By Faith or Through Faith? What is the difference?

[Praxeas]

Rom 3:30 since God is one. He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

You ever notice that Paul says the Jews are justified BY faith and the Gentiles THROUGH faith? Why the play on words if it means the same thing?

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Rom 3:30 since God is one. He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

You ever notice that Paul says the Jews are justified BY faith and the Gentiles THROUGH faith? Why the play on words if it means the same thing?

Yes, especially since there's neither Jew nor Gentile. But remember we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Since Jews deny the Messiah they are justified by faith in God alone.

[mizpeh]

Rom 3:30 επειπερ Seeing 1897 CONJ εις one 1520 A-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM θεος God 2316 N-NSM ος which 3739 R-NSM δικαιωσει shall justify 1344 V-FAI-3S περιτομην the circumcision 4061 N-ASF εκ by 1537 PREP πιστεως faith 4102 N-GSF και and 2532 CONJ ακροβυστιαν uncircumcision 203 N-ASF δια through 1223 PREP της 3588 T-GSF πιστεως faith. 4102 N-GSF

Ek: Thayer Definition:
1) out of, from, by, away from

a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative

Dia: Thayer Definition:
1) through
1a) of place
1a1) with
1a2) in
1b) of time
1b1) throughout
1b2) during
1c) of means
1c1) by
1c2) by the means of
2) through
2a) the ground or reason by which something is or is not done
2a1) by reason of
2a2) on account of
2a3) because of for this reason
2a4) therefore
2a5) on this account

a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act
Citing in TDNT: 2:65, 149


RWP: By faith (ek pisteōs). “Out of faith,” springing out of.
Through faith (dia tēs pisteōs). “By means of the faith” (just mentioned). Ek denotes source, dia intermediate agency or attendant circumstance.

Clark: Rom 3:30 -
Seeing it is one God - επιπερ εις ο θεος. This has been rendered, Seeing God is one. It however makes little difference in the sense: the apostle’s meaning most evidently is, it is one and the same God who made both Jews and Gentiles, who shall justify - pardon, the circumcision - the believing Jews, by faith; and the uncircumcision - the believing Gentiles, by the same faith; as there is but one Savior and one atonement provided for the whole.
It is fanciful to suppose that the apostle has one meaning when he says, εκ πιστεως, By faith, and a different meaning when he says, δια της πιστεως, Through faith. Both the prepositions are to be understood in precisely the same sense; only the addition of the article της, in the last case, extends and more pointedly ascertains the meaning. It is one and the same God who shall justify the believing Jews by faith; and the believing Gentiles δια της πιστεως, by That Same faith.

JFB: Rom 3:30 -
it is one God who shall justify — “has unchangeably fixed that He shall justify.”
the circumcision by — “of”
faith, and the uncircumcision through faith — probably this is but a varied statement of the same truth for greater emphasis (see Rom_3:22); though Bengel thinks that the justification of the Jews, as the born heirs of the promise, may be here purposely said to be “of faith,” while that of the Gentiles, previously “strangers to the covenants of promise,” may be said to be “through faith,” as thus admitted into a new family.

Barnes: By faith ...through faith - There is no difference in the meaning of these expressions. Both denote that faith is the instrumental cause of justification, or acceptance with God.

Wesley: Rom 3:30 - Seeing it is one God who - Shows mercy to both, and by the very same means.

[mizpeh]

"Some understand the future dikaiosei, will justify in verse 30 to be a logical future (Cranfield 1975, Moo 1991:254) Dunn (1988:189) is probably correct, though, in seeing a reference to the final judgement. Justification is both present(dikaiousthai, to be justified, v.28) and future, for the future declaration seals he present reality. Describing Jews as peritome, circumcision and Gentiles as akrobystia, uncircumcision in verse 30 is significant. Paul emphasizes that faith rather than circumcision is decisive for entrance into the people of God. The shift from ek pisteos, from faith, to dia tes pisteos, through faith, is stylistic and rheutorical, as most commentators affirm. Stowers's (1989) attempt to distinguish the prepositional phrases and see a reference to the faithfulness of Christ is far-fetched. That different nuances would exist in the phrases is incredible in a context where Paul wished to highlight that the Jews and Gentiles are justified on the same basis (rightly Byrne 1996:140)! Verse 28 and all of chapter 4 make abundantly clear that the faith of human being is being described." Romans, Schreiner 1998:206