John Calvin Commentary Romans 3:2

"Much every way: first of all, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God." — Romans 3:2 (ASV)

Much in every way, etc.; that is, very much. He begins here to give the sacrament its own praise, but he does not concede that on this account the Jews should have been proud. For when he teaches that they were sealed by the symbol of circumcision, by which they were counted the children of God, he does not allow that they became superior to others through any merit or worthiness of their own, but through the free mercy of God. If then they are regarded as men, he shows that they were on a level with others; but if the favors of God are taken into account, he admits that they possessed what made them more eminent than other men.

First indeed, because, entrusted to them, etc. Some think there is here an unfinished sentence, for he states what he does not afterwards complete. But the word first does not seem to me to be a note of number, but means 'chiefly' or 'especially,' and is to be taken in this sense: "Even if it were only this one thing, that they have the oracles of God committed to them, it might be considered sufficient to prove their superiority."

And it is worthy of notice that the advantage of circumcision does not consist in the naked sign, but its value is derived from the word. For Paul asks here what benefit the sacrament conferred on the Jews, and he answers that God had deposited with them the treasure of celestial wisdom. It therefore follows that, apart from the word, no excellence remained. By oracles he means the covenant which God revealed first to Abraham and to his posterity, and afterwards sealed and unfolded by the law and the Prophets.

Now the oracles were committed to them for the purpose of preserving them as long as it pleased the Lord to continue his glory among them, and then of publishing them during the time of their stewardship throughout the whole world: they were first depositories, and secondly dispensers. But if this benefit was to be so highly esteemed when the Lord favored only one nation with the revelation of his word, we can never sufficiently condemn our ingratitude, who receive his word with so much negligence or with so much carelessness, not to say disdain.