circumcision!" he answers in chapter 4. A fuller and more detailed account of the whole Jewish question we will see in chapters 9-11. The answer: "Much every way: chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God" (3:2). To possess God's living Word, the Old Testament Scriptures, is a great advantage. Notice that word chiefly, meaning first and fore most, from every angle. No matter how one looks at it, the Jew had a chief advantage over the Gentile when God made him the repository of the Holy Scriptures. The Jew pos sessed what the Gentiles did not have, namely, the written utterances of God. The word "oracles" (Gr. logia) denotes the whole of the inspired Scriptures. If the Jew failed to appreciate this advantage, then he was the loser. Neverthe less this was his outstanding advantage. He who has the Scriptures is at a greater advantage than he who does not have them. The second question: "For what if some did not believd shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect" (3:3)? Before looking further at this question and the answer Paul gives, it should be observed that not all Jews come under the condemnation of God. There were many Old Testament saints who were saved. I make this point here because it appears likely that this second question could be asked by a saved Jew. What if some Jews disobeyed God and were unfaithful to Him? Does that mean that God's faithful ness becomes invalid? Does God cease to be faithful because some Jews were unfaithful? Shall the unbelief of some can cel out the faithfulness of God? The Jews who knew the Old Testament Scriptures would never forget the unconditional covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants. So they reasoned that since God initiated that covenant, if He refused to keep it because some Jews were unfaithful, then God Himself would be unfaithful. The question might come from a sincere, honest believing Jew or it could come from an excuse-making unbelieving Jew. The answer: "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome v-.;:hen thou art judged" (3:4). Paul replies with the emphatic negative, 77
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