therefore, at which the apostle has arrived, the conclusion of his argn- ment, from consciousness, experience, and Scripture, is that the whole world is g-uilty before God, i. e. in his judgment or estimation. The luhole world must, in this connexion, include both Jews and Gentiles, because the preceding argument had related to both classes, and in what follows reference is also had to both.
(20) Therefore ly the deeds of the laio shall no flesh he justified in his sight, &c. The apostle, having proved that all men are sinners, draws in this verse the conclusion that no man can be justified by the deeds of the law. To justify is obviously a forensic term, and signifies to pro- nounce, regard, and treat as just or righteous. The declaration of the apostle is, that no man can be pronounced and treated as righteous on the ground of his own obedience to the law. The expression contained in this verse is borrowed from Ps. 143 : 2. " Enter not into judgment with thy servant (bring him not to trial) ; for in thy sight (before thee as judge) shall no man living be justified." This passage also serves to illustrate the nature of justification. The word signifying to he right- eous does not so properly express the moral character of those to whom it is applied as their relation to the law. It therefore often means to he in the right, to have the law on one's side, to be what the law requires ; see Gen. 38 : 26, " She is more in the right than I ;" Job 9 : 15, " Though I were in the right 1 would not answer." Hence to justify is to pro- nounce one to be in the right, to be such as the law requires, and entitled to be treated accordingly ; see Job 33 : 32, " Speak, for I desire to jus- tify thee," i. e. to pronounce thee to be what the law demands ; Isa. 5 : 23, "Which justify the wicked for reward," &c. What Paul, therefore, affirms in this verse is, that no man can, in the sight of God, be regarded as righteous, and entitled to be treated as such, on the ground of his obedience to the law.
Deeds of the law are, of course, such deeds as the law prescribes. The law of which Paul here speaks is the will of God revealed for man's obedience, the universal rule of duty, see v. 19. That it is not to be re- stricted to the Mosaic law, as though ceremonial works alone were in- tended, is evident, 1. Because Paul is here speaking of "the whole world," of " all flesh," of Gentiles as well as Jews. The former had nothing to do with the Mosaic law. Why should Paul affirm that they could not be justified by a law which was never obligatory upon them 1
2. He had just used the word law, not in reference to the Mosaic insti- tutions, but to the Scriptures of the Old Testament which contained the whole revealed will of God. The works of which he speaks are works prescribed by this, law, and comprehend, of course, all moral duties.
3. The Jews never made the distinction between the moral and ceremo- nial law, which the opposite interpretation supposes. To them obe- dience to the Mosaic ritual was as much a moral duty as any thing else could be. They certainly, therefore, would understand the apostle as meaning, by the phrase " works of the law," works of obedience to