Teks -- Romans 3:3 (NET)

3:3 What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Rom 3:3 - For what if?

For what if? ( ti gar ei̇ ).

But Westcott and Hort print it, Timothy gaṙ ei . See note on Phi 1:18 for this exclamatory use of ti gar (for how? How stands the case?).

Robertson: Rom 3:3 - Some were without faith

Some were without faith ( ēpistēsan ).

First aorist active indicative of apisteō , old verb, to disbelieve. This is the common N.T. meaning (Luk 24:11, Luk 24:41; Act 28:24; Rom 4:20). Some of them "disbelieved,"these "depositaries and guardians of revelation"(Denney). But the word also means to be unfaithful to one’ s trust and Lightfoot argues for that idea here and in 2Ti 2:13. The Revised Version renders it "faithless"there. Either makes sense here and both ideas are true of some of the Jews, especially concerning the Messianic promises and Jesus.

Robertson: Rom 3:3 - The faithfulness of God

The faithfulness of God ( tēn pistin tou theou ).

Undoubtedly pistis has this sense here and not "faith."God has been faithful (2Ti 2:13) whether the Jews (some of them) were simply disbelievers or untrue to their trust. Paul can use the words in two senses in Rom 3:3, but there is no real objection to taking ēpistēsan , apistian , pistin , all to refer to faithfulness rather than just faith.

Vincent: Rom 3:3 - Did not believe

Did not believe ( ἠπίστησαν )

Rev., were without faith . Not, as some, were unfaithful , which is contrary to New Testament usage. See Mar 16:11, Mar 16:16; Luk 24:11, Luk 24:41; Act 28:24; Rom 4:20, etc. The Rev. rendering is preferable, as bringing out the paronomasia between the Greek words: were without faith ; their want of faith ; the faithfulness of God.

Vincent: Rom 3:3 - Faith of God

Faith of God

Better, as Rev., faithfulness ; the good faith of God; His fidelity to His promises. For this sense see on Mat 23:23. Compare Tit 2:10, and see on faithful , 1Jo 1:9; see on Rev 1:5; see on Rev 3:14. Compare 1Co 1:9; 1Co 10:13; 2Co 1:18.

Vincent: Rom 3:3 - Make without effect

Make without effect ( καταργήσει )

See on Luk 13:7. The word occurs twenty-five times in Paul, and is variously rendered in A.V. make void , destroy , loose , bring to nought , fail , vanish away , put away , put down , abolish , cease . The radical meaning is to make inert or idle . Dr. Morison acutely observes that it negatives the idea of agency or operation , rather than of result or effect . It is rather to make inefficient than to make without effect . So in Luk 13:7, why should the tree be allowed to make the ground idle ? 1Co 13:8, prophecies shall fail, or have no more work to do. 2Ti 1:10 Christ abolished death. There is no more work for it. Rom 6:6, the body of sin is rendered inactive. Rom 3:31, Do we deprive the law of its work - render it a dead letter?

Wesley: Rom 3:3 - Shall their unbelief disannul the faithfulness of God

Will he not still make good his promises to them that do believe?

JFB: Rom 3:3-4 - For what if some did not believe?

It is the unbelief of the great body of the nation which the apostle points at; but as it sufficed for his argument to put the supposition thus gently, he uses this word "some" to soften prejudice.

JFB: Rom 3:3-4 - shall their unbelief make the faith of God

Or, "faithfulness of God."

JFB: Rom 3:3-4 - of none effect?

"nullify," "invalidate" it.

Clarke: Rom 3:3 - Jew. For what

Jew. For what - τι γαρ, What then, if some did not believe, etc. If some of the Jewish nation have abused their privileges, and acted contrary to their obligations, shall their wickedness annul the Promise which God made to Abraham, that he would, by an everlasting covenant, be a God to him and to his seed after him? Gen 17:7. Shall God, therefore, by stripping the Jews of their peculiar honor, as you intimate he will, falsify his promise to the nation, because some of the Jews are bad men?

