Exposition of Romans 3:21-22 and Faith-Law-Righteousness Relationship
Exposition of Romans 3:21-22
Romans 3:21-22 states, "But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; ... through faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe" [1]. This passage is pivotal in understanding the relationship between faith, law, and righteousness in Pauline theology.
The phrase "apart from the law" indicates a significant shift in how righteousness is attained, moving away from reliance on the Mosaic Law. According to John Chrysostom, this signifies that the law is not the source of righteousness but rather a witness to it [3]. The "righteousness of God" refers to God's method of making people righteous, a theme central to Romans.
The literary context of Romans 3:21-22 is crucial. Paul has just concluded a lengthy section (1:18–3:20) highlighting humanity's universal sinfulness, establishing the need for a righteousness that is not achieved through human effort or law-keeping. The revelation of God's righteousness "through faith in Jesus Christ" underscores the universal applicability of this righteousness to all believers, regardless of their background [4].
The key terms here are "righteousness of God" (δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ) and "faith" (πίστις). The former is understood by Calvin as the means by which God puts people in a right relationship with Himself, emphasizing that this righteousness is a gift from God, not earned by human works [2]. The latter, "faith," is not merely intellectual assent but a deep trust in Jesus Christ.
Interpreters have varied in their understanding of how faith relates to law and righteousness. Reformed tradition, following Calvin, emphasizes that faith is the sole means of justification, contrasting it with works of the law [2]. In contrast, Eastern Orthodox thought, as represented by John Chrysostom, also sees faith as central but often within a broader context of the transformative work of Christ and the role of the Church [3].
The passage has significantly influenced Christian theology, particularly in discussions around justification by faith. It has been cited in various theological debates and is reflected in creedal statements affirming justification by faith alone.
The relationship between faith, law, and righteousness, as outlined in Romans 3:21-22, remains a cornerstone of Christian doctrine, with ongoing interpretation and reflection across different Christian traditions [2, 3, 4].
Sources
- Romans “But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; -- Romans 3:21”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, section 53.2: 64:7 66:24 Jeremiah 4:31 5:8 5:28 7:4 7:4 9:1 10:23 10:24 10:24 11:21 17:1 17:5 18:16 19:6 19:8 22:24 22:28 25:9 25:13 25:18 28:10 28:11 30:11 31:15 43:2 48:2 50:11 Lamentations 1:7 2:5 2:8 3:29 Ezekiel 15:3 16:26 20:11 20:24 20:25 26:2 26:14 37:1 43:15 43:15 47:11 Daniel 5:28 5:30 5:31 7:10 7:17 8:20 Hosea 1:7 6:4 8:14 9:6 13:3 Joel 1:13 2:13 2:23 2:28 Amos 1:3 3:6 4:1 4:1 5:10 5:19 8:11 Micah 1:3 1:11 2:11 7:9 7:16 Nahum 3:8 Habakkuk 2:1 2:1 2:1 2:2 3:2 3:2 3:13 Zechariah 9:14 13:4 14:3 Malachi 1:4 1:11 4:2 Matthew 2:14 3:12 3:12 3:12 3:12 ”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Acts & Romans: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:26 2:10 2:18 2:21 2:21 2:24 2:24 2:24 3:5 3:6 3:11 3:16 3:16 3:16 3:19 3:19 4 4:2 4:6 4:7 4:7 4:7 4:9 4:9 4:10 4:10 4:10 4:11 4:14 6:3 6:3 6:9 9:5 9:20 9:22 11:8 11:31 12:3 12:7 12:7 14:14 15:12 15:13-14 18:3 18:3 18:3 18:7 18:17 18:19 18:27 18:33 21:12 22:3 22:18 25:33 27:27 27:41 27:45 28:12 28:20 29:23 30:1-2 31:7 31:15 31:40 32:10 32:21 32:28 32:29 33:19 37:18 39:1-20 40:23 41:40 41:42-43 42:21 45:5 45:5 45:9 45:24 48:16 49:7 60:8 Exodus 1:14 1:22 2:11 2:13 2:15 2:22 3:1 3:2 3:2 4:10 4:22 5:2 9:11 17:4 18:2”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 3:21: 3:21–4:25 Paul returns to the central theme of the righteousness of God that is revealed in Christ and is available to anyone who believes. The fundamental statement of this theology is in 3:21-26; Paul elaborates on it in 3:27-31 and illustrates it with the experience of Abraham in ch 4. 3:21-22 After a lengthy reminder of the power of sin (1:18–3:20), Paul returns to the theme presented in 1:17, the way to be made right with God (literally the righteousness of God). As in that verse, “the righteousness of God” is the way that God puts people in right relationshi”