For as many as are of the works of the law, are under a curse. For it is written: Cursed is every one, that abideth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law to do them.

“Because, indeed, they drew servitude upon themselves voluntarily, when they said, "We have no king but Caesar;" and, "If we do not slay Christ, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and will take away both our place and nation." And so they prophesied unwittingly. For accordingly the nations believed on Him, and they themselves were deprived by the Romans of their power, and of their legal worship; and they have been forbidden to slay whom they please, and to sacrifice when they will. Wherefore they are accursed, as not able to perform the things they are commanded to do. For says He: "Cursed be he that does not continue in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them." Now it is impossible in their dispersion, while they are among the heathen, for them to perform all things in their law. For the divine Moses forbids both to rear an altar out of Jerusalem, and to read the law out of the bounds of Judea.”

“Further, they were possessed with another apprehension; it was written, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law, to do them." (Deut. xxvii: 26) And this he removes, with great skill and prudence, turning their argument against themselves, and showing that those who relinquish the Law are not only not cursed, but blessed; and they who keep it, not only not blessed but cursed. They said that he who kept not the Law was cursed, but he proves that he who kept it was cursed, and he who kept it not, blessed. Again, they said that he who adhered to Faith alone was cursed, but he shows that he who adhered to Faith alone, is blessed. And how does he prove all this? for it is no common thing which we have promised; wherefore it is necessary to give close attention to what follows. He had already shown this, by referring to the words spoken to the Patriarch, "In thee shall all nations be blessed," (Gen. xii: 4) at a time, that is, when Faith existed, not the Law; so he adds by way of conclusion, "So then they which be of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham." Then, that they might not turn round, and object that, true it was Abraham was justified by Faith, for the Law was not then given, but what instance would be found of Faith justifying after the delivery of the Law? he addresses himself to this, and proves more than they required: namely, not only that Faith was justifying, but that the Law brought its adherents under a curse. To be sure of this, listen to the very words of the Apostle. "For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse." This is what he lays down, before proving it; and what is the proof? it is from the Law itself...”

“Above, the Apostle showed the power of faith; here he consequently shows the defect of the law. And first through the authority of the law; second through human custom, where he says, "Brethren, I speak according to man," etc. Concerning the first he does three things. First he shows the harm that occasionally followed from the law; second, the insufficiency of the law to remove that very harm, where he says, "But that in the law," etc.; third, the sufficiency of Christ, by which that harm was removed, where he says, "But Christ has redeemed us," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth what he intends; second he proves his proposition, where he says, "For it is written: Cursed," etc. He says therefore: "For as many as," etc. For since he had said that those who are of faith will be blessed, since they are sons of Abraham, someone could say that they are blessed on account of the works of the law as well as on account of faith; and therefore, excluding this, he says: "as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse." But on the contrary: the ancient fathers were in the works of the law; therefore they are cursed, and consequently damned — which is the error of Mani. Therefore this must be soundly understood. And it must be noted that the Apostle does not say: "as many as keep the works of the law are under a curse," because this would be false for the time of the law; but he says "as many as are of the works of the law," etc., that is, as many as trust in the works of the law and think themselves to be justified through them, are under a curse. For it is one thing to be in the works of the law, and another to keep the law; for this latter is to fulfill the law, and he who fulfills it is not under a curse. But to be in the works of the law is to trust in them and place one's hope in them. And those who are in them in this way are under a curse, namely of transgression — which indeed the law does not cause, since concupiscence does not come from the law, but rather knowledge of sin, to which we are prone through concupiscence, which is prohibited by the law. Insofar, therefore, as the law produces knowledge of sin, and does not furnish help against sin, they are said to be under a curse, since they are unable to escape it through the works themselves. Now there are certain works of the law that are ceremonial, which consisted in observances. Other works are those that pertain to morals, concerning which there are the moral commandments. Hence, according to the Gloss, what is said here — "as many as are of the works of the law," etc. — is to be understood of the ceremonial works, and not of the moral ones. Or it must be said that the Apostle here speaks of all works, both ceremonial and moral. For works are not the cause of someone being just before God, but rather they are the executions and manifestations of justice. For no one is justified before God through works, but through the habit of faith — not indeed an acquired habit, but an infused one. And therefore whoever seeks to be justified from works is under a curse, because through them sins are not removed, nor is anyone