Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 1 – Section 3
1. The text with the diuers readings.
v. 1. What is then the preferment (or excellencie) of the Iew? (what preferment hath the Iew. L.V. but that it should be put in the dative, whereas it is in the genetive in the originall) or what is the profit of circumcision?
2 Much eueryevery manner of way: the first (or chiefe) is because Be.V. (not, first surely because, L.B.G. for then the word foreign, because, should seeme to be superfluous) vntounto them were credited Be. (rather then, comitted. B.G.R, the word is foreign credita, credited) the oracles of God. V.Be.G. (the words of God. L.R.B.T. but foreign signifieth more then words: the words of God became faithfull. T. but the Greeke word is put passiuely, were credited, and therefore it is not of an actiue signification.)
3 For what if some (though some, B. G. some of them. L. B. but the word is foreign, if, and if them, is not in the originall) did not beleeue? shall their vnbeleefe make the faith of God without effect? (not hath their incredulitie made, &c. for the Greeke word foreign, is in the future tense)
4 God forbid: (or, farre be it of, foreign, absit. B.V.T.) yea let God be true, (not, but God is true, L.R. the word is in the imperatiue foreign) and eueryevery man (the sonne of man, T.) a lyar, as it is written, That thou mightest be iustified in thy words, and ouercome, (be pure, T. but the Greeke word foreign, signifieth to ouercome) when thou iudgest. B. Par. (not iudged. B.L.V. when they iudge thee. T. but the word foreign beeing of the meane voice, may a well be translated actively as passively, and the rather because he speaketh afterward of Gods iudging the world. Beza.)
5 But if our vnrighteousnes commend the righteousnes of God, what shall we say? is God vnrighteous, which inflicteth wrath? (executeth wrath, L. taketh vengeance, B. which punisheth, G. inferreth punishment. B. Par. immittit iram, sendeth his wrath. T. inducit ira…, bringeth in his wrath, that is, punishment) I speake according to man. V.L. Or. (as a man. G. as the sonne of man. T. after the manner of man. B.Be.)
6 God forbid: (farre be it, or let it not be. Or.) els how shall God iudge the world? Or. (this world. L.R.)
7 For if the veritie of God hath (more, B.) abounded thorough my lie (in my lie, L. so is the originall, but the preposition in, is taken for through) why am I yet condemned as a sinner?
8 And not rather, as we are blasphemed, orig. (as some speake euill of vsus. Be.V. but the word in the orig. is in the passive, as we are slanderously reputed. B. and some affirme that we say, let vsus doe euill, that there may come good? whose damnation is iust. or. (whose damnation is reserued for iustice. T.)
9 What then? are we more excellent? no, in no wise: for we hauehave already (or before) prooued, G. (or pronounced. T. not before accused. Be. B. L, shewed by rendring the cause. V. the word properly so signifieth, to giuegive a reason, or shew the cause) all both Iewes and Gentiles to be vnderunder sinne.
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one. (there is not any iust. L.R. but the word foreign, one, is here omitted)
11 There is none that vnderstandeth: there is none that seeketh (after, B.) God.
12 They hauehave all gone out of the way: they are together become vnprofitable: there is none that doth good, no not one. (vntounto one. Or.)
13 Their throat is in an open sepulchre: with their tongues they hauehave deceiued: B. Or. (vsed their tongues to deceit. Be.G.) the poison of aspes is vnderunder their lippes:
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternes:
15 Their feete are swift to shed blood:
16 Destruction (not hearts griefe. B. the word is foreign, contrition, destruction) and calamitie V.B.G. (miserie, B. vnhappines. L. griefe. T.) are in their waies,
17 And the way of peace they hauehave not knowne.
18 The feare of God is not before their eyes. Or. (not, there is no feare of God before their eyes, for the Greeke word foreign, not, is an adverb.)
19 Now we know, that whatsoeuer the Law saith, it saith to them, which are vnderunder the Law, (in the law, Or.) that eueryevery mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be culpable G. (obnoxious. V. Be. subiect. L. R. endamaged. B. subiect to condemnation. B. the word is foreign, which signifieth to be vnderunder the sentence, that is, guiltie) vntounto God.
20 Therefore (not, because, L.B. because that, V. for it is a conclusion inferred out of the former words) by the works of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight: (or before him. L.) for by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne: (by the law sinne is knowne. T.)
21 But now is the righteousnes of God made manifest without the Law, hauing witnes of the Law and the Prophets:
22 To wit, the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesus Christ toward all (vntounto all. B.G. but the word is foreign, in omnes, toward all) and vponupon all that beleeue: (the righteousnes of God by faith, &c. L.V.T. but it is better to ioyne it by way of exposition to the former verse: for this righteousnes by faith is the same which in the former verse he called the righteousnes of God) for there is no difference (these words some make part of the next verse the 23. Genev. but in the original they ende the 22. verse.)
