CHAPTER IV. Abraham _was justified by faith, and not by the works of the_ _law; for his faith was imputed to him for righteousness_, 1-5. David _also bears testimony to the same doctrine_, 6-8. _Abraham, the father of the Jewish race, was justified by faith,_ _even before he was circumcised; th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:2. _FOR IF ABRAHAM WERE JUSTIFIED BY WORKS_] The JEW proceeds: - I conclude, therefore, that Abraham was _justified by_ _works_, or by his _obedience to this law of circumcision_; and, consequently, he has cause for _glorying_, καυχημα, to _exult_ in something which he has done to ent... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:3. _FOR, WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE?_] The Scriptural account of this transaction, Genesis 15:6, is decisive; for there it is said, _Abraham believed God, and it was counted_, ελογισθη, _it_ _was reckoned to him for righteousness_, ειςδικαιοσυνην, _for_ _justification_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:4. _NOW TO HIM THAT WORKETH IS THE REWARD NOT RECKONED OF_ _GRACE, BUT OF DEBT._] Therefore, if Abraham had been _justified_ by _works_, the blessings he received would have been given to him as a _reward_ for those works, and consequently his _believing_ could have had no part in his... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:5. _BUT TO HIM THAT WORKETH NOT_] Which was the case with Abraham, for he was called when he was _ungodly_, i.e. an _idolater_; and, on his believing, was freely justified: and, as all men have _sinned_, none can be justified by _works_; and, therefore, justification, if it take plac... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:6. _EVEN AS DAVID ALSO_, c.] David, in Psalms 32:1, gives us also the true notion of this way of justification, i.e. by _faith_, without the merit of works, where he says: -... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:7. _BLESSED_ ARE _THEY WHOSE INIQUITIES ARE FORGIVEN_] That is, the man is truly _happy_ whose iniquities αιανομιαι, whose _transgressions of the law_ are forgiven; for by these he was exposed to the most grievous punishment. _Whose sins_, αιαμαρτιαι, his innumerable _deviations_ from... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:8. _BLESSED_ IS _THE MAN TO WHOM THE LORD WILL NOT IMPUTE_ _SIN._] That man is truly happy to whose _charge_ God does not _reckon_ sin; that is, they alone are happy who are redeemed from the curse of the law and the consequence of their ungodly life, by having their sins freely forgi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:9. COMETH _THIS BLESSEDNESS - UPON THE CIRCUMCISION_ ONLY] The word μονον, _only_, is very properly supplied by our translators, and indeed is found in some excellent MSS., and is here quite necessary to complete the sense. The apostle's question is very nervous. If this pardon, gran... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:10. _HOW WAS IT THEN RECKONED?_] In what _circumstances_ was Abraham when this blessing was bestowed upon him? When he was _circumcised_, or _before_? _NOT IN CIRCUMCISION, BUT IN UNCIRCUMCISION._] Faith was reckoned to Abraham for justification, as we read Genesis 15:6, (where see... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:11. _AND HE RECEIVED THE SIGN OF CIRCUMCISION, A SEAL_, c.] So far was _obedience_ to the law of _circumcision_ from being the reason of his justification, that he not only received this justification _before_ he was circumcised, but he received the _sign_ of circumcision, as a _seal... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:12. _AND THE FATHER OF CIRCUMCISION_] He is also the _head_ and _representative_ of all the circumcision of all the JEWS _who_ _walk in the steps of that faith_; who seek for justification by _faith only_, and not by the _works of the law_; for this was the faith that Abraham had bef... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:13. _FOR THE PROMISE, THAT HE SHOULD BE THE HEIR OF THE_ _WORLD_] This promise intimated that he should be the medium through whom the mercy of God should be communicated to the _world_, to both _Jews_ and _Gentiles_; and the _manner_ in which _he_ was justified, be the _rule_ and _ma... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:14. _FOR, IF THEY WHICH ARE OF THE LAW BE HEIRS_] If the Jews only be heirs of the promise made to Abraham, and that on the ground of prior obedience to the law, _then faith is made void_-is entirely useless; _and the promise_, which was made to faith, is _made of none effect_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:15. _BECAUSE THE LAW WORKETH WRATH_] For law νομος, any law, or rule of duty. No law makes provision for the exercise of mercy, for it worketh wrath, οργην, punishment, for the disobedient. Law necessarily subjects the transgressor to punishment; for where no law is - where no rule of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:16. _THEREFORE IT IS OF FAITH, THAT_ IT MIGHT BE _BY GRACE_] On this account the promise is mercifully grounded, not on _obedience_ to a law, but on the infinite goodness of God: and thus the _promise is sure to all the seed_ - to all, both _Jews_ and _Gentiles_, who, _believing_ in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:17. _AS IT IS WRITTEN, I HAVE MADE THEE A FATHER_] That Abraham's being a father of many nations has relation to the covenant of God made with him, may be seen, Genesis 17:4, Genesis 17:5 : _Behold my covenant_ is _with thee, and thou shalt be a father of_ _many nations: neither shall... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:18. _WHO AGAINST HOPE BELIEVED IN HOPE_] The faith of Abraham bore an exact correspondence to the power and never-failing faithfulness of God; for though, in the ordinary course of things, he had not the best foundation of hope, yet he believed that he should be the _father of many na... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _HE CONSIDERED NOT HIS OWN BODY NOW DEAD_] He showed at once the correctness and energy of his faith: God _cannot_ lie; Abraham _can_ believe. It is true that, according to the course of nature, he and Sarah are so old that they cannot have children; but God is almighty, and can do whatso... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 21. _AND BEING FULLY PERSUADED_] πληροφορηθεις, his _measure_: his soul was _full of confidence_, that the _truth_ of God bound him to fulfil his promise and his power enabled him to do it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _AND THEREFORE IT WAS IMPUTED TO HIM FOR_ _RIGHTEOUSNESS_] The verse is thus paraphrased by Dr. Taylor: "For which reason God was graciously pleased to _place_ his faith _to_ _his account_; and to allow his fiducial reliance upon the Divine goodness, power, and faithfulness, for a _title_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _NOW IT WAS NOT WRITTEN FOR HIS SAKE ALONE_] The fact of Abraham's believing and receiving salvation through that faith is not recorded as a mere circumstance in the patriarch's life, intended to do _him_ honour: see Romans 4:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _BUT FOR US ALSO_] The mention of this circumstance has a much more extensive design than merely to honour Abraham. It is recorded as the _model_, according to which God will save both Jews and Gentiles: indeed there can be no other way of salvation; as all have _sinned_, all must either b... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 4:25. _WHO WAS DELIVERED FOR OUR OFFENCES_] Who was delivered up to death as a _sacrifice for our sins_; for in what other way, or for what other purpose could He, who is _innocence_ itself, be _delivered for our offences_? _AND WAS RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION._] He was raised t... [ Continue Reading ]