20160702 Saturday, July 2 2016
Romans 03: The Oracles Of God

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Because that unto them were committed the oracles of God"

Some translations of the Word of God use oracle, from the Latin word oraculum, meaning to speak (oral and orator are derived from the same word) to translate the actual Hebrew word of the Scriptures which means speak or word.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, "oracle" was used singularly, in referring to either the Most Holy Place of the Temple (see The Law Of The Mercy Seat and Why Do Christians Observe The Messiah's Day Of Atonement?), or the Word of God (see What Does Word of God Mean To You?).

In the Greek of the New Testament, "oracle" is used in a plural form to translate the original Greek word, pronounces log-ee-on (to which Logos, a term for Jesus Christ is related; see The Biology Of The Resurrection), which means words or utterances of God.

The Word of God was originally given to all of Israel at and from Mount Sinai (see Arrival At Mount Sinai and The Ten Commandments and Freedom By The Law). Centuries later, after the united Kingdom had split into two independent kingdoms (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Israel and Judah), only the Kingdom of Judah (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Kingdom Of Judah) remained after the Kingdom of Israel destroyed itself with rebellion and corruption (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Lost Ten Tribes and The Politics And Religion Of The Lost Ten Tribes).

For that reason, in the time of the Messiah, only the "Jews" (see Jews - Three Tribes and Three Meanings) were left as the caretakers of the "oracles" of God - even though they had by then replaced much of it with their own laws and nationalistic traditions that became known as "Judaism" (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Judaism and Israel Never Knew Purim, Hanukkah Or Judaism).

"3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 3:4 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 when thou art judged.

3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) 3:6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? 3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 3:8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just." (Romans 3:1-8 KJV)

The Word of God, the "Oracles" of God, includes within itself warnings and rebukes for those who use it selfishly or improperly. The apostle Paul's rebuke below was a collective quote of Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, Psalm 5:9, Psalm 140:3, Psalm 10:7, Isaiah 59:7-8 and Psalm 36:1.

"3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 3:10 As it is written,

There is none righteous, no, not one: 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 3:15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 3:17 And the way of peace have they not known: 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:9-20 KJV)

The true Law of the LORD is eternal (see The Doers Of The Law). Man's laws that ignore or defy the Law of the LORD have only a present, no future.

"3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 3:29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." (Romans 3:21-31 KJV)

Fact Finder: What did the Messiah say to anyone who merely uses Him for their religion, while doing whatever they please?
See Why Call Me, Lord, Lord, and Do Not The Things Which I Say?