Calvin: Rom 3:3 - NO PHRASE

3.=== What indeed if some, === etc. As before, while regarding the Jews as exulting in the naked sign, he allowed them no not even a spark of glory; so now, while considering the nature of the sign, he testifies that its virtue ( virtutem , efficacy) is not destroyed, no, not even by their inconstancy. As then he seemed before to have intimated that whatever grace there might have been in the sign of circumcision, it had wholly vanished through the ingratitude of the Jews, he now, anticipating an objection, again asks what opinion was to be formed of it. There is here indeed a sort of reticence, as he expresses less than what he intended to be understood; for he might have truly said that a great part of the nation had renounced the covenant of God; but as this would have been very grating to the ears of the Jews, he mitigated its severity, and mentioned only some.

===Shall their unbelief, === etc. Καταργεῖν is properly to render void and ineffectual; a meaning most suitable to this passage. For Paul’s inquiry is not so much whether the unbelief of men neutralizes the truth of God, so that it should not in itself remain firm and constant, but whether it hinders its effect and fulfillment as to men. The meaning then is, “Since most of the Jews are covenant-breakers, is God’s covenant so abrogated by their perfidiousness that it brings forth no fruit among them? To this he answers, that it cannot be that the truth of God should lose its stability through man’s wickedness. Though then the greater part had nullified and trodden under foot God’s covenant, it yet retained its efficacy and manifested its power, not indeed as to all, but with regard to a few of that nation: and it is then efficacious when the grace or the blessing of the Lord avails to eternal salvation. But this cannot be, except when the promise is received by faith; for it is in this way that a mutual covenant is on both sides confirmed. He then means that some ever remained in that nation, who by continuing to believe in the promise, had not fallen away from the privileges of the covenant.

Defender: Rom 3:3 - shall their unbelief

The fact that many people reject the Scriptures, even alleging that the Bible has been disproved by modern science and reason, means nothing. God's Word has been forever settled in Heaven and will endure forever (Psa 119:89, Psa 119:160), even after this present earth has passed away (Mat 24:35). God's revealed Word is absolute truth, and will judge all its detractors in the last day (see Rev 20:12, note; Rev 22:18, Rev 22:19, note)."

TSK: Rom 3:3 - if some // shall // faith

if some : Rom 9:6, Rom 10:16, Rom 11:1-7; Heb 4:2

shall : Rom 11:29; Num 23:19; 1Sa 15:29; Isa 54:9, Isa 54:10, Isa 55:11, Isa 65:15, Isa 65:16; Jer 33:24-26; Mat 24:35; 2Ti 2:13; Heb 6:13-18

faith : Psa 84:7; Joh 1:16; 2Co 3:18; 2Th 1:3; Tit 1:1, Tit 1:2

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Rom 3:3 - If some did not believe // The faith of God

If some did not believe if some did remain in infidelity, Act 28:24 , if they would give no credit to the oracle, and to the promise of a Messiah.

The faith of God i.e. the truth and faithfulness of God, Psa 33:4 . The whole verse is another prolepsis. The implied objection is this, That the Jews are nothing the better for these oracles, or have no advantage by them, if by unbelief they have rendered themselves unworthy or incapable of benefit by them. The answer to this is anticipated by propounding another question; Can the infidelity of some be any hinderance of God’ s performing his promise to others, to his chosen ones? The interrogation is a negation, q.d. It cannot be, as the following words show: see 2Ti 2:13 .

PBC: Rom 3:3 - shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect // The faith of God,

See PBtop: FAITH & FAITH OF GOD

" shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect"

Their unbelief did not make the faith of God without effect FOR the faith of God (meaning the faith that God bestows upon His elect) was not without effect at that time for at that present time there was still a remnant according to the election of grace {Ro 11:5} -God’s elect have faith therefore the faith of God was with effect even though it was without effect to the Jews of Ro 3:1-31.

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The overall theme of Romans is " the Gospel of God," which Gospel certainly declares " the righteousness of God in Christ," which righteousness is revealed from faith to faith; for Ro 1:17 says that, in the Gospel, " the Righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith" .