justified as regards God, but through the habit of faith formed by charity. Hebrews 11:39: "All these by the testimony of faith," etc. Consequently, when he says "For it is written," etc., he proves his proposition, and this is shown, first, according to the Gloss, by the fact that no one can keep the law in the way that the law commands, Deuteronomy 28:15, that everyone who does not remain in all the things that are written in the book of the law, so as to do them — that is, whoever does not fulfill the whole law — is cursed. But to fulfill the whole law is impossible, as it is said in Acts 15:10: "Why do you tempt, to impose a yoke, which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear?" Therefore no one is of the works of the law without being cursed. It can also be taken that what is said, "For it is written," etc., is not as a proof of the proposition, but so that its exposition may be shown; as if he were saying: I say that they are under the curse, namely under that curse of which the law speaks when it is written: "Cursed is everyone," etc.: so that it be understood concerning sin, that is, concerning the curse. For the law commands that good things be done or evil things avoided, and by commanding it obligates, but it does not give the power of obeying. And therefore it says "cursed," as if joined to evil, "everyone," excepting no one, because, as it is said in Acts 10:34, there is no acceptance of persons with God. "Who does not remain unto the end." Matthew 24:13: "He who perseveres unto the end." "In all things" — not in certain ones only, because, as it is said in James 2:10, whoever keeps the whole law, but offends in one point, has become guilty of all. "Which are written in the book of the law, so as to do them" — not only that he believe or merely will it, but that he fulfill it in deed. Psalm 110:10: "Good understanding to all who do it." But the holy fathers, even though they were in the works of the law, were nevertheless saved in the faith of him who was to come, trusting in his grace, and fulfilling the law at least spiritually. For Moses, as is said in the Gloss, indeed commanded many things that no one could fulfill, in order to tame the pride of the Jews who said: "It is not the one to fulfill it who is lacking, but the one to command it." But here there is a question about what is said, "cursed is everyone," etc. For it is said in Romans 12:14: "Bless, and do not curse." I respond. It must be said that to curse is nothing other than to speak evil; I can, therefore, say that good is evil, and evil is good, and again, that good is good, and evil is evil. And the Apostle indeed forbids the first, saying: "do not curse," that is, do not say that good is evil, and vice versa; but the second is permitted, and therefore when we censure sin, we do indeed curse, but not by calling good evil — rather we say that evil is evil. And therefore it is permitted to curse the sinner, that is, to say that he is given over to evil or that he is evil. Consequently, when he says "But that in the law," etc., he shows the insufficiency of the law, which was not able to snatch anyone away from that curse, from the fact that it could not justify. To show this, he uses a certain syllogism in the second figure, and it is this: justice is from faith; but the law is not from faith; therefore the law cannot justify. Concerning this, then, he first states the conclusion, when he says "But that in the law no one is justified"; second, the major premise, when he says "because the just man lives by faith"; third, the minor premise, when he says "but the law is not of faith." He says therefore: I say that through the law a curse was introduced, and yet the law does not deliver from that curse, because it is manifest that no one is justified in the law before God, that is, through the works of the law. Concerning this it must be understood that those who denied the Old Testament took an occasion from this saying. And therefore it must be said that no one is justified in the law, that is, through the law. For through it, indeed, knowledge of sin was had, as is said in Romans 5, but justification was not had through it. Romans 3:20: "By the works of the law no one shall be justified." But on the contrary, it is said in James 2:21: "Was not Abraham justified by works?" I respond. It must be said that "to justify" can be taken in two ways: either as regards the execution and manifestation of justice, and in this way a man is justified, that is, shown to be just, from the works performed. Or as regards the infused habit of justice, and in this way no one is justified from works, since the habit of justice by which a man is justified before God is not acquired, but infused through the grace of faith. And therefore the Apostle pointedly says "before God," because the justice that is before God is in the interior heart; but the justice that is from works, that is, that manifests the just man, is before men. And in this way the Apostle takes "before God." Romans 2:13: "For not the hearers, but the doers," etc. Romans 4:2: "If Abraham was justified by works, he has glory, but not before God," etc. Thus, therefore, the conclusion of the argument is clear, namely that the law cannot justify. Consequently, when he says "because the just," etc., he states the major premise, which is from the authority of Scripture, Habakkuk 2:4, and it is also introduced in Romans 1:17 and Hebrews 10:38. Concerning this it must be noted that in man there is a twofold life, namely the life of nature and the life of justice. The life of nature indeed is through the soul; hence, when the soul departs from the body, the body remains dead. But the life of justice is through God dwelling in us through faith. And therefore the first thing by which God is in the soul of man is faith. Hebrews 11:6: "He who comes to God must believe." Ephesians 3:17: "That Christ may dwell through faith," etc. And thus we say that in the soul