16. Justified (dvcaotrav). See on Rom. iii. 20,26. The meaning to declare or pronounce righteous cannot be consist- ently carried through Paul’s writings in the interest of a theological fiction of imputed righteousness. See, for exam- ple, Rom. iv. 25; 1 Cor. vi. 11; and all passages where the word is used to describe justification by works of the law, as here, ch. ili. 11; v. 4. If one is justified by the works of the law, his righteousness is a real righteousness, founded upon his conformity to the law. Why is the righteousness of faith any less a real righteousness ?
By the works of the law (é& pyar vepov). Lit. out of the works, etc. Comp. Rom. iii. 20. Works are character- istic of a legal dispensation. Paul often puts “works” alone as representing legal righteousness. See Rom. iv. 2, 6; ix. 1h, 325 eet eyo. 11. 0,
But by faith (éav u)). As the Greek stands, it would read, “Is not justified by the works of the law save through faith.” So, unfortunately, Rev. This would mean, as the Romish interpreters, not through works of the law except they be done through faith in Christ, and would ascribe justification to works which grow out of faith. Paul means that justifi- cation is by faith alone. The use of éav mu) is to be thus explained: A man is not justified by the works of the law: (he is not justified) except by faith in Jesus Christ. ’Eav pr)
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retains its exceptive force, but the exception refers only to the verb. Comp. e& wy in Matt. xii. 4; L. iv. 26,27; Gal. told s Apo. xxi. 27.
By the faith of Jesus Christ (dva wrictews Xpicrtod "Incod). Properly, Christ Jesus. Faith in Jesus Christ, according to a@common usage. See J. v. 42; 1 J. ii. 5,15; Acts ix. 31; Mk. xi. 22; Rom. iii. 22; Gal. iii. 22. Paul uses different prepositions in describing the relations of faith and works to righteousness ; probably not always with a distinct intention of giving different shades of thought. Here, through (6:4) faith and out of (€&) works. Here and Rom. iii. 80, out of (é«) faith. Philip. iii. 9, righteousness through (61d) faith, and from (é«) God, resting upon (émt) faith. Aca marks faith as the medium of justification; é« as the source; él as the foundation. ’HE is habitually used with works.
Flesh (cap&). See on Rom. vii. 5. For no flesh see on Rom. iii. 20.
17. Are found (eipé@nyev). More correctly, were found : were discovered and shown to be. See Rom. vii. 10; 1 Cor. Mylo se ermeve tos LE nilip. 11.85 ii. 9,
Sinners (auaptwdo/). Like the Gentiles, ver. 15. Paul assumes that this was actually the case: that, seeking to be justified in Christ, they were found to be sinners. To seek to be justified by Christ is.an admission that there is no jus- tification by works; that the seeker is unjustified, and there- foreasinner. ‘The effort to attain justification by faith in Christ develops the consciousness of sin. It compels the seeker, whether Jew or Gentile, to put himself upon the common plane of sinners. The Jew who calls the Gentile a sinner, in seeking to be justified by faith, finds himself a sin- ner also. The law has failed him as a justifying agency. But Paul is careful to repudiate the false inference from this fact, stated in what immediately follows, namely, that Christ is a minister of sin.
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Minister of sin. A promoter of sin by causing us to abandon the law.
God forbid (4) yévorro). See on Rom. iii. 4. Not a reply merely to the question “is Christ a minister of sin?” but to the whole supposition from “if while we seek.” The question is not whether Christ is in general a minister of sin, but whether he is such in the case supposed. Paul does not assume that this false inference has been drawn by Peter or the other Jewish Christians.