3:3-4 What does Paul mean by what he says here?

What Paul means in effect here is that if God's promises are not being fulfilled in our lives, then it is not God's fault. We had best examine ourselves to ensure that we are in the place where God would have us to be to appropriate the promises (cp 2Cor 13:5). God entrusted His word to the Jews (cp Ro 3:1-2). But they did not exercise faith to believe it and so could not appropriate any of the promises (cp He 4:2-6). We are admonished in scripture not to let the same thing happen to us (cp He 3:7-12,19; 4:1, 11). Without faith it is impossible to please God (cp He 11:6). God will always be found to be true to His word; though we may not believe, God is faithful, and His word will never fail (cp Nu 23:19; Deut 7:9; Josh 21:45; 23:14; 1Ki 8:56; Psa 31:19; 89:34; Isa 55:10-11; 1Cor 1:9; 2Cor 1:19-20; 2Ti 2:13; Tit 1:2; He 10:23). No one can ever say that God's word does not work, but God has obligated Himself only to fulfil His promises in those who without wavering exercise faith to believe He will perform His word (cp Mt 7:7-8; 21:21-22; Mk 11:22-24; Jas 1:5-8) The phrase, "as it is written: that thou mightiest be justified in thy sayings, and mightiest overcome when thou art judged," is a paraphrase of King David's confession in Psa 51 (cp Psa 51:4). In the context of Ro 3:4 Paul uses it simply to affirm that God's word will always prove to be true no matter who questions it. (See also comments on Mt 21:17-22; Jn 14:12-14, 15:7; 2Cor 1:19-20 and 1Jn 5:14-15,

3:5 What does Paul mean here by saying, "I speak as a man?"

Paul means that he was advancing a purely human viewpoint, which questioned the fairness of God for punishing sinners whose sins magnified his righteousness. Paul presents the viewpoint as futile human reasoning on the basis that if sin was necessary to magnify his righteousness, then God could never condemn sinners (cp Ro 3:6-8).

3:9 What does it mean that "all are under sin?

It means that every human being possesses a fallen, sinful nature; the sin nature of Adam, originating with Adam's fall from grace for disobeying God and eating the forbidden fruit (cp Ge 2:17; Ro 5:12). This is not implying that Christians remain bound in sin or that they sin wilfully, but that all people in their natural state are sinners (cp Ro 3:10-17, 23). It is because they have no fear of God (cp V18 with Pr 3:7; 8:13; 9:10; 16:6; Ac 5:11). Christians can and do spontaneously sin, but they no longer habitually sin, which is what is meant in Ro 3:9 (cp 1Jn 3:5-10; 5:4, 18). See also comments on Ro 5:12-14, 5:15, 6:1, 6:3-5, 6:6-11, 6:12-14, 6:15, 6:16, 6:17-20, 6:21-23, 7:7-23, 8:1-2, 8:3-4; Ga 5:17; 1Jn 3:6-9

3:19-23 What do we learn from what Paul says here?

We learn from this that all that the law says is for the benefit of those who are subject to the law so that no one may have anything to say in self-defence. The law is meant to silence everyone and to bring all humanity under God's judgement (cp V19). This is because no one can be justified in God's sight by keeping the law. All the law can do is make men aware of their sinfulness - it has no power to save them (cp V20). However, independent of the law, God had a plan of salvation which was revealed in all the rites and ceremonies of the law, and predicted by the Old Testament prophets (cp V21). God's plan involved His Son Jesus: the entire sacrificial system of the Old Testament pointed to the future sacrificial death of Jesus to appease and avert God's wrath and justice against sinners, so that all who believed on Jesus could be forgiven their sins and reconciled to God (cp He 9:11-15, 28; 10:5-10). See also comments on Ro 4:1-5; He 9:15; 10:5-7 and 10:14 and author's study The Old Testament Day of Atonement and God's Plan of Salvation in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1). God does not distinguish between any member of the human race - all have sinned and fallen short of His ideal, and all can be saved by faith in Jesus if they so choose (cp Ro 3:22-23). See also comments on Ro 1:16-17, 3:24-26 (A) and Eph 2:8-10.

3:24-26 (A) What great foundational truth of the Christian faith is Paul expounding here?

This is the doctrine of justification by faith, which Paul first alluded to in Ac 13, and then in Ro 1 (cp Ac 13:38-39; Ro 1:16-17). This teaches that the only way anyone can be justified in God's sight is by trusting in Jesus and the redemption He has purchased for them with His blood. Jesus' atoning death makes it possible for everyone who believes on Him to be justified by faith. The word propitiation in V25 emphasizes the appeasement and averting of God's wrath and justice against sinners because Christ Himself was the price God required to pay for the removal of their sins. God's justice was satisfied and His righteousness vindicated only by Christ's sacrificial death and the shedding of His blood (cp Ro 4:25; 5:1-2, 6-11; 10:4-13 with Ac 10:43; 1Cor 1:30; 2Cor 5:21; Ga 3:19-29; Eph 1:6-7; 2:1-9). We should note here that Christ's sacrificial death was sufficient for the sins of all mankind, but efficient only for those who believe on Him (cp Mt 11:28-30; Mk 16:15-16; Jn 3:16-18, 36; 7:37-38;Rev 22:17). It should also be noted here that repentant sinners do not have to attain to a certain level of holiness before being justified or declared righteous in God's sight. The work of the Holy Spirit in conforming them to the image of God begins after they are justified, not before (cp Ro 12:1-2; 2Cor 3:18; 4:14-16; Eph 4:20-23; Col 3:9-10; Tit 3:5-7). See also comments on Ro 1:16-17 3:19-23 and Eph 2:8-10.

3:27 Whose boasting is Paul referring to here?

The reference here is to the boasting of the Jews concerning their perceived standing with God by virtue of their ceremonial observances of the law. But Paul excludes their boasting in light of the fact that God's righteousness is only by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ, not by observing the Old Testament law (cp Ro 3:28-30 with Ro 4:25; 5:1-2, 6-11; 10:4-13; Ac 10:43; 1Cor 1:30; 2Cor 5:21; Ga 3:19-29; Eph 1:6-7; 2:1-9). See also comments on Ro 1:16-17, 3:19-23, 3:24-26(A) and Eph 2:8-10

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