Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 4:16

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,

16. Therefore, &c.] Lit. Therefore out of faith, that according to grace; a singularly terse sentence even in Gr. “ Therefore: ” q. d., “such being the case under Law, the Divine mercy acted accordingly on our behalf.” The clause may be expanded: “Therefore God took faith as the one condition of justification, so that justification might stand clear of the conditions laid down necessarily in His Law; i.e. those of perfect obedience, outward and inward. That is to say, the justification was ‘according to grace,’ for it treated man as having what he had not meritorious righteousness.” We might of course supply “the promise,” or “the inheritance,” instead of “justification,” as the subject in these clauses. But the latter idea is so much the more prominent, that it is the safer suggestion.

sure ] i.e. not imperilled by the conditions of the Law for the Jewish believer, and by the lack of its privileges for the Gentile believer.

not to that only ] The Gr. has grammatical difficulties, but the sense is practically as in E. V. The “seed” is regarded as in its two great divisions; and here first, that which is “of the law,” i.e. Jewish believers, not as really having a claim from the law, but taken as having one, to bring out the validity of the claim of faith on the Gentiles’ part.

the faith of Abraham ] Abraham is here the example of manifestly extra-legal faith, and therefore the case in point for the Gentile. Not that the Jewish believer (Rom 4:12) did not equally need “Abraham’s faith,” but the stress here is on the case of the Gentile.

us all ] i.e. all believers; the “nations of the saved” (cp. Gal 3:7). Here first St Paul seems distinctly to turn from his Jewish opponents to his co-believers, Jewish or Gentile. Henceforth there is little if any anti-Jewish reasoning. Wonderful was the triumph of the Gospel, which made it not only possible but profoundly natural for former Pharisees and former idolaters to unite as “we” and “us” in Christ.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Therefore – In view of the course of reasoning which has been pursued. We have come to this conclusion.

It is of faith – Justification is by faith; or the plan which God has devised of saving people is by faith, Rom 3:26.

That it might be by grace – As a matter of mere undeserved mercy. If people were justified by law, it would be by their own merits; now it is of mere unmerited favor.

To the end – For the purpose, or design.

The promise … – Rom 4:13.

Might be sure – Might be firm, or established. On any other ground, it could not be established. If it had depended on entire conformity to the Law, the promise would never have been established, for none would have yielded such obedience. But now it may be secured to all the posterity of Abraham.

To all the seed – Rom 4:13.

Not to that only – Not to that part of his descendants alone who were Jews, or who had the Law.

But to that … – To all who should possess the same faith as Abraham. The father of us all. Of all who believe, whether they be Jews or Gentiles.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Rom 4:16

Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace.

How is salvation received

I. The fact.

1. It is of faith. And what is faith? It is taking God at His Word, and acting upon that by trusting in Him. Some of the Puritans used to divide it into three parts.

(1) Self-renunciation, which is, perhaps, rather a preparation for faith than faith itself.

(2) Reliance, in which a man trusts, and leaves his soul in the Saviours hands.

(3) Appropriation, by which a man takes to himself that which God presents in the promise. We shall, however, better understand what faith is as we consider–

1. Abrahams case.

(1) He believed the promise of God firmly and practically. He was in Chaldea when the Lord promised to give him a land and a seed, and straightway he went forth, not knowing whither he went. When he came into Canaan he had no settled resting place, but still believed that the land wherein he sojourned as a stranger was his own. God promised to give him a seed, and he waited till he was a hundred years old and Sarah ninety when Isaac was born. Nor did he doubt when the Lord bade him take Isaac and offer him up as a sacrifice.

(2) He had an eye to the central point of the promise, the Messiah. When the Lord said that He would make him a blessing, and in him should all the nations of the earth be blessed, I do not suppose Abraham saw all the fulness of that marvellous word; but our Lord declares, Abraham saw My day and was glad.

(3) He considered no difficulties whatever (Rom 4:18-19). These were terrible difficulties; they were for God to consider, and not for him.

(4) He gave glory to God (Rom 4:20). God had promised, and he treated the Lords promise with becoming reverence. He knew that Jehovah is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent. Abraham glorified the truth of God, and at the same time he glorified His power. It belongs to puny man to speak more than he can do; but is anything too hard for the Lord?

