1:16f. It was no feeling of shame for the apparent foolishness of the Gospel (1 Cor. 1:18), no lack of confidence in God's power, that held me back. At this point Paul introduces his theme. The Gospel manifests God's power; offered to the Jews first, it brings salvation to all. It is the righteousness of God. Righteousness for Paul, who is steeped in the O.T., is primarily God in action, vindicating himself. The bestowal of it on the convert means preliminary acquittal, which comes in response to his abandoning all claim to deserve it and his being ready to receive it in utter humility. This attitude of the soul is faith. He quotes Hab. 2:4 (Cp. Gal. 3:11), which in the original context meant "the just shall live (survive the invasion) by his faithfulness (to Yahweh)". The man who has received "righteousness" is "justified" by faith; two English words represent one Greek root in its verbal and noun forms. Justification, the reception of "righteousness", is, as we have seen, preliminary acquittal. It does not mean sanctification, which follows later, nor necessarily final perseverance and acceptance at the Last Judgement. This distinctively Pauline interpretation of the Habakkuk text was connected with the Jewish idea of the Age to Come, life in which is offered to the righteous, who repent and keep the Law. Now experience shows that none can keep the Law. But righteousness (acquittal) is offered through Christ as a free gift. Those who accept it by faith will have "life" in the Coming Age.

3:21-26. The Atonement. righteousness of God. Goes back to 1:17. The Law, which brings "wrath", is set aside, though the deeper meaning of the Bible points to the truth. Now at last Paul connects the deliverance with Christ.

for there ... glory of God is a parenthesis; Jews, like Gentiles, can be saved only by grace.

For propitiation, read expiation; the Greek word does not imply that God needed to be propitiated.

through faith By which we appropriate it.

by his blood goes with "expiation". The comma after aforetime is best omitted, "done in the time when God was forbearing". The argument is compressed and difficult to follow.

righteousness, just, justifier. The Greek words are different forms of one root, but in English "righteous" and "just" have to be used.

27-31. The result of the Atonement. of works. Clearly not, for keeping the commandments produces self-satisfaction.

law of faith. A paradoxical expression, used rhetorically. In 30f. the sense is clearer if a comma is put after also and a semicolon after one.

by faith, through faith. The two prepositions mean the same. In later O.T. religion monotheism was emphasised, and therefore a universal religion, and with it the consciousness that Israel was the chosen people. The tension that resulted was resolved only by Christ. Once more in 31 we have the ambiguity of law, which in one sense is abrogated, in a deeper sense confirmed.