Romans 3.1-8

Romans 3.1-8

Observations:

1. Paul is reflecting with and engaging an imaginary interlocutor with objections. As such, St. Paul is answering the questions and giving instruction.

2. This reflects actual arguments encountered during his ministry.

3. Three objections are assumed and evident in this section.

4. Objection one: If the moral Gentile is better off than the immoral Israelite, what becomes of the advantages to the Jew?

5. Answer one: He still has many advantages, such as the promises, 3.1-2. This will be dealt with in Romans 4, 5, and specifically 9.5-6.

6. Objection two: Hasn’t Jewish unbelief cancelled the promises and advantages?

7. Answer two: Human responses do not cancel the promised and pledged word of God, but vivifies and highlights God’s faithfulness.

8. Objection three: Then, following two, if that is the result of the Divine action in response to the promises, how and why can any man be judged?

9. Answer three: Such a man can be and surely is judged…as I, Paul, have falsely been accused, to wit, `Do evil that good may abound.’” 3.5-8.

Observations on the observations:

1. This is a productive form of engagement, to wit, raising the objections or potential objections to one’s argument, rightly presenting those objections, and then answering them.

2. God’s promises continue to be proclaimed in His Word and sacrament. Human responses do not negate the promises. God harvests whomsoever He wills by His own word.

Correlation:

1. Paul’s other epistles by way of comparison that are more specific and directed to church problems, e.g. Galatians. This was is more reflective, like Ephesians.

2. Baptism.

3. Existence and presence of the Written Word and Sacraments in the mainline church.

Interpretation:

St. Paul is going to answer the questions with a conclusion about human sin: all are guilty, 3.9-20. At present, he is dealing with objections that may arise from the conclusions of 1.18-2.29, to wit, that Gentile and Jew are all born under divine wrath and condemnation.

Applications:

1. Press forward.

2. Romanism and its satellite versions die at the hands of the arguments in this Epistle.