Commentary on Romans, Biblical exegesis 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 3 · Subsection 1
1. Quest. Of the priuiledges of the Iewes, and their preheminence before the Gentiles.
v. 1. What is the preferment of the Iew? &c. Whereas the Apostle seemed in the end of the former chapter to make the Iewes and Gentiles equall, and had extenuated the circumcision of the flesh; now it might be obiected by the Iew that by this meanes, they should hauehave no preheminence or preferment more then the Gentile had: the Apostle then meeteth with that secret obiection, and sheweth, wherein consisted the excellencie of the Iew.
1. The Iewes had many priuiledges, which the Gentiles had not: as 1. they were called to be the peculiar people of God, and the Lord professed himselfe to be their God. 2. i… that nation continued the true knowledge of God, euen vntounto the comming of Christ, 3. of them came many holy Patriarks and Prophets, that were in high fauour, and acceptance with God. 4. among them and for their sakes the Lord wrought many miracles and wonders. 5. they had many visions, prophesies, and dreames. 6. God gaue vntounto them the Sacraments and sacrifices, as circumcision, the Paschal lamb. 7. the Messiah was promised to descend of that nation. 8. But the Apostle omitteth these, and specially insisteth vponupon this, that the law and oracles of God were committed vntounto them.
2. Chiefly, or first, because vntounto them were credited, &c. This word foreign, Erasmus taketh for to signifie the order of the Apostles speach, as before c. 1.8. but there the Apostle beginneth his epistle, which he doth not here. 2. Some referre it to the number of the priuiledges rehearsed by the Apostle, whereof this was the first, and the rest follow in the epistle: But the Apostle maketh mention of no other priuiledge but this. 3. Origen, whome Sedulius followeth, hath here reference to the Gentiles, that vntounto the Iewes first were committed the oracles, then to the Gentiles: but the promises here spoken of, were onelyonly made vntounto the Iewes. 4. Therefore this word first, here signifieth chiefe: that this was the chiefe priuiledge and immunitie which the Iewes had.
3. And the Apostle giueth instance of this, that they had the Scriptures, 1. because it was most generall, & multa concludit, and concluded many things beside, Tolet. 2. herein consisted a chiefe difference betweene the Gentiles, which had but the law of nature to direct them: and the Iewes, which had also the written law of God. Perer. 3. and the Apostle omitteth their temporall priuiledges, insisting vponupon a spirituall, as beeing more pretious and durable. Gorrhan.
4. By oracles, foreign, some seeme to vnderstand onelyonly the law, which was giuen by Moses, as Chrysostome, Theodoret: but thereby are signified all the propheticall writings, which the Iewes had, both the law and the Prophets: gloss. interlin. though speciall reference be made to the law: as S. Steuen saith, that Moses receiued the liuely oracles, Act. 7.38. Pare.
5. But it will be obiected, that God also to others communicated his oracles, as to Pharaoh, Nabuchadnezzer, which were not of Israel: it may be answered, that 1. God did impart those things not to many of the Gentiles, but to a few, 2. and that of some particular things: 3. neither were such oracles and visions committed to their trust, but onelyonly for a time reuealed: 4. and that for his peoples sake, rather then their owne.
6. In that the Apostle saith, foreign, the oracles of God were committed to their credit, or credited vntounto them: 1. the Syrian interpreter is deceiued, who maketh it the nominatiue, that the oracles of God were credited or beleeued. 2. and Origens obseruation is much like, that the oracles of God were committed vntounto them, which did vnderstand and beleeue them: but the letter of the law, was giuen to all: for by the words following, v. 3. what though some did not beleeue, it is euident, that the Apostle here speaketh of a generall priuiledge, which was not made void, by some mens vnbeleefe. 3. Erasmus saith, that those oracles were committed vntounto them, alijs magis profutura, quam ipsis, to profit other rather then themselues: as though they were committed vntounto them to keepe for others vse: But Beza noteth better, that they had those things committed vntounto them, non vt alienae rei depositum, not as an other mans thing laid to pledge, but as their owne proper treasure, if they could hauehave vsed it well. 4. And indeede, they were faithfull keepers of the Scriptures, preseruing them from falsitie and corruption, and are to this day, though they vnderstand them not: and in the daies of our Sauiour, when many other corruptions both of life and doctrine were obiected against them, yet they were not charged to be falsifiers of Scripture. Faius. 5. Chrysostome hath here a good note, nusquam illorum virtutes, sed Dei beneficia in illos enumerat, the Apostle doth not recken vp their owne vertues among their priuiledges, but he counteth the benefits of God toward them. 6. And this word, is credited, (which the Apostle vseth els where, as 1. Cor. 9.17. the dispensation is credited, or committed vntounto me) maketh for the credit of those, to whose fidelitie these oracles were committed: facit ad honorem personae, cui confidimus, it maketh for the honour of the person, which we trust: as Ambrose saith, maximam fuisse laudem Iudaeorum, &c. it was a great praise for the Iewes, that they were counted worthie to receiue the law. 7. And this word of crediting, sheweth, that what was committed vntounto them, exigendum cum vsuris, was to be exacted with vsurie: Gorrhan. God would require an account of them of his law, which he had credited, and committed vntounto them, as is shewed in the parable of the talents. Hugo. 8. This then was the priuiledge and preheminence of the Iewes; that they were first depositarij, tum oeconomi, first keepers of Gods oracles committed vntounto them, and afterward stewards and dispensers of them: Calv. for the Apostles preached the word of God vntounto the Gentiles, as it is prophesied, Isa. 2.3. The Law shall goe forth of Sion, and the word of God from Ierusalem: and so our blessed Sauiour saith, Ioh. 4.22. that saluation is of the Iewes.
9. But this further here is to be obserued, that whereas v. 1. the Apostle propounded two questions, one of the preheminence of the Iewes, the other of the profit of circumcision; he insisteth onelyonly vponupon the first, and omitteth the other: both because he had answered before, concerning circumcision that it is profitable, if one keepe the law, c. 2.25. and he hasting to other things, reserueth that matter to a fitter place, c. 4. Pareus.