Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 4:5
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
5. to him that worketh not ] The Gr. implies a general statement; Abraham’s case in universal application. “ Worketh not: ” i.e., of course, in respect of justification. It is another form of the truth expressed Rom 3:28 and Rom 4:6 by “ without works; ” and the phrases singly and together go as far as language can in defining faith to be the sole condition of Justification.
on him that justifieth the ungodly ] These words, with numberless others, remind us that justifying faith is not trust in “ anything,” but trust in God and His Word. See below on Rom 4:20-22. “ The ungodly: ” a very strong word the impious man. Same word as ch. Rom 5:6; 2Pe 2:5; Judges 4, &c. Here St Paul leaves the special features of Abraham’s case, to enforce the principle of Justification by an extreme case. He contemplates a man so emphatically “without works” as to be an open sinner: now, this man is justified, is declared to be accepted as righteous, on the sole condition of faith in the Justifier. And God is, as it were, characterized here as He who (habitually) so acts; doubtless to encourage the most unreserved trust. The word “ungodly” is not descriptive of every man: “all have sinned” fatally (Rom 3:19; Rom 3:23); but not all are openly impious. And as men look on these latter as extreme cases, just these are selected for special mention as proper objects of Justification.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But to him that worketh not – Who does not rely on his conformity to the Law for his justification; who does not depend on his works; who seeks to be justified in some other way. The reference here is to the Christian plan of justification.
But believeth – Note, Rom 3:26.
On him – On God. Thus, the connection requires; for the discussion has immediate reference to Abraham, whose faith was in the promise of God.
That justifieth the ungodly – This is a very important expression. It implies,
(1) That people are sinners, or are ungodly.
(2) That God regards them as such when they are justified. He does not justify them because he sees them to be, or regards them to be righteous; but knowing that they are in fact polluted. He does not first esteem them, contrary to fact, to be pure; but knowing that they are polluted, and that they deserve no favor, he resolves to forgive them, and to treat them as his friends.
(3) In themselves they are equally undeserving, whether they are justified or not. Their souls have been defiled by sin; and that is known when they are pardoned. God judges things as they are; and sinners who are justified, he judges not as if they were pure, or as if they had a claim; but he regards them as united by faith to the Lord Jesus; and in this relation he judges that they should be treated as his friends, though they have been, are, and always will be, personally undeserving. It is not meant that the righteousness of Christ is transferred to them, so as to become personally theirs – for moral character cannot be transferred; nor that it is infused into them, making them personally meritorious – for then they could not be spoken of as ungodly; but that Christ died in their stead, to atone for their sins, and is regarded and esteemed by God to have died; and that the results or benefits of his death are so reckoned or imputed to believers as to make it proper for God to regard and treat them as if they had themselves obeyed the Law; that is, as righteous in his sight; see the note at Rom 4:3.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Rom 4:5
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that Justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Justification of the ungodly
The first sound of these words is startling. What! is it, then, the idle or the vicious person, he that does nothing or nothing that is good, and merely has faith or belief, who is to be treated as righteous? And is God the justifier, not of the godly, but of the ungodly? A moments examination of the words will show that the apostle never entertained the sentiments which at first sight they appear to exhibit.
1. The very expression, His faith is counted for righteousness, intimates that righteousness is essentially worthy and acceptable. If faith is received in the stead of righteousness, then surely righteousness is of as much value, at least, as that which is accepted in its place. If righteousness be the debt which man owes to God, and it pleases God, in consideration of mans failure, to take his faith as an equivalent, it is clear that righteousness, the debt, is even of more value than faith, which is taken, in kindness and pity, as an equivalent. And a clue is here put into our hands by following which, with the context to aid us, we shall no doubt be guided to a satisfactory interpretation, and a clear result.
2. His faith is counted for righteousness. But what righteousness? The righteousness which ought to have been; which is due; which is not paid. He who worketh not owes long arrears of righteousness; he has been a sinful man; he is a debtor to a large amount. But when he turns away from sin, and believes heartily and truly on God, then his faith, which is a pledge of future righteousness, is graciously credited to him for those long arrears, and the debt remains no more against him. By grace are we saved through faith. The single consideration, then, that it is past righteousness which is intended in the text, lights it up at once with a holy, and cheering, and satisfying light.
