Romans 3:1-33

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:5

But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God ,.... Hence it appears, that the unrighteousness of men commends the righteousness, or faithfulness of God; and yet all unrighteousness is sin; the wrath of God is revealed against it; and would exclude from heaven, were it not for pardon through the blood of Christ; and besides, the one is contrary to the other, and of itself, of its own nature, cannot influence and affect the other: wherefore this can only be understood of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:6

God forbid, for then how shall God judge the world? חלילה , "far be it"; such a notion is detestable and abominable, nor can it be fairly deduced from what is asserted; for it is the unrighteousness of his own people, on whom he takes no vengeance personally, and not the unrighteousness of others, on whom he does take vengeance, which commends his righteousness; and supposing it was that of others, God cannot be unrighteous in performing his threatenings, in a way of righteousness:... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:7

For if the truth of God ,.... The "truth of God" is the same with "the righteousness of God", Romans 3:5 , and means his faithfulness; of which it is hypothetically said, it hath more abounded ; or has been more illustrated, through my lie to his glory : nothing is more opposite to truth than a lie; a lie of itself can never be of any advantage to truth, or to the God of truth; nothing is more contrary to the nature of God, and more abominable to him; a lie is of the devil, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:8

And not rather, as we be slanderously reported ,.... These are the apostle's own words, in answer to the objector he represented; and it is as if he should say, why do not you go on? why do you stop here? "and not rather" say, as we are evil spoken of, and our doctrine is blasphemed: and as some affirm ; ignorantly and audaciously enough: that we say ; and teach: let us do evil that good may come ; a slander cast upon the apostle's doctrine of unconditional election, free... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:9

What then? are we better than they ?.... The apostle returns to what he was treating of in the beginning of the chapter, and suggests, that though the Jew has the advantage of the Gentile, with respect to some external privileges, yet not with regard to their state and condition God-ward, and as in his sight; "are we Jews better than they Gentiles ?" no, in no wise ; upon no consideration whatever, neither as men, nor as Jews; which is directly opposite to a notion that people have... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:10

As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. The several passages cited here, and in some following verses, are taken out of the Psalms and Isaiah; and are brought to prove, not only that the Jews are no better than the Gentiles, being equally corrupt and depraved as they; but also to show the corrupt state and condition of mankind in general: and the words are not always literally expressed, but the sense is attended to, as in this passage; for in the original text of Psalm 14:1... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:11

There is none that understandeth ,.... This is rightly concluded, from what the Psalmist says, Psalm 14:2 , "The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men", on all the children of men, Jews and Gentiles, "to see if there were any that did understand"; and it appears, upon this survey of them, there was not one understanding person among them: man thinks himself a very wise and understanding creature, though he is born a very ignorant one: true indeed, he has not lost by sin the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:12

They are all gone out of the way ,.... In Psalm 14:3 ; it is said, "they are all gone aside"; as persons in debt: man had a considerable stock of righteousness, holiness, knowledge, &c.; but he has run through all, has contracted large and numerous debts, has been obliged to hide himself, has been used as a bankrupt, and turned out of house and home: Christ indeed has undertook to pay, and he has paid all the debts of his people; and has put them into a better state than ever Adam was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:13

Their throat is an open sepulchre ,.... The several vices of the instruments of speech are here, and in the following verse, exposed: "the throat" is said to "be an open sepulchre", as in Psalm 5:9 , so called, for its voracity and insatiableness; both as an instrument of speech, for the words of the wicked are devouring ones; and as an instrument of swallowing, and so may denote the sinner's eager desire after sin, the delight and pleasure he takes in it, the abundance of it he takes in,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 3:14

Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. These words are taken from Psalm 10:7 , by cursing is meant, cursing of God, which is sometimes internal with the heart, and sometimes external with the mouth, as here; and of all good men, though without cause, and to no purpose with respect to the persons they curse, since God has blessed them, and they are blessed, and greatly to their own detriment, for, in the issue, their curses will be turned against themselves. There is also a cursing... read more

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