The opening verses of Romans chapter three evoke the image of the Apostle Paul as if he were offering testimony on a judicial witness stand. However, there is a difference between the type of questioning we find here in Romans chapter three and the type of interrogation that might occur in a court of law. The difference is this: Paul is serving as both the prosecuting attorney as well as the defendant in this chapter.
In his role as prosecutor, Paul will probe for disparities in the testimony of Paul, the defendant. That “testimony” will take the form of Paul’s teaching from the first two chapters of this book. This approach will enable Paul to address questions that might arise from those teachings in the minds of his “jurors.” Those “jurors” comprise the audience for this epistle, both ancient and modern.
For instance, the opening verse of Romans chapter three presents us with some questions that Paul likely encountered on his missionary journeys…
“What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?” (Romans 3:1).
To address these questions, we must return to an earlier portion of Romans chapter two. There, Paul entered into a lengthy discussion regarding regarding the ritual of circumcision and what that practice was supposed to represent. Paul used the act of circumcision as part of that discussion to to make two important points:
- Circumcision is profitable if one keeps the Law. In other words, the practice of Judaism would benefit those who live up to the requirements of the Mosaic Law.
- But if one fails to live up to the Law, then he or she effectively becomes like anyone else. To use Paul’s terminology, one’s “circumcision will become uncircumcision” no matter how “religious” that person seems to be (see Romans 2:25).
While there were many who were trusting in the Mosaic ritual of circumcision for their salvation, their disobedience to the spirit of the Law invalidated that observance. In addition, Paul also reminded his audience that “…there is no preferential treatment with God” (Romans 2:11 Phillips). With these things in mind. one might ask, “What spiritual advantage does a Jewish person have over anyone else?”
Our author will go on to answer that question with a confident affirmation…
“Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God” (Romans 3:2).
Paul will later expand on those advantages as we move further into the book of Romans. However, our next study will focus on the chief advantage mentioned here: “the oracles of God.”