Three Jewish objections and Paul’s responses
Paul has clearly and forcefully made his point that having the Mosaic Law and observing circumcision do not, in and of themselves, assure the Jews of a place in heaven. These external things are not what makes a person truly Jewish, in the sense of being someone whose “praise is . . . from God.” No, that commendation rests on something else. What’s necessary is the internal state of a believing heart, marked by the true circumcision, which is spiritual, not literal.
In effect, Paul’s answer to the Jews is a call to repentance, a call for them to let go of their prideful claim to superiority by virtue of having the law and circumcision. Their pride, however, prevents that, and instead of repentance we hear three resentful and challenging questions theoretically given by Jewish objectors. Paul deals with each objection in turn as they are raised in verses 1, 5, and 9.
What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God. 3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “ So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”
First Jewish objection
Paul has indicated that being a descendant of Abraham is not a ticket to heaven by itself. In fact, Gentiles obedient to God’s will are going to condemn these Jews who have the written law and circumcision and yet are lawbreakers (2:27).
This induces the Jewish objection “What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew?” Paul takes the question seriously, and his answer concentrates on just one advantage the Jews have (there are more, as Paul will be pointing out in 9:4,5). What advantages? Paul responds, “Much in every way! First of all, they [the Jews] have been entrusted with the very words of God.”
All people have a measure of knowledge about God through the natural knowledge written in their hearts. God, however, honored the Jewish nation by revealing and recording his will in a written record. For them he “put it in writing,” as we might say today. On Mount Sinai, God inscribed his holy Commandments on stone tablets— Commandments that showed Israel their sins and their need for a Savior. Through both the verbal and written messages of his many prophets, God repeated his promise to send the Savior that sinners needed. And when the time finally came, God sent his Son, whom the evangelist John calls “the Word” (John 1:1), to reveal his saving message especially to the Jews.
Regarding “the Word,” John expressly declares, “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known” (verse 18). Because of this the writer of Hebrews can say, “In these last days he [God] has spoken to us by his Son (1:2). Paul’s point stands: The Jewish nation had a significant advantage over all other people in that they were given the inspired Scriptures, the very Word of God.
At this point Paul is expecting his antagonists to raise a difficulty. “If having the Word of God is so great a blessing,” they might object, “why is it that so many of the Jews are going to be condemned in the judgment, as you, Paul, stated previously?”
Paul’s answer is, The problem lies with those who are lost. They failed to trust the Word. Their not believing God’s Word doesn’t make the Word false or ineffective. The unbeliever’s faithlessness doesn’t cancel out God’s faithfulness, does it?
God’s Word is sure and reliable, and possessing it must be considered a great advantage. If ever there seems to be a conflict between what God’s Word says and what human logic suggests, then the wise person—that is, the believer— will side with God and say with the apostle, “Let God be true, and every man a liar.”
Such reliance on God’s Word and submission to its message also mirrors a psalmist’s approach, as shown in Psalm 51. Paul quotes only a small portion of the psalm, assuming that the readers will know the context. The 51st psalm is one where King David, the murderer and adulterer, has to acknowledge that he is in the wrong and that God is right. In contrite humility he acknowledges his guilt and says:
I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
[continuing with the words Paul quotes in his rebuttal to the Jewish objection]
so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. (Psalm 51:3,4).