SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:16
sabiendo que el hombre no es justificado por las obras de la ley, sino por la fe de Jess, el Cristo, nosotros tambin hemos creído en Jess, el Cristo, para que fusemos justificados por la fe de Cristo, y no por las obras de la ley; por cuanto por las obras de la ley ninguna carne ser justificada.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 2:16
Verse 16. Knowing that a man is not justified] See the notes on Rom. i. 17; iii. 24, 27; viii. 3. And see on Acts xiii. 38, 39, in which places the subject of this verse is largely discussed. Neither the works of the Jewish law, nor of any other law, could justify any man; and if justification or pardon could not have been attained in some other way, the world must have perished. Justification by faith, in the boundless mercy of God, is as reasonable as it is Scriptural and necessary.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law , etc..] That is, Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and other believing Jews knew this, and that from the law itself, which requires perfect and sinless obedience, and accuses, holds guilty, and adjudges to condemnation and death for the least failure, both as to matter or manner of duty; and from the prophets, which declare that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified in the sight of God, and who bear witness to the doctrines of remission of sin, and justification by the righteousness of Christ; and from the Gospel, in which this truth is most clearly revealed; and from the illumination of the blessed Spirit, who led them into all truth; and from the revelation of Jesus Christ they were favoured with; and from their own experience, being fully convinced of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the insufficiency of their own righteousness, and of the necessity, suitableness, and fulness of the righteousness of Christ. By the works of the law are meant, not only obedience to the ceremonial law, though this is included, but also to the moral law; for it can hardly be thought, that the men the apostle opposes could ever dream of justification by their compliance with the rituals of the ceremonial law if they believed there could be no justification by their obedience to the moral law; for if there is no justification by the latter, there can be none by the former: the words are therefore to be taken in the largest sense, as rejecting all works of the law, of whatsoever kind, from justification in the sight of God; and such works are designed, as are performed by sinful men in and of themselves, otherwise men are justified by the works of the law as performed by Christ in their room and stead, but not by any as performed by themselves, for at best they are very imperfect, and so cannot justify; they are opposed to the grace of God, to which the justification of a sinner is always ascribed, and therefore cannot be by works; such a scheme would disannul the death of Christ, and promote boasting in men, and indeed is impracticable and impossible: but by the faith of Jesus Christ ; not by that faith, which Christ, as man, had in God, who promised him help, succour, and assistance, and for which he, as man, trusted in him, and exercised faith upon him; but that faith of which he is the object, author, and finisher; and not by that as a cause, for faith has no causal influence on the justification of a sinner; it is not the efficient cause, for it is God that justifies; nor the moving cause, or which induces God to justify any, for that is his own free grace and good will; nor the meritorious or procuring cause, for that is the obedience and bloodshed of Christ; nor is faith the matter of justification; it is not a justifying righteousness; it is a part of sanctification; it is imperfect; as an act it is a man's own, and will not continue for ever in its present form, nature, and use; and is always distinguished from the righteousness of God, by which we are justified, which is perfect, is another's, and will last for ever. Men are not justified by faith, either as an habit, or an act; not by it as an habit or principle, this would be to confound justification and sanctification; nor as an act, for as such it is a man's own, and then justification would be by a man's works, contrary to the Scripture: but faith is to be taken either objectively, as it relates to Christ, the object of it, and his justifying righteousness; or as it is a means of receiving and apprehending Christ's righteousness; the discovery of it is made to faith; that grace discerns the excellency and suitableness of it, approves of it, rejects a man's own, lays hold on this, and rejoices in it: even we have believed in Jesus Christ ; we who are Jews by nature, being fully apprized that there is no justification by the works of the law, but by the righteousness of Christ, received by faith, have quited all confidence in our own works, and are come to Christ, and believe in him, not only as the Messiah, but as the Lord our righteousness: that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law ; not that faith, as before observed, has any causal influence on justification. These Jews did not believe in Christ, in order by their believing to procure their justification before God, and acceptance with him, but that they might receive, by faith, this blessing from the Lord in their own conscience, and enjoy the comfort of it, and all that spiritual peace which results from it, and which they could not find in the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified ; reference seems to be had to ( <19E302> Psalm 143:2) and contains a reason why these believing Jews relinquished Moses in his law, in whom they formerly trusted, and looked to, and depended on for their justification, because that by obedience to the law of works no sinful mortal man can be justified in the sight of God, Ver. 17. