For Moses wrote that the justice which is of the law: The man that shall do it shall live by it.
μωυσης γαρ γραφει την δικαιοσυνην την εκ του νομου οτι ο ποιησας αυτα ανθρωπος ζησεται εν αυτοις
10 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The Apostle confirms this thought of his from Scripture. "Moses writes of the righteousness that is from the law," he says. This means that Moses shows us wherein lawful righteousness consists and what it is like. In what, then, does it consist, and how is it acquired? By fulfilling the commandments. "The man who does them shall live by them," he says. One cannot become righteous according to the law except by fulfilling all the commandments, but this proved possible for no one.
He confirms what was said: what the law did not accomplish, Christ accomplished. He says that Moses speaks of the justification of man through works. But since there was not one man who fulfilled the works, justification according to the law is impossible.
"For Moses wrote thus, that the one who does the righteousness which is from the law shall live by it" in this life, Lev 18:5.
Scripture says of the law, "The man who does it shall live by it." But this does not mean that through the law he will live in heaven. It means that for what he has done now, he will receive recompense in the present life, Lev 18:5; Gal 3:12.
Paul says this because the righteousness of the law of Moses did not make people guilty so long as they kept it, that is, so long as they lived by fulfilling the law.
Lev 18:5. The one who has fulfilled everything commanded by the law has life as the fruit of this keeping, while every transgression of the law brings punishment.
Showing the generosity of grace in comparison with the law, Paul says that, according to Moses, no one is justified by the law before he fulfills all its prescriptions.
The divine Apostle continues to compare justification from the law of Moses with the justification we receive from faith in Christ. He does this to show how much the reward of faith in Christ surpasses the recompense that follows observance of the law's commands and justification from it.
Moses, he says, explained in his writing what justification from the law is. What did Moses say about this justification?
Speaking as if in the person of God, he wrote the following in Deuteronomy: "You shall keep all My commandments and all My judgments and do them. The man who does them shall live by them" (Lev 18:5).
He did not say that the one who does them will be saved, or will live eternally, or simply will live, but "will live by them."
What else does this mean except that God promised a temporal reward to those who keep the law of Moses? The man, he says, who does what is written in the law "will live by them."
That is, he will escape the temporal death which the law appoints for transgression, and he will live long upon the earth according to the promise found in the law (Ex 20:12).
Now hear also how, in the following words, he affirms that the justification which proceeds from faith in Christ grants an immortal reward, namely, eternal salvation.
Verses 5-8. "For Moses writes about the righteousness which is from the law" (Lev 18:5).
To prove that the law had to receive an end, the Apostle cites the words of Moses himself. Moses promised the Hebrews life or justification only for its complete fulfillment.
But according to Moses, in order to fulfill the law one need not ascend into heaven or descend into the depths of the sea. That is, one need not resort to any external, mechanical, or physical means and efforts.
The word of the law, as Moses writes, is near and should be near to every heart, and its fulfillment is not difficult (Deut 30:11-14).
But it, the word of the law, is in the mouth and heart of each person, evidently by the power of faith, as the Apostle explains. Therefore, the Apostle concludes, if even fulfillment of the law is possible only by faith, then the righteousness of the law, toward which the Jew strove, is possible only by faith.
The Apostle applies Moses' words about the law to Christ. Just as the Hebrew could find within himself, in his heart and faith, the strength to fulfill the law, so the believer can find in his heart the strength to confess the Incarnation and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
By this faith and confession he will be saved.
In Rom 10:5-8, the Apostle proves from the very books of Scripture in which the Law is portrayed that “the end of the Law is Christ, unto righteousness for everyone who believes.”
That is, the full and perfect fulfillment of the Law, and the attainment of that for which the Law was given, come only through faith in Christ the Lord, faith that wavers in nothing.
He takes the first passage from Leviticus (see Lev 18:5), where what legal righteousness requires is shown briefly but fully: “The man who does these things shall live by them.”
God Himself said this through Moses. He pointed to the impiety of the Egyptians, among whom the Israelites had lived, and of the Canaanites, to whom they were being transferred.
