Audio commentary on this verse

Note 3 at Rom. 1:2: The concept of the gospel (see note 5 at Acts 20:24, p. 698) was not new. Galatians 3:8 says that the Lord preached the gospel unto Abraham. Also, Moses gave the conditions of the gospel in Deuteronomy 30:11-14, which Paul quoted in Romans 10:6-7 as he explained faith as the only condition to receiving God's grace. Jesus Himself said that the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms were full of prophecies concerning Him (Lk. 24:44).

The gospel was woven throughout the Old Testament scriptures. Indeed, the job of the Old Testament law was to "shut us up" or constrain us towards the gospel (Gal. 3:23). In this sense, there is no conflict between the Old Testament law and the New Testament grace. The Old Testament ministry of law was only temporary (Gal. 3:19) until the gospel could be put into effect by the sacrifice of Jesus.

The conflict between law and grace comes when people try to mix the two. As Jesus described in His parables about the new wine in the old wine skin and the new patch on the old garment (see note 1 at Lk. 5:36, 38, p. 150), the two covenants are not compatible.

The Old Testament law paved the way for the gospel and pointed men towards the gospel. If the law is used to point out man's need and bring him to his knees through hopelessness of self-salvation, then the gospel is used to provide salvation and relationship, there is no conflict. Conflict arises only when individuals refuse to use faith in God's grace as the only means of salvation and insist that some degree of adherence to law is required for justification (see note 2 at Lk. 9:55, p. 304; see note 1 at Lk. 16:16, p. 360).