For not the hearers of the law are just before
God
The apostle here shows, that the Jews were justly condemned,
notwithstanding their having and hearing of the law; since
hearing without doing it, will never denominate persons righteous
in the sight of God, however it might recommend them in the sight
of men: regard seems to be had either to the first delivery of
the law by Moses to the people of Israel, when he read it to
them, and they hearkened to it, and promised obedience; or rather
to the reading and hearing it every sabbath day; and may include
a speculative knowledge of it, without a practical obedience to
it; and which therefore must fall greatly short of entitling them
to a justifying righteousness; since not these,
but the doers of the law, shall be justified;
by whom are meant, not such who merely literally and externally
fulfil the law, as they imagine; for the law is spiritual, and
regards the inward as well as the outward man, and requires
internal holiness, as well as external obedience; and the apostle
is speaking of justification before God, who sees the heart, and
not before men, who judge according to outward appearance: nor
are such designed who are imperfect doers of the law; for the law
requires a perfect obedience, and what is not perfect is not
properly righteousness; nor does it, nor can it consider an
imperfect righteousness as a perfect one; for it accuses of,
pronounces guilty, curses, and condemns for every transgression
of it. But such only can be intended, who are doers of it
spiritually, internally, as well as externally, and that
perfectly. Adam, in his state of innocence, was a perfect doer of
the law; he sinning, and all his posterity in him, none of them
are righteous, but all pass under a sentence of condemnation. The
best of men, even believers in Christ, are not without sin in
themselves; and when any of the saints are said to be perfect, it
must be understood in a comparative sense, or as they are
considered in Christ. There never was but one since Adam, and
that is Christ, who has fulfilled, or could perfectly fulfil the
law; the thing is impossible and impracticable for fallen man:
hence these words must be understood either hypothetically, thus,
not the hearers of the law, but if there were any perfect doers
of it, they would be justified before God; or else of such
persons who are considered in Christ, by whom the whole perfect
righteousness of the law is fulfilled in them, and who may be
reckoned as perfect doers of it in him, their substitute, surety,
and representative.