(5) He rested upon the Lord alone (Rom 4:21). There was nothing whatever in his house, his wife, himself, or anywhere else, which could guarantee the fulfilment of the promise. He had only God to look to, and what could a man have more? And this is the kind of faith which God loves and honours, which wants no signs, evidences, or other buttresses to support the word of the Lord. Dictum! Factum! These twain are one with the Most High.

2. The faith of every man who is saved must be of this character. When we are saved–

(1) We take the promise of God and depend upon it.

(2) We believe in God over the head of great difficulties. If it was hard for Abraham to believe that a son should be born unto him, methinks it is harder for a sinner to believe the hopeful things which the gospel prophesies unto him.

(a) Can the gospel message be true to such a worthless rebel as I am? Despite the trepidation of the awakened spirit, the Holy Spirit enables it to quiet itself with the firm persuasion that God for Christs sake doth put away its sin.

(b) Another miracle is also believed in, namely, regeneration. This is quite as great an act of faith as Abraham to believe in the birth of a child by parents who were advanced in years. The faith which saves believes in Jesus and obtains power to become children of God and strength to conquer sin.

(c) Does it not seem incredible that such feeble, foolish creatures as we should continue in faith? Yet this we must do; and the faith which saves enables us to believe that we shall persevere, for it is persuaded that the Redeemer is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him.

(d) We believe, according to Gods promise, that we shall one day be without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Without fault before the throne of God. But how is this to be? Surely our confidence is, that He who has promised it is able to perform it.

(3) This saving faith rests in the power of God as manifested in Jesus (Rom 4:24-25). It is not to us a thing incredible that God should raise the dead; we therefore believe that because God has raised the dead He hath raised us also from our death in sin, and that He will raise our bodies too.

II. The first reason why God has chosen to make salvation by faith, that it might be of grace. He might have willed to make the condition of salvation a mitigated form of works. If He had done so it would not have been of grace. As water and oil will not mix, and as fire and water will not lie down side by side in quiet, so neither will the principle of merit and the principle of free favour. Grace and faith are congruous, and will draw together in the same chariot, but grace and merit pull opposite ways, and therefore God has not chosen to yoke them together.

1. In Abrahams case, inasmuch as he received the blessing by faith, it is very evident that it was of grace. No man thinks of Abraham as a self-justifying person, saying, God, I thank Thee that I am not as other men. His name is not the father of the innocent, but the father of the faithful.

2. Inasmuch as we are saved by faith, every believer is made to see for himself that, in his own instance, it is grace. Believing is such a self-renunciating act that no man who looks for eternal life thereby ever talked about his own merits. He cannot get away from simple faith, for the moment he attempts to do so he feels the ground going from under him.

3. Through the prominence given to faith, the truth of salvation by grace is so conspicuously revealed that even the outside world are compelled to see it, though the only result may be to make them cavil.

4. Moreover, faith never did clash with grace yet. When the sinner comes and trusts to Christ, and Christ saith to him, I forgive thee freely by My grace, faith says, O Lord, that is what I want. But if I give thee everlasting life it will not be because thou deservest it, but for Mine own names sake. Faith replies, O Lord, that also is precisely as I desire.

5. Faith is the child of grace. The believer knows that his faith is not a seed indigenous to the soil of his heart, but an exotic planted there by Divine wisdom; and he knows too that if the Lord does not nourish it his faith will die like a withered flower. Faith is begotten and sustained by a power not less mighty than that which raised our Lord from the dead.

III. A further reason. To the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed. For–

1. It could not have been sure to us Gentiles by the law, because we were not under the law of Moses at all. The Jew, coming under the law, might have been reached by a legal method, but we who are Gentiles would have been altogether shut out. Therefore grace chooses to bless us by faith in order that the Gentile may partake of the blessing of the covenant as well as the Jew.

2. The other method has failed already in every ease. We have all broken the law already, and so have put ourselves beyond the power of ever receiving blessing as a reward of merit. What remaineth, then, if we are to be saved at all, but that it should be of faith?

3. It is of faith that it might be sure. Under the system of works nothing is sure. Suppose you were under a covenant of salvation by works, and you had fulfilled those works up till now, yet you would not be sure. But after all you have done for these long years you may lose everything before you have finished your next meal. But see the excellence of salvation by grace, for when you reach the ground of faith you are upon terra firma.

