Romans 3:9-3:18 - All Are Sinful

Calvin (5/4/01)

3:9: It may seem that there is contradiction in Paul's first allowing the Jews their preeminence, and then declaring them no better here, but the contradiction is only apparent. All that is preeminent in the Jews is due to God's grace. It is by His free and undeserved attentions upon them that they were entrusted with His Laws and promises. Stripped of all that He freely gave, the Jews are shown to be as sinful as everybody else. Note that Paul speaks to the Jews in the third person when he declares their benefits, but joins himself to them here, where he is declaring them no different. [Interesting, I'd always taken this as switching back to the Gentiles, to keep their pride from getting all puffy.] Paul uses a legal term in this passage, declaring that he is bringing a charge against all - both Jew and Gentile, and, as any proper legal proceeding must do, he follows the charge with substantiating evidence. This is the difference between a legal charge and slander, that evidence can be produced to support the former. Being under sin indicates that just condemnation is upon us, for it is the natural consequence of sin, just as absolution comes to righteousness.
3:10: Paul moves from the evidence of natural reason to the evidence of God's own testimony, thus shifting to a greater authority. This dependence upon God's truth as the basis of our own declarations ought to be the rule amongst all Christian teachers and preachers. He begins with an encompassing, more general accusation, before moving into particulars. What follows is a list of many of the fruits of unrighteousness.
3:11: Their lack of understanding shows in their failing to seek God. Science and art are empty knowledge when God is removed from them.
3:12: Being ignorant of God, the unifying factor of our common Father is removed, and disunity and inhumanity follow, such that each seeks his own good, and cares nothing for others. Footnote: 'useless' in the Hebrew has the meaning of 'putrid', as in meat gone bad, and indicates a people no longer fit for their purpose of glorifying God, and promoting their own good.
3:13: They are so far removed from seeking the good of others, that they have become able to swallow and 'devour men whole and entire.'
3:14: When their words are pleasant, they are found to be deceitful flatteries. When their hearts speak, it is heard to be full of bitterness and curses.
3:15: No comments.
3:16: It shows heights of barbarity that everywhere they go, the leave behind a wasted land, having destroyed everything.
3:17: So set are they on acts of violence that they no longer know how to act kindly or courteously.
3:18: Just as the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, so disregard of God is the beginning of wickedness, for the restraint that He places on our sinful desires is removed, and we feel at liberty to indulge everything that comes to our mind. A look at the context from which these various quotes are taken shows that Paul has not introduced any foreign meaning to their original intent. Psalm 14 declares that the perverseness of man was such that God, in looking upon them, could not find a single righteous man in all the world. Sin had become universal. Elsewhere in the Psalms, David writes of the treachery of his enemies. Being as he and his kingdom are a type of Christ and His, David's enemies represent all who are alienated from Christ, and as such, not led by the Spirit. The passages from Isaiah are expressly noted by the author as speaking to the enemies of Israel, and so are felt with greater force against the Gentiles. The sum of the evidence clearly shows that man left to himself ever tends to evil, and so, too, would the saints, were it not for the restraining hand of God upon them in regeneration. An honest look at ourselves will reveal the seeds of these same evils still within us, held back by that mortification of the flesh that God's mercy empowers in us.

Matthew Henry (5/4/01)

