17 (As G2531 it is written, G1125 G3754 I have made G5087 thee G4571 a father G3962 of many G4183 nations,) G1484 before G2713 him whom G3739 he believed, G4100 even God, G2316 who quickeneth G2227 the dead, G3498 and G2532 calleth G2564 those things which be G5607 not G3361 as though G5613 they were. G5607
As for me, H589 behold, my covenant H1285 is with thee, and thou shalt be a father H1 of many H1995 nations. H1471 Neither shall thy name H8034 any more be called H7121 Abram, H87 but thy name H8034 shall be Abraham; H85 for a father H1 of many H1995 nations H1471 have I made thee. H5414
And G2532 you G5209 hath he quickened, who were G5607 dead G3498 in trespasses G3900 and G2532 sins; G266 Wherein G1722 G3739 in time past G4218 ye walked G4043 according to G2596 the course G165 of this G5127 world, G2889 according to G2596 the prince G758 of the power G1849 of the air, G109 the spirit G4151 that now G3568 worketh G1754 in G1722 the children G5207 of disobedience: G543 Among G1722 whom G3739 also G2532 we G2249 all G3956 had our conversation G390 in times past G4218 in G1722 the lusts G1939 of our G2257 flesh, G4561 fulfilling G4160 the desires G2307 of the flesh G4561 and G2532 of the mind; G1271 and G2532 were G2258 by nature G5449 the children G5043 of wrath, G3709 even G2532 as G5613 others. G3062 But G1161 God, G2316 who is G5607 rich G4145 in G1722 mercy, G1656 for G1223 his G846 great G4183 love G26 wherewith G3739 he loved G25 us, G2248 Even G2532 when we G2248 were G5607 dead G3498 in sins, G3900 hath quickened us together with G4806 Christ, G5547 (by grace G5485 ye are G2075 saved;) G4982
For G3754 whom G3739 he did foreknow, G4267 he G4309 also G2532 did predestinate G4309 to be conformed G4832 to the image G1504 of his G846 Son, G5207 that G1519 he G846 might be G1511 the firstborn G4416 among G1722 many G4183 brethren. G80 Moreover G1161 whom G3739 he did predestinate, G4309 them G5128 he G2564 also G2532 called: G2564 and G2532 whom G3739 he called, G2564 them G5128 he G1344 also G2532 justified: G1344 and G1161 whom G3739 he justified, G1344 them G5128 he G1392 also G2532 glorified. G1392
Then again H3254 Abraham H85 took H3947 a wife, H802 and her name H8034 was Keturah. H6989 And she bare H3205 him Zimran, H2175 and Jokshan, H3370 and Medan, H4091 and Midian, H4080 and Ishbak, H3435 and Shuah. H7744 And Jokshan H3370 begat H3205 Sheba, H7614 and Dedan. H1719 And the sons H1121 of Dedan H1719 were Asshurim, H805 and Letushim, H3912 and Leummim. H3817 And the sons H1121 of Midian; H4080 Ephah, H5891 and Epher, H6081 and Hanoch, H2585 and Abida, H28 and Eldaah. H420 All these were the children H1121 of Keturah. H6989 And Abraham H85 gave H5414 all that he had unto Isaac. H3327 But unto the sons H1121 of the concubines, H6370 which Abraham H85 had, Abraham H85 gave H5414 gifts, H4979 and sent them away H7971 from Isaac H3327 his son, H1121 while he yet lived, H2416 eastward, H6924 unto the east H6924 country. H776 And these are the days H3117 of the years H8141 of Abraham's H85 life H2416 which he lived, H2425 an hundred H3967 H8141 threescore and fifteen H7657 H8141 H2568 years. H8141 Then Abraham H85 gave up the ghost, H1478 and died H4191 in a good H2896 old age, H7872 an old man, H2205 and full H7649 of years; and was gathered H622 to his people. H5971 And his sons H1121 Isaac H3327 and Ishmael H3458 buried H6912 him in the cave H4631 of Machpelah, H4375 in the field H7704 of Ephron H6085 the son H1121 of Zohar H6714 the Hittite, H2850 which is before H6440 Mamre; H4471 The field H7704 which Abraham H85 purchased H7069 of the sons H1121 of Heth: H2845 there was Abraham H85 buried, H6912 and Sarah H8283 his wife. H802 And it came to pass after H310 the death H4194 of Abraham, H85 that God H430 blessed H1288 his son H1121 Isaac; H3327 and Isaac H3327 dwelt H3427 by H5973 the well Lahairoi. H883 Now these are the generations H8435 of Ishmael, H3458 Abraham's H85 son, H1121 whom Hagar H1904 the Egyptian, H4713 Sarah's H8283 handmaid, H8198 bare H3205 unto Abraham: H85 And these are the names H8034 of the sons H1121 of Ishmael, H3458 by their names, H8034 according to their generations: H8435 the firstborn H1060 of Ishmael, H3458 Nebajoth; H5032 and Kedar, H6938 and Adbeel, H110 and Mibsam, H4017 And Mishma, H4927 and Dumah, H1746 and Massa, H4854 Hadar, H2316 and Tema, H8485 Jetur, H3195 Naphish, H5305 and Kedemah: H6929 These are the sons H1121 of Ishmael, H3458 and these are their names, H8034 by their towns, H2691 and by their castles; H2918 twelve H8147 H6240 princes H5387 according to their nations. H523 And these are the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Ishmael, H3458 an hundred H3967 H8141 and thirty H7970 H8141 and seven H7651 years: H8141 and he gave up the ghost H1478 and died; H4191 and was gathered H622 unto his people. H5971 And they dwelt H7931 from Havilah H2341 unto Shur, H7793 that is before H6440 Egypt, H4714 as thou goest H935 toward Assyria: H804 and he died H5307 in the presence H6440 of all his brethren. H251 And these are the generations H8435 of Isaac, H3327 Abraham's H85 son: H1121 Abraham H85 begat H3205 Isaac: H3327 And Isaac H3327 was forty H705 years H8141 old H1121 when he took H3947 Rebekah H7259 to wife, H802 the daughter H1323 of Bethuel H1328 the Syrian H761 of Padanaram, H6307 the sister H269 to Laban H3837 the Syrian. H761 And Isaac H3327 intreated H6279 the LORD H3068 for H5227 his wife, H802 because she was barren: H6135 and the LORD H3068 was intreated H6279 of him, and Rebekah H7259 his wife H802 conceived. H2029 And the children H1121 struggled together H7533 within her; H7130 and she said, H559 If it be so, why am I thus? H2088 And she went H3212 to enquire H1875 of the LORD. H3068 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto her, Two H8147 nations H1471 are in thy womb, H990 and two manner H8147 of people H3816 shall be separated H6504 from thy bowels; H4578 and the one people H3816 shall be stronger H553 than the other people; H3816 and the elder H7227 shall serve H5647 the younger. H6810 And when her days H3117 to be delivered H3205 were fulfilled, H4390 behold, there were twins H8380 in her womb. H990 And the first H7223 came out H3318 red, H132 all over like an hairy H8181 garment; H155 and they called H7121 his name H8034 Esau. H6215 And after H310 that came H3318 his brother H251 out, H3318 and his hand H3027 took hold H270 on Esau's H6215 heel; H6119 and his name H8034 was called H7121 Jacob: H3290 and Isaac H3327 was threescore H8346 years H8141 old H1121 when she bare H3205 them. And the boys H5288 grew: H1431 and Esau H6215 was a cunning H3045 hunter, H6718 a man H376 of the field; H7704 and Jacob H3290 was a plain H8535 man, H376 dwelling H3427 in tents. H168 And Isaac H3327 loved H157 Esau, H6215 because he did eat H6310 of his venison: H6718 but Rebekah H7259 loved H157 Jacob. H3290 And Jacob H3290 sod H2102 pottage: H5138 and Esau H6215 came H935 from the field, H7704 and he was faint: H5889 And Esau H6215 said H559 to Jacob, H3290 Feed H3938 me, I pray thee, with H4480 that same H122 red H122 pottage; for I am faint: H5889 therefore was his name H8034 called H7121 Edom. H123 And Jacob H3290 said, H559 Sell H4376 me this day H3117 thy birthright. H1062 And Esau H6215 said, H559 Behold, I am at the point H1980 to die: H4191 and what profit shall this birthright H1062 do to me? And Jacob H3290 said, H559 Swear H7650 to me this day; H3117 and he sware H7650 unto him: and he sold H4376 his birthright H1062 unto Jacob. H3290 Then Jacob H3290 gave H5414 Esau H6215 bread H3899 and pottage H5138 of lentiles; H5742 and he did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and rose up, H6965 and went his way: H3212 thus Esau H6215 despised H959 his birthright. H1062
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Romans 4
Commentary on Romans 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
Ro 4:1-25. The Foregoing Doctrine of Justification by Faith Illustrated from the Old Testament.
First: Abraham was justified by faith.
1-3. What shall we say then that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?—that is, (as the order in the original shows), "hath found, as pertaining to ('according to,' or 'through') the flesh"; meaning, "by all his natural efforts or legal obedience."
2. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God—"If works were the ground of Abraham's justification, he would have matter for boasting; but as it is perfectly certain that he hath none in the sight of God, it follows that Abraham could not have been justified by works." And to this agree the words of Scripture.
3. For what saith the, Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it—his faith.
was counted to him for righteousness—(Ge 15:6). Romish expositors and Arminian Protestants make this to mean that God accepted Abraham's act of believing as a substitute for complete obedience. But this is at variance with the whole spirit and letter of the apostle's teaching. Throughout this whole argument, faith is set in direct opposition to works, in the matter of justification—and even in Ro 4:4, 5. The meaning, therefore, cannot possibly be that the mere act of believing—which is as much a work as any other piece of commanded duty (Joh 6:29; 1Jo 3:23)—was counted to Abraham for all obedience. The meaning plainly is that Abraham believed in the promises which embraced Christ (Ge 12:3; 15:5, &c.), as we believe in Christ Himself; and in both cases, faith is merely the instrument that puts us in possession of the blessing gratuitously bestowed.
4, 5. Now to him that worketh—as a servant for wages.
is the reward not reckoned of grace—as a matter of favor.
but of debt—as a matter of right.
5. But to him that worketh not—who, despairing of acceptance with God by "working" for it the work of obedience, does not attempt it.
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly—casts himself upon the mercy of Him that justifieth those who deserve only condemnation.
his faith, &c.—(See on Ro 4:3).
Second: David sings of the same justification.
6-8. David also describeth—"speaketh," "pronounceth."
the blessedness of the man unto whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works—whom, though void of all good works, He, nevertheless, regards and treats as righteous.
7, 8. Saying, Blessed, &c.—(Ps 32:1, 2). David here sings in express terms only of "transgression forgiven, sin covered, iniquity not imputed"; but as the negative blessing necessarily includes the positive, the passage is strictly in point.
9-12. Cometh this blessedness then, &c.—that is, "Say not, All this is spoken of the circumcised, and is therefore no evidence of God's general way of justifying men; for Abraham's justification took place long before he was circumcised, and so could have no dependence upon that rite: nay, 'the sign of circumcision' was given to Abraham as 'a seal' (or token) of the (justifying) righteousness which he had before he was circumcised; in order that he might stand forth to every age as the parent believer—the model man of justification by faith—after whose type, as the first public example of it, all were to be moulded, whether Jew or Gentile, who should thereafter believe to life everlasting."
13-15. For the promise, &c.—This is merely an enlargement of the foregoing reasoning, applying to the law what had just been said of circumcision.
that he should be the heir of the world—or, that "all the families of the earth should be blessed in him."
was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law—in virtue of obedience to the law.
but through the righteousness of faith—in virtue of his simple faith in the divine promises.
14. For if they which are of the law be heirs—If the blessing is to be earned by obedience to the law.
faith is made void—the whole divine method is subverted.
15. Because the law worketh wrath—has nothing to give to those who break is but condemnation and vengeance.
for where there is no law, there is no transgression—It is just the law that makes transgression, in the case of those who break it; nor can the one exist without the other.
16, 17. Therefore, &c.—A general summary: "Thus justification is by faith, in order that its purely gracious character may be seen, and that all who follow in the steps of Abraham's faith—whether of his natural seed or no—may be assured of the like justification with the parent believer."