4. If the promise had been made to works there are some of the seed to whom most evidently it never could come. If salvation to the dying thief must come by works, how can he be saved? but he believed, cast a saving eye upon the Lord Jesus and said, Lord, remember me, and the promise was most sure to him, for the answer was, Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Salvation of faith, that it might be by grace

I. Because faith is the gift of God, not the recompense of any previous desert. Were it otherwise, all would live and die in unbelief; for no one could deserve the gift, and no one would believe on whom it was not bestowed. Faith is a coming to Christ for life; but this coming is alone the effect of Divine influence (Joh 6:65). The habit, the exercise, and the increase of faith, are all from God.

II. Faith is a suppliant grace, sensible of its own poverty and inefficacy (Pro 18:23). One of the most modest, and yet importunate suppliants was the woman of Canaan; and our Lord attributed her importunity to the strength of her faith. The prayer of faith is the least assuming, the most submissive. Its language is, Lord, save, or I perish. God be merciful to me a sinner.

III. Faith receives all from Christ; it is the empty hand extended towards Him for a full and complete salvation. Love may be said indeed to give, but it is the office of faith only to receive. Faith receives the truths and blessings of Christ Himself; and is constantly receiving out of His fulness, even grace for grace. It is also of the nature of faith to receive all with humility and self-abasement (Psa 115:1; Rom 3:27).

IV. The entire dependence of faith upon the will of God. Its language is, Let Him do with me as seemeth good in His sight. If I am condemned, the sentence will be just; if saved, it will be owing to a multitude of tender mercies. Its hand is laid, not upon the duties it performs, but upon the head of the great atoning sacrifice. When it asks it is in the name of Jesus; what it expects is alone for His sake, both grace here and glory hereafter.

V. There is an imperfection in faith, which shows that it can have no meritorious influence on our salvation. If faith has any strength, it arises not from itself, but from its object; it needs continual support, and is often ready to sink under the weight of objections and oppositions. It may in this respect be said of graces as it is of persons, God hath chosen the things that are weak and despised (1Co 1:28-29; 1Co 12:24).

VI. Faith is humble and self-denying. Its language is, after all its laborious exertions, Yet not I–I can do nothing. It is Christ that has done, it is He that must do all. I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof, says the centurion. I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel, replied the Saviour. It puts on the robe, but it did not weave it; it shows the debt paid, but did not discharge it. We are said to live by faith; yet faith says, It is not I, but Christ liveth in me.

1. If salvation be of faith, what will become of unbelievers (Joh 3:18-36).

2. If salvation be of faith, that it might be by grace, then it is no wonder that Satan employs his utmost endeavours to prevent faith, and also to destroy it (2Co 4:4).

3. Let his malignant activity excite us to watchful. Less and diligence, and to beware of his devices. (B. Beddome, M. A.)

Salvation by grace through faith

I. Salvation is by faith in order–

1. That it might be by grace, or pure favour and goodwill. Coming thus–

(1) It honours God as an act of royal beneficence.

(2) It honours man as making him the object, not of Divine justice and wisdom merely, but of Divine charity.

(3) It blesses the recipient by culturing humility and gratitude.

2. That the promise may be sure to all–

(1) Were it by works, however, some may fancy themselves able to gain it, the mass of mankind must despair.

(2) Were it by works the original purpose of its provision could not be fulfilled, for the promise was to all nations.

(3) Faith in a condition which all may fulfil; the feeblest as the strongest, the most guilty as the least guilty, the debtor of ten thousand talents as the debtor of an hundred pence.

III. This faith is exemplified in Abraham. He is the father of all who believe, as Tubal is the father of iron workers, and Jubal of musicians. His faith is exhibited as–

1. A faith that regarded God as the quickener of the dead and Creator of things not existing–as a God with whom nothing was impossible.

2. A faith that looked for fulfilment of the promise when there was no probability of that fulfilment; as when he believed in his possession of Canaan.

3. A faith that expected when fulfilment seemed impossible; as when he believed the promise of a son to himself and aged, barren Sarah.

4. A faith that failed not when fulfilment seemed to be stopped by the acts of God Himself; as When the whole promised seed lay doomed to death upon the altar.

5. A. faith that staggered not–a full persuasion of heart.

6. A faith that practically confided: as when he went forth from his fathers house, and when he bound Isaac for death; thus a faith made perfect by works. His seed are all who imitate his faith. (W. Griffiths.)

