Romans 3.21b-The Manifestation of the Righteousness of God Attested to by the Law and the Prophets
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday November 13, 2007
Romans: Romans 3:21b-The Manifestation of the Righteousness of God Attested to by the Law and the Prophets
Lesson # 96
Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 3:19.
On Thursday we began a study of the third major section in the book of Romans, which appears in Romans 3:21-5:21.
This section is divided into four parts: (1) Divine righteousness is imputed through faith in Christ (Romans 3:21-26). (2) Divine righteousness is available to both Jew and Gentile (Romans 3:27-31). (3) Justification by Faith: The Example of Abraham (Romans 4:1-23). (4) The Results of Faith (Romans 5:1-21).
Last Thursday we studied an overview of the first part and studied that this passage teaches that justification is received as a gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Sunday morning we began a study of the first part that appears in Romans 3:21-26 by noting Romans 3:21a, in which Paul teaches that the righteousness of God as revealed by the Person and Work of Jesus Christ is manifested through the communication of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
This evening we will note Romans 3:21b, in which Paul teaches that the righteousness of God as revealed by the Person and Work of Jesus Christ and the gospel, which offers the gift of God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ were attested to by the Old Testament Scriptures.
Let’s read Romans 3:19-26 and then we will concentrate on verse 21.
Romans 3:19, “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God.”
Romans 3:20, “Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”
Romans 3:21, “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.”
Romans 3:22, “Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe for there is no distinction.”
Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:24, “Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 3:25, “Whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed.”
Romans 3:26, “For the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Corrected translation of Romans 3:21: “But now, independently of seeking to be justified by obedience to the Law, the righteousness originating from God is being manifested at the present time while simultaneously being attested to at the present time by the Law and the Prophets.”
Let’s look at Romans 3:21 in detail.
Romans 3:21, “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.”
“Being witnessed” is the verb martureo (murturevw) (mar-too-reh-o), which means, “to testify, give evidence, give testimony, bear record, affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something or provide information about a person or an event concerning which the speaker has direct knowledge.
In Romans 3:21, the verb martureo means that the Old Testament Scriptures designated by the expression, “the Law and the Prophets” “testify” concerning the righteousness of Christ that is received through imputation as a gift of God’s grace by exercising faith in Jesus Christ as one’s Savior.
The word means that the Old Testament Scriptures “gave evidence to” God’s righteousness or “gave testimony to” the righteousness of Christ that can be received through faith in Jesus Christ.
It indicates that the Old Testament Scriptures “provided information about” the righteousness of Christ as manifested in His unique Person and death on the Cross since the Holy Spirit who inspired the Old Testament Scriptures had “direct knowledge concerning” the Person and Work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
“By” is the preposition hupo (u(pov) (hoop-o), which is used with the genitive case of the noun nomos, “Law” and prophetes, “Prophets” in order to denote that along with the gospel, the Old Testament Scriptures are the “intermediate agency” that the Holy Spirit employs to bear witness to the righteousness of God as manifested through the Person and Work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
The Law” is the noun nomos (novmo$) (nom-os), which this time refers to the Mosaic Law, i.e. the Pentateuch exclusively since it is used together with the noun prophetes, “Prophets” to designate the entire Old Testament Scriptures.
The writings of Moses appear in the “Torah” meaning “the Law” and contained: (1) Genesis (2) Exodus (3) Leviticus (4) Numbers (5) Deuteronomy.
In his writings, Moses testified concerning the Person and Work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”
The prophecy of Genesis 3:15 is the “seed plot” of the Virgin Birth and Incarnation of the Son of God (Isa. 7:14; Mt. 1:23; John 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16).
It is also the “seed plot” of the Redemption and Salvation of mankind as well as the defeat of Satan, which is developed in further detail in the rest of the Bible (Gal. 3:13; Eph. 1:7; Col. 2:14; Heb. 2:14-15; 1 Jn. 3:8).
From this point on in Genesis the chain of promises and prophecies concerning the “Seed or Descendant of the woman” grows until it culminates in the birth of Christ who not only was the “Seed or Descendant of the woman” but also “the Seed or Descendant of Abraham” and the “Seed or Descendant of David.”
Genesis 22:18, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Deuteronomy 18:15-19, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. This is according to all that you asked of the LORD your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.’ The LORD said to me, ‘They have spoken well. I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.’”
The Lord Jesus Christ referred to the writings of Moses in the Pentateuch, which spoke of Him (See John 5:39-47).
“Prophets” is the noun prophetes (profhvth$), which is a reference to the writings of the Old Testament prophets.
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament Scriptures (See 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
An inspired prophet could be identified using the tests for prophets in Deut. 13:1-5; 18:14-22.
Isaiah prophesied of the virgin birth of Christ.
Isaiah 9:6, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
Jeremiah wrote Christ would be a descendant of David.
Jeremiah 23:5, “Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch (figure for Jesus Christ); And He (Jesus Christ) will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.”
Micah prophesied that Christ’s birth would be in Bethlehem.
Micah 5:2, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.”
There is the prophecy that He would be sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12 compare with Matthew 26:14-15).
Then we have the prophecy that He would be betrayed by a friend (Psalm 55:12-14 compare with Matthew 26:49-50).
He was accused by false witnesses (Psalm 35:11 compare with Matthew 26:59-60).
Jesus of Nazareth was smitten and spit upon, again another fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 50:6 compare with Matthew 27:30).
Then there is the prophecy that He would be dumb before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7 compare with Matthew 27:12-14).
Isaiah prophesied that He the Messiah would be wounded and bruised (Isaiah 53:5 compare with Matthew 27:26, 29).
Approximately, 1000 years before Jesus of Nazareth appeared on the pages of history, David prophesied that the Messiah would have His hands and feet pierced.
Prophecy: Psalm 22:16, “For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.”
Fulfillment: Luke 23:33, “And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.”
The prophet Isaiah wrote that the Messiah would be crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12 compare with Mark 15:27-28).
Then there is the prophecy that people would ridicule Him (Psalm 22:8 compare with Matthew 27:41-43).
There is the prophecy in the book of Psalms that the suffering Messiah would have His garments parted and lots would be cast for them (Psalm 22:18 compare with John 19:23-24).
There is the prophecy of His forsaken cry.
Prophecy: Psalm 22:1, “For the choir director; upon Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.”
Fulfillment: Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’”
There is the prophecy that none of His bones would be broken (Psalm 34:20 compare with John 19:33, 36).
The prophet Isaiah predicted He would die with criminals but be buried in a rich man’s grave (Isaiah 53:9 compare with Matthew 27:57-60).
Paul makes references to the testimony of the Old Testament prophets concerning the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 16:25-27).
Peter references the testimony of the Old Testament prophets concerning the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:1-12).
In Romans 3:21, the expression “the Law and the Prophets” refers to the entire Old Testament canon of Scripture.
The expression “the Law and the Prophets” appears in Luke 24, which records our Lord’s encounter with His disciples on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection (Luke 24:13-49).
The apostle Paul when speaking to Agrippa and Festus concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ referred to the Old Testament testimony concerning Him by referencing Moses and the Prophets (Acts 26).