Romans 3:1 - What Advantage is There in Being a Jew?

 

•        Paul just taught in Romans 2:1-29 such things as:

–       Romans 2:9,11 -  There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile . . . God does not show favoritism.

–       Romans 2:12-13 - All [Jews] who sin under the Law [of Moses] will be judged by the Law [of Moses] For it is not those [Jews] who hear the Law [of Moses] who are righteous in God's sight.

–       Romans 2:27 - The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision . . .

–       Romans 2:28 - A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly

 

•        In response to these kinds of statements, Paul anticipates that someone might wonder: “What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew?” (Romans 3:1)

 

•        In response to this question, Paul begins by affirming that the Jews did indeed have many advantages (“much in every way” Romans 3:1)!

 

•        Paul begins by listing what was, no doubt, the chief advantage in being a Jew: the fact that to the Jew, and to no other nation, was accorded the unique privilege, the high honor, of being the custodians of the revelation given by God in and through the Old Testament Scriptures - “they have been entrusted with the very words of God” (Romans 3:1)

 

•        Paul does not discuss the other advantages of being a Jew until later in the letter:

–       Romans 9:4-5 - Theirs [to the Jews] is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.

 

•        But these advantages never involved exemption from God’s judgement! In fact, it meant the Jews were especially liable to God’s judgment when they failed to obey God:

–       Amos 3:2 - You [Jews] only have I [God] chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins.