As
we saw last week in that latter part of chapter 2, the apostle has made it very
clear that being an ethnic Jew was of no value regarding being reconciled to
God. He had already established that those apart from the Hebrew nation have no
advantage. Things do not get better in chapter 3. He asks another rhetorical
question, knowing his kinsmen of the flesh are not easily put off from their
thinking that their covenant status (circumcised in the flesh, keepers of the
Mosaic Law) makes them “right” with YHWH.
Rom
3:1 So what advantage does the Jew have?
Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
The
Pharisees had taught those who could trace their lineage back to Abraham that
such a connection was THE thing that was needed – and that connection with
Abraham required circumcised. “So,” they are portrayed here as asking Paul,
“what about this stuff? You said all that stuff in chapter 2, but what Abraham
our father and our circumcision?” It’s so the apostle could say, “I’m so glad
you asked that question!”
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