John Calvin Commentary Romans 2:12

"For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;" — Romans 2:12 (ASV)

Whoever has sinned without law, etc. In the former part of this section he assails the Gentiles. Though no Moses was given them to publish and ratify a law from the Lord, he yet denies this omission to be a reason why they did not deserve the just sentence of death for their sins; as though he had said — that the knowledge of a written law was not necessary for the just condemnation of a sinner. See then what kind of advocacy they undertake, who through misplaced mercy, attempt, on the ground of ignorance, to exempt the nations who do not have the light of the gospel from the judgment of God.

Whoever has sinned under the law, etc. As the Gentiles, being led by the errors of their own reason, go headlong into ruin, so the Jews possess a law by which they are condemned; for this sentence has long ago been pronounced,

“Cursed are all they who continue not in all its precepts.” (Deuteronomy 27:26).

A worse condition then awaits the Jewish sinners, since their condemnation is already pronounced in their own law.

Regarding verse 13, For the hearers of the law, etc., this anticipates an objection the Jews might have raised. Since they had heard that the law was the rule of righteousness (Deuteronomy 4:1), they gloried in the mere knowledge of it. To prevent this mistake, Paul declares that merely hearing the law or knowing it is not of such consequence that anyone should claim righteousness on that account. Instead, works must be produced, according to this saying: “He who will do these shall live in them.”

The meaning of this verse, then, is this: “That if righteousness is sought from the law, the law must be fulfilled; for the righteousness of the law consists in the perfection of works.” Those who pervert this passage to build up justification by works fully deserve to be laughed at even by children.

It is therefore improper and unnecessary to introduce a long discussion here on the subject with the aim of exposing such a futile sophistry. The Apostle here only presses upon the Jews what he had already mentioned: the decision of the law — namely, that they could not be justified by the law unless they fulfilled it, and that if they transgressed it, a curse was instantly pronounced on them.

Now, we do not deny that perfect righteousness is prescribed in the law. However, since all are convicted of transgression, we say that another righteousness must be sought. Furthermore, we can prove from this passage that no one is justified by works. For if only those who fulfill the law are justified by the law, it follows that no one is justified, because no one can be found who can boast of having fulfilled the law.