Charles Ellicott Commentary Romans 3:23

"for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;" — Romans 3:23 (ASV)

All have sinned and come short.—Strictly, all sinned; the Apostle looking back upon an act done in past time under the old legal dispensation, without immediate reference to the present: he then goes on to say that the result of that act (as distinct from the act itself) continues on into the present. The result is that mankind, collectively, as he now sees them, and before they come within the range of the new Christian system, fall short of, miss, or fail to obtain, the glory of God.

Glory of God.—What is this glory? Probably not here, as in Romans 8:18; Romans 8:21, the glory which will be inaugurated for the saints at the Parousia, or Second Coming of the Messiah—for that is something future—but, rather, something which is capable of being conferred in the present, namely, the glory which comes from the favour and approval of God. This favour and approval Jew and Gentile alike had until now failed to obtain, but it was now thrown open to all who became members of the Messianic kingdom. (Compare Romans 2:29 for the sense, and John 12:43 for the use of the word, as well as the sense: they loved the praise [glory] of men more than the praise [glory] of God.)