3. And that this consideration is introduced, not only allowably but necessarily, appears from the context (Rom 4:6-8). To impute righteousness without works is evidently synonymous with forgiveness of sin; it is to treat one who has not worked as if he had worked. But then there is a condition–faith, which, working by love, produces henceforth the fruits of righteousness. So the imputation of righteousness without works, or the non-imputation of sin, is by no means a dispensation from future righteousness, but exactly the contrary. This is the doctrine of St. James, as well as of St. Paul; the doctrine of our Saviour and of His most touching parable of the prodigal son; and is the doctrine not only of the New Testament, but of the Old. Abraham, before he knew and believed in God, was not the righteous man that he was after he believed in Him; and his faith was counted to him for righteousness; his past sins were forgiven. Since Jesus came and died, there is a louder call to repentance and a stronger array of motives, and a more general justification. A sincere and earnest faith in Him will move, if anything can move, the heart to love and gratitude, and the life to duty. And the heart being thus moved to love and gratitude, and the life to duty, past sin is forgiven, the ungodly is justified, and faith is counted for righteousness; not, surely, because this powerfully moving faith dispenses with righteousness, or is above righteousness, but because it moves to it and secures it. (F. W. P. Greenwood, D. D.)
Justification by faith
I. The general ground of the doctrine.
1. Man was made in the image of God, holy as He is holy, and perfect as He is perfect. To man, thus upright, God gave a perfect law, to which He required a perfect obedience, which man was capable of rendering. To this was superadded the commandment not to eat of the fruit of the tree, with death as the penalty annexed.
2. Man disobeyed, and the sentence began to take effect. His soul died, being separated from God, his body became mortal, and he hastened on to death everlasting. Thus, by one man sin entered into the world, and we have inherited the sin and penalty of our representative,
3. In this state we were when God gave His Son to be a second general Parent and Representative, and as such He bore our sins, and by that one oblation of Himself He has redeemed all mankind. In consideration of Christs death God has reconciled the world unto Himself, not imputing their former trespasses.
II. Its nature.
1. Not the being made righteous; that is sanctification, which follows justification, but is a distinct and inward gift.
2. Nor the clearing us from the accusation–
(1) Of Satan.
(2) Of the law–theories found nowhere in the Bible.
3. Nor that which implies that God is deceived in those He justifies, viz., accounting them to be otherwise than what they are.
4. But that act of God the Father, whereby, for the sake of Christs propitiation, He forgives sin (verses 6, 7).
III. Its subjects.
1. The ungodly and only such. As the righteous need no repentance, so they need no forgiveness; which contradicts the absurd supposition that holiness is necessary to justification. Only sinners can be forgiven.
2. Him that worketh not. But do not men feed the hungry, etc., before justification? Yes, and these may in a sense be called good works–good and profitable to men–but no work is good which is not done as God wills and commands, and God hath willed that all our works should be done in charity, i.e., that love to Him from which love to man proceeds. But none of our works can be done in this love while the love of the Father is not in us.
IV. Its condition. Faith, i.e., a sure trust and confidence that Christ died for my sins, and loved me, and gave Himself for me. This is the only but the necessary condition, for he that believeth not is condemned already. (J. Wesley, M. A.)
Justification the gift of grace received by faith
1. The man who has obtained justification may be looked upon as in possession of a title deed, which secures to him a right to Gods favour. The question is, How comes he into possession of this title deed? Did he work for it, and thus receive it as a return for his works? No; he did not work for it; and thus it is that justification is to him who worketh not–that is, he did nothing antecedent to his justification to bring this privilege down upon him; nor subsequently, for it is a contradiction to allow that he has to work to obtain what he already has; nor at the time, for he came to it by believing. But then, as in the case of a man coming into an estate, no sooner does he lay hold of the deed than he begins, and that most strenuously, to qualify himself for the possession: and, with a foot which touches lightly that earth from which he is to ascend so soon into the fields of eternal glory that are above him, to aspire after the virtues which are current there; and, by an active cultivation of his heart, labour to prepare himself for a station of happiness and honour.
