Rose Murdock's Notes on The Epistles

25: For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26: So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27: And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? 28: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29: But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. ***  The Old Testament Jews knew that being a Jew was an honorable thing because God had chosen them to be His people, hold His presence, and carry His message and revelations. God gave them a detailed written Law to follow through Moses which included circumcision of all...

1: Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2: Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3: What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? 4: May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, “THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.” 5: But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6: May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? 7: But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? 8: And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), “Let us do evil that good may come”? Their condemnation is just. ***  Paul asked the question of whether ther...

9: What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10: as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11: THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; 12: ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” 13: THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING, THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS; 14: WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS; 15: THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, 16: DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, 17: AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN. 18:THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.” ***  Paul asked, since the Jews had been entrusted with the oracles of God, if they were in a better condition than others to be justified by God. The answer was no. Paul had already shown that all are under sin, both Jew and Greek--the Jews by transgressing the written Law, an...

19: Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20: because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. 21: But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22: even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24: being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25: whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26: for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the ju...

27: Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28: For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29: Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30: since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. 31: Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. ***  Was there anything for the Jewish believer to boast about? No. Why? Because their justification was not anything to be proud of. It didn’t come from a law based on works—being rewarded for something they’d done. It came through the law of faith. The principles of this law are that everyone is a sinner, and justification comes only through faith—believing in the plan God had in place all along to impute righteousness to those who believe in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. Paul maintained that just...

1: What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2: For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3: For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 4: Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5: But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 6: just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7: “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. 8: “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.” ***  Paul looked to Abraham—the father of the Jews—to validate what he had been saying about righteousness being by faith, and not earned through works. The Scripture says that even Abraham was made righteous because h...

9: Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” 10: How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; 11: and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them, 12: and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised. 13: For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14: For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified; 15: for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, t...