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ , etc..] As they did, and not only sought for, but obtained what they sought for, because they sought for it at the hands of Christ, and not as it were by works, but by faith, even a justifying righteousness in him. We ourselves also are found sinners ; that is, either we should be so, were we not to rest here, but seek to join our own works with Christ's righteousness for our justification, and so make Christ the minister of sin, of an imperfect righteousness, which cannot justify, which God forbid should ever be done by us; or we are reckoned sinners by you, judaizing Christians, for leaving the law, and going to Christ for righteousness; and if so, Christ must be the minister of sin, for he has directed and taught us so to do; but God forbid that any such thing should be said of him: or if we are still sinners, and unjustified persons, notwithstanding we seek to Christ to be justified by him, but need the law, and the works of it to justify us, then Christ, instead of being a minister of righteousness, is a minister of the law, the strength of sin, which accuses for it, and is the ministration of condemnation and death on account of it, which God forbid should ever be: or this is an objection of the adversary to the doctrine of free justification by the righteousness of Christ, as if it made void the law, discouraged the performance of good works, opened a door to licentiousness that men might continue sinners, and live as they wish, being under no restraints of the law, or under obligation to obedience it, and by such doctrine make Christ the minister of sin ; who hereby teaches men to live in sin, and in the neglect of duty; to which the apostle answers, God forbid ; as holding such consequences in the utmost abhorrence and detestation; (see Romans 6:1,2,15 7:7).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-19 - Paul, having thus shown he was not inferior to any apostle, not to Peter himself, speaks of the great foundation doctrine of the gospel For what did we believe in Christ? Was it not that we might be justified by the faith of Christ? If so, is it not foolish to go bac to the law, and to expect to be justified by the merit of moral works or sacrifices, or ceremonies? The occasion of this declaratio doubtless arose from the ceremonial law; but the argument is quite a strong against all dependence upon the works of the moral law, a respects justification. To give the greater weight to this, it is added, But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselve also are found sinners, is Christ the minister of sin? This would be very dishonourable to Christ, and also very hurtful to them. By considering the law itself, he saw that justification was not to be expected by the works of it, and that there was now no further need of the sacrifices and cleansings of it, since they were done away in Christ, by his offering up himself a sacrifice for us. He did not hop or fear any thing from it; any more than a dead man from enemies. But the effect was not a careless, lawless life. It was necessary, that he might live to God, and be devoted to him through the motives and grac of the gospel. It is no new prejudice, though a most unjust one, tha the doctrine of justification by faith alone, tends to encourage people in sin. Not so, for to take occasion from free grace, or the doctrin of it, to live in sin, is to try to make Christ the minister of sin, a any thought of which all Christian hearts would shudder.
Greek Textus Receptus
ειδοτες 1492 5761 οτι 3754 ου 3756 δικαιουται 1344 5743 ανθρωπος 444 εξ 1537 εργων 2041 νομου 3551 εαν 1437 μη 3361 δια 1223 πιστεως 4102 ιησου 2424 χριστου 5547 και 2532 ημεις 2249 εις 1519 χριστον 5547 ιησουν 2424 επιστευσαμεν 4100 5656 ινα 2443 δικαιωθωμεν 1344 5686 εκ 1537 πιστεως 4102 χριστου 5547 και 2532 ουκ 3756 εξ 1537 εργων 2041 νομου 3551 διοτι 1360 ου 3756 δικαιωθησεται 1344 5701 εξ 1537 εργων 2041 νομου 3551 πασα 3956 σαρξ 4561
Vincent's NT Word Studies
16. Justified (dikaioutai). See on Rom. iii. 20, 26. The meaning to declare or pronounce righteous cannot be consistently carried through Paul's writings in the interest of a theological fiction of imputed righteousness. See, for example, 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, chapter iii. 11; v. 4. If one 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 (ex ergwn nomou). Lit. out of the works, etc. Comp. Rom. iii. 20. Works are characteristic of a legal dispensation. Paul often puts "works" alone as representing legal righteousness. See Romans iv. 2, 6; ix. 11, 32; xi. 6; Eph. ii. 9.
But by faith (ean mh). 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 justification is by faith alone. The use of ejan mh 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. Ean mh retains its exceptive force, but the exception refers only to the verb. Comp. eij mh in Matt. xii. 4; Luke iv. 26, 27; Gal. i. 19; Apoc. xxi. 27.
Flesh (sarx). See on Rom. vii. 5. For no flesh see on Rom. iii. 20.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:16 {Is not justified} (ou dikaioutai). Present passive indicative of dikaiow, an old causative verb from dikaios, righteous (from dike, right), to make righteous, to declare righteous. It is made like axiow, to deem worthy, and koinow, to consider common. It is one of the great Pauline words along with dikaiosune, righteousness. The two ways of getting right with God are here set forth: by faith in Christ Jesus (objective genitive), by the works of the law (by keeping all the law in the most minute fashion, the way of the Pharisees). Paul knew them both (see #Ro 7). In his first recorded sermon the same contrast is made that we have here (#Ac 13:39) with the same word dikaiow, employed. It is the heart of his message in all his Epistles. The terms faith (pistis), righteousness (dikaiosune), law (nomos), works (erga) occur more frequently in Galatians and Romans because Paul is dealing directly with the problem in opposition to the Judaizers who contended that Gentiles had to become Jews to be saved. The whole issue is here in an acute form. {Save} (ean me). Except. {Even we} (kai hemeis). We Jews believed, had to believe, were not saved or justified till we did believe. this very point Peter had made at the Jerusalem Conference (#Ac 15:10f.). He quotes #Ps 143:2. Paul uses dikaiosune in two senses (1) Justification, on the basis of what Christ has done and obtained by faith. Thus we are set right with God. #Ro 1-5. (2) Sanctification. Actual goodness as the result of living with and for Christ. #Ro 6-8. The same plan exists for Jew and Gentile.
