Why is Romans 3:1 key to OT promises?
Why is understanding Romans 3:1 important for interpreting Old Testament promises?

Setting the Stage: Romans 3:1 in Context

Romans 3:1: “What, then, is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the value of circumcision?”

• Paul’s very next sentence (v. 2) answers: “Much in every way. First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.”

• The question-and-answer format signals that Paul is defending something crucial: the continuing significance of Israel and the Old Testament promises entrusted to them.


Why the Phrase “Advantage of the Jew” Matters

• “Advantage” (Greek: perissos) speaks of a real, ongoing benefit.

• Paul does not relativize or spiritualize that benefit; he affirms it “in every way.”

• The benefit centers on being “entrusted with the very words of God,” tying Israel’s identity directly to the covenant promises recorded in Scripture.


Entrusted With the Oracles: Implications for Old Testament Promises

Because Israel was given God’s very words:

1. Promises spoken to them carry God’s full authority and remain reliable.

2. The original recipients set the primary meaning; later applications never erase the literal sense.

3. The Old Testament cannot be dismissed as merely illustrative or symbolic; it is covenant revelation.

Psalm 147:19-20: “He declares His word to Jacob… He has done this for no other nation.”

Romans 9:4-5: “Theirs are the covenants, the giving of the Law, the temple service, and the promises.”


God’s Faithfulness Undergirds His Promises

Romans 3:3-4: “What if some did not believe? Will their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? Certainly not!”

• Divine faithfulness, not human response, guarantees fulfillment.

Numbers 23:19: “God is not a man, that He should lie… Has He spoken, and will He not fulfill?”

• Therefore, Old Testament promises stand even when Israel stumbles.


Avoiding Replacement Thinking

Romans 11:1: “Has God rejected His people? Absolutely not!”

Romans 11:28-29: “God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.”

• Reading Romans 3:1 correctly guards against the idea that the church replaces Israel or cancels Israel’s promises.

• Instead, Gentile believers are “grafted in” (Romans 11:17-18), sharing in blessings without nullifying Israel’s future.


Practical Takeaways for Bible Readers Today

• Approach Old Testament promises with confidence that they mean what they say.

• Expect literal, historical fulfillment where Scripture indicates it—while also welcoming wider spiritual application in Christ.

• Let God’s unchanging faithfulness shape your own trust: what He pledged to Israel He will surely keep, and what He pledges to believers He will likewise fulfill.

How does Romans 3:1 connect to the theme of God's faithfulness?
Top of Page
Top of Page