have no need of our defense.
Rom. 3:7. If the faithfulness of God is exalted by my unfaithfulness to the glory of God, why am I still judged as a sinner?
Rom. 3:8. 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.
Again he repeats what was said before, in order to clarify it. If through my transgression God appeared righteous and faithful, then why, after all, condemn me, who has rendered a service to the glory of God? In that case I deserve not condemnation, but a reward. And if this is fair, then what the pagans say about us would also be fair. The pagans, hearing the words of Paul: "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom. 5:20), subjected them to ridicule and maintained that Christians say: let us do evil that good may come, let us sin more that grace may abound. These words of the pagans, spoken by them in reproach and mockery of us, are applicable in the present case as well, if one admits that God manifests His goodness thanks to our wickedness and ingratitude. But in reality it is not so. The speech of the pagans is the speech of those who always speak lies. "Whose judgment is just," that is, they will be punished justly. So then, by sinning I do not become the cause of God's justification, because I am condemned as a sinner; for if I were sinning for the glory of God, I would not be condemned.
Rom. 3:9. What then? Are we better off? Not at all. For we have already proved that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin,
Rom. 3:10. As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one;
Rom. 3:11. There is none that understands; there is none that seeks after God;
Rom. 3:12. All have turned aside from the path, to the last one they are worthless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.
Rom. 3:13. Throat of theirs is an open grave; with their tongue they deceive; the venom of asps is upon their lips.
Rom. 3:14. Mouths full of cursing and bitterness.
Rom. 3:15. Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Rom. 3:16. Destruction and misery are in their ways;
Rom. 3:17. They do not know the way of peace.
Rom. 3:18. Fear of God is not before their eyes.
Having said above that the Jews have a certain advantage, because the law was entrusted and committed to them, he now proves that they have no advantage by their deeds. For, as those who did not preserve what was entrusted to them, they will be subjected to great condemnation. Therefore, although they had a certain advantage, as chosen by God, yet since by their deeds they dishonored the One who honored them and chose them, they not only no longer have any advantage, but will also be subjected to greater condemnation.
He speaks as if from the person of the Jews: "What then? Do we have an advantage," do we surpass others, are we more pleasing to God than the rest, we Jews who received the law and circumcision? "Not at all." For the Jews, not to say more, sinned just as the Gentiles did. And from where is this evident? From the prophets, namely David and Isaiah. For the passage beginning with the words "there is none righteous" and ending with "their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness" belongs to David (Ps. 13:3–5, 9:28, 139:4), while the passage from the words "their feet are swift" to the words "they have not known the way of peace" belongs to Isaiah (Isa. 59:7–8); then again follow the words of David (Ps. 35:2).
So, he presents the most notable prophets as accusers of the Jews, and shows that they speak in complete agreement. This is why after the words of Isaiah he again brings in the words of David. For Isaiah speaks clearly about the Jews, and David speaks about them as well. Furthermore, as soon as anyone turns away from good, he immediately becomes useless. For vice is nothing other than a perversion of the natural impulses toward good; therefore, by driving a person toward what is contrary to nature, it renders him useless. For nature no longer makes use of him, just as it does not make use of those who are sick in the conduct of its affairs. "Destruction and misery" is sin, for nothing destroys the soul like sin, by its crooked path. For virtue, as our natural good, prepares for us a smooth and level path, while vice, as something contrary to nature, marked by deficiencies and excesses, causes us sometimes to be carried upward and sometimes downward, and therefore makes our movement uneven and difficult — to say nothing of the fact that it prepares punishment for us afterward. "They do not know the way of peace," that is, of a godly life; for a godly life is a path of tranquility. "Take," says the Lord, "My yoke... and you will find rest" (Matt. 11:29): this is the way to the true peace of Christ!
Rom. 3:19. 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 become guilty before God.
Rom. 3:20. By works of the law shall no flesh be justified before Him; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Lest the Jews be able to object: this is not spoken to us, he declares: "the law, if it says anything, speaks to those who are under the law." What need, he says, is there to speak to others, when the law was given to you? By "law" he means the entire Old Testament, and not the law of Moses alone, just as now he called the prophecies of Isaiah and David "law." With the words "every mouth is stopped" he depicts the boasting of the Jews and the unstoppable impulse of their tongue. With these words the prophet bridled it, like a rushing torrent.
The Apostle does not mean that they sinned so that their mouths would be stopped; but they were reproved by the prophets so that they would not present their sins as sins of ignorance and boast. And not only the Jews, but "the whole world becomes guilty before God," that is, condemned, lacking boldness, not justified by their own works, but in need of outside help, that is, the grace of Christ. Why then do you, O Jew, boast in the law, when you are equally guilty along with the rest of the world as one not justified by the works of the law?
Rom. 3:21. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.
