Declared Righteous
Passage: Galatians 2:15-21
Paul confronted Peter in Antioch over eating with Gentiles.
Overview
No one is justified by works of the law but by faith in Christ. Paul has been crucified with Christ, and Christ lives in him.
Going deeper
Dikaioō (justify) is a law-court word: to declare right. Paul ties justification to table fellowship: Jews and Gentiles share one standing.
Key verses (KJV)
- Galatians 2:16 A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live.
From the commentaries
16. not justified by the works of the law—as the GROUND of justification. "The works of the law" are those which have the law for their object—which are wrought to fulfil the law [Alford]. but by—Translate, "But only (in no other way save) through faith in Jesus Christ," as the MEAN and instrument of justification. Jesus Christ—In the second case, read with the oldest manuscripts, "Christ Jesus," the Messiahship coming into prominence in the case of Jewish believers, as "Jesus" does in the first case, referring to the general proposition. justified by the faith of Christ—that is, by Christ, the object of faith, as the ground of our justification. for by the works of the law shall no flesh be
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory (1871)
Verse 16 Knowing that a man is not justified - See the notes on Rom 1:17; Rom 3:24 (note), Rom 3:27 (note); Rom 8:3 (note). And see on Act 13:38 (note) and Act 13:39 (note), 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.
Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke's Commentary (1810-1826)
16. But by the faith of Jesus Christ. He does not merely state that ceremonies, or works of any kind, are insufficient without the assistance of faith, but meets their denial by a statement admitting of no exception, as if he had said, “Not by works, but by the Gift of Christ alone.” In any other point of view, the sentiment would have been trivial and foreign to the purpose; for the false apostles did not reject Christ nor faith, but demanded that ceremonies should be joined with them. If Paul had admitted this claim, they would have been perfectly at one, and he would have been under no necessity to agitate the church by this unpleasant debate. ...
John Calvin, John Calvin's Commentaries (16th century, Calvin Translation Society, 1840s-1850s)
Verse 16. Knowing. We who are Jews by nature, or by birth. This cannot mean that all the Jews knew this, or that he who was a Jew knew it as a matter of course, for many Jews were ignorant of it, and many opposed it. But it means that the persons here referred to, those who had been born Jews, and who had been converted to Christianity, had had an opportunity to learn and understand this, which the Gentiles had not. This gospel had been preached to them, and they had professedly embraced it. They were not left to the gross darkness and ignorance on this subject which pervaded the heathen world, and they had had a better opportunity to learn it than the converts from the Gentiles. ...
Albert Barnes, Barnes' Notes on the New Testament (1834-1885)
Application
- What do you trust in besides Christ?
- How does justification unite believers across lines?
- Pray v20 for yourself.