17. As it is written, &c.—(Ge 17:5). This is quoted to justify his calling Abraham the "father of us all," and is to be viewed as a parenthesis.
before—that is, "in the reckoning of."
him whom he believed—that is, "Thus Abraham, in the reckoning of Him whom he believed, is the father of us all, in order that all may be assured, that doing as he did, they shall be treated as he was."
even God, quickeneth the dead—The nature and greatness of that faith of Abraham which we are to copy is here strikingly described. What he was required to believe being above nature, his faith had to fasten upon God's power to surmount physical incapacity, and call into being what did not then exist. But God having made the promise, Abraham believed Him in spite of those obstacles. This is still further illustrated in what follows.
18-22. Who against hope—when no ground for hope appeared.
believed in hope—that is, cherished the believing expectation.
that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be—that is, Such "as the stars of heaven," Ge 15:5.
19. he considered not, &c.—paid no attention to those physical obstacles, both in himself and in Sarah, which might seem to render the fulfilment hopeless.
20. He staggered—hesitated
not … but was strong in faith, giving glory to God—as able to make good His own word in spite of all obstacles.
21. And being fully persuaded, &c.—that is, the glory which Abraham's faith gave to God consisted in this, that, firm in the persuasion of God's ability to fulfil his promise, no difficulties shook him.
22. And therefore it was imputed, &c.—"Let all then take notice that this was not because of anything meritorious in Abraham, but merely because he so believed."
23-25. Now, &c.—Here is the application of this whole argument about Abraham: These things were not recorded as mere historical facts, but as illustrations for all time of God's method of justification by faith.
24. to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead—in Him that hath done this, even as Abraham believed that God would raise up a seed in whom all nations should be blessed.
25. Who was delivered for—"on account of."
our offences—that is, in order to expiate them by His blood.
and raised again for—"on account of," that is, in order to.
our justification—As His resurrection was the divine assurance that He had "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself," and the crowning of His whole work, our justification is fitly connected with that glorious act.
Note, (1) The doctrine of justification by works, as it generates self-exaltation, is contrary to the first principles of all true religion (Ro 4:2; and see on Ro 3:21-26, Note 1). (2) The way of a sinner's justification has been the same in all time, and the testimony of the Old Testament on this subject is one with that of the New (Ro 4:3, &c., and see on Ro 3:27-31, Note 1). (3) Faith and works, in the matter of justification, are opposite and irreconcilable, even as grace and debt (Ro 4:4, 5; and see on Ro 11:6). If God "justifies the ungodly," works cannot be, in any sense or to any degree, the ground of justification. For the same reason, the first requisite, in order to justification, must be (under the conviction that we are "ungodly") to despair of it by works; and the next, to "believe in Him that justifieth the ungodly"—that hath a justifying righteousness to bestow, and is ready to bestow it upon those who deserve none, and to embrace it accordingly. (4) The sacraments of the Church were never intended, and are not adapted, to confer grace, or the blessings of salvation, upon men. Their proper use is to set a divine seal upon a state already existing, and so, they presuppose, and do not create it (Ro 4:8-12). As circumcision merely "sealed" Abraham's already existing acceptance with God, so with the sacraments of the New Testament. (5) As Abraham is "the heir of the world," all nations being blessed in him, through his Seed Christ Jesus, and justified solely according to the pattern of his faith, so the transmission of the true religion and all the salvation which the world will ever experience shall yet be traced back with wonder, gratitude, and joy, to that morning dawn when "the God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran," Ac 7:2 (Ro 4:13). (6) Nothing gives more glory to God than simple faith in His word, especially when all things seem to render the fulfilment of it hopeless (Ro 4:18-21). (7) All the Scripture examples of faith were recorded on purpose to beget and encourage the like faith in every succeeding age (Ro 4:23, 24; and compare Ro 15:4). (8) Justification, in this argument, cannot be taken—as Romanists and other errorists insist—to mean a change upon men's character; for besides that this is to confound it with Sanctification, which has its appropriate place in this Epistle, the whole argument of the present chapter—and nearly all its more important clauses, expressions, and words—would in that case be unsuitable, and fitted only to mislead. Beyond all doubt it means exclusively a change upon men's state or relation to God; or, in scientific language, it is an objective, not a subjective change—a change from guilt and condemnation to acquittal and acceptance. And the best evidence that this is the key to the whole argument is, that it opens all the wards of the many-chambered lock with which the apostle has enriched us in this Epistle.