the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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King James Version
Romans 3:1
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What's so great about bein' a Jew and having your pickle clipped?
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
How then is the Jew better off? or what profit is there in circumcision?
What then [is] the superiority of the Jew? or what the profit of circumcision?
What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?
So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?
What then is the advantage of the Jew, or what the profit of the circumcision?
What special privilege, then, has a Jew? Or what benefit is to be derived from circumcision?
What aduantage then hath the Iew? or what profit is there of Circumcision?
What then is the superiority of the Jew? Or what the profit of circumcision?
What furtheraunce then haue the Iewes? Or what avauntageth circucision?
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what benefit is there from circumcision?
So what difference does it make who's a Jew and who isn't, who has been trained in God's ways and who hasn't? As it turns out, it makes a lot of difference—but not the difference so many have assumed. First, there's the matter of being put in charge of writing down and caring for God's revelation, these Holy Scriptures. So, what if, in the course of doing that, some of those Jews abandoned their post? God didn't abandon them. Do you think their faithlessness cancels out his faithfulness? Not on your life! Depend on it: God keeps his word even when the whole world is lying through its teeth. Scripture says the same: Your words stand fast and true; Rejection doesn't faze you. But if our wrongdoing only underlines and confirms God's rightdoing, shouldn't we be commended for helping out? Since our bad words don't even make a dent in his good words, isn't it wrong of God to back us to the wall and hold us to our word? These questions come up. The answer to such questions is no, a most emphatic No! How else would things ever get straightened out if God didn't do the straightening? It's simply perverse to say, "If my lies serve to show off God's truth all the more gloriously, why blame me? I'm doing God a favor." Some people are actually trying to put such words in our mouths, claiming that we go around saying, "The more evil we do, the more good God does, so let's just do it!" That's pure slander, as I'm sure you'll agree. So where does that put us? Do we Jews get a better break than the others? Not really. Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it: There's nobody living right, not even one, nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God. They've all taken the wrong turn; they've all wandered down blind alleys. No one's living right; I can't find a single one. Their throats are gaping graves, their tongues slick as mudslides. Every word they speak is tinged with poison. They open their mouths and pollute the air. They race for the honor of sinner-of-the-year, litter the land with heartbreak and ruin, Don't know the first thing about living with others. They never give God the time of day. This makes it clear, doesn't it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it's clear enough, isn't it, that we're sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else? Our involvement with God's revelation doesn't put us right with God. What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else's sin. But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. This is not only clear, but it's now—this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness. So where does that leave our proud Jewish insider claims and counterclaims? Canceled? Yes, canceled. What we've learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. We've finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade. And where does that leave our proud Jewish claim of having a corner on God? Also canceled. God is the God of outsider non-Jews as well as insider Jews. How could it be otherwise since there is only one God? God sets right all who welcome his action and enter into it, both those who follow our religious system and those who have never heard of our religion.
Then what is the advantage of the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what is the profit of circumcision?
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
What preferment then hath the Iewe? other what a vauntageth circumcision?
What advantage then has the Jew? or what is the profit of circumcision?
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of circumcision?
What, then, [is] the superiority of the Jew? or what the profit of the circumcision?
So, do Jews have anything that other people do not have? Is there anything special about being circumcised?
Therefore what advantage does the Jew have, or what is the value of circumcision?
What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
What good is it to be a Jew? What good is it to be circumcised?
Then what advantage has the Jew? What is the value of being circumcised?
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
What is then the preferment of the Iewe? or what is the profite of circumcision?
WHAT then is the superiority of the Jew? or what is the importance of circumcision?
Then what advantage does the Yehudi have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?
What advantage, then, does the Jew have, or what value is there in circumcision?
What then is the excellence of the Jihudoya, and what the profit of circumcision ?
What then is the superiority of the Jew? Or what is the advantage of circumcision?
Then what's the advantage of being a Jew? Is there any value in the ceremony of circumcision?
Do the Jews have anything that those who are not Jews do not have? What good does it do to go through the religious act of becoming a Jew?
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what is the profit of circumcision?
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
What, then, is the preeminence of the Jew? Or what, the profit of his circumcision?
What advantage then hath the Jew: or what is the profit of circumcision?
Therefore, what is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the use of circumcision?
What preferment then hath ye Iew? or what auauntageth circumcision?
So, do Jews have anything that others don't have? Do they get any benefit from being circumcised?
Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
Do the Jews then have any advantage over the Gentiles? Or is there any value in being circumcised?
What thanne is more to a Jew, or what profit of circumcisioun?
