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"All the world may become guilty before God."

Text: Romans 3:19

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SCRIPTURES

When the apostle Paul wrote Romans 3:10-18, he was essentially citing the Old Testament Scriptures (Cf. Psalms 5:9; 10:7; 14:1-3; 53:1-3; 36:1). The Jews, on reading this word from Romans 3 would immediately be able to acknowledge that Paul was citing the Book of Psalms with great skill and authority. Paul made this strong application even as he cited the Scriptures.

“Now we know that whatever the law says,
it says to those who are under the law,
that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God.”
Romans 3:19

1. Whatever the law says

a) The Law

In technical classification, “The Law” may refer to the Books written by Moses. These Books were collectively known as “The Pentateuch”.

b) The Psalms

They were part of a group of literary writings called “Wisdom Literature”. They were classified as “The Writings” or “Kethubim” (in Hebrew).

c) The Psalms as “Law”

The phrase “The Law” is sometimes used to make reference to the Old Testament Scriptures (The full term is “The law and the prophets”). The law is just a short term for a general reference for the Scriptures, especially when authority is the focus of the author citing them.

2. Those under the law

All Jews would immediately accept that they were under the authority of “the law”. Whatever the law says, all Jews would acknowledge the authority behind the Scriptures as Divine.

3. And all the world may become guilty before God

Paul makes a very bold pitch here:-

a) He is arguing that the truth of the law is not limited to the Jews.

b) Truth being truth… it has equal authority with reference to the whole world.

c) If the world is honest and candid, it would agree with the statements Paul cited from the Book of Psalms. And the world would bow its head, acknowledging guilt before God of the many sins noted in the Book of Psalms.