2. But beware of having any such view of faith as will lead you to annex to it the kind of merit which is annexed to works under the law. It is God who justifies. He drew up the title deed, and He bestowed it. It is ours simply by laying hold of it. Ye are saved by grace through faith. By which is a house enlightened by the sun, or by an open window? The answer may justly enough be that it is by the window–and yet the window does not enlighten the house–it is a mere opening for the transmission of the light of the sun. Christ hath wrought out a righteousness for us that is freely offered to us of God. By faith we discern the reality of this offer: and all that it does is to strike out, as it were, an avenue of conveyance, by which the righteousness of another passes to us; and through faith are we saved by this righteousness. (T. Chalmers, D. D.)
The fitness of faith in order to justification
1. It is obviously the only way in which a testimony can be received; and God has been pleased to appoint that such only as receive His testimony shall reap the benefit of what it reveals.
2. It is a medium of justification by which the whole glory is secured, as it ought to be, to the God of all grace; agreeably to the nature and design of the whole scheme of redemption, by which the loftiness of man is bowed down, and the haughtiness of man is laid low; and Jehovah alone is exalted.
3. It is a method of justification which unites it inseparably with sanctification. The truth must be received by faith into the mind in order to its operating with its holy influence on the affections and desires of the heart. (R. Wardlaw, D. D.)
Salvation not by works
Observe what happens when the cry rises at sea, A man overboard! With others on deck, you rush to the side; and, leaning over the bulwarks, with beating heart you watch the place where the rising air bells and boiling deep tell that he has gone down. After some moments of breathless anxiety, you see his head emerge from the wave. Now, that man, I shall suppose, is no swimmer; he has never learned to breast the billows; yet, with the first breath he draws, he begins to beat the water. With violent efforts he attempts to shake off the grasp of death, and by the play of limbs and arms to keep his head from sinking. It may be that these struggles but exhaust his strength, and sink him all the sooner. Nevertheless, that drowning one makes instinctive and convulsive efforts to save himself. So, when first brought to feel and cry, I perish! when the horrible conviction rushes into the soul that we are lost. When we feel ourselves going down beneath a load of guilt into the depth of the wrath of God, our first effort is to save ourselves. Like a drowning man, who will clutch at straws and twigs, we seize on anything, however worthless, that promises salvation. Thus, alas! many poor souls toil, and spend weary, unprofitable years, in the attempt to establish a righteousness of their own, and find in the deeds of the law protection from its curse. (T. Guthrie, D. D.)
Faith a universal possibility
Faith is natural to man; the mightiest principle in the soul. It is the foundation of trade; the wheel of commerce; the bond of social life; the abiding root of the family tree. And such is the faith that reposes on the Son of God. Faith is not the creation of theology or Christianity. It is older than either. It is not something supernaturally implanted in a man when he becomes a Christian. It is no new faculty bestowed. That principle which trusts a parents love, and produces obedience to a parents will, is the same principle exercised in another region which makes us one with God. Thus, the salvation which God has provided for all becomes a salvation not only worthy the acceptance of all, but possible to be accepted by all. Salvation becomes a universal possibility, because it is offered to a capacity which all men possess and exercise. (R. Henry.)
The way of salvation
I. The way of the natural man. Worketh. He wishes it to be of desert.
II. The better way–by faith. This is–
1. The old way.
(1) Abrahams.
(2) Davids.
2. The blessed way. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 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 place at all, must take place in behalf of the ungodly, forasmuch as all mankind are such. Now, as Abraham’s state and mode in which he was justified, are the plan and rule according to which God purposes to save men; and as his state was ungodly, and the mode of his justification was by faith in the goodness and mercy of God; and this is precisely the state of Jews and Gentiles at present; there can be no other mode of justification than by faith in that Christ who is Abraham’s seed, and in whom, according to the promise, all the nations of the earth are to be blessed.
