Galatians 2:17

We. That is, “we who are Jews” (v. 15), meaning Christian Jews, Jews who “seek to be justified by Christ.”

Seek to be justified. Professedly at least, Christian Jews acknowledged the need of coming to Christ for salvation, thus tacitly admitting the inadequacy of “the works of the law” (v. 16).

We ourselves. In the Greek the pronoun is emphatic.

Are found sinners. That is, in addition to the Gentile sinners of v. 15. The Greek reads literally, “were found sinners,” meaning at some particular time in the past, after having become Christians. Christ had promised justification to those who should come unto God through Him (see v. 16). But if those who do so are still “sinners,” then the provision of grace made by Christ is insufficient. He, having made a promise, is unable to fulfill it, and thus must be held responsible for the remaining state of sin.

Minister of sin. Or, “agent of sin,” that is, the one through whom we became sinners, and thus the one to blame for our being sinners. If the demands of the Judaizing Christians were followed, such would appear to be the case, for, though they called themselves Christians, they maintained the necessity of a strict fulfillment of the ceremonial law in order to be free from sin. If this were so, why be a Christian at all? Thus Christians would be back where they began, sinners condemned by the law. If Christ requires this of them, Paul concludes, then Christ has become an agent, or accomplice, of sin.

God forbid. Literally, “May it not be!” Away with such an idea! Yet such was the logical, though absurd, conclusion to which the position of the Judaizers led. The idea is preposterous and altogether out of harmony with a true concept of what Christ has done to save man from the plight into which his sins have brought him. To attempt to substitute works for faith is to confuse and distort the simple truth of the gospel that salvation is by faith alone.