3 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words and prevail when you are judged.”
Romans 3:1-4 ESV
College is open to everyone who meets the requirements and can pay for it. Students from all walks of life end up going to college, but let’s face it: some people have many more advantages in their upbringing to prepare them for higher education. Some arrived at college with an expensive private school diploma that allowed them to speak Spanish, French, and Latin after high school; others came with a minimal foundation of learning that was much more rudimentary. In this scripture, Paul likened the Jews to the fancy private school students who “were entrusted with the oracles of God.” They had every advantage to know the Word of God since He revealed it to them through His prophets and had it in written form. They should have been primed and ready to live holy and upright lives, walking into “higher education” with every available learning tool at their disposal.
However, it seems some of these Jews were not only NOT using their resources, but it sounds like some of them don’t even WANT to go to college and are refusing to use their knowledge and skills to grow up. So, even though these fully-prepped, potential undergrads should be filling the university halls, they are not coming in. Should colleges lament and close their doors just because all of these would-be well-equipped students reject their birthright? No way! Colleges must stay open to do their job, and people will attend, even if those most likely to excel choose to stay out. Paul is saying that although some Jews prove unfaithful to God, God will not be unfaithful in upholding His promises to all. In other words, college will still be college, even if people don’t attend.
God is like the college in this metaphor, entirely faithful to bring people into His Kingdom who have met the requirements and can pay for it. However, this Kingdom is the most exclusive university in all creation; the criteria to get in are impossibly high (even for fancy Latin speakers!), and the payment required is much higher than even the most affluent family on earth could afford to pay. Some people, like the Jews, would have had many more advantages than most, but even still, their benefits alone would never be able to afford entrance into the Kingdom of God.
But Jesus, Son of God, was able to meet the requirements of entrance and paid the steep price of admission to the Kingdom of God for us all, Jews and Gentiles alike, through His death on the cross. Our paltry transcripts are pitiful and fall short. Jesus, in His complete fulfillment of the law, accompanied by the paid-in-full sacrifice of His shed blood, has the perfect transcript for entrance. Jesus offers to humanity His transcript in exchange for their own. Believers in the life, death, and resurrection of their Lord Jesus may accept this gift, regardless of age, race, socio-economic status, or previous educational background. This message is good news for anyone desiring to seek and know God (or go to college)!