It is necessary to observe here, in order to prevent confusion and misapprehension, that although the verb has a variety of senses in the New Testament, yet here it is to be taken as implying the pardon of sin; receiving a person into the favour of God. See these different acceptations cited in Clarke’s note on “Ro 1:17“, and particularly under No. 7. It is also necessary to observe, that our translators render the verb differently in different parts of this chapter. It is rendered counted, Ro 4:3; Ro 4:5; reckoned, Ro 4:4; Ro 4:9-10; imputed, Ro 4:6; Ro 4:8; Ro 4:11; Ro 4:22-24. Reckoned is probably the best sense in all these places.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To him that worketh not; i.e. to him that worketh not to the end or intent before mentioned, or with respect to justification, but takes the other way to be justified and saved, and that is, the way of believing.
That justifieth the ungodly; that makes him, who is wicked in himself, just and righteous in Christ; or justifies him that was ungodly, but after justification is made godly. By ungodly, some would understand such as want that perfection of godliness, as they may build the hopes of justification upon; because the proposition is drawn from the instance of Abraham, a man not void of godliness.
His faith is counted for righteousness; not considered in itself as a work, but in relation to Christ, the object of it, and as an act of receiving and applying him; as eating nourisheth, though it be the meat that doth it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. But to him that worketh notwho,despairing of acceptance with God by “working” for it thework of obedience, does not attempt it.
but believeth on him thatjustifieth the ungodlycasts himself upon the mercy of Him thatjustifieth those who deserve only condemnation.
his faith, &c.(Seeon Ro 4:3).
Second: David sings of the samejustification.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But to him that worketh not,…. Not that the believer does not work at all, but not from such principles, and with such views as the other; he does not work in order to obtain life and salvation; he does not seek for justification by his doings:
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly: or that ungodly one: particular reference is had to Abraham, who in his state of unregeneracy was an ungodly person; as all God’s elect are in a state of nature, and are such when God justifies them, being without a righteousness of their own; wherefore he imputes the righteousness of another, even that of his own Son, unto them: and though he justifies the ungodly, he does not justify their ungodliness, but them from it; nor will he, nor does he leave them to live and die in it; now to him that worketh not, that is perfect righteousness; or has no opportunity of working at all; or what he does, he does not do, that he might be justified by it; but exercises faith on God as justifying persons, who, like himself, are sinners, ungodly and destitute of a righteousness:
his faith is counted for righteousness; not the act, but the object of it; which was Abraham’s case, and therefore was not justified by works. The Vulgate Latin version here adds, “according to the purpose of the grace of God”.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That justifieth the ungodly ( ). The impious, irreverent man. See 1:25. A forensic figure (Shedd). The man is taken as he is and pardoned. “The whole Pauline gospel could be summed up in this one word– God who justifies the ungodly” (Denney).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Believeth on Him [ ] . The verb pisteuw to believe is used in the New Testament as follows :
1. Transitively, with the accusative and dative : to entrust something to one, Luk 16:11; Joh 2:24. In the passive, to be entrusted with something, Rom 3:2; 1Co 9:17; Gal 2:7. With the simple accusative, to believe a thing, Joh 11:26; 1Jo 4:16.
2. With the infinitive, Act 14:11.
3. With oti that, Mt 9:28; Mr 11:24; Jas 2:19. Especially frequent in John : Joh 4:21; Joh 11:27, 42; Joh 13:19; Joh 14:10, 11; Joh 16:27, 30, etc.
4. With the simple dative, meaning to believe a person or thing, that they are true or speak the truth, Joh 2:22; Joh 4:21; Joh 5:46. See on Joh 1:12; Joh 2:22, 23; Joh 8:31; Joh 10:37.
5. With the preposition ejn in. Not frequent, and questioned in some of the passages cited for illustration. In Joh 3:15, ejn aujtw in Him, is probably to be construed with have eternal life. The formula occurs nowhere else in John. In Mr 1:15 we find pisteuete ejn tw eujaggeliw believe in the gospel. The kindred noun pistiv faith, occurs in this combination. Thus Gal 3:26, though some join in Christ Jesus with sons. See also Eph 1:15; Col 1:4; 1Ti 3:13; 2Ti 3:15; Rom 3:25. This preposition indicates the sphere in which faith moves, rather than the object to which it is directed, though instances occur in the Septuagint where it plainly indicates the direction of faith, Psa 77:22; Jer 12:6.
