Romans 3:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Or is God the God of Jews only?" Here he is saying something like this: Why does it seem absurd to you that every man is saved? Is God a private God?

By this he shows that those who wish to abase the Gentiles offend the glory of God even more, if they do not allow that He is the God of all.

If He is the God of all, then He cares for all. If He cares for all, then He saves all equally through faith. Therefore the Apostle says, "Or is God the God of Jews only, and not also of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also."

God is not a private God, as is imagined in Greek myths, but common to all and one. Therefore he adds, "since God is one."

Having proved that justification is in the Blood of Christ and not in the works of the law, he concludes the discourse and says: from all that has been said, we conclude that every man is justified by faith.

Do not be troubled by this, O Jew, as though it were absurd. God is not a private God, so as to save only you and not every man.

Here he also shames the Jews and greatly terrifies them as fighters against God, if they will not admit that the Gentiles are saved through faith. For they do not believe that He is the God of all and cares equally for all.

There is one God, he says, that is, the God of Jews and Gentiles. He justifies the circumcised not by the law, but by faith, and receives the uncircumcised through faith.

By mentioning circumcision and uncircumcision, he recalls what was said above. There he proved that circumcision brings no benefit when works are absent, and that uncircumcision does no harm in itself.

Therefore faith is needed in both cases.

"Or is God the God of Jews only?" Is one half of mankind dear to God, and the other hateful? "No," for in true love there can be no division into beloved and hated.

Therefore, if circumcision could not benefit itself and lived by grace freely given, uncircumcision also remains. Since God knew that redeeming grace was not in strict and severe laws, He did not will man to be deprived of grace.

Nor did He will that, because of the law, God should be called severe before He came down to them in grace. The strictness of God proclaimed the law, but everywhere He acted according to grace.

Therefore He cast away and thrust aside the laws despised by Himself, so that His true grace might be sweet to all.

There is no doubt that God is one for all. Even the Jews cannot claim that their God is not the God of the Gentiles, since they believe that all descend from one Adam.

They also hold that no foreigner who wishes to come to the law may be rejected. Some of the Gentiles went out with them from Egypt into the wilderness.

The Israelites were commanded to receive them, if only they were circumcised, and to eat unleavened bread and the Passover with them (see Ex 12:48).

Moreover Cornelius, a Gentile who had not accepted Judaism, received the gift of God and was justified. This is confirmed by the testimony of Scripture (see Acts 10:31).

The righteous man, insofar as he is righteous, does not differ from another righteous man, whether he is a Jew fulfilling the law or a Greek. For God is Lord not only of the Jews, but of all people, though as Father He is nearer to those who know Him.

A virtuous life in accordance with human customs means life. A blessed life in accordance with God's law also means life.

Therefore, since those who lived virtuously before the law entered the number of the faithful and are counted righteous, it is clear that those born outside the law could also live righteously, relying on the qualities of their soul.

Even while in Hades and in prison, they could hear the voice of the Lord and immediately turn and believe.

Verses 29-30. Having said that justification by faith is given to every man, the Apostle resolves the Jews' objection to this thought, though it is not plainly stated.

He speaks to them as if saying: Why does it seem absurd to you that every man is saved? Is God some private god?

From this it is clear that those who wish to abase the Gentiles thereby abase the glory of God, by not allowing God to be God of all. If He is God of all, then He cares for all.

If He cares for all, then He saves all equally through faith. Therefore the Apostle says, "Or is God the God of Jews only, and not also of Gentiles? Yes, of Gentiles also."

If you point me to the Old Testament, even there God's providence extended to all, though not in the same way. To you He gave the written law, and to them the natural law (Chrysostom).

At the end of the chapter the Apostle leads us to this consideration: the new means of justification, freely by faith in the promised Redeemer, necessarily had to be ordered sooner or later, because God is not the God of Jews only, but also of Gentiles.

"Is God the God of Jews only, and not also of Gentiles?" asks the Apostle. "Certainly also of Gentiles" (Rom 3:29).

Those who wish to abase the Gentiles, says Chrysostom concerning the Apostle's words, as though they were not worth much care, thereby abase the glory of God. They do not allow God to be God of all.

"For there is one God, who justifies the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith" (Rom 3:30).

From the fundamental Christian teaching on justification unfolded by the Apostle, it is clear that the Hebrews have no advantage in Christianity.

The work of salvation here is accomplished apart from the old law, by faith. This faith is equally accessible and possible for both Jew and Gentile. It is given by God, who equally justifies Gentiles and Jews.

Explaining how and why there is no distinction among people in receiving justification, our native commentator, Bishop Theophan, writes: "Sincere faith smooths away all differences and equally opens to all the entrance into the court of God's righteousness.

"When there is no faith, whoever you may be, you will receive nothing. But when there is faith, whoever you may be, you will not be deprived of anything.

The Apostle, as if from afar, sees the Jews disturbed after reading the preceding words. Accustomed to claim special advantages before God, they were troubled by thoughts arising in their hearts: How can this be? How can this be allowed?

Therefore he hastens to calm this disturbance, saying as it were: "Do not be troubled by this, O Jew, as though by some absurdity" (blessed Theophylact).

"Or is God the God of Jews only?" "Is God some private God? From this it is clear that those who wish to abase the Gentiles thereby abase the glory of God, by not allowing God to be God of all.

"If He is God of all, then He cares for all. And if He cares for all, then He saves all equally through faith" (Chrysostom).

Tell me, is it not true that the whole human race is one flock of God? And is not God and the Lord also the Shepherd of all nations? Cf. Ps. 66:1-7; Mic. 4:1-3; Rom. 16:24; Tob. 13:11; Tob. 14:7.