In this chapter, Paul asks a series of rhetorical questions in order to develop his theological message,[a] and quotes extensively from the Hebrew Bible.[b] Theologian Albert Barnes suggests that "the design of the first part of this chapter is to answer some of the objections which might be offered by a Jew to the statements in the previous chapter".[4]
Nonconformist theologian Matthew Poole stated that "to the Jews were credited, or given in custody, the Holy Scriptures". Stephen, whose martyrdom Paul had witnessed before his conversion, called the scriptures the 'living oracles' (λογια ζωντα, logia zonta).[11]
Paul's statement that "both Jews and Greeks are under the power of sin" (verse 9) exposes the impossibility of either Gentile or
Jew, unaided by God, being able to become righteous (contra Romans 2:7,13, etc.; consistent with Romans 7:7–24), as supported by a compilation of citations from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament texts) in verses 10–18 describing humanity's utter depravity or incapability of not sinning (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Psalm 5:10; 10:7; 14:1—3; 53:2—4; 36:2; 140:4; Isaiah 59:7—8; Proverbs 1:16).[16] Only Christ can break sin's power for Jews as well as for Gentiles.[16]
This section (extending to verse 31) revisits 'the grand theme', "the righteousness of God", which is introduced in the Thanksgiving part of chapter 1.[16] Comprising one paragraph, verses 21–26 is called by Stuhlmacher as "the heart of the letter to the Romans*,[17] stating that "the divine character—faithful, gracious, forgiving, and merciful—has been revealed in Jesus Christ, specifically in his death as "a sacrifice for sin effective through faith"."[16] With that actions, "altogether apart from human initiative", God has fulfilled "what God always intended to do" ("attested by the law and the prophets") "and so is proved righteous".[16]
"Come short" (RSV, NKJV: "fall short): translated from Ancient Greek: ὑστεροῦνται, romanized: hysterountai,[19] also rendered as 'to be in want/impoverished' (Luke 15:14);[20] 'to suffer need" (Philippians 4:12);[21] 'to be destitute' (Hebrews 11:37),[22] and here in the sense of 'to suffer from defect, to fail to attain'.[23]
whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed
"Propitiation" (RSV, NAB: "expiation"): translated from the Greek word hilasterion, which specifically means the lid of the Ark of the Covenant.[25] The only other occurrence of hilasterion in the New Testament is in Hebrews 9:5, where the KJV, NKJV,
RSV, and NASB all translate it as 'mercy seat'.
^Dunn, J. D. G. (1993). "Romans, Letter to the". In Hawthorne, Gerald F. and Martin, Ralph P. (eds.) Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. InterVarsity Press. p. 838. ISBN9780830817788
^Donaldson, Terence L. (2007). "63. Introduction to the Pauline Corpus". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 1077. ISBN978-0199277186.
^Stuhlmacher, P. (1994), Paul's Letter to the Romans: A Commentary, trans. S. J. Hafemann. Louisville, Ky: Westminster/John Knox. p. 57; apud Hill 2007, p. 1092
^Exell, Joseph S.; Spence-Jones, Henry Donald Maurice (Editors). On "Romans 3". In: The Pulpit Commentary. 23 volumes. First publication: 1890. Accessed 24 April 2019.
Hill, Craig C. (2007). "64. Romans". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 1083–1108. ISBN978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