If you, O Jew, boast in the law, then know that it serves as the cause of greater punishment for you. For through it you learned of sin, and whoever sins with awareness faces greater punishment. But this happened through your own negligence, for you did not flee from sin once it became known to you, and therefore you brought greater punishment upon yourself. How then will you be freed from this punishment? If you accept the righteousness of God, independent of the law. For God justifies us even if we have no works, because God is almighty. He expressed it beautifully: "has been manifested," in order to show that the righteousness of God existed before, but was hidden. And with the words "to which the law and the prophets bear witness," he also shows that it is not something new, but that both the law of Moses and the prophets spoke of it, and therefore it is worthy of acceptance; for although it is independent of the law, it is nevertheless in complete agreement with the law in its aim of justifying us.
Rom. 3:22. The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all who believe, for there is no distinction,
Rom. 3:23. because all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God,
Rom. 3:24. Receiving justification freely, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
This is true, he says, that is, the justification by which God justified us, descends upon all through faith. When we bring faith, we are all justified, both Jews and Gentiles. "For there is no distinction." The Jew is not preferred over the Gentile because he received the law. For he too sinned, since from the law he learned only how to recognize sin, not how to avoid it. Even if he did not sin in the same way as the Gentile, he is equally deprived of glory, because he offended God, and the offender reaps the fruit not of glory, but of disgrace. But do not despair. All are justified freely by the grace of God, and this grace comes through redemption, that is, through the complete liberation accomplished by Christ, for He justified us by giving Himself as a ransom for us.
Rom. 3:25. God set Him forth as a propitiation in His Blood through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness in the forgiveness of sins committed previously,
Rom. 3:26. During the time of God's longsuffering, for the demonstration of His righteousness in the present time, that He might be shown to be righteous and the one who justifies the believer in Jesus.
He mentioned purification (the propitiatory sacrifice) and blood in order to convince the Jew that forgiveness and justification are accomplished through Christ. If, he reasons, you believed that sins were absolved by the blood of sheep, then all the more are they absolved by the Blood of Christ, and if the legal purification, being a type of Christ, had such power, then the truth itself has far greater power. The "purification" (mercy seat) was the cover of the ark, adorned with cherubim placed on both sides of it. It pointed to human nature, which was the covering of the Divinity, concealing Him, yet was glorified by the angelic powers that serve it on account of its union with God the Word. He said "set forth" in order to show that redemption by the Blood of Christ was foreordained from of old for the healing of paralysis, that is, the deadening from sins committed before, during the time of God's forbearance. For although we enjoyed much goodness, we nevertheless became like the paralyzed and the dead. And this happened "to demonstrate the righteousness" of God, so that not only would God Himself appear righteous, but that He might also raise and justify others who had died in sin, just as the manifestation of wealth consists not only in being rich oneself, but also in being able to make others rich. Therefore, do not be ashamed of being justified in this way. If God claims this work as His own, that is, He exalts and boasts in it, as the One who justifies us "at the present time," that is, when sin had reached its utmost limit and when we were deemed paralyzed and dead, then what is there for you, O Jew, to be ashamed of in such glory of God?
Rom. 3:27. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
The Apostle proved that we are justified through faith, which is why he rightly asks the Jew: where then is that in which you would boast and take pride? He does not say: where is virtue? For the Jews did not have virtue, but only boasting. And he continues: "it is excluded," which means: it is no longer the time to boast.
Before Christ it was timely to boast in the law, but now it is no longer timely, for it has become evident that boasting in it is useless. For if the law could justify us, there would be no need for us of Christ. By what law, he asks, is it "excluded"? By the law of works, that is, the one which says that the man who does them shall live by them (Lev. 18:5)? (For this is what the law of Moses said). No, he answers; but by the law of faith, which justifies by grace, and not by works. Behold, he even calls faith a law, because the word "law" was held in honor among the Jews. So boast, O Jew, in faith, which is able to justify you.
Rom. 3:28. For we hold that a man is justified by faith, apart from works of the law.
Rom. 3:29. God of Jews only? Is He not also the God of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also,
Rom. 3:30. Because it is one God, Who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
Having proved that justification is in the Blood of Christ and not in the works of the law, he concludes his discourse and says: from all that has been said, we conclude that every person is justified by faith. Do not be troubled by this, O Jew, as though it were an absurdity. God is not a partial God, so as to save only you and not every person. Here he also shames the Jews and greatly frightens them as fighters against God, if they do not admit that the Gentiles are saved through faith; for they do not believe that He is the God of all and equally provides for all.
One, he says, is God, that is, the God of both Jews and Gentiles, Who justifies the circumcised not by the law, but by faith, and accepts the uncircumcised through faith. Having mentioned circumcision and uncircumcision, he also recalls what was said above, where he proved that neither does circumcision bring benefit when there are no works, nor does uncircumcision harm in and of itself. Thus, in both cases faith is needed.
Rom. 3:31. Do we then abolish the law through faith? By no means; but we establish (ἰστώμεν) the law.
The statement that the law is overthrown by faith threw the Jews into confusion. Therefore he heals them with his great wisdom, saying that faith establishes the law. For what the law also desired, that is, to justify man, but could not do, faith accomplishes. Whoever has believed has already been justified. So faith did not destroy, but established the law. By the expression ίστώμεν he suggests that the law was lying down, and that which is lying down must be raised up and set upright.