¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; ²⁰ because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Gloves come off—Paul speaks directly to the Jews, those who are under the Law and therefore very clearly accountable for what the Law says. That is an unassailable fact that no Jew of that day would deny. Paul says, “We know.” God will always judge people based on what they know, and there will be no escaping “from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Heb 4:13). The Law of God is “living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart”(Heb 4:12).

The Jews are just as guilty before God as the rest of the world, and therefore the entire world has no excuse, whether Jews (with the Law) or Gentiles (without the Law). All are accountable to God and can say absolutely nothing in their own defense.

The sum of the matter, the pinnacle of Paul’s indictment against every living being, whether the rank sinner, the moralist or the religionist (as seen in the Jews) is this: all are guilty before God. We can easily see that the rank sinner is guilty (Romans 1:24-32). The moralist is condemned as well, for he is guilty of the same things that he judges the rank sinner for (Romans 2:1-16). And now finally, the Jews also are guilty before God, as their own sacred writings pronounce.

In the Jewish religion, as was practiced during Paul’s time, we have an archetype of all religious efforts to attain righteousness. The Law of the Jews is the epitome of righteousness, as given by the true Creator God of the universe. All human religions are at best a poor facsimile of the Jewish Law, for they all involve efforts in some way to improve humankind’s standing with each other and with the “other,” whether that is a deity or spiritual principle beyond our physical, tangible world. In the same way, just as with the Jews, all religionists fail to live up to their own (religious) standards and are guilty. Religion, at best, gives a knowledge of righteousness but cannot provide justification. There is a fundamental flaw in humanity that prevents any of us from doing what is needed to gain righteousness. Next Paul turns to the only solution possible.

Lord, I do not rest on my own deeds of righteousness, for I would be lying in a bed of guilt. I confess my unrighteousness before You.