1 What aduantage then hath the Iew? or what profit is there of Circumcision?
2 Much euery way: chiefly, because that vnto them were committed the Oracles of God.
3 For what if some did not beleeue? shall their vnbeliefe make the faith of God without effect?
4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but euery man a lier, as it is written, That thou mightest be iustified in thy sayings, and mightest ouercome when thou art iudged.
5 But if our vnrighteousnesse commend the righteousnesse of God, what shall we say? is God vnrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speake as a man)
6 God forbid: for then how shall God iudge the world?
7 For if the trueth of God hath more abounded through my lye vnto his glory; why yet am I also iudged as a sinner?
8 And not rather as wee be slanderously reported, and as some affirme that we say, Let vs doe euill, that good may come: whose damnation is iust.
9 What then? are wee better then they? No in no wise: for we haue before proued both Iewes, and Gentiles, that they are all vnder sinne,
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no not one:
11 There is none that vnderstandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become vnprofitable, there is none that doeth good, no not one.
13 Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they haue vsed deceit, the poyson of Aspes is vnder their lippes:
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse:
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood.
16 Destruction & misery are in their wayes:
17 And the way of peace haue they not knowen.
18 There is no feare of God before their eyes.
19 Now we know that what things soeuer the Law saith, it saith to them who are vnder the Law: that euery mouth may bee stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deedes of the Law, there shall no flesh be iustified in his sight: for by the Law is the knowledge of sinne.
21 But nowe the righteousnesse of God without the Lawe is manifested, being witnessed by the Lawe and the Prophets.
22 Euen the righteousnesse of God, which is by faith of Iesus Christ vnto all, and vpon all them that beleeue: for there is no difference:
23 For all haue sinned, and come short of the glory of God,
24 Being iustified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ:
25 Whom God hath set forth to bee a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes, that are past, through the forbearance of God.
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousnesse: that hee might bee iust, and the iustifier of him which beleeueth in Iesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what Law? Of works? Nay: but by the Law of faith.
28 Therefore wee conclude, that a man is iustified by faith, without the deeds of the Law.
29 Is he the God of the Iewes only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30 Seeing it is one God which shal iustifie the circumcision by faith, and vncircumcision through faith.
31 Doe we then make void the lawe through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the Law.
Objections answered. (1-8) All mankind are sinners. (9-18) Both Jews and Gentiles cannot be justified by their own deeds. (19,20) It is owing to the free grace of God, through faith in the righteousness of Christ, yet the law is not done away. (21-31)1-8 The law could not save in or from sins, yet it gave the Jews advantages for obtaining salvation. Their stated ordinances, education in the knowledge of the true God and his service, and many favours shown to the children of Abraham, all were means of grace, and doubtless were made useful to the conversion of many. But especially the Scriptures were committed to them. Enjoyment of God's word and ordinances, is the chief happiness of a people. But God's promises are made only to believers; therefore the unbelief of some, or of many professors, cannot make this faithfulness of no effect. He will fulfil his promises to his people, and bring his threatened vengeance upon unbelievers. God's judging the world, should for ever silence all doubtings and reflections upon his justice. The wickedness and obstinate unbelief of the Jews, proved man's need of the righteousness of God by faith, and also his justice in punishing for sin. Let us do evil, that good may come, is oftener in the heart than in the mouth of sinners; for few thus justify themselves in their wicked ways. The believer knows that duty belongs to him, and events to God; and that he must not commit any sin, or speak one falsehood, upon the hope, or even assurance, that God may thereby glorify himself. If any speak and act thus, their condemnation is just.
9-18 Here again is shown that all mankind are under the guilt of sin, as a burden; and under the government and dominion of sin, as enslaved to it, to work wickedness. This is made plain by several passages of Scripture from the Old Testament, which describe the corrupt and depraved state of all men, till grace restrain or change them. Great as our advantages are, these texts describe multitudes who call themselves Christians. Their principles and conduct prove that there is no fear of God before their eyes. And where no fear of God is, no good is to be looked for.
19,20 It is in vain to seek for justification by the works of the law. All must plead guilty. Guilty before God, is a dreadful word; but no man can be justified by a law which condemns him for breaking it. The corruption in our nature, will for ever stop any justification by our own works.
21-26 Must guilty man remain under wrath? Is the wound for ever incurable? No; blessed be God, there is another way laid open for us. This is the righteousness of God; righteousness of his ordaining, and providing, and accepting. It is by that faith which has Jesus Christ for its object; an anointed Saviour, so Jesus Christ signifies. Justifying faith respects Christ as a Saviour, in all his three anointed offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King; trusting in him, accepting him, and cleaving to him: in all these, Jews and Gentiles are alike welcome to God through Christ. There is no difference, his righteousness is upon all that believe; not only offered to them, but put upon them as a crown, as a robe. It is free grace, mere mercy; there is nothing in us to deserve such favours. It comes freely unto us, but Christ bought it, and paid the price. And faith has special regard to the blood of Christ, as that which made the atonement. God, in all this, declares his righteousness. It is plain that he hates sin, when nothing less than the blood of Christ would satisfy for it. And it would not agree with his justice to demand the debt, when the Surety has paid it, and he has accepted that payment in full satisfaction.
27-31 God will have the great work of the justification and salvation of sinners carried on from first to last, so as to shut out boasting. Now, if we were saved by our own works, boasting would not be excluded. But the way of justification by faith for ever shuts out boasting. Yet believers are not left to be lawless; faith is a law, it is a working grace, wherever it is in truth. By faith, not in this matter an act of obedience, or a good work, but forming the relation between Christ and the sinner, which renders it proper that the believer should be pardoned and justified for the sake of the Saviour, and that the unbeliever who is not thus united or related to him, should remain under condemnation. The law is still of use to convince us of what is past, and to direct us for the future. Though we cannot be saved by it as a covenant, yet we own and submit to it, as a rule in the hand of the Mediator.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.