1.
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Verse 1
Hath found; hath obtained. The meaning is, "What advantages are derived by the Jews through the Abrahamic covenant and ritual?"
2.
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Verse 2
But not before God; that is, he has no cause to glory before God The meaning appears to be that, however high and honorable the character and memory of Abraham might be in the estimation of men, in the eye of God, he was a sinner,--to be saved, like other men, by grace.
3.
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4.
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Verse 4
Of grace; of favor.--But of debt; that is, as justly due.
5.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Verse 5
To him that worketh not; to him who has no meritorious works on which he can rely.
6.
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Verse 6
Even as David also describeth; that is, David in a similar manner describeth.--Unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works; whom God justifies and saves, though he has not performed his duty. The force of the passage quoted from David in the Psalms 32:1,Psalms 32:2; Romans 4:7,Romans 4:8, in respect to its application to the apostle's argument, appears to be this,--that it represents spiritual blessedness as consisting in the pardon of sin, and not in the reward of goodness; and this sustains the position that Paul has been aiming to establish, viz., that human salvation is, in all cases, dependent on grace,--that is, on undeserved favor,--and not on merit.
7.
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9.
Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
Verse 9
Cometh, &c. Having thus shown that the Jews, or, as he expresses it, the circumcision, are entirely dependent on the mercy of God, he proceeds to prove that the uncircumcision, that is, the Gentiles, are not excluded from this mercy, by showing that Abraham enjoyed the gracious acceptance of God, before the rite of circumcision was performed.
10.
How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11.
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
Verse 11
And he received, &c.; that is, circumcision, far from being the cause of his acceptance with God, was the seal and consequence of it. The Jews attached ideas of great spiritual efficacy to their religious rites. We see precisely the same tendency in the human mind at the present day. The peculiar religious observances pertaining to our respective branches of the Christian church, which have descended to us from our fathers, and which we have been accustomed to regard from infancy with feelings of solemnity and awe, come at last to be invested in our minds with a certain spiritual efficacy of their own. They lose the character of a symbol and a seal, and assume that of an intrinsic effectiveness, until, at length, we regard them as forming a pale, beyond which, like the Jew of old, we can scarcely believe that there is any salvation.--That he might be the father; the type or exemplar. The meaning of this clause, and of the Romans 4:11,Romans 4:12, clearly is, that Abraham, through his acceptance with God previous to his circumcision, was constituted the father of all believers of every age or nation, and that, by the ceremonial observances afterwards instituted, he became the spiritual representative and head of the Jewish communion; although only those of that communion can consider him as truly their father; who follow his example in the inward spirit of their minds, as well as in outward ceremonies.
12.
And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13.
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Verse 13
Or to his seed through the law; to those who were his seed or descendants through the law, that is, through the Jewish system. In other words, by the seed of Abraham were intended all who were spiritually like him, not merely those connected with the ceremonial system of which he was the head. That this is the meaning, is evident from Romans 4:16.
14.
For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Verse 14
The promise made of none effect; made unmeaning, since it was originally based upon faith, and not obedience.
15.
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Verse 15
The law worketh wrath; by demanding the punishment of transgression.
16.
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Verse 16
It is of faith; meaning that salvation is of faith.--By grace; favor.
17.
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Verse 17
Who quickeneth the dead, &c.; who has all power to accomplish his promises.
18.
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Verse 18
Who; referring to Abraham.--Against hope; against all apparent evidence.
19.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
Verse 19
He considered not; was not influenced by the consideration, so as to distrust God.
20.
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Verse 20
Staggered not; was not perplexed and uncertain.
21.
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22.
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23.
Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24.
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25.
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Verse 25
We are not probably to attempt to separate the two clauses of this verse, and to give to each its distinct signification: the form of construction seems to be only rhetorical. The meaning is, as if it were written, "Who died, and rose again, that we might be justified and saved."