6. With the preposition ejpi upon, on to, unto.
a. With the accusative, Rom 4:5; Act 9:42; Act 11:17; Act 16:31; Act 22:19. The preposition carries the idea of mental direction with a view to resting upon, which latter idea is conveyed by the same preposition.
b. With the dative, 1Ti 1:16; Luk 24:25; compare Rom 9:33; Rom 10:11; 1Pe 2:6. The dative expresses absolute superposition. Christ as the object of faith, is the basis on which faith rests.
7. With the preposition eijv into, Mt 18:6; Joh 2:11; Act 19:4; Rom 10:14; Gal 2:16; Phi 1:29, etc. The preposition conveys the idea of the absolute transference of trust from one’s self to another. Literally the phrase means to believe into. See on Joh 1:12; Joh 2:23; Joh 9:35; Joh 12:44.
Is counted for righteousness [ ] . Rev., is reckoned. See on ver. 3. The preposition eijv has the force of as, not the telic meaning with a view to, or in order that he may be (righteous); nor strictly, in the place of righteousness. Faith is not a substitute for righteousness, since righteousness is involved in faith. When a man is reckoned righteous through faith, it is not a legal fiction. He is not indeed a perfect man, but God does not reckon something which has no real existence. Faith is the germ of righteousness, of life in God. God recognizes no true life apart from holiness, and “he that believeth on the Son hath life.” He is not merely regarded in the law ‘s eye as living. God accepts the germ, not in place of the fruit, but as containing the fruit. “Abraham believed God…. No soul comes into such a relation of trust without having God ‘s investment upon it; and whatever there may be in God ‘s righteousness – love, truth, sacrifice – will be rightfully imputed or counted to be in it, because, being united to Him, it will have them coming over derivatively from Him” (Bushnell). The idea of logical sequence is inherent in logizetai is reckoned – the sequence of character upon faith. Where there is faith there is, logically, righteousness, and the righteousness is from faith unto faith (ch. 1 17). Nevertheless, in the highest development of the righteousness of faith, it will remain true that the man is justified, not by the works of righteousness, which are the fruit of faith, but by the faith which, in making him a partaker of the life and righteousness of God, generates and inspires the works.
Observe that the believer ‘s own faith is reckoned as righteousness. “In no passage in Paul ‘s writings or in other parts of the New Testament, where the phrase to reckon for or the verb to reckon alone is used, is there a declaration that anything belonging to one person is imputed, accounted, or reckoned to another, or a formal statement that Christ ‘s righteousness is imputed to believers” (President Dwight, ” Notes on Meyer “).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
JUSTIFYING FAITH DESCRIBED
1) “But to him that worketh not,” (to. de me ergazomenon) “But to the one not working,” expecting to obtain justification before or with God thereby; or working with the motive of obtaining a reward.
2) “But believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,” (pisteuonti de epi ton dikaiounta ton asebe) “But believing on the one justifying (who justifies) the impious or ungodly one;” Christ died for us, the ungodly, by his blood he justifies, and reconciles “thru faith,” (not works) the Sinner to God, Rom 5:6; Rom 5:8-10; Rom 3:25; Rev 5:9. It is even the ungodly (Gk. asebe) impious man that may be justified by faith.
3) “His faith is counted for righteousness,” (logizetai he pistis autou eis dikaiosunen) “His faith is reckoned, counted, computed or calculated for righteousness:” Faith in Jesus Christ, and his blood, is the ultimate ground of justification with God, not works of Moses Law or works of Christ’s Law –this chapter is directed to show that one is saved by grace thru faith, in two ways:
1) First, By the example of Abraham’s Faith.
2) Second, By the testimony of David. Gal 3:6-9; Phm 1:18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
5 . But believes on him, etc. This is a very important sentence, in which he expresses the substance and nature both of faith and of righteousness. He indeed clearly shews that faith brings us righteousness, not because it is a meritorious act, but because it obtains for us the favor of God. (134) Nor does he declare only that God is the giver of righteousness, but he also arraigns us of unrighteousness, in order that the bounty of God may come to aid our necessity: in short, no one will seek the righteousness of faith except he who feels that he is ungodly; for this sentence is to be applied to what is said in this passage, — that faith adorns us with the righteousness of another, which it seeks as a gift from God. And here again, God is said to justify us when he freely forgives sinners, and favors those, with whom he might justly be angry, with his love, that is, when his mercy obliterates our unrighteousness.
