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The Jews’ Argument (Romans 3:1
-8)
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Page
Calvin: “Having now completed what he meant to say of the Gentiles, he returns to the Jews; and that
he might, with greater force, beat down their great vanity, he allows them all those privileges, by whichthey were beyond measure transported and inflated: and then he shows how insufficient they were for
the attainment of true glory, yea, how they turned to their reproach.”
Note section heads:1.
2
:17, “Indeed you are called a Jew”
2.
2:25, 28, “For circumcision is indeed profitable … For he is not a Jew who
is one
outwardly“
3.
3:1, “What advantage then has the Jew, or what
is
the profit of circumcision?”
Introduction (Paul, himself being a Jew
–
understood the mindset and often debated with his fellowJews!) He was intimately familiar with their arguments:Acts 1
3:5, “And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagoguesof the Jews”
Acts 14:1, “Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the
Jew
s”
Acts 17:1-
3, “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and
Apollonia, they came toThessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2
Then Paul, as his custom was, went into them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3
explaining anddemonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and
saying,
“This Jesuswhom I preach to you is the Christ.”
Acts 17:10, “*
Ministering at Berea
] Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away bynight to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Je
ws.”
Acts 18:4, *at Corinth+, “
And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded bothJews and Greeks.
Acts 18:19, “
And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered thesynagogue and reasoned with the Jew
s”
Acts 28:17, “*
Pau
l’s Ministry at Rome
] And it came to pass after three days that Paul called theleaders of the Jews together.
Paul’s own Judaism:
o
Acts 22:3, ““I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the
feet of Gamaliel, taught accord
ing to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealoustoward God as you all are today.”
o
Philippians 3:4-
6, “though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks
he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:
5
circumcised the eighth day, of thestock of Israel,
of
the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, aPharisee;
6
concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which
is in the law, blameless”
o
Romans 11:1, “
For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of
the tribe of
Benjamin.”
The Jews’ Argument (Romans 3:1
-8)
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Outline:1.
Overview: 4 objections and 4 answers2.
Each considered in order3.
Solemn lessons1.
Overview: 4 objections and 4 answersa.
Structure:i.
An objection (vs 1) …. Paul’s answer (vs 2)
ii.
Another objection (v
s 3) …. Paul’s answer (vs 4)
iii.
Another objection (vs 5) …. Paul’s answer (vs 6)
iv.
Another objection (vs 7) …. Paul’s answer (vs 8)
b.
Detailed:i.
Objection: “What advantage then has the Jew, or what
is
the profit of
circumcision?” (vs 1)
ii.
Answer: “Much in every way
! Chiefly because to them were committed the
oracles of God.” (vs 2)
iii.
Objection: “For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make thefaithfulness of God without effect?” (vs 3)
iv.
Answer: “Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar
. As it iswritten:
“ That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when Youare judged.”
” (vs 4)
v.
Objection: “But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God,
what shall we say?
Is
God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a m
an.)” (vs 5)
vi.
Answer:
“Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?” (vs 7)
vii.
Objection: “For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, whyam I also still judged as a sinner?” (vs 7)
viii.
Answer: “And
why
not
say,
“Let us do evil that good may come”?—
as we areslanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is
just.” (vs 8)
c.
The objections are not independent of one another:i.
Paul answers one objectionii.
The questioner twists it just a bit and asks againiii.
Etc.d.
R
eally just one objection: “What advantage then has the Jew, or what
is
the profit of
circumcision?” (vs 1)
The Jews’ Argument (Romans 3:1
-8)
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2.
Each considered in order:a.
Objection # 1
: “What advantage then has the Jew, or what
is
the profit of circumcision?”
(vs 1) /
Answer: “Much in every
way! Chiefly because to them were committed the
oracles of God.” (vs 2)
i.
Essence: If we are condemned with the rest of the world … what advantage in
being a Jew? Trying to squirm out of
being condemned with the rest of theworld
! (Cf Romans 2:8-12)ii.
Many advantages to being a Jew:1.
Eg Romans 9:4,5, “who are Israelites, to whom
pertain
the adoption, theglory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service
of God,
and thepromises;
5
of whom
are
the fathers and from whom, according to theflesh, Christ
came,
who is over all,
the
eternally blessed God.
”
2.
But Paul focuses on one only in his answer
–
“to them were committedthe oracles of God”
iii.
“Oracles of God” is one aspect alone of the Holy Scripture –
The propheticelement!1.
Promises pertaining to the Messiah!2.
That’s some benefit … the specifics of the coming of the Messiah:
3.
See appendix!4.
They ought to have been looking! They ought to have known!5.
They had an overwhelming advantage!6.
But in the face of overwhelming evidences, they killed the Messiahb.
Objection # 2
: “For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make thefaithfulness of God without effect?” (vs 3)
/
Answer: “Certainly not! Indeed, let God be
true but every man a liar. As it is written:
“ That You may be justified in Your words, And
may o
vercome when You are judged.”
” (vs 4)
i.
And to be sure some did not believe!1.
From Korah’s rebellion on (Numbers 16 … “the earth opened its mouthand swallowed them up”) there is much evidence of unbelief among the
Jews!2.
Wicked Kings3.
False and lying prophets4.
Wickedness in the land!ii.
Romans 9:6, “For they are not all
Israel
who are of
Israel
,”
iii.
This objection is a sidestep to objection / answer # 1iv.
OK we had the oracles of God … but some did not believe … what does this doto God’s faithfulness? Shouldn’t God ke
ep His promises to the Jews anyway?!
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