Martin Luther on Galatians 3:12

Verſe. 12: And the lavv is not of faith. The Scholemen ſay: The righteous man doth liue if his faith be formed and adorned with charitie. But contrariwiſe, Paule ſaith: The lavv is not of faith. The lavv teacheth loue. But what is the law? Is it not alſo a commaundement touching charity? yea the law commaundeth nothing els but charitie,Deut. 6.5. Mat. 22.37. Mar. 12.29. Exod. 20.6. Mat. 22.40. as we may ſee by the texte it ſelfe: Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy ſoule &c. Againe: shevving mercy vnto thouſands that loue him and keepe his commaundements. Alſo: In theſe tvvo commaundementes conſiſt the lavve and the Prophetes. If the lawe then that commaundeth charitie be contrary to Faith, it muſt needes follow, that charitie is not of faith. So Paule plainely confuteth that gloſe which the Sophiſters haue forged touching their formed faith, and ſpeaketh onely of faith as it is ſeparate from the law. Nowe the law being ſeparate and ſet aparte, charitie is alſo ſet aparte, with all that belongeth to the lawe, and faith onely is left which iuſtifieth and quickneth to euerlaſting life. Paule therfore reaſoneth here out of a plaine teſtimony of the Prophet: that there is none which obtaineth iuſtification and life before God,The beleuing man obtaineth righteouſnes and euerlaſting life vvith out the lavve and charitie. but the beleeuing man, who obtaineth righteouſnes and euerlaſting life without the law and without charitie, by faith alone. The reaſon is, becauſe the law is not of faith: that is, the law is not faith, or any thing belonging to faith, for it beleueth not: neither are the works of the lawe faith, nor yet of faith: therfore faith is a thing much differing from the law, like as the promiſe is a thing much differing from the law. For the promiſe is not apprehended by working, but by beleuing. Yea there is as greate a difference betwene the promiſe and the law, and conſequently betwene faith and works, as there is diſtaunce betwene heauen and earth. It is impoſſible therefore that faith ſhould be of the lawe. For faith only reſteth in the promiſe, it onely apprehendeth and knoweth God, and ſtandeth onely in receauing good things of God.The promiſe and the lavv, faith and vvorks, are ſeparate the one from the other. Contrariwiſe the law and workes conſiſt in exacting, in doing, and in geuing vnto God. As Abell offering his ſacrifice, geueth vnto God, but he beleuing, receaueth of God. Paule therefore concludeth mightely out of that place of Habacuck, that the righteous mā liueth by faith alone. For the law in no wiſe belongeth vnto faith, becauſe the lawe is not the promiſe. But faith reſteth onely vpon the promiſe.The lavv. Wherefore as there is a difference betwene the lawe and the promiſe: ſo is there alſo betwene workes and faith.Faith. And therefore that gloſe of the Scholemen is wicked and falſe, which ioyneth the law with faith, yea rather it quēcheth faith and ſetteth the law in the place of faith. And here note that Paule alwaies ſpeaketh of ſuch as would do the law morally, and not according to the Goſpell. But whatſoeuer is ſaid of good workes according to the meaning of the Goſpell, the ſame is attributed to faith alone.