(134) Some have stumbled at this sentence, — “his faith is counted for righteousness,” and have misapplied it, as though faith were in itself the cause of righteousness, and hence a meritorious act, and not the way and means of attaining righteousness. Condensed sentences will not submit to the rules of logic, but must be interpreted according to the context and explanations elsewhere found. “His faith” means, no doubt, his faith in the Promise, or in God who promises, or in him who, as is said in this verse, “justifies the ungodly:” hence what is believed, or the object of faith, is what is counted for righteousness. This accords with the declarations, — that “man is justified by faith,” Rom 3:28, and that “the righteousness of God” is “by faith,” Rom 3:22. If by faith, then faith itself is not that righteousness.
“
Beware,” says [ Chalmers ] , “of having any such view of faith as will lead you to annex to it the kind of merit, or of claim, or of glorying under the gospel, which are annexed to works under the law. This, in fact, were just animating with a legal spirit the whole phraseology and doctrine of the gospel. It is God who justifies. He drew up the title-deed, and he bestowed the title-deed. It is ours simply to lay hold of it…Any other view of faith than that which excludes boasting must be altogether unscriptural.” — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) But to him who puts forward no works, but has faith in God, who justifies men, not for their righteousness, but in spite of their sins, &c.
The ungodly.A stronger word is here used than simply the unrighteous, the impious, or ungodly. Their impiety is condoned to them in virtue of their single exercise of faith. It is characteristic of the Apostle not to flinch from the boldest expression, though, as a matter of fact, the two things, faith and positive impiety, would hardly be found together. The ungodly clearly belongs to the general form of the proposition, and is not intended to apply to Abraham.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Worketh not For the due wages.
The ungodly The man is ungodly up to the time of his justification. He is not a sanctified or regenerate man. Regeneration does not precede justification, but follows it. The order is, first, faith under the convicting guidance of the Holy Spirit; second, justification, acquitting the man of guilt; third, the regenerating Spirit, making the heart right with God.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Rom 4:5. The ungodly Abraham is the subject of the Apostle’s discourse; and he plainly hints, though he did not choose to speak out, that even Abraham before his conversion was chargeable with not paying due reverence and worship to God, as the word ‘, which we render ungodly, properly imports. See on chap. Rom 1:18.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Ver. 5. His faith ] Yet not as a work, not in a proper sense, as Arminius and Bertius held, but as an act of receiving Christ.
That justifieth the ungodly ] i.e. Him that was ungodly; but being justified is made godly also; or the ungodly, that is, him that is not perfectly godly; for Abraham is here made the ungodly person.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
5. ] But to him who works not (for hire, is not an looking for his ) but believes on (casts himself in simple trust and humility on) Him who justifies (accounts just, as in Rom 4:3 ) the ungodly (‘ impious :’ stronger than ‘unrighteous:’ no allusion to Abraham’s having formerly been in idolatry, for the sentence following on Rom 4:4 , which is general and of universal application, must also be general, including of course Abraham: is the state of all men by nature), his faith is reckoned as righteousness . is of course implied.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
believeth. App-150.
ungodly = impious. Greek. asebes. Here, Rom 5:6. 1Ti 1:9. 1Pe 4:18. 2Pe 2:5; 2Pe 3:7. Jud 1:15. Compare App-128.
