INTRODUCTION:

Last week and the week before our passage from Romans zeroed in on the spiritual pride of the Jews. Paul was pretty harsh, and criticized them for racism, for sectarianism, for "Bible-olatry," for worldly proseletizing, and for hypocritical self-righteousness. But in today's passage he looks at brighter things, still about the Jews of his time; and asks the question: "What advantage is there in being Jewish? Is it meaningless, or is it pretty special? This is what he wrote...

• 1 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?
• 2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
• 3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?
• 4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."
• 5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)
• 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?
• 7 Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?"
• 8 Why not say-as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say-"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved.

The Jews of the First Century (and earlier) had Four Advantages over the Gentiles:

• I. They had God's written Word.
• II. They had the experience of God's faithfulness in their history.
• III. They had first exposure to the Gospel.
• IV. They were tools in God's hands to glorify Himself.

Let's look more deeply at each of these advantages....

I. The Jews had the written Word of God.

We call the Bible of the Jews of Paul's day the the Old Testament. Jews today call it the "Tenach." Tenach is an acronym for the Old Testament [T=Torah; N=Neviim (Prophets); Ch=Ketuvim (Writings), the threefold division of the Tenach...

God gave the Torah (Law - the Penteteuch) through Moses.
God inspired the prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Malachi, Zecharia, etc...17 books of prophecy.
God inspired the "writings:" Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, Ruth, Esther and the historical books: Judges, Joshua, Kings, Chronicles, Nehemiah, Ezra, etc....

Jesus was quite clear that this book: the Tenach, the Old Testament, was truly the Word of God.

• 17 ¶ "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.
• 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
• 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practises and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
  (Matthew 5:17-19)

• 16 "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
• 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.
  (Luke 16:16-17)

• 44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
• 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
  (Luke 24:44-45)

• 35 ¶ While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, "How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David?
• 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: "‘The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."’
  (Mark 12:35-36)

The New Testament is the work of Jesus' Apostles, and they are also the Word of God. The Apostles were the SPECIAL representatives of Jesus Christ, and they spoke His Word in His name. Their writings to the churches are the Word of Jesus Christ.

"He who receives you receives me..." (Matthew 10:40).

"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending His angel to his servang John, who testifies to everything he saw -- that is, the Word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ." (Revelation 1:1-2)

• 12 "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.
• 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
• 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
  (John 16:12-14)

"I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Saviour through your apostles." (2 Peter 3:2)

• 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom that God gave him.
• 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
  (2 Peter 3:15-16)

(For more information about the authority and inspiration of the Bible, see Gary Habermas)...
http://www.garyhabermas.com/articles/areopagus_jesusinspirationscripture/areopagus_jesusinspirationscripture.htm

II. The Jews had the faithfulness of God fully expressed in their national history.

The word "Jew" comes from "Judah," one of the 12 tribes of Israel. As you know, God called a Babylonian by the name of Abram, called him out of Ur of the Chaldees, and led him to the land of Canaan. There he had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau.

God created a covenant with Abraham, and renewed the covenant with Isaac, and with Jacob. God wrestled with Jacob, and changed his name to Israel. Israel had 12 sons, and so we find the 12 tribes of Israel growing into a nation in the land of Egypt.

Moses was prepared and sent by God to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, back to the land of Canaan. Under Joshua the land was conquered, and the 12 tribes settled down. There were ten tribes in the North of the land, and two tribes in the South (West of the Dead Sea). The two tribes in the South were Judah and Simeon, but Judah predominated. Jerusalem was in the land of Judah. After the 10 Northern tribes were taken away to Assyria in 722 BC, and the remnants inter-mingled with the Canaanites, Judah was seen as the land of Israel. Israelis came to be called Jews, for short. The co-mingled people North of there became known as Samaritans.

The Old Testament is the story of God's faithfulness to the Patriarchs (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), and to their descendents. God made covenants with Noah, with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and with the Israelites through Moses. He also had a covenant with King David.

The Israelites continually broke their covenants. But God continually remained faithful. "Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?" Paul asks in Romans 3:3? "Not at all!" (the strongest negative possible in Greek) It was an advantage to be Jewish, because of the covenants of God, and because of God's faithfulness. His blessings on the Jews were simply extraordinary!

III. The Jews had first exposure to the Gospel.

The Old Testament is full of the Gospel, if you know where to look, and if you see if from the New Testament viewpoint. Jesus Himself taught that the Old Testament was about HIM, and He expounded this to his disciples on the Emmaus road (Luke 24:13-27)...

• 13 ¶ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.
• 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
• 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;
• 16 but they were kept from recognising him.
• 17 He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast.
• 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
• 19 "What things?" he asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
• 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;
• 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.
• 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning
• 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
• 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
• 25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
• 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"
• 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Where do we find the Gospel in the Old Testament?

