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Rom 3:2. Πολύ, much) In the neuter gender; supply περισσίν. It rather refers to the concrete, concerning the Jew, than to the abstract, concerning circumcision, Rom 3:1; this will be treated of at ch. Rom 4:1; Rom 4:9, etc. So, ch. Rom 2:29, οὗ, viz. Ἰουδαίου, the Jew [instead of ἦς, though περιτομή had preceded].-πρῶτον) i.e. first, and therefore chiefly; the word signifying in the next place, does not always follow [after πρῶτον]. One privilege of the Jews, admirably adapted to Paul’s object, is set forth in this passage (the others will follow, ch. Rom 9:4-5); and by this very one, he is about, by and by, after he has ended this prefatory address of conciliation, so much the more to convict them.[33]-ἐπιστεύθησαν, they were intrusted with) He, to whom a treasure is intrusted, may manage it either faithfully and skilfully, or otherwise; and the Jews treated the Old Testament Scriptures in very different ways. But Paul says, that the oracles of God were intrusted to the Jews in such a manner [under this condition], that the good about to come, Rom 3:8, which they [the oracles] described, would belong to the Jews, if they would receive it by faith;-ideas extremely suggestive: God is true, faithful, intrusting His revelation to men, righteous; man is mendacious, perfidious, distrustful, unrighteous.-λόγια), a diminutive. The Divine answers were often brief, as in the Urim and Thummim: ΛΌΓΙΟΝ is also [God’s] saying [Rom 3:4], concerning circumcision, and the other privileges of the Israelites.
[33] On the προθεραπέιᾳ, i.e., precautionary address to disarm prejudices, when about to speak unwelcome truths. See Appendix.-ED.