3:9: The question may be taken as coming once more from the Jews, or it might just as well be taken as coming from any Christian, comparing himself to those around him. In both cases, the verdict comes back the same: nothing in us commends us to God's grace, we have done nothing to merit His favor upon us. Were it not for that grace, we would still be the same as they. We would still be under the sentence, the bond, and the burden of our sins (Ps 38:4 - I'm over my head in sin; the weight of them overwhelms me.) This is the charge Paul has brought against both Jew and Gentile, and he has proved his case, convicting them on the facts of the evidence. But, lest that evidence be insufficient, he adds to it the evidence of God's own testimony on the matter. In support of his claims, he quotes from Ps 14 a truth so weighty as to be repeated in Ps 53. From Ps 140, he pulls a description of the wickedness of Doeg; From Is 59, a conviction against the Jews. The result is to show that the sins of one are just as readily found in the other. It is interesting to note that the examples Paul takes are from periods of relatively better times in Israel. God looked down on His creation at the beginning and saw that all was very good. Now, looking upon His creation after the effects of fallen man, he sees that all is very bad. Once more, things are as they were prior to the flood (Ge 6:5 - The LORD saw that man's wickedness was great, and his heart was only interested in doing evil.)
3:10: The totality of man's depravity is shown in that God could not even find one single man upon the earth who was ruled by virtuous principles of righteousness. Even those justified and sanctified by His grace remain unrighteous by their own nature, and those who are after God's own heart will recognize this in themselves.
3:11: The root of that corruption lies in blinded understanding, for the weight of reason ought to lead people to religion and righteousness, but they don't understand, and remain foolish sinners. Not understanding God, they don't seek Him, and are in truth at odds with Him.
3:12: "Those that have forsaken God soon grow good for nothing, useless burdens of the earth." Even when a sinner's actions have some goodness in them, it is marred by the errors in their principles and ends. (Ecc 7:23 - I sought to be wise, but it was beyond my abilities.) Not seeking after God, they miss the right way. God set man upon the right path, but he has forsaken it in his apostasy.
3:13: We turn to particulars, first in their words. Their cruelty is not unlike that of Apollyon the destroyer, for they seek to destroy others by their words, either publicly or in underhanded ways (Jas 3:8 - The tongue - full of evil and poison - is untamable.) They speak in lies and deceit, showing themselves children of the father of lies.
3:14: They curse both the holy name of God, and their brothers, this being one of the great sins of the tongue (Jas 3:9 - with our tongues we curse those who are made in God's image. Ps 109:17-19 - Loving curses, curses came to him, and disliking blessings, they were far from him. He wore curses like clothes, and they permeated his very flesh and bones. Curses became his belt and his garment.) To how many Christians does this charge still apply?
3:15: They show themselves ever prepared to take advantage of opportunities to be cruel.
3:16: They carry destruction and misery as constant companions, against God's people, against their own society, and in the end to themselves, for death is the end of sin. 'A man needs no more to make him miserable than to be a slave to his sins.'
3:17: They neither know how to be at peace with others, nor with themselves. The only peace they may be familiar with is that like the devil maintains in his palace - the enforced peace of a cruel taskmaster, but true peace eludes them, for they don't know the things that make for peace.
3:18: Practical religion consists of an awe-filled and serious concern for the will and word of God to rule us, and His glory and honor as the purpose of our every action. The wicked don't have this view, and are governed by other rules. Proper fear of God would restrain our spirits to do right (Neh 5:15 - I did not heavily tax the people as their prior rulers had, for the fear of God restrained me.), and the lack of proper fear restrains our prayers (Job 15:4 - Doing away with reverence, your meditation upon God is hindered.), leading quickly to ruin. In all this we see a summary of the corruption of mankind.

Adam Clarke (5/6/01)