• 14 ¶ So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.
• 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
  (Genesis 3:14-15)

The offspring of the Woman (Jesus Christ) will crush the head of the serpent (Satan). The serpent will merely strike His heel (i. e. the pain of the crucifixion). So, here in the first book of the Bible, written around 1500 BC, the Jews were taught that Someone would have to suffer to pay for their sins.

The Passover lamb pointed to Jesus. The Israelites in Egypt had to be under the blood of the lamb, in order to escape the angel of death.

The entire priestly ceremonial religious system of the Old Testament pointed symbolically to Jesus. The blood of the offerings looked forward to the blood of the lamb of God. The blood sprinkled on the mercy seat signified the satisfication of God's justice with regard to sin.

In 1000 BC King David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, penned a graphic depiction of Jesus' crucifixion (Psalm 22):

• 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
• 2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.
• 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.
• 4 In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.
• 5 They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
• 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.
• 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
• 8 "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."
• 9 Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast.
• 10 From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
• 11 ¶ Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no-one to help.
• 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
• 13 Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me.
• 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me.
• 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
• 16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
• 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me.
• 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
• 19 But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
• 20 Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs.
• 21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
• 22 ¶ I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you.
• 23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honour him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
• 24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
• 25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfil my vows.
• 26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him-may your hearts live for ever!
• 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him,
• 28 for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.
• 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him-those who cannot keep themselves alive.
• 30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
• 31 They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn-for he has done it.

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."
(Micah 5:2)

• 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
• 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
  (Isaiah 9:6-7)

• 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
• 4 ¶ Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
• 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
• 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
  (Isaiah 53:3-6)

• 10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
• 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.
• 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives,
• 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives,
• 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives.
• 1 ¶ "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.
  (Zech 12:10 -- 13:1)

"Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!"
(Proverbs 30:4)

In New Testament days, the Gospel came first to the Jews. Jesus was, of course, Jewish. He grew up in Nazareth. He announced His mission in the local synagogue. He was baptized by John the Baptist. He walked all over Palestine with his 12 Jewish disciples for three years, preaching the Gospel. After His death and resurrection, the Apostles first evangelized Jerusalem. When Paul began his missionary journeys, he went first the the Jews. And then when the Jews fully and completely rejected their Messiah, he went to the Gentiles.

IV. The Jews had the privilege of being the first and best tools in God's hands to glorify Himself.

Their unrighteousness brought out God's righteousness more clearly (Ro. 3:5).
Their falsehood increased the glory of God (Ro. 3:7).
Their slander of Paul gave him a platform to proclaim the truth (Ro. 3:8).

The glory of God is what the universe as a whole, and human history, and the fall, and the story of redemption, and Heaven and Hell is all about. The glory of God is the ultimate answer to every question that begins with the word "WHY?"

• Why did God make the Heavens and the Earth?
• Why did God create mankind?
• Why did God create angels and allow one to become Satan, and many others to fall and become demons?
• Why did God allow Satan to tempt Eve?
• Why did God allow the Fall of man into sin?
• Why did God allow sin and sickness and disease and suffering to enter into the world?
• Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?
• Why did God send Jesus to be born in Bethlehem and eventually die on the cross?
• Why do some people receive Jesus and others don't?
• Why Why Why Why?????

The short answer, and the best answer is: all things exist and happen as they do ultimately for the greater glory of God.

Our Westminster standards make that plain as the doctrine of our denomination, the PCA.

Shorter Catechism question # 1: "What is the chief end of man?" Answer: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever."

• 33 ¶ Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
• 34 "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?"
• 35 "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?"
• 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
  (Romans 11:33-36)

The world thinks of being a mere tool in God's hands as demeaning. But the world is full of pride. It is a privilege to be a tool in the hand of God, to bring glory to God. The nation of Israel was God's chosen nation. The Israelites were God's first tool, and most used tool; and so we have through them the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. The stories of the Old Testament, the highs and the lows. The nobility of the great Jewish people like Joseph, Moses, David, Esther, Daniel, Abigail, Joshua, and others. But also the stiff-necked stubborness and sinfulness of the Jews as a whole. The tragic lives of Saul and Absalom and Jeraboam. The constant fall of the Jews into idolatry, and the constant faithfulness and restoration from God. What a marvelous history of the Jews we find in the Old Testament! The Jews were mightily used by God, to bring His word and His salvation to the whole world.

CONCLUSION: So, in Romans 3:1-8, Paul speaks to us about the Jews of the first century, and the advantage of being Jewish.

• I. They had God's written Word.
• II. They had the experience of God's faithfulness in their history.
• III. They had first exposure to the Gospel.
• IV. They were tools in God's hands to glorify Himself.