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Romans 3: 21-24
Author: Arthur Bardis
RO 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 3: 21-24 belongs in the subsection of 3:21-5:21 and is an elaborate doctrinal exposition on Paul’s main theological theme of justification by faith. The development and the exclusivity of this major element is a clear demonstration and reiteration of the Biblical doctrine of salvation by faith alone. Although this passage is a summing up and a solution to the universality of sin of 1:18-3:20, it also has a direct application for “the Jew” of Romans 3. The literary devices used in Romans 3:21-26 contain multiple theological terms that are used to construct solemn declarations of doctrines; and metaphors from the law courts, of sacrifices and from slavery. The apostles’ style moves from expository of 3:21-26, to one of expounding the great theme of sola gratia by the use of polemical diatribe in 27-31. Romans 3:21-24 is a manifesto of the provision of God for the salvation of humankind by the free gift of righteousness. The death of Christ has brought about a new order of things and righteousness is offered to mankind as a free gift. This section has been described by Leon Morris as “the most important single paragraph ever written.”[1] “Nuni de” in verse 21 has a temporal nature as it moves from the old situation to the new era and age of salvation. This phrase is indicative of a salvation-historical shift between the old and the new covenant. The temporal character of “but now” is the now of the Cross as the focal point of history, as well as a contrastive idiom of what has just gone by and God’s new system. Furthermore the “perfect tense of has been made known in verse 21 must also refer to the historical death of Christ and its abiding consequences.”[2] The key expressions “Righteousness from God” in Romans 1:17 and Romans 3:21 indicate the declaration that is made known either by the preaching of the euangelion (as in 1:17) or apart from the law (3:21). That is, even before the Savior appeared, the method of making people right with God was operating in principle, as “the Law and the Prophets”[3] bear witness to it. Therefore it makes better sense to coalesce “Apart from the Law” with the verb “manifested”, as Paul’s intention is not to demonstrate two kinds of righteousness or the mode in which it is received, but rather the manner in which righteousness can be revealed. The Apostle states that the means by which (äéÜ) this gift is received is faith. Traditionally the expression in verse 22, dia pisteos Iisou Xristou has been interpreted as the objective genitive reading in establishing Jesus Christ as the object of faith.[4] The possibility of a subjective genitive as in “through faith of Jesus Christ” has an exegetical argument that is not consistent with the theme of the passage and is far from convincing. On the contrary, the objective genitive reading “ties the passage to the preceding section of Romans 1:18-3:20 and demonstrates that the righteousness from God has appeared and is available to all without distinction, but on condition of faith.” [5] This correlation is highlighted in the passage by the recurrence of the word ‘all’ and by two logical connectors. The conclusion and essence of the previous verses are stated in that ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Some scholars have argued that the aorictic meaning of Hmarton acts as an allusion to the Adamic sin, whilst others regard it as a “collective historical Aorist’; that is the sins referred to being thought of as an aggregate comprising of a past event. The author of this essay concurs with Bengel in stating that “both the original act of sin is denoted, and the sinful disposition, as also the acts of transgression flowing from it.”[6] Consequently, the aorist of ‘all sinned’ is referring to the global and collective sins of the past with reference to the final judgment and also acts as a descriptive marker of the present situation of the human race.[7] Furthermore, the present tense of kai isterounte ths doxhs tou Theou illustrates the current consequences of the fact of sin. “The glory of God in verse 23 is a present [8] glory but it also has an eschatological element.[9] It seems that God indented people to share in His glory, but sin cut Adam as well as his descendant from it. ‘This clear statement of universal sinfulness is basic to Paul’s understanding of the human predicament and also of the salvation and restoration that Christ brought.”