“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”
Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. — Paul's kerygmatic statement declares that dikaioō (justification) comes exclusively through pistis Christou (faith in/of Christ, the grammatical ambiguity intentional), not ergon nomou (works of Torah); all human attempts at self-justification through law-keeping are exhausted ('ou dikaiōthēsetai' — will be justified by works of law).
Church Fathers on Galatians 2:16
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, save through faith, in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus.” Observe here too how cautiously he expresses himself; he does not say that they had abandoned the Law as evil, but as weak. If the law cannot confer righteousness, it follows that circumcision is superfluous; and so far he now proves; but he proceeds to show that it is not only superfluous but dangerous. It deserves special notice, how at the…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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