Testimonia — Early Christian Bible Commentary

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Romans 3

1Then what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the profit of circumcision?

2Much in every way! Because first of all, they were entrusted with the revelations of God.

3For what if some were without faith? Will their lack of faith nullify the faithfulness of God?

4May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “that you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment.”

5But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what will we say? Is God unrighteous who inflicts wrath? I speak like men do.

6May it never be! For then how will God judge the world?

7For if the truth of God through my lie abounded to his glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?

8Why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), “Let’s do evil, that good may come?” Those who say so are justly condemned.

9What then? Are we better than they? No, in no way. For we previously warned both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

10As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one.

11There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God.

12They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”

13“Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips.”

14“Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”

15“Their feet are swift to shed blood.

16Destruction and misery are in their ways.

17The way of peace, they haven’t known.”

18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.

20Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

21But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;

22even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,

23for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

24being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;

26to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time, that he might himself be just and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

27Where then is the boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

28We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

29Or is God the God of Jews only? Isn’t he the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

30since indeed there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

31Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law.

Early Christian commentary

c. 182–188 AD (historical editorial dating) | Irenaeus of Lyons

1. Thus then does the Lord plainly show that it was the true Lord and the one God who had been set forth by the law; for Him whom the law proclaimed as God, the same did Christ point out as the Father, whom also it behoves the disciples of Christ alone to serve. By means of the statements of the law, He put our adversary to utter confusion; and the law directs us to praise God the Creator (Demiurgum), and to serve Him alone. Since this is the case, we must not seek for another Father besides Him, or above Him, since there is one God who justifies the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith. For if there were any other perfect Father above Him, He (Christ) would by no means have overthrown Satan by means of His words and commandments. For one, ignorance cannot be done away with by means of another ignorance, any more than one defect by another defect. If, therefore, the law is due to ignorance and defect, how could the statements contained therein bring to nought the ignorance of the devil, and conquer the strong man? For a strong man can be conquered neither by an inferior nor by an equal, but by one possessed of greater power. But the Word of God is the superior above all. He who is loudly proclaimed in the law: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is one God;" and, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart;" and, "Him shalt thou adore, and Him alone shalt thou serve." Then in the Gospel, casting down the apostasy by means of these expressions. He did both overcome the strong man by His Father's voice, and He acknowledges the commandment of the law to express His own sentiments, when He says, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." For He did not confound the adversary by the saying of any other, but by that belonging to His own Father, and thus overcame the strong man.

Commentary · Against Heresies, Book V, Chapter 22, Section 1 · Original source · Irenaeus of Lyons; The Writings of Irenaeus, Volume II, Ante-Nicene Christian Library IX; translated by Alexander Roberts and W. H. Rambaut; T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1869. Existing transcription supplied by Wikisource contributors. · Licence · Source revision · Whitespace normalized; source pagination and footnote reference markers removed. English wording unchanged.