Romans 3

verses 1-8

Paul, talking about the Jews, says first of all, but he never lists more.

v.5 Are they people who are generally wondering about the fairness of god in judging people when their sin enhances God’s glory? Or are the Jews wonder how God can be righteous when he judges the sins of the Jews? It is probably the latter. (NIV App Comm)

But Jews must understand that the utimate standard of righteousness is his own holy character, and that holy character requires him to respond to sin with wrath (v6)

End of verse 4 is a quote from Psalm 51:4 “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” David wrote this Psalm after his sin with Bathsheba. David know God’s punishment justified because of his sin.

Many Jews came to believe that God’s righteousness would always be on their side, guaranteeing their deliverance from their enemies.

God’s righteousness is, most basically, his commitment always to act in accordance with his own character. With respect to Israel, this means that God will uphold his promises to them. But Jewish interpreters conveniently overlooked the fact that God, in the covenant, promised both to bless Israel if they obeyed but to punish them if they disobeyed.