Galatians 2:17 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

If—we ourselves also are found sinners,— Those who are under the law, having oncetransgressed, remain always sinners, unalterably so, in the eye of the law; which excludes all such from justification. The Apostle, in this place, argues thus: "We Jews, who are by birth God's people, and not, as the profligate Gentiles, abandoned to all manner of pollution and uncleanness,—not being, nevertheless, able to obtain righteousness by the deeds of the law, have believed in Christ, that we might be justified by faith in him. But if even we, who have betaken ourselves to Christ for justification, are ourselves found to be unjustified sinners, liable still to wrath, as all are under the law, what deliverance have we from sin by Christ?—None at all: we are as much concluded under sin and guilt, as if we did not believe in him. So that, by joining him and the law together for justification, we shut ourselves out from justification, which cannot be had under the law; and we make Christ the minister of sin, and not of justification;—which God forbid!" See the Inferences and Reflections.