Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 4:8
Blessed [is] the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
8. will not impute ] i.e. at any time of enquiry and judgment that may arise. They “shall not come into condemnation.” (Joh 5:24.)
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Will not impute sin – On whom the Lord will not charge his sins; or who shall not be reckoned or regarded as guilty. This shows clearly what the apostle meant by imputing faith without works. It is to pardon sin, and to treat with favor; not to reckon or charge a mans sin to him; but to treat him, though personally undeserving and ungodly Rom 4:5, as though the sin had not been committed. The word impute here is used in its natural and appropriate sense, as denoting to charge on man what properly belongs to him. See the note at Rom 4:3.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 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 forgiven, through the mercy of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The same thing is expressed three several ways; there are three things in sin to be considered:
1. There is an offence against God, which is said to be forgiven.
2. There is a filthiness in sin, which is said to be covered.
3. There is guilt in it, which is said not to be imputed.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. As he does not to those whom he justifies in Christ, and by his righteousness; for the sins of such he has imputed to his Son, as their surety; and he has bore them, took them away, having made full satisfaction for them; so that these persons will never be charged with them: they now appear before the throne without fault, and are blameless and irreproveable in the sight of God, and therefore must be eternally happy; for he will never think of their sins any more to their hurt; he will remember them no more; he “will never reckon them to them”, but acquit them from them, justify and accept them; wherefore they must be secure from wrath and condemnation, enjoy much peace and comfort now, and be happy hereafter.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
To whom (). But the best MSS. read like the LXX and so Westcott and Hort, “whose sin.”
Will not reckon ( ). Strong negation by double negative and aorist middle subjunctive.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Blessed is the man,” (Makarios Aner) “Blessed is a man;” This redeemed, righteous man is described, Psa 1:1 to Psa 2:1 and in the Beatitudes of our Lord, Mat 5:3-12. These beatitudes were pronounced upon, given to our Lord’s church, Mat 5:12.
2) “To whom the Lord,” (ou kurios) “Of whom,” or “to whom the Lord;” to, toward, or of the believer no more charge of eternal condemnation will be brought by the Lord, Mat 5:24.
3) “Will not impute sin,” (ou me logisetai hamartian) “By no means may reckon (impute) or hold to his account sin,” any more to eternal condemnation — This is eternal liberation, emancipation, from bondage, by grace thru faith, Psa 32:2; Joh 10:27-29; Eph 4:30; Rom 6:23.
PLEADING OF POVERTY
There is a legal process in which a person pleads before the court in what is called in forma pauperis, that is, he pleads as a poor man, he pleads his poverty; and there are certain privileges allowed to those who thus plead in forma pauperis which are not accorded to the wealthiest persons in the land. This is the only successful way in which to plead with God: we must come as paupers, having nothing of our own; giving up every pretence of right or claim of deserving. We must cry, “Lord, I am lost! I am lost! I am lost! but Thou hast lived and Thou has died; Thy life, Thy sufferings, Thy griefs, Thy groans, Thy death, all these were for those who needed such a sin-atoning sacrifice, and on that sacrifice by blood I rest; I cast myself, lost and ruined, upon the work which Jesus Christ has done for me!” — Spurgeon.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Rom 4:8. Blessed is the man, &c. See on Psa 32:1-2 and the Inferences. Will not impute sin] What the imputing or reckoning of righteousness is, Rom 4:6 may be seen in this verse, namely. “the not reckoning of sin to any one;””the not putting sin to his account;” the Apostle, in these verses, using the expressions as equivalent. Hence the expression of blotting out iniquity, so frequently used in sacred Scripture, may be understood; that is, the striking it out of the account. The Greek word , signifies to reckon or account; and, with a dative case, to put to any one’s account. See Locke on Rom 4:3 and the note on Rom 4:22.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Ver. 8. Imputeth not ] Chargeth it not, setteth it not upon his score,2Co 5:192Co 5:19 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
8. ] , as the same construction usually in the N. T., is future (Winer, edn. 6, 56. 3), and must be referred to the great final judgment. Or we may say with Olsh. that the expression is an O. T. one, regarding sin as lying covered by the divine long-suffering till the completion of the work of Christ, at which time first real forgiveness of sins was imparted to the ancient believers; compare Mat 27:53 ; 1Pe 3:18 . In this last view the future will only refer to all such cases as should arise.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
LORD. App-98.