3:9: The Jews have no better claim to the kingdom of God, as has been shown in the preceding discussions of this letter. Rather, all owe their salvation to God's mercy alone. This assertion guides Paul's words through most of the remainder of this chapter.
3:10: This and the following verse are from Ps 14. Not only among the Jews, but equally among the Gentiles, God has looked down and sought for any man who fears and seeks Him, but has found not a single one. Prior to receiving Christ's mercy, all are in this natural state of unrighteousness, incapable of doing a righteous act.
3:11: No comments.
3:12: The Jew has wandered from the right way in corrupting the right worship of God; the Gentile in acting against the law written on their hearts. Thus, we see evil is at the core of human nature. He looks upon our nature, and sees a heap of putrefying corpses, we are infected and infectious apart from Him. In v10, God declared none righteous - none had the right principles. Here, He declares that none do good, which must follow, given that lack of principles. "If there is no righteousness within, there will be no acts of goodness without."
3:13: The remainder of this section quotes the Septuagint, as opposed to following the Hebrew text. There is some debate as to whether these verses were originally in Ps 14, as they are missing from many of the oldest manuscripts. They speak so as to bury men's reputations by lies, slander, and other poisonous words.
3:14: All their words are of malice and blasphemy.
3:15: They use all available means to destroy innocent lives and reputations.
3:16: Their works are all for destruction, and bring misery not only to the objects of their attacks, but to themselves, as well.
3:17: They don't have peace themselves, nor do they allow others to have it, always working to create discord.
3:18: They are practical atheists. This is shown to have been the case for both Jew and Gentile with ample evidence from all quarters. It shows itself to be just as true today, proven once more in the roots of every war. For all war comes of the evil desires of man for dominion, wealth, and independence from all outside rule. "This is the sin that ruined our first parents, … and which has descended to all their posterity; and proves fully, incontestably proves, that we are their legitimate offspring."

Barnes' Notes (5/6/01-5/7/01)

3:9: Another comment from the Jews: are we better, as you have said (v 2)? The full answer is that they indeed have had great advantages given by God, but that in terms of justification, those advantages make no difference. The advantage unapplied is no advantage. Failing to keep the Law, they are then sinners in need of another means of justification, just as the rest of the world does.
3:10: These verses (10-18) are in direct answer to the Jews question regarding their advantage, and are designed to show that throughout their history, God's own answer regarding their nature showed them to be sinful. This set of quotations are aimed specifically at the Jews, and cannot be taken as directly considering the doctrine of universal depravity, although they do have some bearing on that issue. The quotes are taken from different periods of Jewish history to show that the issue of sin has always been with them. Footnote: The verses do indeed bear on the doctrine of universal sin, as can be seen both by the context of the verses here quoted, and the language of their introduction, where Paul has stated that the charge laid is that both Jew and Greek are under sin. His concluding statement in Ro 3:20 furthers this viewpoint. This first quote of Paul's is worded so as to directly address the issue of the Law's inability to justify. This should not be taken as literally indicating that not one single pious man could be found, but rather that the character of the Jewish nation was universally wicked.
3:11: If God did not say He had found such a righteous man as understood and obeyed Him, it follows that there was no such man to be found. For such a one could not escape God's notice, and His benevolence would not fail to record such a find. To understand indicates wisdom, and a moral base that leads one to serve and obey God. (Ps 107:43 - Who is wise will consider the LORD's lovingkindness. Ps 119:27 - He will seek to understand how to walk according to God's way, and will think of His wonders. Ps 119:100 - In observing God's precepts, I understand more than those with much experience in life. Is 6:10c - …lest they understand with their hearts, and return and be healed.) A disposition that neglects and forgets God is a full proof of depravity, for the righteous man considers knowing and honoring God as his highest privilege.
3:12: Having fallen from the path of virtue, they are united in their offensiveness to God, as soured milk.
3:13: This is taken from Ps 5 (for the first part), which speaks to the particular sins of deceit, lies, and slander. Thus, it may be understood as indicating that like the grave, their words are ever ready to receive all into their destruction, 'to swallow up the peace and happiness of all,' or that their words are as offensive as the smells that come from an opened grave. The asp is a small snake that often lies concealed, striking before seen. Its venom is almost instantly deadly, and incurable. Such are the words of the slanderer: 'spreading quickly and producing death,' as they 'quickly destroy the reputation and happiness of man.' Thus, the wicked are often compared to the serpent. (Mt 23:33 - How shall a brood of vipers such as yourself avoid hell? Ge 49:17 - Dan is as the serpent, biting the horse's heel so as to dump its rider backwards.)
3:14: David speaks in this passage of his bitter enemies, such as Shimei (2Sa 16:5-8). Such curses are bitter in their cruelty and harshness.
3:15: Paul shifts to Isaiah 59, where the prophet is describing the character of Israel at that time. He selects portions of the passage to reflect the whole, which the Jewish mind will readily recall. This particular phrase speaks to their eagerness to commit crimes of injustice and cruelty.
3:16: They cause the ruin of reputation, happiness, and peace for others, wherever they go. As then, so with the wicked now.
3:17: So consumed with evil plans, they don't even consider what might promote their own happiness, or that of others.
3:18: Back to the Psalms. Fear denotes reverence and awe, which they lack in regard to God. This regard for the honor of God and His Law is all that will restrain people from sin. As the quotations have been taken from six different places and periods, they serve to sufficiently prove that Israel was far from being justified as righteous as a nation by their actions. They were as much in need of another means of salvation as were the Gentiles. Here, too, we see the proper use of the Old Testament - it is to be used to show the uniform trend of human character. In it, and in other ancient histories, we see how mankind has reacted under a variety of circumstances, and we find that their reaction is uniformly sinful. The scope of the Scriptures quoted condemns the nature of every faculty of man, not limiting itself to one specific part as being corrupted. It is the whole. If this described the highly advantaged Jewish nation, how then the pagan? What a sad thing that no matter what record or period we consider, the facts bring us ever back to the same conclusion: Man is utterly sinful and helpless. This should ever drive us to thankfulness for the mercy of God shown in His pity for us, and in His devising a plan to restore to us what we have forfeited: glory, honor, and immortality.