the first indications of life appear in the works of the vegetative soul, because it is the vegetative soul that first comes to the generated animal, as the Philosopher says. So, because the first principle by which God is in us is faith, therefore faith is called the principle of living. And this is what is said here: "My just one lives by faith." And it must be understood of faith working through love. But the minor premise is stated where he says "but the law is not," etc. And first the minor itself is stated; second it is proved, where he says "but he who shall have done," etc. He says therefore, "the law is not of faith." But on the contrary, the law commands one to believe that God is one, and this pertains to faith; therefore the law had faith. But that God is one is commanded in Deuteronomy 6: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God," etc. I respond. It must be said that here he speaks of the observances of the commandments of the law, according as the law consists in ceremonial mandates and precepts, and he says that such a law is not of faith. For faith, as is said in Hebrews 11:1, is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things not appearing. And therefore he properly fulfills the commandment concerning faith who does not hope thereby to obtain any present and visible things, but invisible and eternal goods. The law, therefore, because it promised earthly and present things, as it is said in Isaiah 1:19: "If you be willing and will hearken to me, you shall eat the good things of the land," is therefore not of faith, but rather of cupidity, or of fear, especially according to those who kept the law carnally. Some, however, lived spiritually in the law, but this was not from it, but from faith in the mediator. And that the law is not of faith he proves when he says "but he who shall have done them," that is, the works of the law, "shall live in them," namely, in the present life, that is, he will be immune from temporal death, and will be preserved in the present life. Or otherwise: I say that the law is not of faith, and this is clear, because "he who shall have done," etc.; as if he were saying: the precepts of the law are not about things to be believed, but about things to be done, although it announces something to be believed. And therefore its force is not from faith, but from works; and this he proves, because when the Lord wished to confirm it, he did not say: "he who shall have believed," but: "he who shall have done them shall live in them." But the new law is of faith. Mark, last chapter: "he who shall have believed and been baptized," etc. The law, however, is a certain thing figured and made from faith, and therefore the old law is compared to the new law, as the works of nature to the works of intellect. For in the very works of nature certain works of intellect appear, not because natural things understand, but because they are moved and ordered by an intellect so that they may attain their end. So also in the old law certain things are contained that belong to faith, not that the Jews possessed them as things of faith, but they possessed them only in a figure of the faith of Christ, and as an attestation, by the power of which faith the just were saved.”

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. He inquired in verse 5 whether righteousness comes from the law or from faith. He replied, “ From faith,” and then proved his answer by the example of Abraham. He now proceeds to a third 266 THE EPISTLE TO THE proof, by destroying the alternative, viz., that it is not of the law. So far from the law bestowing a blessing, those who are under it are under a curse — exposed to eternal damnation. This he argues thus : Whoever does not keep the whole law is cursed by the law. But no one keeps the whole law without the grace of Christ, as I suppose you know from your own experience ; for you know that the law teaches, threatens, and punishes only, but does not confer grace ; therefore, without faith no one is free from the curse of the law pronounced by it against those who transgress it. The law curses, faith alone blesses. If any one wishes the argument put more in syllogistic form, it may be thrown into the mood barbara thus : Whoever breaks any law is cursed by it But all who are under the law, and are shut off from the grace of Christ, break the law ; therefore, all who are under the law are cursed by it The major is proved by Deut xxvii. 26 ; the minor is supposed to be known by experience, and hence the conclusion follows. Of course the minor must be granted, else the Judaisers might say to the Galatians: We are as much under a blessing as a curse, for if the law curses those who break it, it also blesses those who keep it, as is said in Deut. xxviii. 2. For it is written. Cursed is every one that eontinueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Though Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion, the LXX., render the word we translate eontinueth somewhat differently, yet the sense is the same throughout Whoever does not by his deeds establish, strengthen, settle the law, is accursed by it. This is the major of the syllogism just stated. 1. Observe that he passes over the minor, because it was admitted. Calvin, however, makes it to be this : But no one can fulfil the law ; therefore, the law imposes what is impossible, and consequently all are under its curse. But this is an impious proposition. If modified thus : No one keeps the law without the faith of Christ, therefore all without that faith are under the curse of the law, then it becomes orthodox. God does not command impossibilities* THE CURSE OF THE LAW 267 Although by natural strength a man cannot keep the whole law, yet he can by supernatural, and this latter God gives to all that ask Him, whether Jews or Gentiles. 2. Observe, in the second place, that not all were accursed who broke any law. For some laws, though of Divine origin, obliged under venial sin only, because of the nature of their subject-matter, as, e.g., the law forbidding the mother to be taken in the nest with her young (Deut. xxii. 6.), and the law forbidding a vineyard to be sown with divers seeds (ver. 9), and the law forbidding a garment to be woven of flax and wool (ver. 1 1). It is evident, therefore, that Deut xxvii., quoted by S. Paul, refers to the Decalogue, which contains commandments of great importance. It is because they oblige under mortal sin that he is cursed who breaks one of them. A reference to Deut. xxvii. will show this to be the case. The Apostle assumes that no one can keep the whole Decalogue without the grace of Christ, and he thence concludes that all who are under the law are cursed by it”

