Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 3:19

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:" — Romans 3:19 (ASV)

In these closing statements of the indictment, the apostle may be reading the mind of a Jew who questions the legitimacy of appealing to the type of passages used in vv.10–18, on the grounds that humankind in general is in view and at best includes only those Jews who by their very godlessness do not represent the nation as a whole. But the stubborn fact is that “whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law” (v.19). The first reference to “law” (GK 3795) here must refer to the law in the general sense of the OT revelation (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:21); note that the string of quotations in vv.10–18 derives from various parts of the OT. The second reference, “under the law,” is more literally “in the law”; the thought is not so much that the Jews are under the law’s authority and dominion in the legal sense as that they are involved in Scripture, which has relevance to them at every point. The legislative aspect of the law is involved only by virtue of its being a part of Scripture.

“So that every mouth may be silenced.” When human achievement is measured against what God requires, there is no place for pride or boasting but only for silence that lends consent to the verdict of guilty. In various biblical scenes of judgment, the silence of those who are being judged is a notable feature (e.g., Revelation 20:11–14). Questions may be raised for the sake of clarification of the reason for the verdict (Matthew 25:41–46), but when the explanation is given, no appeal is attempted. The Judge of all the earth does right (Genesis 18:25).

In making these statements (v.19) the apostle has been concerned primarily with Jews because Scripture has been at issue. Suddenly he makes a statement involving the entire human race, which he pictures as “accountable to God.” This may seem puzzling. How can Jewish failure in terms of what Scripture requires lead to the conclusion that all humanity is included? Two possibilities come to mind. One is that the Jewish nation is regarded as a test case for all peoples. If given the same privileges enjoyed by Israel, the rest would likewise have failed. A more likely explanation is that the failure of Gentiles is so patent that it is not a debatable subject; it can be taken for granted as already established (1:18–32). Once it has been determined that the record of the Jew is no better, then judgment is universally warranted. The final word to the Jews (v.20) is designed to rob them of any fancied support in the law of Moses.

Justification before God cannot be attained by trying to observe the law, however much one may take satisfaction in that. As Jesus pointed out, no one had succeeded in keeping the law .

For the first time in Romans we encounter the expression “observing the law” (lit., “works of law”; cf. v.28), which has such prominence in Galatians (2:16; 3:2, 5, 10). That “no one will be declared righteous in his sight” is a quotation from Ps 143:2. The practical result of working seriously with the law is to “become conscious of sin” (cf. 5:20; 7:7–11). How startling it is to contemplate the fact that the best revelation the human race has apart from Christ only deepens one’s awareness of failure. The law loudly proclaims one’s need for the Gospel of Christ.