faith. App-150.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
5.] But to him who works not (for hire,-is not an looking for his ) but believes on (casts himself in simple trust and humility on) Him who justifies (accounts just, as in Rom 4:3) the ungodly (impious: stronger than unrighteous:-no allusion to Abrahams having formerly been in idolatry,-for the sentence following on Rom 4:4, which is general and of universal application, must also be general,-including of course Abraham: is the state of all men by nature),-his faith is reckoned as righteousness. is of course implied.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rom 4:5. , the ungodly) This points out the excellence of faith, which hath established it so as that the ungodly are justified, ch. Rom 5:6. Compare and consider the end of Rom 4:17 of this chapter. Translate , him who is ungodly. Justification belongs to individuals. This word is a most conclusive proof that Paul is speaking, even most especially, of the moral law, by the works of which no one can be justified.- , according to the purpose of the grace of God) A very ancient translator[44] of the Scriptures into Latin has this clause; following him, Hilariu[45], the deacon; then the scholiast on Jerome, etc. Beza acknowledges that it is exceedingly suitable; for there is a manifest antithesis between, not according to grace, but according to debt [Rom 4:4] etc., according to the purpose of the grace of God. The Greek transcribers might easily jump from to [omitting . , etc.] During the time that intervened between the publication of the Apparatus and the Gnomon, I have advanced on without inconsistency to the embracing of this clause, to which Beza is not opposed. Baumgarten has put in his negative. I have stated my reasons; he has given his; let those judge who are able. Paul sets in opposition to each other, works and , the purpose; and at the very time too, when he is speaking definitely of certain believers, the subjects of that purpose, as in this passage, of Abraham.
[44] Some old copies of the Vulg. have the words. But the Cod. Amiatinus, the oldest MS. of the Vulg., omit them.-ED.
[45] ilarius (a Latin father: died 368 A.D.) Ed. Maurinorum, Paris. 1693.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rom 4:5
Rom 4:5
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,-To him that does not seek to merit salvation by works of his own, but walks in the law of faith, given by him who justifies the ungodly, his faith leads him to obey the law of faith; and the faith that thus leads him to do what God commands him, that faith will be reckoned unto him for righteousness. It is a faith perfected by obedience- a faith that works through love. The things embraced in the law of faith are conditions to be complied with that show that we are in a state of heart that fits and prepares us for salvation. God requires us to do nothing that can possibly claim merit, or for which man could claim favor. There is nothing in believing in God, in repenting toward God, in being baptized out of self into Christ, that would have even the appearance of merit. [On the other hand, the spiritual value of faith itself, be this whatever it may, attaches of necessity to all action springing from faith. The stream is, in quality, as the fountain whence it issues; the branches, leaves, and fruit, as the tree on which they grow. Paul was never so unwise as to suppose any incompatibility between faith and what he called obedience of faith. (Rom 1:5; Rom 16:26). For in every act produced by faith in Christ, the believer is really looking to him and reposing upon him as the ground of all hope and the source of all life. It is in this and this only that either faith or obedience of faith has any real worth, as constantly fixing the eye of the soul upon Jesus.]
Baptism is sometimes called a work of the person baptized, and it is sometimes claimed that if a man is pardoned in baptism it would be salvation through works; but baptism has fewer of the qualities of works of the person baptized than either faith or repentance. Faith is an act of the heart, the soul, the inner man-something the man does. It is a work; man does the work, but it is Gods work. It is ordained by God and terminates in and honors God. Jesus said: This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (Joh 6:29). So of repentance. Believe and repent are both active-both done by the subject. The person baptized gives himself up into the hands of the administrator, and is buried out of self, to be raised up in Christ, and, as a servant of God, to “walk in the light, as he is in the light. (1Jn 1:7). When a man dies and his friends take his body and bury it, no one could call it a work of the man buried. This is the true type of him who is baptized. And there is no more propriety in calling baptism the work of the man baptized than there is in calling a burial the work of the person buried. Baptism is a work of God performed upon the man baptized through his servant to bring him, dead in trespasses and sins, into the state of life with God. The life is imparted through faith; it turns from sin in repentance and puts off the body of sin in baptism.
his faith is reckoned for righteousness.-The faith that leads a man thus to walk in the works of God and so perfects that faith, God will reckon it to him for righteousness.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
counted
Or, reckoned, or imputed, i.e. put to the account of.
