Romans 3:20

King James Version (KJV)

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Therefore, by the deeds of the law - On the score of obedience to this moral law, there shall no flesh, ου πασα σαρξ, no human being, be justified; none can be accepted in the sight of God. And why? Because by the law is the knowledge of sin: it is that which ascertains what sin is; shows how men have deviated from its righteous demands; and sentences them to death because they have broken it. Thus the law is properly considered as the rule of right; and, unless God had given some such means of discovering what Sin is, the darkened heart of man could never have formed an adequate conception of it. For, as an acknowledged straight edge is the only way in which the straightness or crookedness of a line can be determined, so the moral obliquity of human actions can only be determined by the law of God; that rule of right which proceeds from his own immaculate holiness.

Was this helpful?

Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

By the deeds of the law - By works; or by such deeds as the Law requires. The word “Law” has, in the Scriptures, a great variety of significations. Its strict and proper meaning is, a rule of conduct prescribed by superior authority. The course of reasoning in these chapters shows the sense in which the apostle uses it here. He intends evidently to apply it to those rules or laws by which the Jews and Gentiles pretended to frame their lives; and to affirm that people could be justified by no conformity to those laws. He had shown Romans 1:26, Romans 1:29-31; Romans 2:28-29. The conclusion is therefore a general one, that by no law, made known either by reason, conscience, tradition, or revelation, could man be justified; that there was no form of obedience which could be rendered, that would justify people in the sight of a holy God.

There shall no flesh - No man; no human being, either among the Jews or the Gentiles. It is a strong expression, denoting the absolute universality of his conclusion; see the note at Romans 1:3.

Be justified - Be regarded and treated as righteous. None shall be esteemed as having kept the Law, and as being entitled to the rewards of obedience; see the note at Romans 1:17.

In his sight - Before him. God sits as a Judge to determine the characters of people, and he shall not adjudge any to have kept the Law.

For by the law - That is, by all law. The connection shows that this is the sense. Law is a rule of action. The effect of applying a rule to our conduct is to show us what sin is. The meaning of the apostle clearly is, that the application of a law to try our conduct, instead of being a ground of justification, will be merely to show us our own sinfulness and departures from duty. A man may esteem himself to be very right and correct, until he compares himself with a rule, or law; so whether the Gentiles compared their conduct with their laws of reason and conscience, or the Jew his with his written law, the effect would be to show them how far they had departed. The more closely and faithfully it should be applied, the more they would see it. So far from being justified by it, they would be more and more condemned; compare Romans 7:7-10. The same is the case now. This is the way in which a sinner is converted; and the more closely and faithfully the Law is preached, the more will it condemn him, and show him that he needs some other plan of salvation.

Was this helpful?

Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

It is in vain to seek for justification by the works of the law. All must plead guilty. Guilty before God, is a dreadful word; but no man can be justified by a law which condemns him for breaking it. The corruption in our nature, will for ever stop any justification by our own works.

Was this helpful?

SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

20. Therefore. Rather, “because.” What follows introduces the reason why every mouth will be stopped and all the world be held accountable to God (v. 19).

By the deeds of the law. Literally, “out of works of law,” that is, works prescribed by law. In the Greek, “law” stands without the article (see on ch. 2:12). Paul is stating a general truth that is applicable to Gentiles and Jews alike. Righteousness by works of law has been the basis of every false religious system and had become the principle even of the Jewish religion (DA 35, 36). But works performed in obedience to any law, whether that law be made known by reason, conscience, or revelation, cannot justify a sinner before God (Gal. 3:21). Paul has already shown that the Gentiles have violated the law revealed to them in nature and conscience (Rom. 1). Likewise he has proved that the Jews have violated the law revealed to them in the OT and particularly in the Ten Commandments (ch. 2). Jew and Gentile alike are in need of justification. But the law has no power to justify. It can only expose the sinfulness of sin in its true colors. Justification can be obtained in only one way.

There is no contradiction between the statement in ch. 2:13, “the doers of the law shall be justified,” and this passage, “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified.” The former emphasizes the fact that only those will be justified who so completely commit themselves to God that they are willing to do whatever He commandsâ€”thus not being merely “hearers of law.” The latter emphasizes the equally true fact that good works of obedience can never purchase salvation. They can, at best, be but evidence of the faith by which justification is received.

No flesh. That is, no man, no human being. Paul is doubtless alluding to Ps. 143:2.

Be justified. Gr. dikaioÅÂ, “to set right,” “to regard as righteous,” “to declare righteous,” “to treat as being righteous,” “to present as righteous.” The word occurs 39 times in the NT, 27 of these being in the writings of Paul: The significance of dikaioÅÂ is somewhat obscured by the translation “to justify.” In the Greek dikaioÅÂ, “to justify,” dikaios, “righteous,” dikaiosunÃ„â€œ, “righteousness,” are all built on the same root and the relationship between the three is clearly seen.

As used in the NT with reference to human beings, justification indicates the act by which a person is brought into a right state in relation to God. By this act God acquits a man who has been guilty of wrongdoing or treats as righteous someone who has been unrighteous. It means the cancellation of charges standing against the believer in the heavenly court. “If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Saviour, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous” (SC 62; see on chs. 3:28; 4:25; 5:1).

By the law. Literally, “through law.” There is no article in the Greek (see on ch. 2:12).

