I’m teaching a two-week course on Romans, so I’m dipping back into Barth’s commentary here and there.

On Paul’s barrier-destroying gospel:

“God can be known only when those of the highest rank regard suffering with the whole social order of their age and bearing its heavy burden as the noblest achievement of which they are capable; when the rich in spirit think nothing of their wealth—not even in order to share it—but themselves become poor and the brothers of the poor. . . The illusion that some men have an advantage over others must be completely discarded.  The words there is no distinction [Rom. 3:22] need to be repeated and listened to again and again” (p. 100).