Chapter 3:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Luther
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Acts 1 Corinthians
Romans 3
Verse 1. What then, may some say, is the advantage of the Jew, or of the
circumcision - That is, those that are circumcised, above the
gentiles?
Verse 2. Chiefly in that they were intrusted with the oracles of God -
The scriptures, in which are so great and precious promises. Other
prerogatives will follow, chap. ix, 4-5. St. Paul here singles out
this by which, after removing the objection, he will convict them
so much the more.
Verse 3. Shall their unbelief disannul the faithfulness of God - Will he
not still make good his promises to them that do believe?
Verse 4. Psalm ii, 4.
Verse 5. But, it may be farther objected, if our unrighteousness be
subservient to God's glory, is it not unjust in him to punish us for
it? I speak as a man - As human weakness would be apt to speak.
Verse 6. God forbid - By no means. If it were unjust in God to punish
that unrighteousness which is subservient to his own glory, how
should God judge the world - Since all the unrighteousness in the
world will then commend the righteousness of God.
Verse 7. But, may the objector reply, if the truth of God hath abounded -
Has been more abundantly shown. Through my lie - If my lie, that
is, practice contrary to truth, conduces to the glory of God, by
making his truth shine with superior advantage. Why am I still
judged as a sinner - Can this be said to be any sin at all? Ought I
not to do what would otherwise be evil, that so much "good may
come?" To this the apostle does not deign to give a direct answer,
but cuts the objector short with a severe reproof.
Verse 8. Whose condemnation is just - The condemnation of all who
either speak or act in this manner. So the apostle absolutely denies
the lawfulness of " doing evil," any evil, "that good may come."
Verse 9. What then - Here he resumes what he said, verse 1. Rom. iii, 1.
Under sin - Under the guilt and power of it: the Jews, by
transgressing the written law; the gentiles, by transgressing the
law of nature.
Verse 10. As it is written - That all men are under sin appears from the
vices which have raged in all ages. St. Paul therefore rightly cites
David and Isaiah, though they spoke primarily of their own age,
and expressed what manner of men God sees, when he "looks
down from heaven;" not what he makes them by his grace. There
is none righteous - This is the general proposition. The particulars
follow: their dispositions and designs, ver. 11, 12; their discourse,
ver. 13, 14; their actions, ver. 16-18. Psalm xiv, 1, &c.
Verse 11. There is none that understandeth - The things of God.
Verse 12. They have all turned aside - From the good way. They are
become unprofitable - Helpless impotent, unable to profit either
themselves or others.
Verse 13. Their throat - Is noisome and dangerous as an open sepulchre.
Observe the progress of evil discourse, proceeding out of the
heart, through the throat, tongue, lips, till the whole mouth is
filled therewith. The poison of asps - Infectious, deadly
backbiting, tale-bearing, evil-speaking, is under (for honey is on)
their lips. An asp is a venomous kind of serpent. Psalm v, 9;
Psalm cxl, 3.
Verse 14. Cursing - Against God. Bitterness - Against their neighbour.
Psalm x, 7.
Verse 15. Isaiah lix, 7, 8
Verse 17. Of peace - Which can only spring from righteousness.
Verse 18. The fear of God is not before their eyes - Much less is the love
of God in their heart. Psalm xxxvi, 1.
Verse 19. Whatsoever the law - The Old Testament. Saith, it saith to
them that are under the law - That is, to those who own its
authority; to the Jews, and not the gentiles. St. Paul quoted no
scripture against them, but pleaded with them only from the light
of nature. Every mouth - Full of bitterness, ver. 14, and yet of
boasting, ver. 27. May become guilty - May be fully convicted,
and apparently liable to most just condemnation. These things
were written of old, and were quoted by St. Paul, not to make men
criminal, but to prove them so.
Verse 20. No flesh shall be justified - None shall be forgiven and
accepted of God. By the works of the law - On this ground, that
he hath kept the law. St. Paul means chiefly the moral part of it,
ver. 9, 19 chap. ii, 21,
26; &c. which alone is not abolished, ver. 31. And it is not
without reason, that he so often mentions the works of the law,
whether ceremonial or moral; for it was on these only the Jews
relied, being wholly ignorant of those that spring from faith. For
by the law is only the knowledge of sin - But no deliverance either
from the guilt or power of it.
Verse 21. But now the righteousness of God - That is, the manner of
becoming righteous which God hath appointed. Without the law -
Without that previous obedience which the law requires; without
reference to the law, or dependence on it. Is manifested - In the
gospel. Being attested by the Law itself, and by the Prophets - By
all the promises in the Old Testament.
Verse 22. To all - The Jews. And upon all - The gentiles That believe:
for there is no difference - Either as to the need of justification, or
the manner of it.
Verse 23. For all have sinned - In Adam, and in their own persons; by a
sinful nature, sinful tempers, and sinful actions. And are fallen
short of the glory of God - The supreme end of man; short of his
image on earth, and the enjoyment of him in heaven.
Verse 24. And are justified - Pardoned and accepted. Freely - Without
any merit of their own. By his grace - Not their own righteousness
or works. Through the redemption - The price Christ has paid.
Freely by his grace - One of these expressions might have served
to convey the apostle's meaning; but he doubles his assertion, in
order to give us the fullest conviction of the truth, and to impress
us with a sense of its peculiar importance. It is not possible to find
words that should more absolutely exclude all consideration of
our own works and obedience, or more emphatically ascribe the
whole of our justification to free, unmerited goodness.
Verse 25. Whom God hath set forth - Before angels and men. A
propitiation - To appease an offended God. But if, as some teach,
God never was offended, there was no need of this propitiation.
And, if so, Christ died in vain. To declare his righteousness - To
demonstrate not only his clemency, but his justice; even that
vindictive justice whose essential character and principal office is,
to punish sin. By the remission of past sins - All the sins
antecedent to their believing.
Verse 26. For a demonstration of his righteousness - Both of his justice
and mercy. That he might be just - Showing his justice on his own
Son. And yet the merciful justifier of every one that believeth in
Jesus. That he might be just - Might evidence himself to be
strictly and inviolably righteous in the administration of his
government, even while he is the merciful justifier of the sinner
that believeth in Jesus. The attribute of justice must be preserved
inviolate; and inviolate it is preserved, if there was a real infliction
of punishment on our saviour. On this plan all the attributes
harmonize; every attribute is glorified, and not one superseded no,
nor so much as clouded.
Verse 27. Where is the boasting then of the Jew against the gentile? It is
excluded. By what law? of works? Nay - This would have left
room for boasting. But by the law of faith - Since this requires all,
without distinction, to apply as guilty and helpless sinners, to the
free mercy of God in Christ. The law of faith is that divine
constitution which makes faith, not works, the condition of
acceptance.
Verse 28. We conclude then that a man is justified by faith - And even
by this, not as it is a work, but as it receives Christ; and,
consequently, has something essentially different from all our
works whatsoever.
Verse 29. Surely of the gentiles also - As both nature and the scriptures
show.
Verse 30. Seeing it is one God who - Shows mercy to both, and by the
very same means.
Verse 31. We establish the law - Both the authority, purity, and the end
of it; by defending that which the law attests; by pointing out
Christ, the end of it; and by showing how it may be fulfilled in its
purity.
Chapter 3:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Luther
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Acts 1 Corinthians
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
Genesis
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Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
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3 John
Jude
Revelation