Verſe. 12. But the man that shall doe thoſe things shal liue in them. I take this clauſe to be ſpoken by way of deriſion. And yet I denye not but that it may be alſo expounded morally: to wit,They that doe the lavv morally. that they which doe the law ciuilly and externally, that is, without faith, ſhal liue in it: that is to witt, they ſhall not be puniſhed, but ſhall haue corporall rewardes through it. But I vnderſtand this place generally, as I doe that ſaying of Chriſt: Doe this and thou shalt liue: ſo that a man may take it to be ſpoken in manner of a taunt or deriſion. Now, Paule here goeth about to ſhew what is the very true righteouſnes of the law and of the Goſpell.The righteouſnes of the lavv. Galat. 3.1[illegible: 1 letter]. The righteouſnes of the law is to fulfill the law according to that ſaying: He that shall doe thoſe things shall liue in them. The righteouſnes of faith is to beleue according to that ſaying: The righteous man doth liue by faith. The righteouſnes of faith. Verſe 11. The law therfore requireth that we ſhould yeeld ſomwhat vnto God. But faith requireth no works of vs, or that we ſhould geue any thing vnto God, but that we beleuing the promiſe of God, ſhould receaue of him. Therfore ye office of the law in his higheſt perfection is to worke,The office of the lavv, and the office of faith. as the office of faith is to aſſent vnto the promiſes. For faith is the faith of the promiſe, and the worke is the worke of the law. Paule therefore ſtandeth vpon this worde Doing: and that he may plainly ſhew what is the confidence of the lawe and what is the confidence of workes, he compareth the one with the other, the promiſe with the law, and faith with workes. He ſaith that of the law ther cometh nothing els but only Doing: but faith is a cleane contrary thing, namely that which receaueth and holdeth the promiſe. Fye vpon theſe Sophiſters therfore with their curſed gloſe, and with their blinde diſtinction of faith formed and vnformed. Fides formata, Fides informis, Fides acquiſita, & ſuch other, are curſed and monſtrous termes deuiſed by the Papiſtes. For theſe newe forged termes, faith formed, faith vnformed, faith gottē by mans induſtry, and ſuch like, are very monſters of the Deuil, inuented to no other ende but to deface and deſtroy the true Chriſtian doctrine and faith, to blaſpheme and to treade downe Chriſte, and to eſtabliſhe the righteouſnes of workes. In deede workes muſt follow faith, but faith muſt not be workes, or workes faith, but the limites and kingedomes both of the law or workes, and of faith muſt be rightly diſtinguiſhed the one from the other. When we beleue therefore, then doe we liue ſimply by faith in Chriſt, who is without ſinne, who is alſo our couerture, our propitiation and remiſſion of ſinnes.The office of the lavve. Contrarywiſe, when we doe the lawe, we worke in deede, but we haue not righteouſnes nor life. For the office of the law is not to make righteous and to geue life, but to ſhew forth ſinne, and to deſtroy. In deede the lawe ſaith: He that shall doe theſe thinges shall liue in them. VVhere is he that doth the lavve. But where is he which doth the lawe: that is, which loueth God with all his hearte, and his neighbour as himſelfe? Therefore no man doth the lawe, and although he goe about to doe it neuer ſo much: yet in doing it he doth it not: therefore he abideth vnder the Curſe.The office of faith. But faith worketh not, but beleueth in Chriſt the Iuſtifier. Therefore a man liueth not becauſe of his doing, but becauſe of his beleuing. But a faithfull man performeth the lawe, and that which he doth not, is forgeuen him through the remiſſion of ſinnes for Chriſtes ſake, and that which is remaining, is not imputed vnto him. Rom. 10.[illegible: 1 letter]. Paule therefore in this place and in the tenth chapter to the Romaines compareth the righteouſnes of the lawe and of faith together, where he ſaith: He that shall doe thoſe thinges shall liue in them. As though he would ſay: It were indeede a goodly matter if we could accompliſh the law: but becauſe no man doth it, we muſt flie vnto Chriſt, vvho is the ende of the lavve to righteouſnes to euery one that beleueth. Rom. 10.4. Chriſt the end of the lavv. Galat. 4.4 5. The Godly do the lavve. He vvas made vnder the lavve that he might redeeme vs that vvere vnder the lavve. Beleuing in him we receaue the holy Ghoſt, and we begin to doe the lawe: and that which we doe not, is not imputed vnto vs becauſe of our faith in Chriſt. But in the life to come we ſhall no more haue neede of faith. For then we ſhall not ſee darkely through a glaſſe (as we now doe) but we ſhall ſee face to face:1. Cor. 11.11. that is to ſay,VVhen faith hath an ond[illegible: 1 letter]. there ſhall be a moſt glorious brightnes of the eternall Maieſtie, in which we ſhall ſee God euen as he is. There ſhall be a true and a perfect knowledge and loue of God, a perfect light of reaſon and a good wil: not ſuch a morall and philoſophicall will as the popiſh Scholemen dreame of, but an heauenly, diuine and eternall will. Here in the meane time, in ſpirite by