Charles Spurgeon Commentary Romans 3:9

"What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin;" — Romans 3:9 (ASV)

What then? are we better than they?

Are Jews better than Gentiles? Or, are Gentiles better than Jews?

No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

Nobody can read the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, and follow it by reading the second, without seeing how completely Paul has proved that they are all under sin.

What then? are we better than they?

The first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans contains so horrible an account of the manners of the Gentiles, the heathen of Paul's day, that it is one of the most painful chapters in Scripture to read.

Not long ago, one of our missionaries, out in China, was attacked concerning the Bible on this very ground. One of the learned men said to him, "This Bible of yours cannot be as ancient as you say that it is, for it is quite clear that the next chapter of the Epistle to the Nomads must have been written by somebody who had been in China, and who had seen the habits and ways of the people here."

So accurate is the Holy Spirit, who knew very well what the ways and manners and secret vices of the heathen were, and still are.

But the Jews said, "Ah, but this is a description of the Gentiles." So Paul replies, "What then? are we better than they?"

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

Read the earlier chapters of this Epistle, chapters that are enough to make the heart sick to read them, and to make the head ache with the memory of them, and when you have read them, you will say that Paul has proved that both Jews and Gentiles are under sin.