New Testament Commentary - Romans 3

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 3 Man is not justified by the law of Moses—He is justified through righteousness which is by faith in Christ, made possible through his atoning sacrifice.
1 ^aWHAT ^badvantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of ^ccircumcision? 2 Much every way^a: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the ^aoracles of God.	2^a Much every way When the gospel goes unto every nation, kindred, tongue and people; have the children fo the covenant, that is the Sons of Abraham, those of the tribe of Ephraim, lost an advantage? No! They have had an advantage or a privillege in God in every way. They have had the prophets and the scriptures which by them have come unto the world. They have had the blessings of the covenant in the houses of their ancestors. If one thinks God has taken anything away from the blood of the covenant by bring all men as equals before him, then one ought to consider the perspective of him who has not had the blessings of the covenant in their family, their nation and as their bases of faith and religion. Certainly there has been 'much' in 'every way' in which the covenat children of Abraham have and do and will contintue to benefit from being such. And it is this position which is not taken away from them except by their own rejection in the bringing of the covenant to all, that all may stand before God as the children of the covenant, as the sons and daughters of God.	1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
3 For what if some did not believe? shall their ^aunbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 ^aGod forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a ^bliar; as it is written, That thou mightest be ^cjustified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
5 ^aBut if our unrighteousness ^bcommend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God ^cunrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) 6 ^aGod forbid: for then how shall God ^ajudge the world?		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded ^athrough my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 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 ^adamnation is just. 9 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;
10 As it is written, There is ^anone righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the ^away, they are together become ^bunprofitable; there is none that doeth ^cgood, no, not one.
13 Their ^athroat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the ^bpoison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and ^abitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to ^ashed blood:
16 Destruction and ^amisery are in their ways: 17 And the way of ^apeace have they not known: 18 There is no ^afear of God before their eyes.
19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every ^amouth may be stopped, and all the world may become ^bguilty before God. 20 Therefore by the ^adeeds of the ^blaw there shall no flesh be ^cjustified in his sight: for ^dby the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 But now the ^arighteousness of God ^bwithout the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 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:
23 For all have ^asinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 ^aBeing ^bjustified freely by his ^cgrace through the ^dredemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath ^aset forth to be a ^bpropitiation through faith in his ^cblood, to declare his righteousness for the ^dremission of sins that are past, through the ^eforbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be ^ajust, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is ^aboasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is ^ajustified by ^bfaith ^cwithout the deeds of the law.
29 Is he the ^aGod of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the ^bGentiles also: 30 Seeing it is ^aone God, which shall justify the ^bcircumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? ^aGod forbid: ^byea, we establish the law.