Galatians 3:11 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The just shall live by faith..— A dispute arose between St. Paul and the Judaizing Christians, concerning what it was which justified a man before God, and entitled him to that eternal life brought to light by the gospel. They held it to be the works of the law. St. Paul, on the contrary, affirms, that it was faith in Jesus the Messiah: and thus he argues: But that no man is justified by the law, is evident; for the just shall live by faith; and the law is not of faith, but the man that doth them shall live in them.—As much as to say, "That no man can obtain life by virtue of the law, is evident from one of your own prophets, Habakkuk, who expressly holds, that the just shall live by faith. Now, by the law, no rewards are promised to faith, but to works only;—The man that doth, (says the law, Leviticus 18:5.) shall live in them." See Romans 1:17; Romans 3:28. Hebrews 2:4.