not. App-105. Quoted from Psa 32:1, Psa 32:2. App-107.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
8.] , as the same construction usually in the N. T., is future (Winer, edn. 6, 56. 3), and must be referred to the great final judgment. Or we may say with Olsh. that the expression is an O. T. one, regarding sin as lying covered by the divine long-suffering till the completion of the work of Christ, at which time first real forgiveness of sins was imparted to the ancient believers; compare Mat 27:53; 1Pe 3:18. In this last view the future will only refer to all such cases as should arise.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rom 4:8. , to whom) Greater force is given to the sense, by the transition from the plural in the preceding, to the singular in this verse; as also the more express mention of the man and of the Lord lends additional force.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rom 4:8
Rom 4:8
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin.-To the man thus submissive to God, God will not reckon sin.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Lord Jehovah. Rom 4:7; Rom 4:8.
impute Or, reckoned, or imputed, i.e. put to the account of. See Phm 1:18, same word:
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
to whom: Isa 53:10-12, 2Co 5:19-20, Phm 1:18, Phm 1:19, 1Pe 2:24, 1Pe 3:18
Reciprocal: Gen 28:4 – the blessing Exo 34:7 – forgiving Num 23:21 – hath not 1Sa 2:2 – none holy Act 15:1 – Except Rom 7:17 – it is no more Rom 8:1 – no
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE BELIEVER
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Rom 4:8
The text is a part of the quotation from David (Psa 32:1-2), and it suggests these questions, viz.
I. To whom will the Lord not impute sin?The answer is
(a) To those who believe in Christ. Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness (Rom 4:3). But what did God reveal to Abraham which was the matter of his believing? The promise concerning his seed (cf. Gen 12:3; Gen 15:5-6). But that seed was Christ (cf. Gen 3:15; Gal 3:16). Agreeably to this God gave to Abraham the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had (Rom 4:11). For this was a sign of the cutting off out of the land of the living of the holy seed of promise. It was also a sign of the cutting off or removal from the believer of all concupiscence through Christ. This also was the case with David. He had wonderful insight into the manner of man Messiah should be, who was to arise in his line, and who was to become, by imputation, wicked, and suffer the punishment of sin for us, from the hands of God and man (see 2Sa 7:14; 2Sa 7:19; Heb 1:5).
(b) To those who believe in Christ alone. This was the point at issue with the Judaisers. They pleaded for the works of the the law in addition. They especially pleaded for circumcision as a condition of justification. But was Abraham justified by the law? Certainly not, for the law was not given till four hundred years after Abrahams time (see Gal 3:17-18). And as to circumcision: Abraham was justified by faith for at least fifteen years (some say twenty-five) before he received this rite. Gods mercy found Abraham a heathen (Jos 24:2). Then, he believed God, not as a righteous man, but being ungodly, and received the justification of faith. We are saved by grace, purely by Gods merciful prerogative, through the redemption of Christ. This also was the source of Davids justification, as expressed in the text. It is not in the nature of law to justify the ungodly. It will justify the innocent. To the ungodly law can only work wrath, by discovering transgression, and bringing down its penalty.
(c) With what kind of faith must we believe? There are two kindsviz. the faith of assent, and the faith of confidence or reliance. The former is the foundation of the latter. The former may exist without the latter. The latter is the saving faith. We must confide in Christ as our Saviour. We must rely upon Him for salvation. Justification by faith is so plain that all may comprehend it. It is so free that all may attain it.
(d) Here is no countenance to the Antinomian doctrine of imputed righteousness. That doctrine is that the active personal righteousness of Christ is imputed to every believer. But this is not St. Pauls doctrine. It is nowhere stated in Scripture that Christs obedience to the moral law is imputed to any man. It is not common sense. For how could Christ, e.g., have fulfilled for us the moral duties of parents, husbands, wives, servants, etc., when He never sustained these relations? The meritorious cause of our justification, laid down in Scripture everywhere, is the death of Christ (cf. Rom 3:25; Rom 5:6; Rom 5:10; Eph 1:7; Eph 5:2; Col 1:14; Col 1:20; Col 1:22; 1Ti 2:6; Tit 2:14; Heb 10:10). In the death of Christ the requirement of the broken law is fully met. Before it was broken the law required obedience; but broken, it does not now look for obedience, but for the death of the sinner. This requirement Christ met by becoming the sinner, or sin-bearer, in our stead, and by suffering for us the penalty. The instrumental cause of our justification is faith. Faith is imputed for righteousness. The ungodly is justified by his faith.
II. What is the blessedness of the believer?
(a) He is released from the punishment of sin. The death of hell is a fearful reality. Its fearfulness may be realised in the fact that it is the antithesis of the glorious life of heaven. The anger of God is a dreadful fire. It makes the death of the body a king of terrors. This death terminates our probation, as well as ends to the sinner the enjoyments of existence. It introduces him to the judgment seat. Release here is a grand relief. Blessed is the man. His iniquities are forgiven. He is healed as just. He has nothing now to fear.