Salvation by grace through faith

I. Salvation is by faith.

1. A deliverance.

2. Effected for us.

3. Through faith.

4. In Christ.

5. Without merit.

II. That it might be of grace.

1. Received.

2. Felt.

3. Recognised.

4. Enjoyed as grace. (J. Lyth, D. D.)

Salvation by grace

In a period of religious awakening, Sammy thought himself a subject of the work, and, with others, presented himself for admission to the Church. The office bearers hesitated, on the ground that he might not have sufficient capacity to comprehend the doctrines of the gospel and the evidences of conversion. They concluded, however, to examine him, and began with the subject of regeneration. Do you think, Sammy, said the pastor, that you have been born again? I think I have, was the answer. Well, if so, whose work is that? Oh! God did a part, and I did a part. Ah! what part did you do, Sammy? Why, I opposed God all I could; and He did the rest. The result of the examination was, that, so far as they could judge, the Holy Spirit had been Sammys theological teacher, and had indeed created him anew in Christ, not of works, lest any man should boast. (Christian Treasury.)

Faith not meritorious, but effectual

It does not stand in the place of obedience, as the terms of a new bargain, that has been substituted in room of an old one. It is very natural to conceive that, as under the old covenant we had salvation for our works, so, under the new, we have salvation for our faith; and that, therefore, faith is that which wins and purchases the reward. And thus Heavens favour is still looked upon as a premium, not for doing, it is true, but for believing. And this has just the effect of infusing the legal spirit into our evangelical system; and thus, not merely of nourishing the pride and the pretension of its confident votaries, but of prolonging the disquietude of all earnest and humble inquiries. For, instead of looking broadly out on the gospel as an offer, they look as anxiously within for the personal qualification of faith, as they ever did upon the personal qualification of obedience. This transfers their attention from that which is sure, even the promises of God–to that which is unsure, even their own fickle and fugitive emotions. Instead of thinking upon Christ, they perpetually think upon themselves. They ought surely to cast their challenged and their invited regards on Him, who calls them to look upon Him from all the ends of the earth and be saved! But no! they cast their eyes with downward obstinacy upon their own minds; and there toil for the production of faith in the spirit of bondage; and perhaps, after they are satisfied with the fancied possession of it, rejoice over it as they would over any other meritorious acquirement in the spirit of legality. This is not the way in which the children of Israel looked out upon the serpent in the wilderness. They did not pore upon their wounds to mark the progress of healing there; nor did they reflect upon the power and perfection of their seeing faculties; nor did they even suffer any doubt that still lingered in their imaginations, to restrain them from the simple act of lifting up their eyes. And when they were cured in consequence, they would never think of this as a reward for their looking, but regard it as the fruit of Heavens gracious appointment. Do in like manner. It will make both against your humility and your peace, that you regard faith in the light of a meritorious qualification; or that you attempt to draw a comfort from the consciousness of faith, which you ought directly to draw from the contemplation of the Saviour. If salvation be given as a reward for faith, then it is not of grace. But we are told in this verse that it is of faith, expressly that it might be by grace. In the one way, you can only be as sure of the promise as you are sure of yourself; and what a frail and fluctuating dependence is this! In the other way, you are as sure of the promise as you are sure of God; and thus your confidence has a rock to repose upon. And in the very act of leaning upon God, man is upheld not only in hope but in holiness. It is in the very position of standing erect upon the foundation of the promises that the promised strength as well as the promised righteousness is fulfilled to him. It is in the very act of looking unto Jesus, that the light of all that grace and truth which shine from the countenance of the Saviour is let in upon the soul; and is thence reflected back again in the likeness of this worth and virtue from his own person. (T. Chalmers, D. D.)

To the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed.—

The promise made sure–grace and faith

I. The end in view–that the promise may be sure to all the seed. Every promise of God is sure in the sense of being trustworthy. But the fulfilment is not necessarily sure to any, for they come short of its stipulations. The certainty here is the opposite of what is deprecated in Rom 4:4 : the promise being made of none effect, i.e., falling short of its full accomplishment. Let us think of the origin of the promise.

1. Let us behold the Father taking up the question of the inheritance. It is the heirship of the world (Rom 4:13). Who are ultimately to inherit? That must be settled before anything about it can become the subject of promise at all. And in settling that, there must be sovereign choice.

2. The Son has from everlasting an interest in the promise. The inheritance which it conveys is in the first instance destined to Him (Heb 1:2). He is the one seed; and others are included in the seed only as being one with Him. Through what a ministry on His part they are to become fellow heirs with Him He all along knows full well. He is to bear their griefs and carry their sorrows; to be made sin, to be made a curse for them. Through such sore travail of His soul in their stead He is to obtain the fulfilment of the promise: to see in them His seed; the seed that being one with Him is to be the heir of the world, to inherit all things in Him.

2. The Holy Spirit is one with the Father and the Son; as in the essence of the Divine nature, so also in this covenant of peace. He is a party to it. The seed who are to be heirs are to be put into His hands, to be made one with the Son in His heirship, and one with one another in the Son. That the promise may be sure, He must put forth His soul-subduing power. Is He to do so otherwise than on the footing of its being sure to all the seed?

II. The two steps by which alone it is to be reached. But why should there be any steps? Why may not the mere fiat of Omnipotence at once secure the end in view? God has but to speak, and Out of these stones He is able to raise up children unto Abraham. Yes! And if it were stones that He had to deal with, the old creation formula–Let it be–would suffice. The voice might go forth, not only figuratively, Thy seed shall be as the sand, but literally, Let the sand by thy seed. And if the seed could be as stones, or as sand, ever after, to be managed as stones or sand, the problem of securing that the promise should be sure might be easily solved. But it is not so. For the materials are not stone or sand, but beings who have possessed and abused the faculty of free will. The problem is solved, however, when we take into account the two steps here indicated as securing the result.

1. It is by grace. The whole economy is alive and instinct with grace.

(1) Its origin is very gracious. It has its rise in the favour which the Son ever finds in the Fathers right from everlasting. What but this grace moves the Father to appoint the Son heir of all things (Heb 1:2)? And that is at once the source and pattern of all subsequent exercises of the same grace in time.

(2) It is by the same grace that, in virtue of His being appointed heir of all things, the Son is the agent by whom God made the worlds, and who upholdeth all things by the word of His power (Heb 1:3). It is for the grace He ever has with the Father that, as the Lord of creation and providence, and now the Lord of the economy of redemption, He has in all the preeminence (Col 1:16-18).

(3) For very specially this grace appears in His having constituted the Saviour of men. When He comes into the world on His errand of redemption He finds grace and favour in the Fathers eyes (Mat 3:17). When He leaves the world, His work being finished, He finds grace and favour still (Rom 1:4). It is because the Father graciously accepts Him as the righteous one (Isa 53:11), that He sets Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places (Eph 1:20). This grace, love, on the Fathers part, how gladly does the Son always own (Pro 8:30-31)! How willingly does He welcome the task that is to cost Him so dear (Psa 40:7-8)!

(4) And now it may be seen how the Fathers treatment of those who are the Sons seed, is simply an extension of the favour which He bears to the Son Himself. They are embraced or comprehended in the grace which the Son ever finds in the Fathers sight. It is on this principle that the Father proceeds in pardoning, acquitting, justifying, glorifying them (Eph 1:6).

2. It is of faith. Why? Simply, that it may still be all by grace. We have seen that it is by grace alone that any are admitted into fellowship with the Son in His gracious work and ministry of substitution. Let us now see what grace there is in the terms, or the manner, of their admission, Freely, unreservedly, unconditionally; if they will; when they will. Ah! but does not this really destroy all certainty? If they will! Does it not cast doubt on everything? When they will! When will they? Will they ever? Of what avail then is all this grace to them? And yet how can the thing be otherwise? How can any enter into union with the Son, so as to have the promise made sure to them in Him, otherwise than by its being freely left to their own free choice? If the grace is to be free, it must be not only freely given, but freely taken. There can be no coercion. There must be cordial and congenial consent. No otherwise can the promise be sure to beings capable of choice. Their free, unforced yes must be got. And if that yes be got, all is safe. Hence the necessity of faith, which is simply that free affirmative response. This may be seen more clearly if we consider–

(1) Faith. The whole virtue of faith lies in its being your actual appropriation of the benefit. Its charm consists in dealing with what is presented to it as its object, not through anything, even itself, coming in between, but directly and immediately, without any regard to itself at all. Now the object with which it has to deal is the promise, or rather the Son, to whom, in the first instance, the promise belongs, and is sure. The only use of faith is that it embraces Christ.