Wycliffe (5/7/01)

3:9: If the question be seen as coming once more from the Jews, it ought to be worded as 'are we in a worse position than the Gentiles, then?' If it is seen as coming from the reader, it ought to be 'is there anything we can hold before us as protection?' Either way, Paul's answer is 'not at all.' 'The sinner has no means within himself to deal with sin. He is … under the power, rule, command, [and] control of sin.'
3:10-3:18: Paul quotes various points in scripture with a varying degree of freedom in his phrasing; sometimes exact, sometimes not. Yet, he never loses or changes the intended meaning of the passage quoted. They deal consecutively with the universality of sin, the condition and conduct of the wicked, the unrighteousness of Israel, and the lack of respect that the wicked have towards God. They combine to paint a rather full picture of the sinner, just as Paul has been doing thus far in Romans.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (5/8/01)

3:9: So do the Jews have pre-eminence? Not at all, even given the great advantage of possessing God's word to teach them. Being ineffectual in them, it has aggravated their offense. That this is the case, Paul has already sufficiently proved in the previous two chapters.
3:10: The passages Paul chooses each speak from specific instances of human depravity, but combine to show what unrestrained man will be in any situation.
3:11: No comments.
3:12: From the general view of the opening quote, he now moves to specifics, showing how our depravity affects every organ of the body until we are seen to be unsound from head to toe.
3:13: The words that proceed from the heart of such a one are like the breath of an opened grave. The tongue that God gave as the glory of man is corrupted into works of deception. What should give praise to God instead is used to spread poison.
3:14: The mouth that ought to be sweet is embittered with wrath, as the tongue set on fire (Jas 3:6) speaks curses to those it should only bless.
3:15: The feet that should run on the paths of God's commandments (Ps 119:32) are used to hasten to do the darkest crimes.
3:16: No comments.
3:17: With their feet so misplaced, they bring mischief and misery wherever they go, rather than the peace that they cannot bring, for they know it not themselves.
3:18: If our eyes could only see the invisible One, as Moses did (Heb 11:27), the awe we would then have for Him would lift us out of our deepest depression, and humble us in our greatest joy, but we cannot in our natural state. (Jer 17:9 - The heart is most deceitful and terribly ill. Mk 7:21-23 - Evil thoughts and evil deeds proceed from the heart and defile the man. Ps 19:12 - We cannot even see its errors, as it hides our faults from us, unless God reveal it.)

