Objection 1: God’s Covenant Undermined
What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:
“So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”
But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just! Romans 3:1-8
It’s not hard to imagine the reaction of at least some of Paul’s readers. Interrupting his argument at this point, they might say “Well then if being a Jew inwardly is all that counts and circumcision of the heart is what God really looks for, is there anything special about belonging to the Jewish nation or being physically circumcised?” In view of what he’s just written in 2:17-28 we might expect Paul to have come back strongly with “None at all” but he doesn’t. He knows his argument up until now might give the impression that all Jewish privileges are now revoked. He is also aware that many Gentile Christians will want to draw just that conclusion. He acknowledges that Jewish privileges give them no ultimate advantage over Gentiles in the final judgement because God will assess both Jew and Gentile on the basis of what they have done, but this does not mean that Jews have no privileges.
Paul’s method for handling objections to what he’s teaching takes the form of a ‘diatribe,’ where a teacher would set up an imaginary conversation with his critics or students where they respond with objections (usually in question form) and the teacher answers them. Paul has already used this style in 2:1ff in answering the moraliser and in 2:17ff in answering the Jew. He is probably reconstructing actual arguments thrown at him in synagogue evangelism.
Just prior to the passage before us Paul has written that there is no fundamental difference between Jews and Gentiles and that the law and circumcision guaranteed neither Jewish immunity from the judgement of God, nor Jewish identity as the people of God. This seemed to call into question God’s covenant, promises and character. It prompted four distinct but related objections each expressed in question form.
Objection (1) Paul’s teaching undermines God’s covenant (3:1,2)
Paul and his critics are agreed that God chose Israel out of all the nations, made a covenant with them and gave them circumcision as a sign and seal of that covenant. But if the words ‘Jew’ and ‘circumcision’ are being radically redefined ‘What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?’ in their traditional meanings.
The fact that being an ethnic Jew doesn’t protect from God’s judgement doesn’t mean it is therefore completely valueless. It has ‘much’ value ‘in every way’ but a different kind of value, ensuring responsibility rather than security. ‘First of all’ (Paul was probably going to give a list of privileges but doesn’t until 9:4f), ‘they have been entrusted with the very oracles of God.’ This was more than just God’s commandments and promises but the whole Old Testament scriptures that were committed to Israel’s care. To be the sole custodian of God’s special revelation (in contrast to the general revelation of Himself seen in the ‘natural’ world) was an immensely privileged honour but one that carried great responsibility. If they proved unfaithful to this trust, they would be in a more responsible position than the nations to which God had not revealed Himself.
‘From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked’ (Luke 12:48b). The principle held true for the Jews and holds true for Christians today. Be a good steward of all you have been given, whether it is truth, time, talent or treasury. We will all be called to give account of how we’ve used what we were given (Matthew 25:14-30).