" The faith of God," which Paul speaks of in Ro 3:3, is " the whole body of truth" which is said to be " revealed from faith to faith" by (through) the Gospel. That is, the truth of God is revealed (through the preaching of the Gospel) to the imputed faith of the regenerated child of God. This Gospel (good news) is the proclamation of the " Righteousness of God" in His Son, Jesus Christ, which righteousness is imputed to the elect in regeneration. The phrase in Ro 3:3 " faith of God," in context, is actually speaking of " the Gospel of God," or " the Gospel of Christ," or " the whole body of God’s truth," or " the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." {Jude 1:3}

In other words, the phrase, " the faith of God," as stated in Ro 3:3, is the declaration of God’s revelation of His righteousness in Jesus Christ. Paul confirms this principle in Ro 1:17 by saying, " as it is written, the just shall live by faith;" that is to say, " the just" (or regenerate) shall " live by [His -God’s] faith." In my mind, Paul is saying, that the regenerate, who has the essence of God imputed unto him (faith), shall live by the body of God’s revealed truth. Jude tells us that we are to earnestly contend for this (the) faith [this body of truth] that was once delivered unto the saints.

I believe this principle is carried forward into Ro 10:1-21, where Paul is praying for his Israelite brethren who were abiding in unbelief concerning the " righteousness of God" .

He writes these words:

1)   Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

2)   For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

3)   For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

4)   For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Thus, we note that, as concerning the Gospel of God and the righteousness of Christ, these Jews were in unbelief; however, (as previously asked in Ro 3:1), what effect will the Jew’s unbelief have on the Faith of God? {His revealed truth} " For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith (truth) of God without effect?" He answers this question, " God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar." In other words, if they do not believe that Jesus Christ is " the end of the law for righteousness," their unbelief will not change the truth, which has been once delivered to His saints (sanctified ones).

Paul continues to say in Ro 10:16-17 " But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." In my mind, he is saying here that faith (confidence or trust in Christ) comes by hearing (and believing) the gospel and this hearing is by the (faith of God) or in accordance with the revealed word of truth.

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Does the sinner’s eternal destiny depend upon his belief in Jesus Christ? If so, what if his faith is shaken by false teachers? What if he is deceived? Does he then lose the eternal life he once possessed? Thanks be to God that the eternal destiny of the elect does not depend upon man’s faith, but on God’s sovereign covenant decrees: " What if some do not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid...[ Hymaneus and Philetus] have erred concerning the truth saying that the resurrection is past already, and have overthrown the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His..."{ 2Ti 2:13,19} Belief in Jesus Christ comes after, not before, regeneration. Faith cannot be both the cause and the effect of life. It cannot be both the " root" from which the Spirit grows in one’s heart, and the " fruit" that the Spirit generates in the heart. The Spirit of God is the cause of regeneration. Faith is the effect, the " fruit of the Spirit." {Ga 5:22} An understanding of total depravity makes belief in the doctrine of immediate regeneration a necessity, for the dead sinner does not have the ability to exercise faith until he is born again.

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Gill: Rom 3:3 - For what if some did not believe // shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect

For what if some did not believe?.... It is suggested, that though the Jews enjoyed such a privilege, some of them did not believe; which is an aggravation of their sin, that they should have such means of light, knowledge, and faith, such clear and full evidences of things, and yet be incredulous: though it should be observed that this was the case only of some, not of all; and must be understood, not of their disbelief of the Scriptures being the word of God, for these were always received as such by them all, and were constantly read, heard, and attended to; but either of their disobedience to the commands of God required in the law, or of their disregard to the promises of God, and prophecies of the Messiah, and of their disbelief in the Messiah himself when he came; but now this was no objection to the advantage they had of the Gentiles, since this was not owing to want of evidence in the word of God, but to the darkness and unbelief of their minds: and,

shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? no, their unbelief could not, and did not make void the veracity and faithfulness of God in his promises concerning the Messiah, recorded in the oracles of God, which they had committed to them; for notwithstanding this, God raised up the Messiah from among them, which is another advantage the Jews had of, the Gentiles; inasmuch as "of" them, "as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is God over all, blessed for evermore", Rom 9:5, and he sent him to them, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, as a prophet and minister; he sent his Gospel to them first, and called out by it from among them his elect, nor did he take it from them until he had done this: and he took it away only; until "the fulness of the Gentiles", Rom 11:25, is brought in; and then the Gospel shall come to them again with power, and "all Israel shall be saved" Rom 11:26.