Romans 3:2

2 There is great value in every way! First of all, the Jews have been given the very words of God.

Romans 3:2 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 3:2

Much every way
The circumcised Jew has greatly the advantage of the uncircumcised Gentile, (Mynp lkm) , "in all respects", (du lk le) , "on every side", as the Rabbins speak; phrases to which this in the text answers:

chiefly;
more especially, particularly, and in the first place;

because that unto them were committed the oracles of God;
by which are meant the law of Moses, and the writings of the prophets, the institutions of the ceremonial law, and the prophecies of the Messiah and the Gospel church state; and in a word, all the books of the Old Testament, and whatsoever is contained in them; which are called so, because they are of divine inspiration, contain the mind and will of God, and are infallible and authoritative: and it was the privilege and profit of the Jews that they were intrusted with them, when other nations were not, and so had the advantage of them; they had them for their own use; for hereby they had a more clear and distinct knowledge of God than the Gentiles could have by the light of nature; and besides, became acquainted with the doctrines of a trinity of persons in the Godhead, of the sonship and deity of the Messiah, of the sacrifice, satisfaction, and righteousness of the Redeemer, and of salvation by him; and also with the manner of worshipping of God according to his will; all which the Gentiles were ignorant of. Moreover, they had the honour of being the keepers of these sacred books, these divine oracles, and of transmitting them to posterity, for the use of others.

Romans 3:2 In-Context

1 Is there any advantage in being a Jew? Is there any value in being circumcised?
2 There is great value in every way! First of all, the Jews have been given the very words of God.
3 What if some Jews did not believe? Will the fact that they don't have faith keep God from being faithful?
4 Not at all! God is true, even though every human being is a liar. It is written, "You are right when you sentence me. You are fair when you judge me." (Psalm 51:4)
5 Doesn't the fact that we are wrong prove more clearly that God is right? Then what can we say? Can we say that God is not fair when he brings his anger down on us? As you can tell, I am just using human ways of thinking.
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