11. 'EK vopu, in the law) Paul somewhat eagerly urges this matter, lest any one should say, I acknowledge that righteousness is not by the works of the law, but yet it is by the law itself. Many depended on the law, although they did not keep it, Rom. ii. 17, 23. He answers, it is of no advantage to them that do it not, ver. 12. — Ta/?d r& &eti, before God) whatever it may be before men, Rom. iv. 2. — (3JjXoi>, on, it is evident, because [or that]) The phrase refers to what follows: 1 Tim. vi. 7 ; 1 Cor. xv. 27. AjjXovor/ is used by the Greeks as one word, correspond ing to the Latin id est. As concerns the fact, that no one is justified in [by] the law before God, it is beyond all doubt true, that the just shall live by faith. The former is alleged [referred to] as if still open to doubt, but the latter is TO d?jXov, a thing quite manifest, by which even the former ought to be placed beyond a doubt. — 6 d/xa/og Ix -r/Vrswg, the just by faith [he who stands just by faith]) See Rom. i. 17. — ^tfera/, shall live) The same word is in the following verse.
12. Oyx stfnv sx irfffrsug, is not of faith) It does not act the part of faith ; it does not say, believe, butc?o. — 6 To/^ag aura, the man that doeth them) Rom. x. 5.
13. Xp/<rro£, Christ) Christ alone. This is an abrupt exclama tion without a conjunction, and with some degree of indignation against the doers of the law. There is an Asyndeton not unlike this, Col. iii. 4 : where the apostle is likewise speaking of Christ. — wag, us) The curse chiefly pressed upon the Jews ; for the bless ing also was nearer to them. The antithesis is, on the Gentiles, ver. 14 : comp. iv. 3, 6. — s^opa^v, hath redeemed) He set us free by purchase from the state in which we were held. The same word occurs, iv. 5. — Ix rJjg xardpa$, from the curse) under which they lie, who trust either to the law, or the works of the law. — yevopevos v^sp JJ/AUV Kardpa, being made a curse for us) We have here the abstract, not the concrete noun. Who would dare without the fear of blasphemy so to speak, if the apostle had not led the way 1 The word curse, xara^a, means more than anathema, Rom. ix. 3 : for the curse is inflicted by another, the anathema is spontaneously incurred. In like manner fro*1, JgoXofysu^tfgra/, shall be cut off, is said of Christ, Dan. ix. 26 : comp. ver. 24 with the annot. of C. B. Michaelis. 'r*ep, for, instead of, is also used here with the utmost propriety ; for Christ