With a threat He forbade them to touch either way of life. He strictly required that they fulfill only His commandments and judgments.
“I am the Lord your God. You shall keep all My commandments and all My judgments, and do them. The man who does these things shall live by them” (cf. Lev 18:5).
Those nations, because of their impiety and evil life, would undergo punishments. But you will live in prosperity and safety (see Lev 18:25).
When He said “all,” He left no room for any exception. Fulfill everything, and you will be righteous according to legal righteousness, and you will live.
The Apostle makes no inferences. By the words of the Law itself he only shows what legal righteousness requires.
He “shows wherein legal righteousness consists and by what it is acquired. In what does it consist, and by what is it acquired? By the fulfillment of the Law. One cannot become righteous according to the Law otherwise than by fulfilling all the commandments” (Chrysostom).
Thus speaks the Law concerning legal righteousness. But its definitions of righteousness are not limited to this. In it there are indications concerning righteousness that are unthinkable and cannot come into effect unless faith enters.
In Deuteronomy (see Deut 30), in the concluding address to the people, God says through Moses that if they fulfill all His commandments, it will be well with them.
If they do not, calamity after calamity will befall them. But if, after provoking Him to wrath, they turn to Him again, then they will again be received into mercy.
Even if they have been scattered into distant lands, they will again be gathered into the inheritance of their fathers. For by these afflictions “the Lord will cleanse your heart, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (cf. Deut 30:6).
Having thus fenced faithfulness to the Law with threats, God then removes every excuse for failing to fulfill it. Someone might make such an excuse because of the difficulty of knowing the Law.
He might also appeal to the burden of the Law itself, imposed like a yoke. “This commandment which I command you today,” and before this it was said that you should turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul (cf. Deut 30:10), “is not hard, nor is it far from you. It is not in heaven, that one should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us, and take it for us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that one should say. ‘Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and take it for us, that we may hear it and do it?’ The word is very near you, in your mouth, in your heart, and in your hand, that you may do it” (cf. Deut 30:11-14).
In these words one thing is indicated that was before their eyes, and another that was to be, as a promise.
The first is that the word of the Law is “near in your hand.” This means that all the commandments have been clearly and thoroughly set forth for you.
You know and see them as one sees a thing held in the hand, or, as we say, in the palm. You have no need to soar upward or be carried far away in order to know them.
They are before your eyes. The second is that the word of these commandments is in the heart. This is a particular and chief moment in receiving the Law.
The Law written on tablets and parchment is near, so that the eye sees and the hand holds its letters. Yet it is still outside.
Its passage from outside into the heart is a special action or state in the one receiving the Law. In this state what is received outwardly enters within and is united with the whole being of man.
Then all the commandments are written in the heart. Such a state, or such a reception of the Law, was not the condition when the Law was given and received.
Nor was it then manifested. The Israelites were zealous for the Law out of gratitude and obedience to the mighty and beneficent God.
But the indication of what was lawful did not itself proceed from the heart. This was expected in the future. It was foreseen and indicated beforehand.
In the present passage there is only a hint of this. But afterward the Prophets set it forth more clearly when they foretold the New Covenant.
In it the laws would be written not on stone tablets, but on hearts. For this purpose the heart itself would be renewed, and a new spirit would be given to those entering that covenant (see Jer 31:33; Ezek 36:26).
Despite the hiddenness of the indication, however, this passage is not foreign to a predictive meaning. The same is true of the gathering from dispersion mentioned in passing just before (see Deut 30:4).
Therefore learned Jews did not err when they saw here an indication of the time of the coming of the promised Deliverer and Leader of the people.
For us, however, this Jewish understanding is not what is most precious. What is precious is that the apostolic spirit, the Spirit who brought forth these words of God, saw in them a pre-indication.
It was a pre-indication of what was fulfilled in its full meaning in Christ Jesus our Lord. Saint Paul refers this whole passage to the institution of the New Covenant.
He applies every term in those words of God to what is being accomplished in this covenant, as the realization of what was foretold.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 17 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS