ACC ~ Acts 13 v39

THE LAW COULD NOT JUSTIFY. AMMONIUS: It should be noticed that those who believe in Christ are justified and obtain absolution from their sin. In fact, the law of Moses was not unjust. Rather, it was difficult and able to justify only those who had followed the entire law perfectly. Therefore it was clearly incapable of correcting people because the one who had fallen into a single crime was made guilty of all. Thus the law was not able to justify. And, since the law itself was incapable of justifying anyone, its inability to correct made people incapable of being justified by the precepts of the law. CATENA ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 13.39.

13:40 Beware

WHAT IS FOR ISRAEL’S GOOD. CHRYSOSTOM: And he does not spend a long time on these [ingratitudes of the ancestors], taking it for granted that the word is of course believed. But he expands on the punishment and goes after that which they love, showing that the law is being cast out, and he dwells on what is for their good, [telling them] that great shall be the blessings for those who obey and great the evils for those who do not. … Paul loved them exceedingly. And notice how he does not dwell on the ingratitude of the fathers but puts before them what they must fear. For Stephen indeed does this with good reason, seeing that he was about to be put to death, and was not teaching them but showing them that the law is even now on the point of being abolished. But not so Paul; he only threatens and puts fear in them. HOMILIES ON THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 29.