Rom. 3 Rom. 3:1–2 The Jew’s prerogative, Rom. 3:3–4 which is not vacated by the unbelief of some, Rom. 3:5–8 nor is God’ s justice impeached in punishing their sinfulness. Rom. 3:9–19 The law itself convinceth the Jews also universally of sin, Rom.

What advantage then hath the Jew? An elegant prolepsis or anticipation of what might be objected against the apostle’s assertion in the foregoing words. If the Jews (might some object) lie equally exposed to condemnation with the Gentiles, then they have no excellency above them.

He answers the before mentioned objection by a liberal and free concession. The answer doth particularly relate to the first member of the objection, though comprehending the other. Chiefly; this word is not to be referred to the order of speech, as Rom.

If some did not believe; if some did remain in infidelity, Acts 28:24, if they would give no credit to the oracle, and to the promise of a Messiah. The faith of God; i.e. the truth and faithfulness of God, Ps. 33:4. The whole verse is another prolepsis.

God forbid; the negation that was closely couched in the former verse, is in this expressed by a note of indignation, and of the greatest detestation. Let God be true; let him remain or appear faithful to his promises and covenant; or, let him be acknowledged to be so, according to the frequent…

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God; an anticipation of another objection, which might be lnade upon the preceding words: that if the faithfulness of God, in keeping his promises, doth appear in and notwithstanding the unfaithfulness of men, then we gather thus much, that…

God forbid; he rejects the cavil with his usual note of detestation, as not thinking it worthy of answer. For then how shall God judge the world? q.d. If God were in the least unrighteous, how could he govern the world at present, and judge it at last in righteousness? Which is affirmed, Ps.

By truth he means the faithfulness and veracity of God; as by lie, the perfidiousness and inconstancy of man; ut supra et alibi. Why yet am I also judged as a sinner? q.d.

The placing of these words makes them sound harshly, and consequently causeth obscurity. Critics make a great stir about them, some including them in a parenthesis, others affirming there is a transposition in them.

What then? are we better than they? the apostle here returns to the argument that he had been handling in the beginning of the chapter. He brings in the Jews propounding a question, Seeing it was confessed that the oracles of God were committed to them, then it followed, that they excelled the…

As it is written; viz. in several places of Scripture, which he quotes in the following verses, giving us the sense, though not so strictly tying himself to the words; and this is a proper proof, to the Jews at least, whom he had called a little before the keepers of these oracles.

There is none that understandeth; a more particular proof of the corruption of the soul, and the faculties thereof; and first of the mind, taken out of the forecited Psalms, which may be compared with the scriptures which speak of the ignorance and blindness of the mind, Deut. 32:29, Job 32:9, Isa.

They are all gone out of the way: viz. of truth, or life: see Ps. 14:3, Ps. 36:4, Ps. 58:3. This doth illustrate thee former charge. They are together become unprofitable; unuseful, and, which is more noisome, fit only for the dunghill, as the word signifies: this follows also in Ps. 14, Job 15:16.

Their throat is an open sepulchre; he proceeds to instance in the corruption of man with respect to the members of his body; and he mentions the organs of speech in four several expressions, much to the same purpose: the first is allegorical, taken out of Ps. 5:9, upon which see the annotations.

This last and very plain expression of the corruption of the tongue, is taken out of Ps. 10:7; See Poole on “Ps. 10:7”.

If we consider this member also, we may see the corruption of man; witness that testimony, Prov. 1:16, Isa. 59:7; on both which see annotations.

Both which assertions lie together, and follow in that Isa. 59:7–8.

This last assertion gives us one true cause of all the aforesaid evils, taken out of Ps. 36:1; See Poole on “Ps. 36:1”.

Another anticipation of an objection, to this purpose: All these testimonies (might the Jews say) do not concern us, they concern the impure and Gentile world only, unless possibly some profane wretches amongst ourselves also.

Therefore; i.e. Seeing the Gentiles, by the law of nature, and the Jews, by the written law, are thus subject to the judgment of God; and seeing no one is able to fulfil the law, and satisfy for the breach of it; therefore, &c.

But now: q.d. Though justification be not by the law, yet it is to be obtained in another way, as follows. The righteousness of God: see Rom. 1:17. Without the law; inasmuch as the law, pressing obedience to be performed by us in our own persons, seems plainly ignorant of the righteousness of…

He mentions the righteousness of God again, that he may further explain it, by the means or instrument by which it is received, viz. faith; see Rom. 4:11–12, Rom. 9:30, Phil.

For all have sinned: q.d. No wonder there is no difference, when both the one and the other have the guilt of Adam’s transgression imputed to them, and have original corruption inherent in them, from whence proceed very many actual transgressions. And come short of the glory of God; i.e.

Being justified freely by his grace; i.e. Being in this case, they can by no means be acquitted and freed from the accusation and condemnation of the law, but in the way and manner that follows.

Whom God hath set forth; i.e. God the Father hath proposed this Jesus, in the eternal counsel, and covenant of redemption, Eph. 1:9, 1 Pet. 1:20–21; or in the types and shadows of the old tabernacle; and hath now at last shown him openly to the world. To be a propitiation, or atonement, 1 John 2:2.

To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; he repeats the final cause of justification, viz. the making the after said declaration of the righteousness of God, in the time of the gospel, and dispensation and ministry thereof, 2 Cor. 6:2, which is taken out of Isa. 49:8.

Where is boasting then? the apostle doth, as it were, insult over them: q.d. Where is now the former boasting cf the Jews, as if they were so much better than the Gentiles? Or what is become of the ground of boasting, that they, or either of them, might think they had in the law, or philosophy, or…

Here is the conclusion of the whole matter that he had been discoursing of, from Rom. 1:17 to this very place. When he says, we conclude, he means, we have reasoned or argued well, as logicians do; or this is the full account that we have taken, and summed up, after the manner of arithmeticians.

By answering his own proposed questions, he plainly shows us, that the covenant of grace, by which God is God of his people, does not belong to the Jews only, that they only should have justification and bliss, but to the Gentiles also, according to the promise, Gen. 17:5, Gen. 22:18, Ps. 2:8, Isa.

That it may not be thought that God is variable in the action of justifying sinners, but that it might be known that he is one, i.e. unchangeable, he shows, that both the circumcised Jews and uncircumcised Gentiles are justified by the same God in Christ, and by the same way and manner, viz.

Do we then make void the law through faith? A very material objection is here to be anticipated and answered, viz. that by establishing justification by faith alone the law is rendered useless, and the obligation thereto destroyed.