New Thoughts (5/9/01)

There is a great need, for me, certainly, and no doubt for others, to stop and actually seek understanding. Elsewhere in the course of studying Romans, I have looked at the various stages of knowing: the observed, the experienced, the internalized, but there remains another facet. All the fact finding is as nothing if we don't stop to reflect upon it. Knowing the Law did not do the Jews any great good, because they never stopped to understand it. Knowing the gospel message will not do us any great good if we don't stop to fully apprehend what it means to us. The advantage unapplied is no advantage. We live in what has been called 'the Age of Information.' We've got more of it than we could ever possibly use, more than we could begin to hope to comprehend. So, in large part, we've stopped trying to understand, and have settled for simply knowing. I noted way back when I first started digesting this passage that I had daily needs: to look at where I'd failed and needed forgiveness, to see where I'd fallen short of His goals, to pray for the ability to do better next time, to come closer to His image. All of this is true, but all this seeking of the facts without stopping to understand will simply overwhelm me, and leave me hopeless before my God. This is not proper fear of my Lord, but rather the fear of reprisal that the Accuser attempts to instill. What has God said about the situation? Ro 11:32 declares that He has been at work to show us our disobedience, and to show us that we are incapable of anything but disobedience, so that He can show us mercy. As the Wycliffe comments noted: 'The sinner has no means within himself to deal with sin.' Ever, I will look at myself in those moments of honest appraisal and find myself wanting. Ever, I will be chagrined to see that in spite of justification, in spite of sanctification, my nature is unchanged, and only remains restrained by the grace of God. Ever, I will see those seeds of unrighteousness within me, seeking opportunity to sprout forth in sin. With Paul, I am forced to cry out in frustration that the desire of my soul is an impossibility for my flesh to comply with. And with Paul, I will shout praise to my God for providing the solution!

At men's conference this last weekend, we heard a lot about ceasing from the attempts at 'sin management,' to stop trying to be sufficient to a task that we can't possibly handle, to put our lives more fully into God's hands to schedule, to correct, to lead. Added to this, last night at home group, we were looking at the days of creation and the days of the feast. We came to the sixth day, paralleled with the Day of Atonement, and saw that in this day and feast we were being called to come into the image of Christ, we come to repentance in preparation for meeting our Groom. One thing that struck me fresh as I taught on this, was that the day of repentance was to be a day of complete rest, work on man's part subjecting him to separation from the congregation and nation of God's people! What a stunning thought! What a great truth! This is what had happened with the Law. Man had been trying to work his way into heaven, and had instead had worked himself out of it. This is the effect of works-based salvation attempts today, because God's plan is ever that we would depend on Him. This is the curse of legalism, setting up a mess of 'godly' rules and regulations to subject ourselves and others to, without understanding that the whole point of God's counsel to us has been missed in that mess.

Father, I thank You that You have brought together this timely reminder to stop. You have declared to us our need to rest in You. You have said it so many times, in so many places, and yet I keep taking that responsibility back, as though I could hope to actually accomplish what's needed! Thank You, Jesus, that You have provided the answer. Thank You, that You are here, Holy Spirit, to bring the understanding. Thank You that you bring us times of reflection, even when You have to force us into those times, so that we can cease from our busyness and listen to Your words of comfort. No, Lord, I'm nothing like a righteous man, but Jesus, You have clothed me in Your own righteousness. You have made me acceptable to my awesome and holy LORD. Indeed, I pray that You would daily remind me of my need for You, that You would reveal to me the mistakes, the shortcomings, the sins of the day, and that You would daily bring repentance and change to those situations. I pray that You would cause me daily to stop and meditate on what You have been showing me, so that I can truly understand, and not simply chase after facts. Holy Spirit come, put the pieces together for me, give me time today to simply stop and reflect, to ponder what You have been feeding me in recent days, so that I can hear Your voice, perceive Your will, and recognize Your path in all that comes my way.