(2) With its office, the nature of faith corresponds. Our entire moral nature is concerned in it. Every faculty and feeling is taken up with Christ. There is no unoccupied power of the mind within at leisure to take cognisance of the rest.

(3) But how shall this full, simple, direct, straightforward faith spring up in any soul? Plainly it is not natural to man. Witness the extreme difficulty of getting men to comprehend it. A Divine teacher is needed to purge the inward sight, and open the eye of the soul. And if, for simply lodging a clear idea of this Divine method of grace in the intellect, the agency of the Divine Spirit Himself is needed, how much more when we are asked to approve of it, to go along with it and become parties to it? Thus by grace are we saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. (R. S. Candlish, D. D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 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 Christ Jesus, have a right to all the blessings contained in the Abrahamic covenant. All the seed necessarily comprehends all mankind. Of the Gentiles there can be no doubt, for the promise was given to Abraham while he was a Gentile; and the salvation of the Jews may be inferred, because they all sprang from him after he became an heir of the righteousness or justification which is received by faith; for he is the father of us all, both Jews and Gentiles. Dr. Taylor has an excellent note on this verse. “Here,” says he, “it should be well observed that faith and grace do mutually and necessarily infer each other. For the grace and favour of God, in its own nature, requires faith in us; and faith on our part, in its own nature, supposes the grace or favour of God. If any blessing is the gift of God, in order to influence our temper and behaviour, then, in the very nature of things, it is necessary that we be sensible of this blessing, and persuaded of the grace of God that bestows it; otherwise it is not possible we should improve it. On the other hand, if faith in the goodness of God, with regard to any blessing, is the principle of our religious hopes and action, then it follows that the blessing is not due in strict justice, nor on the foot of law, but that it is the free gift of Divine goodness. If the promise to Abraham and his seed be of faith on their part, then it is of grace on the part of God. And it is of faith, that it might be by grace: grace, being the mere good will of the donor, is free and open to all whom he chooses to make the objects of it: and the Divine wisdom appointed faith to be the condition of the promise; because faith is, on our part, the most simple principle, bearing an exact correspondence to grace, and reaching as far as that can extend; that so the happy effects of the promise might extend far and wide, take in the largest compass, and be confined to no condition, but what is merely necessary in the nature of things.”

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Here are two new arguments to prove that the inheritance is not of the law, but of faith.

It is of faith, that it might be by grace; for to he justified by faith and by grace are all one with the apostle. Again, that the promise might be sure to all the seed; whereas if it were of the law, it would be uusure and uncertain, because of mans weakness, who is not able to perform it. Abrahams seed is of two sorts. One sort is of the law, to wit, the Jews. Another sort is of such as walk in the steps of Abrahams faith, whether Jews or Gentiles. To all these the promise must be sure; which cannot be, if the law be made the condition or the means of the inheritance.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

16, 17. Therefore, &c.Ageneral summary: “Thus justification is by faith, inorder that its purely gracious character may be seen, and thatall who follow in the steps of Abraham’s faithwhether of hisnatural seed or nomay be assured of the like justification withthe parent believer.”

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace,…. Meaning either the promise of being heir of the world, or the inheritance itself, or adoption which gives heirship, or remission of Sin, or the blessing of justification, either and all of these are of faith; not as the cause or condition of them, but as the means of God’s fixing and appointing to be the recipient of all and each of them: which is done, “that it might be by grace”; appear to be of the free grace and favour of God, as each of these blessings are: forasmuch as every blessing is received by faith, it is manifest it must be by grace; since faith itself is a gift of God’s grace, and lies purely in receiving favours at the hand of God, to whom it gives all the glory of them: and this is done with a further view,

to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed. The promise of the above blessings, particularly of the inheritance which is made in the covenant of grace, ordered in all things and sure, and which could not be disannulled by the law that came after it; this being by faith and of grace, and not of works, nor at all depending upon them, becomes sure to all believers, to all Abraham’s spiritual seed:

not to that only which is of the law; to the Jews, who are said to be of the law, in distinction to the Gentiles who were without it; and designs such of them as were believers in Christ, and to whom the Gospel was the power of God unto salvation; to these the promise was, and was sure, and not to them only:

but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; to the Gentiles, who though they are not by natural descent from Abraham, yet are of the same faith with him, and so are his seed in a spiritual sense:

who is the father of us all; whether Jews or Gentiles, who are Christ’s, and so Abraham’s spiritual seed, and heirs of eternal life, according to the free promise of grace.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Of faith ( ). As the source.

