Patristic Wisdom: Looking to Reformation Sunday

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom 3:21–26)

He says there is no distinction between Jews and Greeks since it is certain that all equally have come under sin, as became clear above. And he says that now the righteousness of God, which is supported by testimonies in the law and the prophets, has also been given equally to all through faith in Jesus Christ. But because all had come under sin, doubtless they were likewise estranged from the glory of God because they were able neither to receive it in any respect whatsoever nor to merit it. For how would a sinner dare to give glory to God, to whom the prophet says, “But God has said to the sinner: Why do you recite My righteous requirements?” And again another Scripture says, “Praise is unseemly in the mouth of a sinner.” Therefore the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ reaches to all who believe, whether they are Jews or Greeks. It justifies those who have been cleansed from their past crimes and makes them capable of receiving the glory of God; and it supplies this glory not for the sake of their merits nor for the sake of works, but freely to those who believe.

Although the holy Apostle has taught us many things about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ which are to be marveled at, things which are spoken about Him through a mystery, in this passage he has brought forth something even more admirable which I do not think is easy to find in other passages of Scripture. For above he had said that Christ had given His very self as the redemption price for the entire human race so that He might redeem those who were being held in the captivity of their sins, when “apart from God He tastes death for everyone.” Now he has added something even more profound and says, “God predetermined Him as a propitiation through faith in his blood.” This means of course that through the sacrifice of Himself He would make God propitious to men and through this He would manifest His own righteousness as He forgives them their past sins, which they had contracted by serving the worst tyrants at the time when God was tolerating and allowing this to be done. God allowed this so that afterwards, i.e., at this time, He would manifest His own righteousness. For at the consummation of the age, at the end of time, God disclosed His own righteousness and, for the redemption price, gave Him whom He made a propitiator.

Origen, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans 3.7.18; 3.8.1