See Phm 1:18, same word:
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
But to: Rom 4:24, Rom 4:25, Rom 3:22, Rom 5:1, Rom 5:2, Rom 10:3, Rom 10:9, Rom 10:10, Act 13:38, Act 13:39, Gal 2:16, Gal 2:17, Gal 3:9-14, Phi 3:9
believeth: Rom 4:24, Rom 3:26-30, Rom 8:30-34, Joh 5:24, Gal 3:8
ungodly: Rom 1:17, Rom 1:18, Rom 5:6-8, Jos 24:2, Zec 3:3, Zec 3:4, 1Co 6:9-11, 1Ti 1:13-15, Tit 3:3-7
his faith: Rom 4:3, Hab 2:4
Reciprocal: 2Ch 15:7 – your work Pro 17:15 – that justifieth Luk 7:42 – he Luk 18:14 – justified Joh 6:29 – This Rom 3:28 – General Rom 11:6 – And if 1Co 6:11 – but ye are justified Gal 3:12 – the law Gal 5:4 – justified Eph 2:8 – through Col 3:24 – ye shall Tit 2:11 – the grace Tit 3:5 – by works Tit 3:8 – which
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4:5
Rom 4:5. This is just the opposite to the preceding verse.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rom 4:5. But to him that worketh not; to one who does not work for hire. The statement is general, including Abraham, but not specifically applied to him.
Believeth on him. The idea of trustfully resting on is suggested by the original.
That justifieth. Here any other idea than that of accounting righteous is forbidden by the connection.
The ungodly; the ungodly individual, the original is in the singular. The word is chosen to present a strong contrast of justifying, one who is alienated from God is yet accounted righteous by God
His faith, etc. Meyer, while insisting that the merit of Christ always remains the meritorious cause, to which we are indebted for the imputation of our faith, objects to the usual view that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, on the ground that thus the subjective apprehension of Christ is confounded with the apprehended Christ, the objective ground of imputation. But the next verse speaks of Gods reckoning righteousness to a man, and the profound discussion at the close of chap. 5 points more directly to the imputation of Christs righteousness. Comp. the Heidelberg Catechism, Q. 60.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness. [Let us illustrate our point by the case of a workman. If the workman does all he agreed to do, then his reward or hire is due him, not as a matter of grace or favor, but as a just debt. But if, on the contrary, the workman does not fulfill his agreement at all, but merely believes the promise of his employer that he shall nevertheless be paid, then the hire is not hire at all; it is a mere gift of grace and favor, and not a debt. Now, this latter is the position occupied by Abraham, and by every one that believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, for their faith is reckoned unto them for the works of the law–those works of righteousness which they promised to do, but never performed. The sentence is very elliptical, the apostle mingling the illustration with its application, in the on-rushing of his thought.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
5. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. This argument is so plain, clear and explicit that he who runs may read and not be mistaken. Here Paul so utterly annihilates all the dogmas of justification by water baptism, sacraments, legal obedience, church rites, priestcraft, prelacy, popery or ecclesiastical loyalty as to put the gainsayer in the awful attitude of flatly contradicting God Almighty. How strange that people reading these plain and unequivocal statements of the Holy Ghost, by which they are to be judged in the great day, can still swallow down Satans lies, proclaimed from fallen pulpits, and go off after legalistic rites, vainly seeking justification where they will never find it. In order to set this matter clear and unequivocal, God actually justified Abraham twenty-four years before he became a member of the visible church, or received circumcision, lest somebody might be stupid enough to identify justification with legal obedience. Now, remember, if you are not identified with the Abrahamic covenant, you have no interest in Christ (Gal 3:29). If you are a bona fide member of that covenant you are justified by faith alone, without works, like Abraham, whom God converted through faith alone twenty- four years before he received a solitary church ordinance. If you do not belong to the faithful paternity of Abraham, you have no participation in the Fatherhood of God, but, on the contrary, you are a child of the devil (Joh 8:44), with all your boasted church membership and legal obedience.
6. Therefore indeed David speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth righteousness without works [Psalms 31]:
7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered,
8. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord may not impute sin.
9. Therefore cometh this blessedness on the circumcision, or indeed upon the uncircumcision? For we say, that faith was imputed unto Abraham for righteousness.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 5
To him that worketh not; to him who has no meritorious works on which he can rely.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that {d} justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
(d) That makes him who is wicked in himself to be just in Christ.