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Advantages of Jews in Romans 3

In Romans 3:1, Paul asks, "Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?" (NASB) [1]. This question arises after Paul's preceding argument in Romans 2, where he asserts that God judges both Jews and Gentiles impartially based on their deeds, not merely on their ethnic identity or adherence to the law [10, 11]. The apostle anticipates an objection from a Jewish perspective, questioning the value of their unique covenantal status if both groups are equally accountable before God [9, 10].

Paul's rhetorical question in Romans 3:1 directly addresses the perceived privileges of the Jewish people. Historically, Jews were considered a "non-such people," a "holy nation," and a "peculiar treasure" by God [10]. Circumcision, in particular, was instituted as a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham, marking the Jewish people as distinct [10]. The question "what advantage then hath the Jew?" (Romans 3:1 KJV) can also be translated as "what hath he superfluous?" or "what has he abundant?" suggesting an inquiry into their superior excellency compared to Gentiles [11].

Paul answers his own question in Romans 3:2, stating, "Much in every way! First of all, to them were committed the oracles of God" (NASB) [1]. Commentators agree that the Jews indeed possessed many advantages [5, 6]. John Gill notes that the circumcised Jew had a significant advantage over the uncircumcised Gentile "in all respects" [6]. Adam Clarke emphasizes that the Jews enjoyed "many advantages beyond the Gentiles" in terms of "the means and motives of obedience" [5].

The primary advantage Paul identifies is that "to them were committed the oracles of God" [1]. These "oracles" (Greek logia) refer to the revelation of God's will given to Moses and the prophets, encompassing the law, the writings of the prophets, the ceremonial law, and prophecies concerning the Messiah and the Gospel [5, 6, 8]. This divine communication provided the Jewish people with special privileges and responsibilities [8]. It was a "treasure of excellencies" that no other part of the world had received [5].

While Paul begins with "First of all," he does not explicitly list further advantages in this immediate context [8]. However, other passages, such as Romans 9:4-5, indicate what such a list of Jewish privileges would have included, such as adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple service, the promises, and the patriarchs [8].

Despite these significant advantages, Paul immediately addresses a potential counter-argument in Romans 3:3: "For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?" (NASB) [1]. This question acknowledges that not all Jews believed, which was an "aggravation of their sin" given the clear evidence and means of knowledge they possessed [7]. However, this unbelief did not extend to disbelieving the Scriptures as the word of God, which were consistently received and attended to by them [7].

The Tyndale House commentary notes that Paul's emphatic answer in Romans 3:9 ("No, not at all") does not contradict the advantages mentioned in 3:1-2 [12]. Instead, it highlights that these advantages did not ultimately benefit them because they disobeyed God's word and incurred His punishment [12]. Like Gentiles, Jews had sinned against God's revelation and stood condemned, illustrating that being "under the power of sin" is the ultimate human problem, not merely the fact of sin itself [12]. The Jewish historian Josephus, writing about the Roman-Jewish wars, also reflects on the internal divisions and lack of faith among some Jews, noting how their actions sometimes seemed to invite divine judgment, even suggesting that God was giving the Jews up to their enemies [3, 4]. He also observed that while Romans, their enemies, showed reverence for Jewish sacred rites, some Jews themselves were eager to destroy them [2].