23 For all hauehave sinned, and are depriued of the glorie of God. G. Be. (or come short, as of the marke, not, hauehave neede of the glorie of God. L. B. or are destitute, V. T. for that doth not sufficiently expresse the meaning of the word foreign, which is (to come short.)
24 But are iustified (beeing iustified. L. Or. but the participle must be resolued into the verbe) freely by his grace, thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesus:
25 Whome God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, for the shewing of his righteousnes, by the forgiuenes of the sinnes which were past before.
26 Through the patience of God (by the space which God gaue vsus by his long suffering. T. but this is interpreted, rather then translated) for the shewing of his righteousnes in this present time (at this time. G.B.L.T. but in the originall there is foreign, nunc, now, that is, this present) that he might be iust, and a iustifier of him, which is of the faith of Iesus. Or. (of Iesus Christ. L. of our Lord Iesus Christ. T.)
27 Where is then the boasting? reioycing. G.) it is excluded: by what law? of works? nay but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude G. (or collect or gather. B.V. as by reason and argument, so the word foreign signifieth, not, we thinke. L. or hold. B.) that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the Law.
29 Is he God of the Iewes onelyonly, and not of the Gentiles also? yes euen of the Gentiles also:
30 For it is one God, which shall iustifie (iustifieth. L.T. but the word in the originall is in the future tense) the circumcision of faith (through faith. T.) but the preposition here is foreign, of) and the vncircumcision through faith.
31 Doe we then make the Law of none effect through faith? (not destroy the law through faith. L.B. for the same word was vsed before, v. 3. shall their vnbeleefe make the faith of God without effect, not, destroy it) God forbid: yea we establish the Law.
2. The Argument, Method, and parts.
IN this Chapter the Apostle proceedeth to prooue, that the Iewes notwithstanding certaine priuiledges which they had, yet because of their vnbeleefe were not better then the Gentiles, and so he concludeth all vnderunder sinne, and vnable to be iustified by their workes, whereupon it followeth, that they must be iustified by faith. This chapter hath three parts:
The 1. from v. 1. to v. 9. wherein he remooueth certaine obiections which might be …ooued by the Iewes, which are three in number.
1. Obiection is propounded v. 1. in making the case of the Iewes and Gentiles alike, he should seeme to take away all priuiledge from the Iewes: the answer followeth, in graun…ing their priuiledge, v. 2. and confirming the same by the constancie of Gods promises, v. 3. which he prooueth by certaine testimonies out of the Psalmes, v. 4.
2. Obiection is propounded, v. 5. and it ariseth out of the testimonie before alleadged; that if God be declared to be iust, when he iudgeth and punisheth mens sinnes, then he should not do well to punish that, whereby his iustice is set forth, v. 5. the answer followeth, v. 6. taken frō the office of God, he can not be but most iust, seeing he shall iudge the world.
3. Obiect. v. 7. which ariseth likewise out of the former testimonie cited out of the Psalme: if by mens lies Gods truth is commended, then the liar is vniustly punished: the answer followeth, v. 9. the Apostle calleth it a blasphemie, and worthie of iust damnation, if any shall iustifie themselues in their euill doing, and of purpose doe euill, to set forth the iustice of God, v. 8.
The second part is from v. 9. to 21. where he prooueth the Iewes and Gentiles both to be vnderunder sinne, which is propounded, v. 9. prooued by particular induction of their sinnes grounded vponupon some testimonies of Scripture, v. 10. to 19. then applied to the Iew, as well as to the Gentile, by three arguments, v. 19.1. from the relation which the law hath to those which are vnderunder the law: 2. then from two ends, that eueryevery mouth may be stopped, all occasion of boasting may be taken away: 3. and that all the world may be found culpable.
The third part followeth, wherein the Apostle prooueth that all must be iustified by faith in Christ: which he prooueth by a distribution, either by the workes of the law, or by faith: not by the law by the contrarie effect, v. 20.
Then he confirmeth the other part, that we are iustified by faith without the law, which proposition is contained v. 1.22, 23. by shewing the causes of iustification, and who are iustified, euen all that beleeue, and why, v. 23.
Then this proposition is confirmed, 1. by shewing all the causes, the efficient principall the grace of God, then Christ by his blood, the instrument is faith, the formall cause remission of sinnes, the ende the setting forth of Gods iustice, v. 24, 25, 26. 2. by the effects, it excluding all boasting, v. 27. 3. the conclusion followeth, v. 28. 4. which is confirmed, 1. by remoouing an absurditie, because God otherwise should seeme to be God onelyonly of the Iewes, v. 29.30. 2. by preuenting an obiection, v. 31.