[10] Grammatically, the present passive participle dikaioumenoi in verse 24 refers back to pandes of verse 23 and it may seem as a committal to a doctrine of universal salvation. However the context of the passage strongly points in that “being justified is dependent in verse 23 to the extent that it has as it subject ‘all’, but that it also picks up and continues the main theme of the paragraph from vv. 21-22a.”[11] The Greek verb used in verse 24 ‘justified’ has a strong forensic force, and it expresses the idea of acquittal as well as a positive pronouncement of a pardon on those who have faith in Christ, so that their guilt can no longer be cited against them. It is a declaration of righteousness not in an ethical sense but in a judicial sense. God’s justification of sinners is ‘freely by His grace[12]’, and the means of it is dia ths apolytroseos in Christ Jesus. The key point here is the freedom that is received after the payment of a price, but of course there is no mention of the recipient of this price. Furthermore the usage of the word suggests that there need be no specific person who accepts the disbursement. “Therefore we must regard redemption as a way of looking at the cross which brings out certain aspects of Christ’s work but which cannot be pressed in every detail.”[13] Apostle Paul has strongly emphasised and clearly demonstrated the theological axiom on justification through faith that only comes through the redemption by Jesus’ grace. It is of vital importance to affirm that indeed justification is ‘by faith alone’, sola fide, one of the great watchwords of the Reformation. References B.T.C.Q. Survey of the Scriptures. Brookfield: B.T.C.Q. 1987. Barclay, William. The Letter to the Romans. Glasgow: The Saint Andrew Press, 1983. Bruce, F F. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Romans. Leicester, England: Intervarsity Press, 1985. Harrison, Everett. The Expositors Bible Commentary, Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995. MacArthur, John F. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Romans 1-8. Chicago: Moody Press, 1991. Morris, Leon. The Epistle to the Romans. Leicester, England: Intervarsity Press, 1988. Moo, Douglas. NICNT, The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996. Osborne, Grant. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, Romans. Leicester, England: Intervarsity Press, 2004. Perschbacher, Wesley (ed). The New Analytical Greek Lexicon. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990. Stott, John. BST, The Message of Romans. England :Inter-Varsity Press, 1994. Journal Articles Carson, Donald. (Oct 2004) “Why Trust a Cross? Reflections on Romans 3:21-26.” Evangelical Review of Theology, Volume 28, Issue 4, 345-362. Computer Programs Zondervan reference Software (32 Bit edition) version 2.6. NIV Bible. Copyrights The Zondervan Corporation, 1989-1998. [1] Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, (Leicester, England: Intervarsity Press, 1988), 173. [2] John Stott, BST, The Message of Romans, (Leicester: England: Intervarsity Press, 1994), 109. [3] A summary term for the Old Testament. [4] The identical phrase of ‘through faith of Jesus Christ’ is also found in Galatians 2:16, followed by the explanatory statement, ‘we believed in Christ Jesus’. [5] Donald, Carson, (Oct 2004) “Why Trust a Cross? Reflections on Romans 3:21-26.” Evangelical Review of Theology, Volume 28, Issue 4, 352. [6] Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, (Leicester, England: Intervarsity Press, 1988), 176. [7] The ‘fall short’ is in the present tense shows the present results of the fact of the sin. [8] 2 Cor 4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Also 2 Cor 3:18 & John 17:22. [9] 1 Peter 5:1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: [10] Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, (Leicester, England: Intervarsity Press, 1988), 177. [11] The introductory participle ‘being justified’ picks up on the ‘all’ of verse 23 and reintroduces the theme of verses 21-22, which can be regarded as semi parenthetical. Therefore the meaning of this phrase is that “all who believe from among the sinners are then justified. Grant R Osbourne, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, Romans, (Leicester, England: Intervarsity Press, 2004), 95. [12] “Paul uses the term ‘Grace’ to describe the way in which God has acted in Christ’s unconstrained by anything beyond His own will. God’s justifying verdict is totally unmerited.” Douglas Moo, NICNT, The Epistle to the Romans, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996),228. [13] Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, (Leicester, England: Intervarsity Press, 1988), 179.
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