Knowledge. Gr. epignÅÂsis, a term meaning clear and exact knowledge (see Rom. 1:28; 10:2; Eph. 4:13), not the ordinary word for knowledge (gnÅÂsis). The law is the standard of right, and whatever fails to comply with the law is sin, for sin is lawlessness, disobedience to law (1 John 3:4). The more one becomes acquainted with the standard, the more one’s consciousness and sense of sin is increased. That is why no one can be justified by works of law. As far as justification is concerned the law has done all that it can accomplish when the sinner has been led to exclaim, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (see on Rom. 7:24). Law holds the mirror up to guilt, but cannot remove it.

This verse, along with Paul’s statement that the law is to bring us to Christ (Gal. 3:24), clearly shows the relation between the law and the gospel. The gospel has by no means obviated the necessary function of law. The doctrine of righteousness by faith “presents the law and the gospel, binding up the two in a perfect whole” (TM 94).

Was this helpful?

Ellen G. White
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6 (EGW), 1070-3

What a scene that will be! No pen can describe it! The accumulated guilt of the world will be laid bare, and the voice of the Judge will be heard saying to the wicked, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” 6BC 1070.1

Then those who pierced Christ will remember how they slighted His love and abused His compassion; how they chose in His stead Barabbas, a robber and murderer; how they crowned the Saviour with thorns, and caused Him to be scourged and crucified; how, in the agony of His death on the cross, they taunted Him, saying, “Let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.” “He saved others; himself he cannot save.” They will seem to hear again His voice of entreaty. Every tone of solicitude will vibrate as distinctly in their ears as when the Saviour spoke to them. Every act of insult and mockery done to Christ will be as fresh in their memory as when the satanic deeds were done. 6BC 1070.2

They will call on the rocks and mountains to fall on them and hide them from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. “The wrath of the Lamb”—One who ever showed Himself full of tenderness, patience, and long-suffering, who, having given Himself up as the sacrificial offering, was led as a lamb to the slaughter, to save sinners from the doom now falling upon them because they would not allow Him to take away their guilt (The Review and Herald, June 18, 1901). 6BC 1070.3

Read in context »

Was this helpful?

Ellen G. White
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6 (EGW), 1109

16 (ch. 3:10-13, 24; Romans 3:19-28; 5:1). No Room for Self-sufficiency—We are justified by faith. The soul who understands the meaning of these words will never be self-sufficient. We are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything of ourselves. The Holy Spirit is our efficiency in the work of character building, in forming characters after the divine similitude. When we think ourselves capable of molding our own experience, we make a great mistake. We can never of ourselves obtain the victory over temptation. But those who have genuine faith in Christ will be worked by the Holy Spirit. The soul in whose heart faith abides will grow into a beautiful temple for the Lord. He is directed by the grace of Christ. Just in proportion as he depends on the Holy Spirit's teaching he will grow (Manuscript 8, 1900). 6BC 1109.1

20 (Philippians 1:21; Colossians 3:3; see EGW on Revelation 3:1). The Greatest Work in the World—Everything good in men and women is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit teaches us to reveal righteousness in our lives. The greatest work that can be done in our world is to glorify God by living the character of Christ. God will make perfect only those who will die to self. Those who are willing to do this can say, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Manuscript 16, 1900). 6BC 1109.2

Read in context »

Was this helpful?

Ellen G. White
Faith and Works, 96.1

Our love to Christ will be in proportion to the depth of our conviction of sin, and by the law is the knowledge of sin. But as we see ourselves, let us look away to Jesus, who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity. By faith take hold of the merits of Christ, and the soul-cleansing blood will be applied. The more clearly we see the evils and perils to which we have been exposed, the more grateful shall we be for deliverance through Christ. The gospel of Christ does not give men license to break the law, for it was through transgression that the floodgates of woe were opened upon our world. FW 96.1

Read in context »

Was this helpful?

Ellen G. White
The Great Controversy, 264

To those who urged that “the preaching of the gospel answers all the ends of the law,” Wesley replied: “This we utterly deny. It does not answer the very first end of the law, namely, the convincing men of sin, the awakening those who are still asleep on the brink of hell.” The apostle Paul declares that “by the law is the knowledge of sin;” “and not until man is convicted of sin, will he truly feel his need of the atoning blood of Christ.... ‘They that be whole,’ as our Lord Himself observes, ‘need not a physician, but they that are sick.’ It is absurd, therefore, to offer a physician to them that are whole, or that at least imagine themselves so to be. You are first to convince them that they are sick; otherwise they will not thank you for your labor. It is equally absurd to offer Christ to them whose heart is whole, having never yet been broken.”—Ibid., sermon 35. GC 264.1

Thus while preaching the gospel of the grace of God, Wesley, like his Master, sought to “magnify the law, and make it honorable.” Faithfully did he accomplish the work given him of God, and glorious were the results which he was permitted to behold. At the close of his long life of more than fourscore years—above half a century spent in itinerant ministry—his avowed adherents numbered more than half a million souls. But the multitude that through his labors had been lifted from the ruin and degradation of sin to a higher and a purer life, and the number who by his teaching had attained to a deeper and richer experience, will never be known till the whole family of the redeemed shall be gathered into the kingdom of God. His life presents a lesson of priceless worth to every Christian. Would that the faith and humility, the untiring zeal, self-sacrifice, and devotion of this servant of Christ might be reflected in the churches of today! GC 264.2

Read in context »

Was this helpful?

More Comments

Cross References

Therefore