Romans from a Torah Covenant Perspective – Chapter 3

Romans 3:1What advantage then has the Jew? Or, what profit is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way: primarily, because they were the first to be entrusted with the oracles of vuvh and the first to believe in His word. 3 For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief nullify faith in vuvh? Paul is juxtaposing: •    Stewardship & ownership •    Responsibility & possession. The Jews had become prideful in their view of ownership and possession. They believed, erroneously that they owned the entrance rights to the covenant in their bodies (circumcision) and that the Torah was their sole possession. Romans 3:4 By no means: yes, let vuvh be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That You might be proven tzadik/righteous byYour words, and triumph when You judge. Shaul uses the word tzadik/righteous he uses it in three different ways; 1. forensically, 2. nationally and 3. individually: Forensically – only Yahusha can make us forensically righteous (close inspection, inspection of our souls). Nationally – covenant entrance into יהוה s nation brought about a community or national righteousness. Individually – biblical conduct and ethics, shunning evil and choosing a life dedicated to service and obedience brings about a halacha/walk of righteousness. Romans 3:5 But if our unrighteousness establishes the tzedakah of vuvh, 6 what shall we say? Is vuvh unrighteous when He inflicts wrath? I speak as a man. 6 By no means: for then how shall He judge the olam hazeh? ….of course, this is human logic and reasoning. If יהוה doesn’t judge them then how can he judge the nations? Romans 3:7 For if the emet of vuvh has increased through my lying nature for His glory; why am ‘I’ still judged as a sinner? 8 And not rather –  as some slander us by reports, and as some affirm that we say, Let us break Torah/do evil, that grace/good may come – 7 Their condemnation for  this is forever. Vs. 7’s objection is brought forward in the person of the ungodly, not Paul! The first person, ‘I’ of V.7 is a hypothetical person making a statement, it’s rhetorical. Paul continues on by impersonating the objector by using the first person singular. The point: the Jewish sinner’s being used to highlight the glory of יהוה doesn’t give them an ‘out’ when it comes to YHWH’s judgement, just because it brought about the righteousness of Yahusha! Jewish ethnicity is not a ‘get out of jail free card.’ Romans 3:9 What then? Are we better than them? No, in no way: for we have proven before that the Yahudim, Greeks and  Arameans, are all under sin; Genesis 11 the table of nations (Babel), and later, the Israelite nation (Golden Calf). The nations at Babel were give over to the judgment of other elohim, the elohim of the nations; and the Israelite nation at the Golden Calf were give over to the judgement of the BoL. 1.    Man is a sinner by act. 2.    Man is a sinner by nature. 3.    Man is a sinner by imputation. 4.    The estate of man, the human family is condemned under sin. Romans 3:10 As it is written: (Psalms 14:1, 53:1, 5:9, 140:3, 10:7, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Proverbs 1:16, Isaiah 59:7, Psalms 36:1) There is not one tzadik, no, not one: 11 There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after tvkt. 12 They are all gone out of the way; they have all together become worthless; there is none that does good, no, not one.   Romans 3:13 Their throat is an open tomb; with their languages they have spoken deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouths are full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood,  Destruction and misery are in their way: 17 And the way of shalom have they not known: 18 There is no fear of Elohim before their eyes. Job 25:4 How then can a man be just with Elohim, or how can he be clean who is born of a woman? All are under the power of sin, a universal condition not limited to any sector of humanity! Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things the law says, it says  to those who are liv