“For as many as are of the works of the law,.... The apostle does not say, "as many as were of the law", to whom it belonged, who were born and brought up in it, and to whom it was given, the Jews; for there were some of them who believed in Christ, were blessed with Abraham, and not under the curse of the law; nor does he say, "as many as do the works of the law": for the works of the law are to be done, though not in order to obtain righteousness and life by them; yet it is not the doing of them, but the not doing of them, that entails the curse on men: his meaning is, that as many as seek for justification by the works of the law, and trust in their own righteousness for acceptance with God, these are so far from being blessed or justified hereby, that they are under the curse, that is, of the law; they are under its sentence of condemnation and death, they are deserving of, and liable to the second death, eternal death, the wrath of God, here meant by the curse; to which they are exposed, and which will light upon them, for aught their righteousness can do for them; for trusting in their works, they are trusting in the flesh, and so bring down upon themselves the curse threatened to the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm; not only that trusts in a man of flesh and blood, but in the works of man; his own, or any other mere creature's: besides, by so doing, he rejects Christ and his righteousness, whereby only is deliverance from the curse of the law; nor is it possible by his present obedience to the law, be it ever so good, that he can remove the guilt of former transgressions, and free himself from obligation to punishment for them: nor is it practicable for fallen man to fulfil the law of works, and if he fails but in one point, he is guilty of all, and is so pronounced by the law; and he stands before God convicted, his mouth stopped, and he condemned and cursed by that law he seeks for righteousness by the deeds of: for it is written, Deu 27:26 cursed is everyone that continues not in all things written in the book of the law to do them. The law requires doing; it is not content with mere theory without practice; it is not enough to know it, or hear it, it must be done. The Jews boasted of their knowledge, and trusted much to the hearing of it read every sabbath day; but not those who had a form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law, or were hearers of it, were just before God, but the doers of it are justified; and it requires perfect obedience, an observance of all things contained in it, which can never be performed by fallen man. The Jews pretend (p), that Abraham their Father , "fulfilled all the whole law"; and the same they say (q) of the Israelites in common, than which nothing is more untrue; for in many things all men offend: moreover, the law requires constant perfect obedience; not only that a man should do all things commanded in it, but that he should continue to do them from his infancy, to the day of his death; and in failure hereof, it pronounces every man cursed, without any respect to persons, or any regard to pleas, taken from the infirmity of human nature, the sincerity of the heart, or repentance for transgressions. It should be observed, that the word "all" is not in the Hebrew text, in Deu 27:26, but is manifestly implied, an indefinite proposition being equal to an universal one; and agreeably to the true sense of the words, it is inserted by the apostle here, as it is in the Septuagint and Samaritan versions there; and perfectly accords with the sense of the best interpreters among the Jews; one of them has this gloss upon the words (r), , "here he (Moses) comprehends all the whole law"; and another (s) says the same thing, almost in the same words; this "(says he) includes all the commandments which are in the law: and the note of a third is (t), there are some that say, this is to be understood "of the whole law"; and there are others that say, it is to be understood of those things that are mentioned (above), but they say nothing, for it is written "to do them"; and it is right in my eyes, that he curses for the negative commands mentioned, and he curses him who does not keep even secretly the affirmative precepts, wherefore he says "to do them":'' to which may be added, the observation of another of them (u) that these words intimate, that a man ought to honour the law, , "in thought, and word, and in deed": nor should this be thought to be too severe, that the law of God curses men for nonperformance of the whole. The Athenians (w) formerly condemned persons as guilty, though they had not broke the whole law, yet if they had transgressed but one syllable of it: upon the whole it is a clear point, that there can be no justification by the works of the law, since it curses in case of want of perfect and constant obedience to it. (p) Misn. Kiddushin, c 4. sect 14. T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 28. 2. (q) T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 3. 1. (r) Jarchi in loc. (s) Bechai in loc. (t) Aben Ezra in loc. (u) R. Abraham Seba, Tzeror Hammor, fol. 152. 3, (w) Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 3. c. 5.”