faith, we looke for the hope of righteouſnes. Contrariwiſe they that ſeeke forgeuenes of ſinnes by the lawe, and not by Chriſt, doe neuer performe the lawe, but abide vnder the Curſe. Paule therefore calleth them onely righteous,VVho they are that Paule calleth righteous. which are iuſtified through the promiſe, or through faith in the promiſe, without the lawe. Wherefore, they that are of the workes of the lawe, and will ſeeme to doe the lawe, doe it not.To doe the lavve. For the Apoſtle ſimply concludeth that all they which are of the workes of the lawe, are vnder the Curſe, vnder the which they ſhoulde not be, if they fulfilled the lawe. In deede it is true, that a man doing the workes of the law, ſhall liue in them: that is, ſhall be bleſſed: but ſuch a one can not be founde. Now, ſeeing there is a double vſe of the lawe,A double vſe of the lavve. the one politike and the other ſptrituall, he that will vnderſtande this ſentence ciuilly, may doe it after this ſorte: He that shall doe thoſe thinges shall liue in them: that is, if a man obey the magiſtrate outwardly and in the politike gouernment, he ſhall auoid puniſhment and death: For the ciuill magiſtrate hath no power ouer him. This is the politike vſe of the lawe, which ſerueth to bridle thoſe that are rude and vntractable. But Paule here ſpeaketh not of this vſe, but entreateth of this place like a Diuine: therefore there is a condition neceſſarily included. As if he ſaide: If men could keepe the lawe, they ſhould be happy. But where are they? They are not therfore Doers of the lawe, except they be firſt made righteous before and without the lawe through faith. Wherefore, when Paule curſeth and condemneth thoſe that are of the works of the law, he ſpeaketh not of ſuch as are iuſtified through faith,The imaginatiō of Ierome, vnderſtanding Paule as though he ſpake of the lavv but morally, and as it is ſeparate from faith. but of ſuch as goe about to be iuſtified by works without faith in Chriſt. This I ſay leſt any man ſhould follow the fond imagination of Ierome, who being deceaued by Origene, vnderſtoode nothing at all in Paule, but onely conſidered of him as a meere ciuill Lawyer. Hereupon he reaſoneth after this manner: The holy Patriarches, Prophetes, and Kinges were circumciſed and offered ſacrifice: therefore they obſerued the law. But it were a wicked thing to ſay, that they are vnder the Curſe: therfore all they that are of the works of the law are not vnder the Curſe. Thus he fighteth againſt Paule without all iudgement, making no difference betwene the true doers of the law iuſtified by faith, and thoſe workers which ſeeke to be iuſtified by the lawe without faith. But Paule ſpeaketh here nothing at all againſt thoſe that are iuſtified by faith, and are true doers of the law in deede, for they are not of the workes of the law: but againſte thoſe which, not onely doe not keepe the law, but alſo ſinne againſt the ſame. For the law commaundeth that we ſhould feare, loue, & worſhip God with a true faith. This they doe not,A picture of al Hypocrites. but chooſe out new kindes of worſhip and workes which were neuer commaunded of God, by which God is not pacified, but more prouoked to anger,Mat 15.9. according to that ſaying: They vvorship me in vaine vvith the commaundementes of men. Therefore they are full of impietie, rebelles againſt God, and idolaters, ſinning greuouſly againſt the firſt commaundement aboue all the reſt. Moreouer, they haue alſo wicked concupiſcence and other greate paſſions. Briefely there is no good thing in them, but that outwardly they would ſeeme to be righteous, and would haue men to thinke that they doe the law. So we alſo which are made righteous by faith, as were the Patriarches, Prophetes and all the Sainctes, are not of the works of the law as concerning the matter of iuſtification. But in that we are in the fleſh, and haue as yet the remnauntes of ſinne in vs, we are vnder the law, & yet not vnder the Curſe, becauſe the remnaunts of ſinne are not imputed vnto vs for Chriſtes ſake in whom we beleue. For the fleſh is an enemy vnto God, & that concupiſcence which yet remaineth in vs, not onely fulfilleth not the law, but alſo ſinneth againſt the ſame, rebelling againſt vs and leading vs captiue into bondage. Rom. 7. Now, if the law be not fulfilled in the Sainctes, Rom. 7.23. Remnauntes of ſinne in the Sainctes, and in the elect of God. but that many things are done in them contrary to the law, if euill concupiſcence and the remnauntes of ſinne are yet remaining in them, which doe ſo hinder them that they can not feare and loue God, they can not call vpon God with aſſured truſt, they can not praiſe God and reuerence his worde as they ſhould do: much more is this true in a man which is not yet iuſtified by faith, but is an enemy vnto God, and with all his hearte deſpiſeth and hateth the worde and worke of God. Ye ſee then that Paule ſpeaketh here of ſuch as will fulfill the law and be iuſtified thereby, although they haue not yet receaued faith, and not of the fathers and Saincts (as Ierome imagineth) which are iuſtified by faith already.