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The "advantage" of the Jew in Rom 3:2 was to have been entrusted with the spoken words of God. This is significant in Romans because Paul is going to bring the race Israel back to this in chs 9-11 to say that it is their mission (or, the mission is in better hands) to preach the Gospel to the nations because of their background. There is of course no thought for the geographic location of Israel.
However, notice that after showing that a chunk of the race didn't believe and is to be judged and complains about that judgement, Paul asks again in v9 if we should conclude that we are any better or worse than them. I believe he is speaking about the current generation of Israel that is to perish in the fire and war of the DofJ.
The answer is no, because everything is relative to what God accomplished in Christ. V22, actually 'through faith of Jesus Christ' is correctly placed with Gal 2's 'the faith of Christ' as having an objective meaning. Neither are about a person's faith in Christ, but about what Christ accomplished. That is the righteousness of God that is apart from the law.
There is no advantage to either the race or the observance of the law. So v22 ends with 'there is no difference' repeating from abov e (v9, 20).
And again, there is no boasting. It is excluded because of the 'faith of Jesus Christ.' That's the "principle" of v27.
Again, v29: God is never the God of the Jews only, but of both. God justifies through the 'faith of Jesus Christ' or else does not justify.
Again, ch 4. There was no advantage to Abraham in his race; he was Persian. Nor of his circumcision. The promise of v16 is justification from sins, and those who believe on what Christ accomplished are the 'nations' promised to Abraham.
We don't hear of the 'advantage' question again for a while in Romans. Obviously, there is no advantage in being of the race of Israel in 9:22+, which is based again on the fact that Abraham's seed are those who have faith of Christ; ch 9 belongs right after ch 4 in many ways.
In 10:12 it is back. "There is no difference." 9:30--10:12 continue ch 4 more than ch 5, 6, 7, 8. The question is right back to the righteousness that is of the law vs that of the faith of Christ. The Abrahamic promise of the mission to the nations does not get its power from the race of Israel or from law observance.
So: not all the Israelites accepted the Gospel. Only the remnant did, and that's not an expresion coined by Paul here; it is from the quote from Is 10 in ch 9 about 'even though the number of Israelites be like the sand of the seashore...' That is the basis that God is not doing anything with the race as such, anymore than he is doing anything special for those who observe the law. Nor will He in the future.
"At the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace."
11:11--24 shows that those with natural roots will be an advantage in the mission to the nations, but no one will stand by race or works; only by faith.
Then comes "In this manner..." of v26. The manner has been explained beyond question.
The "they" of v31 is not all mankind but the race of Israel. They receive their mercy in Christ just like the Gentiles, and not in a future restoration of the land or state. That verse alone is what precludes any two program scheme. Those who believe such Mercy go on to become living sacrifices (witnesses) for Christ, which is spiritual worship vs. the mechanical kind at the temple.
The mechanical kind at the temple is 'the pattern of this world' (12:2) The Gospel transfers a person away from the 'pattern of this world.' Paul will mention this again in 15:16 where he is has a 'priestly' duty of preaching to the nations, so that they are in turn an 'offering' in the 'temple' for God.
"there is no difference" again in 15:7. Not the exact words, of course. But how to act. Christ fulfilled the promises to the fathers so that Gentiles (but really, all) can glorify God for his mercy, tying this back to the end of ch 11. Four OT texts solidify this.
The Gentiles have "shared in the spiritual blessings of the Jews" so they should help those Jewish believers in miserable conditions over in Judea at that present time. Miserable indeed.
Clearly a 2nd program for the race/law of Israel is the furthest thing from the mind of the apostle.
However, notice that after showing that a chunk of the race didn't believe and is to be judged and complains about that judgement, Paul asks again in v9 if we should conclude that we are any better or worse than them. I believe he is speaking about the current generation of Israel that is to perish in the fire and war of the DofJ.
The answer is no, because everything is relative to what God accomplished in Christ. V22, actually 'through faith of Jesus Christ' is correctly placed with Gal 2's 'the faith of Christ' as having an objective meaning. Neither are about a person's faith in Christ, but about what Christ accomplished. That is the righteousness of God that is apart from the law.
There is no advantage to either the race or the observance of the law. So v22 ends with 'there is no difference' repeating from abov e (v9, 20).
And again, there is no boasting. It is excluded because of the 'faith of Jesus Christ.' That's the "principle" of v27.
Again, v29: God is never the God of the Jews only, but of both. God justifies through the 'faith of Jesus Christ' or else does not justify.
Again, ch 4. There was no advantage to Abraham in his race; he was Persian. Nor of his circumcision. The promise of v16 is justification from sins, and those who believe on what Christ accomplished are the 'nations' promised to Abraham.
We don't hear of the 'advantage' question again for a while in Romans. Obviously, there is no advantage in being of the race of Israel in 9:22+, which is based again on the fact that Abraham's seed are those who have faith of Christ; ch 9 belongs right after ch 4 in many ways.
In 10:12 it is back. "There is no difference." 9:30--10:12 continue ch 4 more than ch 5, 6, 7, 8. The question is right back to the righteousness that is of the law vs that of the faith of Christ. The Abrahamic promise of the mission to the nations does not get its power from the race of Israel or from law observance.
So: not all the Israelites accepted the Gospel. Only the remnant did, and that's not an expresion coined by Paul here; it is from the quote from Is 10 in ch 9 about 'even though the number of Israelites be like the sand of the seashore...' That is the basis that God is not doing anything with the race as such, anymore than he is doing anything special for those who observe the law. Nor will He in the future.
"At the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace."
11:11--24 shows that those with natural roots will be an advantage in the mission to the nations, but no one will stand by race or works; only by faith.
Then comes "In this manner..." of v26. The manner has been explained beyond question.
The "they" of v31 is not all mankind but the race of Israel. They receive their mercy in Christ just like the Gentiles, and not in a future restoration of the land or state. That verse alone is what precludes any two program scheme. Those who believe such Mercy go on to become living sacrifices (witnesses) for Christ, which is spiritual worship vs. the mechanical kind at the temple.
The mechanical kind at the temple is 'the pattern of this world' (12:2) The Gospel transfers a person away from the 'pattern of this world.' Paul will mention this again in 15:16 where he is has a 'priestly' duty of preaching to the nations, so that they are in turn an 'offering' in the 'temple' for God.
"there is no difference" again in 15:7. Not the exact words, of course. But how to act. Christ fulfilled the promises to the fathers so that Gentiles (but really, all) can glorify God for his mercy, tying this back to the end of ch 11. Four OT texts solidify this.
The Gentiles have "shared in the spiritual blessings of the Jews" so they should help those Jewish believers in miserable conditions over in Judea at that present time. Miserable indeed.
Clearly a 2nd program for the race/law of Israel is the furthest thing from the mind of the apostle.