Audio commentary on this verse

Note 1 at Rom. 3:21: This is another one of Paul's radical statements (see note 4 at Rom. 3:19, p. 757) that was diametrically opposed to the Jewish thinking of his day. Mercy and grace were present in the Old Testament but it was typified in the Old Testament sacrifices which were incorporated in the law. Therefore, the Jews had come to think that the only way God would grant any forgiveness was through fulfilling the law as much as possible and then offering the appropriate sacrifice prescribed in the law for any sins. For Paul to say that a person could be righteous apart from the law (see ref. b, this verse) was unthinkable.

Paul didn't end there though, he went on to say that this method of receiving right standing with God was promised under the Old Testament law and prophets. This meant that Paul was not putting forth a new doctrine, but expounding the true doctrine which the Old Testament law and prophets had advocated all along. This left no doubt that the Jews' trust in the Old Testament law for justification was never God's intent. They had misunderstood and misapplied the law in this area.

Likewise today, many religious people misunderstand the true intent of the Old Testament law (see notes 3-4 at Rom. 3:19, p. 757).