Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Romans: Chapter 3]
promises and Jesus. {The faithfulness of God} (\t•n 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 verse 3, but there is
no real objection to taking \•pist•san, apistian, pistin\, all to
refer to faithfulness rather than just faith.
3:4 {Let God be found true} (\ginesth• ho theos al•th•s\). "Let
God continue to be true" (present middle imperative). {But every
man a liar} (\p•s de anthr•pos pseust•s\). The contrast in \de\
really means, "though every man be found a liar." Cf. Ps
116:12. {As it is written} (\kath•s gegraptai\). Ps 51:6.
{That thou mightest be justified} (\hop•s an dikai•th•is\).
\Hop•s\ rather than the common \hina\ for purpose and \an\ with
the first aorist passive subjunctive of \dikaio•\. Used of God
this verb here has to mean "declared righteous," not "made
righteous." {Mightest prevail} (\nik•seis\). Future active
indicative with \hop•s\ of \nika•\, to win a victory, though B L
have \nik•s•is\ (first aorist active subjunctive, the usual
construction). {When thou comest into judgement} (\en t•i
krinesthai se\). "In the being judged as to thee" (present
passive infinitive or, if taken as middle, "in the entering upon
trial as to thee"). Common construction in the LXX from the
Hebrew infinitive construct.
3:5 {What shall we say?} (\ti eroumen?\). Rhetorical question,
common with Paul as he surveys the argument. {Commendeth}
(\sunist•sin\). This common verb \sunist•mi\, to send together,
occurs in the N.T. in two senses, either to introduce, to commend
(2Co 3:1; 4:2) or to prove, to establish (2Co 7:11; Ga 2:18;
Ro 5:8). Either makes good sense here. {Who visiteth the wrath}
(\ho epipher•n t•n org•n\). "Who brings on the wrath," "the
inflicter of the anger" (Vaughan). {I speak as a man} (\kata
anthr•pon\). See Ga 3:15 for same phrase. As if to say, "pardon
me for this line of argument." Tholuck says that the rabbis often
used \kata anthr•pon\ and \ti eroumen\. Paul had not forgotten
his rabbinical training.
3:6 {For then how} (\epei p•s\). There is a suppressed condition
between \epei\ and \p•s\, an idiom occurring several times in the
N.T. (1Co 15:29; Ro 11:6,22). "Since, if that were true, how."
3:7 {Through my lie} (\en t•i em•i pseusmati\). ] Old word from
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