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
advantage: Romans 2:25-29, Genesis 25:32, Ecclesiastes 6:8, Ecclesiastes 6:11, Isaiah 1:11-15, Malachi 3:14, 1 Corinthians 15:32, Hebrews 13:9
Reciprocal: Genesis 17:10 - Every 2 Samuel 7:23 - what one Psalms 76:1 - In Judah Psalms 147:20 - not dealt so Song of Solomon 8:8 - she hath Isaiah 1:2 - I have Isaiah 40:8 - the word Isaiah 40:21 - General Hosea 8:12 - written Mark 12:1 - and set Luke 7:9 - not in John 6:63 - the flesh John 18:35 - Amos I Romans 2:14 - which Romans 6:2 - God Romans 9:14 - shall Galatians 3:19 - then
Cross-References
And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
What advantage then hath the Jew?.... If he is not properly a Jew, who is born of Jewish parents, and brought up in the customs, rites, and religion of the Jewish nation, but anyone of whatsoever nation, that is born again of water, and of the Spirit; where is the superior excellency of the Jew to the Gentile? A man may as well be born and brought up a Heathen as a Jew; the one has no more advantages than the other by his birth and education: it may be rendered, "what hath the Jew more?" or "what has he superfluous" or "abundant?" the phrase answers to the Hebrew מה יתרון לאדם in Ecclesiastes 1:3, which is rendered, "what profit hath a man?" and in Ecclesiastes 6:8, מה יותר לחכם, "what hath a wise man more", c. and in Romans 3:11, מה יתר לאדם, "what is a man better?" the first of these passages the Septuagint render by τις περισσεια, "what abundance?" and the last by τι
περισσον, "what more", or "superfluous", or "abundant?" the phrase used by the apostle here:
or what profit is there of circumcision? since that which is outward in the flesh profits not unless the law is kept, otherwise circumcision is no circumcision and if an uncircumcised Gentile keeps the law, he is a better man than a circumcised Jew; yea, he judges and condemns him; for the only true circumcision is internal, spiritual, and in the heart. To this the apostle answers in the Romans 3:2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
What advantage ... - 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 last chapter. The first objection is stated in this verse. A Jew would naturally ask, if the view which the apostle had given were correct, what special benefit could the Jew derive from his religion? The objection would arise particularly from the position advanced Romans 2:25-26, that if a pagan should do the things required by the Law, he would be treated as “if” he had been circumcised. Hence, the question, “what profit is there of circumcision?”
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
CHAPTER III.
The apostle points out the peculiar privileges of the Jews,
1-8.
But shows that they, also, as well as the Gentiles, had sinned,
and forfeited all right and title to God's especial favour, 9.
The corrupt state of all mankind, 10-18.
All the world is guilty before God, and none can be justified by
the works of the law, 19, 20.
God's MERCY in providing redemption for a lost world, by Jesus
Christ, 21-26.
This excludes boasting on the part both of Jew and Gentile;
provides salvation through faith for both; and does not set
aside, but establishes the law, 27-31.
NOTES ON CHAP. III.
Dr. Taylor observes:- "In the preceding chapter the apostle has carried his argument to the utmost length: what remains is to keep the Jew in temper, to fix his convictions, and to draw the grand conclusion.
"He has shown that the Jews were more wicked than the Gentiles; that their possession of the law, circumcision, and outward profession of relation to God, were no ground of acceptance with him. This was in effect to say that the Jews had forfeited their right to the privileges of God's peculiar people, and that they were as unworthy to be continued in the Church as the Gentiles were to be taken into it; and consequently, in order to their enjoying the privileges of the Church under the Messiah, they stood in need of a fresh display of grace, which if they rejected, God would cast them out of the vineyard. The apostle was sensible that the Jew would understand what he said in this sense; and that it must be very irritating to him to hear that his law, circumcision, and all his external advantages, were utterly insufficient to procure him the favour of God. This at once stripped him of all his peculiar honours and privileges; and the apostle, who had often argued with his countrymen on these points, knew what they would be ready to say on this subject; and, therefore, introduces a dialogue between himself and a Jew, in which he gives him leave to answer and defend himself. In this dialogue the apostle undoubtedly refers to the rejection of the Jews, which he considers at large in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters. After the dialogue is finished, he resumes his argument, and proves, by their own Scriptures, that the Jews were guilty as well as other men; and that no part of mankind could have any right to the blessings of God's kingdom by any works which they had performed, but merely through the propitiatory sacrifice offered by Christ; and that this, far from destroying the law, was just the thing that the law required, and by which its claims were established.
"The sum and force of the apostle's argument is this: All sorts of men, Jews as well as Gentiles, have sinned; therefore, none of them can lay claim to the blessings of his kingdom on the ground of obedience. The Jew, therefore, stands as much in need of God's grace to give him a title to those blessings as the Gentile; and, consequently, the Gentile has as good a title as the Jew. And, when all are in the same circumstances, it is perfectly absurd for any to pretend to engross it to themselves, exclusively of others, who are only as bad as they.
"Thus the apostle solidly proves that we, Gentiles, through faith alone, have a good and firm title to all the blessings of the Gospel covenant-election, adoption, pardon, privileges, ordinances, the Holy Spirit, and the hope of eternal life."
As the nine first verses are a dialogue between the apostle and a Jew, I shall prefix the speakers to their respective questions and answers, to make the whole the more intelligible to the reader.
Verse Romans 3:1. JEW. What advantage then hath the Jew? Or what profit is there of circumcision? — As if he had said: You lately allowed, (Romans 2:25,) that circumcision verily profited; but if circumcision, or our being in covenant with God, raises us no higher in the Divine favour than the Gentiles; if the virtuous among them are as acceptable as any of us; nay, and condemn our nation too, as no longer deserving the Divine regards; pray tell me, wherein lies the superior honour of the Jew; and what benefit can arise to him from his circumcision, and being vested in the privileges of God's peculiar people?
