Does the Jew have an advantage over the Gentile before God? Surely, because he had the oracles of God. The oracles of God are the written word, the law. Both Jews and Gentiles have been proved guilty before God. What a commentary this chapter gives of mankind. All mouths are stopped, and the world is found guilty before God.
The law brings the knowledge of sin. There is a righteousness without the law, though witnessed in the law and the prophets, which is the righteousness of God found by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, "unto all and upon all them that believe." In verses 10-18 we read our wicked history, in verse 22 we find God's remedy for those who have faith.
Sinful man is justified by believing in Jesus (put in the place of not having sinned, and he cannot sin) because he now has the life of Christ Who never sinned. Justification is free through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God has set Jesus to be a propitiation, a basis upon which faith can rest or act upon and receive remission of sins, which also is for all who have died in faith in past ages. The law is established, while God is just in justifying the sinner who believes.