“As many as are of the works of the law - All that seek salvation by the performance of the works of the law are under the curse, because it is impossible for them to come up to the spiritual meaning and intent of the law; and the law pronounces them cursed that continue not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Hence, every Jew is necessarily under the curse of God's broken law; and every sinner is under the same curse, though he be not a Jew, who does not take refuge in the salvation provided for him by the Gospel. It is worthy of remark that no printed copy of the Hebrew Bible preserves the word כל col, All, in Deu 27:26, which answers to the apostle's word πασι, all, here. St. Jerome says that the Jews suppressed it, lest it should appear that they were bound to perform all things that are written in the book of the law. Of the genuineness of the reading there is no cause to doubt: it exists in six MSS. of Kennicott and De Rossi, in the Samaritan text, in several copies of the Targum, in the Septuagint, and in the quotation made here by the apostle, in which there is no variation either in the MSS. or in the versions.”

“Are under a curse….cursed is every man, &c. The sense of these is to be found in Deuteronomy xxvii. 26. in the Septuagint. Some expound them thus: curses are pronounced against every one who keeps not all the precepts of the law, but there is not any one; i.e. scarce any one, who keepeth them all; therefore all under the law are under some curse. But as it cannot be said that no one kept all the precepts, especially the moral precepts of the law, mentioned in that place of Deuteronomy; (for Zacharias and Elizabeth were both just in the sight of God, Luke i., and doubtless many others lived so as not to incur those curses, but were just and were saved, though not by virtue of the works of the law only, nor without faith in God, and in their Redeemer, who was to come) therefore others understand that all such persons fall under these curses, who think to comply with all these precepts by their own strength, or who confide in the works of the law only, without faith in Christ, the Messias, and without which they cannot be saved. This agrees with what follows, that the just man liveth by faith. (Habacuc ii. 4.) See Romans i. 17. — Now the law is not of faith, i.e. the works done merely in compliance with the law, are not works of faith that can save a man: but he that doth those things of the law, shall live in them; i.e. says St. Jerome, shall have a long temporal life promised in the law; or, as others say, shall have life everlasting, if they are done with faith. — Christ hath redeemed us from these curses; but to do this, hath made himself a curse for our sake, by taking upon himself the similitude of a sinner, and by dying upon the cross, as if he had been guilty of the greatest sins, having only charged himself with our sins, inasmuch as it is written: (Deuteronomy xxi. 23.) cursed is every one who hangeth on a tree; which is to be understood, in case he deserve it for his own sins. — That the blessing of Abraham (or promised to Abraham) might be fulfilled; i.e. Christ redeemed us, that these blessings might be fulfilled on all nations, and that all might receive the promise of the Spirit, or the promised spirit of grace believing in Christ, who is now come. (Witham)”

“Confirmation of Gal 3:9. They who depend on the works of the law cannot share the blessing, for they are under the curse "written," Deu 27:26, Septuagint. PERFECT obedience is required by the words, "in all things." CONTINUAL obedience by the word, "continueth." No man renders this obedience (compare Rom 3:19-20). It is observable, Paul quotes Scripture to the Jews who were conversant with it, as in Epistle to the Hebrews, as said or spoken; but to the Gentiles, as written. So Matthew, writing for Jews, quotes it as "said," or "spoken"; Mark and Luke, writing for Gentiles, as "written" (Mat 1:22; Mar 1:2; Luk 2:22-23) [TOWNSON].”