(b) He enjoys the inheritance of the saints. He has the blessing of Abraham. For he is the son of Abraham. Not according to the flesh. To be lineal descendants of Abraham is not without its blessings (see Rom 9:1-5). But the children of the promise are the children of faith. These are counted for the seed. As Jabal was the father of shepherds, and Jubal of musicians, so is Abraham the father of believers. The blessing of Abraham makes us heirs of the covenant. It gives us the blessings of adoption into the family of God (Eph 1:5-6). It entitles us to the inheritance of heaven (Heb 11:8-10). He has also the sure mercies of David. The royalty of the saints is brought out as the covenant was established with David (cf. 2Sa 7:12-17; Psa 89:1-4; Psa 89:27-37; Dan 7:18; Rom 5:17; 1Co 6:2; 2Ti 2:12; Rev 1:6; Rev 5:10; Rev 11:15; Rev 20:6; Rev 22:5).
(SECOND OUTLINE)
THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS
Here is the gift of forgiveness in Christ, free to us as the air we breathe.
I. Man owes perfect obedience to the law of God.God imputes, reckons with, a man in the matter of obedience. Gods law is holy, just, good; is adapted to mans nature. Whatever his bias to sin, the great word ought is felt by man as that which describes his relation to the law of God.
II. Man has not paid this perfect obedience.He must acknowledge sin. A debt is due by him. Was there ever such a hopeless bankrupt as man in relation to the law of God? We have sinned; what shall we answer Thee, Thou preserver of souls? Wert Thou just to mark our iniquities we could not answer.
III. God for Christs sake offers to remit the debt.He will not impute sin. Nature has no full forgiveness for any transgression of her laws. In the healing of disease, etc., she mitigates, but does not entirely pardon. Her freed men have an inferior place to her free men. But the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin. It is a sea in which it is buried out of sight.
IV. This offer must be accepted by each man individually.The man. You and I must have the announcement of forgiveness spoken into our ear. Thy sins which were many are all forgiven thee.
V. The great blessing of the Gospel.Blessed is the man. Redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sin. It is the first and direct gift of God to man as a sinner. It is the entrance to the home of Gods love and peace and joy. Blessed only the man by whom the doorway is entered.
Illustration
If our sins were the cause of Christs suffering, the emotions which should be awakened in our breast should surely be a fear of sin. With the awful and mysterious declaration of the text before our eyes, what possible hope of escape can we have if we continue in sin? Another habitual feeling which the great truth of the text should leave in our hearts is a hatred for sin. Many reasons have we, indeed, to hate sin, for it is the degradation of our race, the cause of all our sufferings, and the peril of our everlasting future; and the more we are taught by Gods Spirit to see the beauty of holiness, and to love the just and the pure and the true, the more we shall hate sin for its own sake, its moral deformity, and its enmity to God and to good. But while fear and hatred of sin should accompany a belief in the atonement, the truth should be embraced by a trusting and cheerful faith. The mysterious greatness of the sacrifice offered when Christ suffered magnifies the Divine justice and the guilt of sin. It also demonstrates the infinitude of Gods mercy. The atonement thus embraced by faith should be the root and spring of a loving obedience. The highest conceivable instance of Gods love, it should enkindle in our hearts the love of God.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
4:8
Rom 4:8. Not impute sin means to forgive them. (See the preceding verse.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rom 4:8. Will not reckon sin. The negation is very strong, will in no wise reckon. This may refer to the final judgment, but more probably points to the method of entire forgiveness (future to Davids eye) revealed in the gospel.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin. [The quotation from David does not show a positive imputation of righteousness, but a negative one–a refusal to reckon the unrighteous. “It is implied,” says Alford, “by Paul, that the remission of sin is equivalent to the imputation of righteousness, that there is no negative state of innocence, none intermediate between acceptance for righteousness and rejection for sin.” This accords with the entire trend of Scripture, which recognizes but two great classes: those who shall stand upon the right, and those who shall pass to the left in the judgment. Paul has now concluded his first point in the test case of Abraham–he has shown that he was justified by faith, and that such a justification was recognized by David, and pronounced blessed. He now takes up the second point, and shows that if Abraham was not justified by the doing of the law, neither was he by the rite of circumcision. In this part of the argument it should be borne in mind that God declared Abraham justified by faith at least thirteen years before Abraham submitted to the rite of circumcision. Moreover, he unites Abraham with all the uncircumcised, and tries the case of all in Abraham.]