Romans 3:30Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Since God is one," that is, He alone is Master of both groups, Jews and Gentiles. If you point me to the Old Testament, even there God's providence extended to all, though not in the same way.

To you the written law was given, and to them the natural law. They had nothing less, and if they had wished, they could even have surpassed you.

Hinting at this very thing, the Apostle added: "who will justify the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith." He reminded the Jews of what had been said above concerning uncircumcision and circumcision.

There he proved that there is no difference between them. If there was no difference then, in the Old Testament, much more is there none now.

By explaining this more clearly, the Apostle showed that both equally need faith.

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.

There is one God, who justifies the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. This is said not because of a difference in meaning, as though one thing were "by faith" and another "through faith," but for verbal variety.

"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.

Paul plainly means that righteousness is not from human merits, but from the grace of God, who receives believers apart from the works of the law.

By the circumcised Paul means the Jews, justified by their faith in the promise and believing that Christ is He whom God promised in the law. By the uncircumcised he means the Gentiles, who are justified before God by faith in Christ. Therefore God justified all believers, Gentiles and Jews. Since God is the God of all, He justified all by one measure. What advantage, then, is there in circumcision of the flesh? Or what defect is there in uncircumcision, if faith alone has value and can be reckoned as merit?

The Apostle says: there is one God of all, one Creator of all. It is impossible that He should care for some and leave others without His care. Consequently, He gives salvation to all who believe. By "circumcision" he means the Jews, and by "uncircumcision" the Gentiles. He also resolves the objection.

Just as the first ones prefigured and foretold us, so also they, in turn, are transformed in us, that is, in the Church, and receive the reward for their labors.

"He will justify the circumcision from faith" (ek pisteos) "and the uncircumcision through faith" (dia tes pisteos). The difference in prepositions indicates the difference in the concepts that the Apostle joins to the justification of Jews and Gentiles. In fact, the Jew sought justification in the Law and in descent from Abraham, but received it only from faith (Rom. 1:17). The Gentile knew no means of justification, and only through faith learned of the righteousness of God and was saved by faith. Among the Jews, faith is the foundation from which circumcision and the promises received, and still receive, their power. For the Gentile, faith is the means.

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.

This is now the law of salvation for all: believe, and you will be saved. Whether you are circumcised or uncircumcised, faith alone has power to show you righteous before God.

This is not my reasoning. God has established it, and He Himself justifies. Therefore, O Jew, do not be obstinate. And you, O Gentile, do not despair.

Receive faith, and God will justify equally the uncircumcised and the circumcised. He will not deprive the former, nor give the latter an excess.

At the height of the order of justification God presides, and He alone justifies. On his part, man presents nothing that justifies, but faith alone. For this God justifies everyone.