which appears clear from its promises and threatenings: if no one is found who has attained to such
a perfect measure of holiness, it follows that all are in themselves destitute of righteousness.
Secondly, it is necessary that Christ should come to our aid; who, being alone just, can render us
just by transferring to us his own righteousness. You now see how the righteousness of faith is the
righteousness of Christ. When therefore we are justified, the efficient cause is the mercy of God,
the meritorious is Christ, the instrumental is the word in connection with faith.^116 Hence faith is
said to justify, because it is the instrument by which we receive Christ, in whom righteousness is
conveyed to us. Having been made partakers of Christ, we ourselves are not only just, but our works
also are counted just before God, and for this reason, because whatever imperfections there may
be in them, are obliterated by the blood of Christ; the promises, which are conditional, are also by
the same grace fulfilled to us; for God rewards our works as perfect, inasmuch as their defects are
covered by free pardon.
Unto all and upon all,^117 etc. For the sake of amplifying, he repeats the same thing in different
forms; it was, that he might more fully express what we have already heard, that faith alone is
required, that the faithful are not distinguished by external marks, and that hence it matters not
whether they be Gentiles or Jews.
Romans 3:23-26
- Omnes enim peccaverunt, et destituuntur
gloria Dei; - For all have sinned, and come short of
the glory of God; - Justificati gratis ipsius gratia per
redemptionem quæ est in Christo lesu: - Being justified freely by his grace through
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: - Quem proposuit Deus propitiatorium per
fidem in sanguine ipsius, in demonstrationem
justitiae suæ, propter remissionem delictorum, - Whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare
his righteousness for the remission of sins that
are past, through the forbearance of God; - Quæ prius extiterunt in tolerantia Dei; ad
demonstrationem justitiae suae, in hoc tempore; - To declare, I say, at this time his
righteousness: that he might be just, and the
justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. ut sit ipse justus et Justificans enum qui est ex
fide Iesu.
(^116) The original is this, “Ut ergo justificemur, causa efficiens est misericordia Dei, Christus materia, verbum cum fide
instrumentum — When therefore we are justified, the efficient cause is God’s mercy, Christ is the material, the word with faith
is the instrument.” — Ed.
(^117). He makes a similar difference in his expressions in verse 30. This righteousness, as some say, came to the
Jews, as it had been promised to them, and upon the Gentiles, as a gift with which they were not acquainted, and it was conferred
on them. But the possession was equal and belonged to all who believed, and to none else, whether Jews or Gentiles.
Stuart connects these words with “manifested,” or revealed, in verse 21. It is manifested to all, and manifested for all; that
is, for the real benefit of all who believe; in other words, it is offered to all, but becomes of real advantage only to those who
believe. But the simpler mode is to consider the words, which is, as in our version, to be understood. ‘ μ is the word which
Luther adopts. — Ed.