Romans 4:5

ἐπὶ τὸν δικ. τὸν�. This goes beyond the strict relevance of the qu. in Romans 4:3 and prepares the way for the enlargement of the idea by the qu., Romans 4:7-8. πιστ. ἐπὶ brings into explicit statement the notion of trust, not expressed in Romans 4:3. Cf. Moulton, p. 68, who suggests that the substitution of εἰς or ἐπὶ w. acc. for the simple dative after π. is peculiarly Christian, and coincides with the deepening of the sense of π. from belief to trust or faith. The change here is very significant, going, as it does, with the advance from the idea of GOD as simply faithful to His word (Romans 4:3) to the idea of GOD as acting upon man.

τὸν δικαιοῦντα here, as above, = who declares righteous, not who makes righteous; Romans 3:24; Romans 3:26; Romans 3:30. See Introd. p. xxxvi.

τὸν�. Not of Abraham, but with the wider reference of the whole clause: of the sinner as ignoring or neglecting GOD; cf. Romans 1:21. It here expresses the thought of the man about himself in the very act of trusting.