Sources

  1. Romans “Romans 3:1 (NASB) — Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?”
  2. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, CHAPTER 9, section 3: these cases than foreigners themselves; for that the Romans, who had no relation to those things, had a reverence for their sacred rites and places, although they belonged to their enemies, and had till now kept their hands off from meddling with them; while such as were brought up under them, and, if they be preserved, will be the only people that will reap the benefit of them, hurry on to have them destroyed. That certainly they have seen their strongest walls demolished, and that the wall still remaining was weaker than those tha”
  3. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, CHAPTER 6, section 3: if they now go and attack the city immediately, "they shall but occasion their enemies to unite together, and shall convert their force, now it is in its height, against themselves. But if they stay a while, they shall have fewer enemies, because they will be consumed in this sedition: that God acts as a general of the Romans better than he can do, and is giving the Jews up to them without any pains of their own, and granting their army a victory without any danger; that therefore it is their best way, while their enemies are destro”
  4. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, CHAPTER V, section 3: a democracy in government; and did ever prefer the public welfare before his own advantage, and preferred peace above all things; for he was thoroughly sensible that the Romans were not to be conquered. He also foresaw that of necessity a war would follow, and that unless the Jews made up matters with them very dexterously, they would be destroyed; to say all in a word, if Ananus had survived, they had certainly compounded matters; for he was a shrewd man in speaking and persuading the people, and had already gotten the mastery of t”
  5. Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 3:2: Apostle. Much every way - The Jews, in reference to the means and motives of obedience, enjoy many advantages beyond the Gentiles; and, principally, because to them were committed the oracles of God - that revelation of his will to Moses and the prophets, containing a treasure of excellencies, with which no other part of the world has been favored; though they have most grievously abused these privileges.”
  6. Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 3:2: Much every way,.... The circumcised Jew has greatly the advantage of the uncircumcised Gentile, , "in all respects", , "on every side", as the Rabbins speak; phrases to which this in the text answers: chiefly; more especially, particularly, and in the first place; because that unto them were committed the oracles of God; by which are meant the law of Moses, and the writings of the prophets, the institutions of the ceremonial law, and the prophecies of the Messiah and the Gospel church state; and in a word, all the books of the Old Testament, and whatsoever is conta”
  7. Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 3:3: For what if some did not believe?.... It is suggested, that though the Jews enjoyed such a privilege, some of them did not believe; which is an aggravation of their sin, that they should have such means of light, knowledge, and faith, such clear and full evidences of things, and yet be incredulous: though it should be observed that this was the case only of some, not of all; and must be understood, not of their disbelief of the Scriptures being the word of God, for these were always received as such by them all, and were constantly read, heard, and attended to; but eit”
  8. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 3:2: 3:2 The advantage that Jews possessed was in having received God’s word. • First of all: Paul never adds a second or a third point to the list he begins here. He might have forgotten to continue the list, or first of all might mean “most importantly.” However, 9:4-5 provides a good indication of what a list of Jewish privileges would have included. • By using the word revelation (Greek logia, “oracles, messages”), Paul highlights God’s personal communication with his people (see Deut 33:9; Ps 105:19) through which he gives them special privileges and responsibiliti”
  9. Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 3 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS 3 In this chapter are an answer to several objections which follow one upon another, relating to what the apostle had said concerning the equality of the Gentiles with the Jews; and various proofs out of the Psalms and Prophets, showing the general depravity and corruption of mankind, of the Jews as well as of the Gentiles; and the conclusion from all this, that there is no justification by the works of the law, but by the righteousness of God received by faith, of which a large and clear account is given. The first objection is in”
  10. Romans (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Romans 3:1: I. Here the apostle answers several objections, which might be made, to clear his way. No truth so plain and evident but wicked wits and corrupt carnal hearts will have something to say against it; but divine truths must be cleared from cavil. Object. 1. If Jew and Gentile stand so much upon the same level before God, what advantage then hath the Jew? Hath not God often spoken with a great deal of respect for the Jews, as a non-such people (Deu 33:29), a holy nation, a peculiar treasure, the seed of Abraham his friend: Did not he institute circumcision as a badge o”
  11. Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 3:1: What advantage then hath the Jew?.... If he is not properly a Jew, who is born of Jewish parents, and brought up in the customs, rites, and religion of the Jewish nation, but anyone of whatsoever nation, that is born again of water, and of the Spirit; where is the superior excellency of the Jew to the Gentile? A man may as well be born and brought up a Heathen as a Jew; the one has no more advantages than the other by his birth and education: it may be rendered, "what hath the Jew more?" or "what has he superfluous" or "abundant?" the phrase answers to the Hebrew in Ec”
  12. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 3:9: 3:9 No, not at all: Paul’s emphatic answer does not contradict his claim in 3:1-2 that Jews have an advantage. But that advantage has not done them any good because they have disobeyed God’s word and incurred God’s punishment. Jews, like Gentiles, have sinned against the revelation of God and stand condemned. • under the power of sin (literally under sin): Being “under” something carries the sense of being under its power. The ultimate problem of human beings is not the fact of sin, but the situation of being slaves to sin. The solution to this problem requires the”
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