According to grace ( ). As the pattern.

To the end that ( ). Purpose again as in 11.

Sure (). Stable, fast, firm. Old adjective from , to walk.

Not to that only which is of the law ( ). Another instance where (see verse 12) seems in the wrong place. Normally the order would be, , .

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Sure [] . Stable, valid, something realized, the opposite of made of none effect, ver. 14.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “Therefore it is of faith,” (dia touto ek pisteos) “Therefore it is (exists) out of faith;” the promise of both Salvation and Restoration to heirship over the holy land-land-grant territory, was made to Abraham in response to his faith or belief in God’s offer, Gen 15:6; Rom 4:4-5; Rom 4:18.

2) “That it might be by grace,” (hina kata Charin),”In order that it might be according to, or by media of Grace;” The righteousness of God is imparted, imputed, or freely given to penitent believers in Christ by or thru faith, not works, otherwise it would not and could not be by grace, Rom 3:24; Rom 11:6; Eph 2:8-10.

3) “To the end the promise might be sure to all the seed,” (eis to einai Bebaian ten epangelian panti to spermati) “So that the promise might be firm, sure, or secure to all the seed;” the seed of Abraham, as it regarded righteousness with God, included all who should thereafter believe the gospel, as Abraham had done, whether Jew or Gentile, Gal 3:6-9; Gen 15:6; Rom 10:8-13.

4) “Not to that only which is of the law,” (ou to ek tou nomou monon) “Not to the law-seed only;” or those under Moses’ Law; though they had priority for the Christ, the Redeemer had been clearly portrayed to them thru the law by types, shadows, symbols, object lessons, and prophecy, Isa 53:2-11.

5) “But to that also which is of the faith of Abraham,” (alla kai to ek pisteos Abraam) “But also to those of the faith (accounted as seed) of Abraham;” Rom 4:4-5; Rom 9:8; Gal 3:7; Gal 3:22; Rom 11:32.

6) “Who is the father of us all,” (hos estin pater panton hemon) “Who is the father of all of us (who believe); “In the sense that he is given as the first example that spelled out how men became righteous in Salvation, Gal 3:8; Rom 4:1-6; Gen 17:5.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

16. It is therefore of faith, etc. This is the winding up of the argument; and you may summarily include the whole of it in this statement, — “If the heirship of salvation comes to us by works, then faith in it vanishes, the promise of it is abolished; but it is necessary that both these should be sure and certain; hence it comes to us by faith, so that its stability being based on the goodness of God alone, may be secured.” See how the Apostle, regarding faith as a thing firm and certain, considers hesitancy and doubt as unbelief, by which faith is abolished, and the promise abrogated. And yet this doubting is what the schoolmen call a moral conjecture, and which, alas! they substitute for faith.

That it might be by grace, etc. Here, in the first place, the Apostle shows, that nothing is set before faith but mere grace; and this, as they commonly say, is its object: for were it to look on merits, absurdly would Paul infer, that whatever it obtains for us is gratuitous. I will repeat this again in other words, — “If grace be everything that we obtain by faith, then every regard for works is laid in the dust.” But what next follows more fully removes all ambiguity, — that the promise then only stands firm, when it recumbs on grace: for by this expression Paul confirms this truth, that as long as men depend on works, they are harassed with doubts; for they deprive themselves of what the promises contain. Hence, also, we may easily learn, that grace is not to be taken, as some imagine, for the gift of regeneration, but for a gratuitous favor: for as regeneration is never perfect, it can never suffice to pacify souls, nor of itself can it make the promise certain.

Not to that only which is of the law, etc. Though these words mean in another place those who, being absurd zealots of the law, bind themselves to its yoke, and boast of their confidence in it, yet here they mean simply the Jewish nation, to whom the law of the Lord had been delivered. For Paul teaches us in another passage, that all who remain bound to the dominion of the law, are subject to a curse; it is then certain that they are excluded from the participation of grace. He does not then call them the servants of the law, who, adhering to the righteousness of works, renounce Christ; but they were those Jews who had been brought up in the law, and yet professed the name of Christ. But that the sentence may be made clearer, let it be worded thus, — “Not to those only who are of the law, but to all who imitate the faith of Abraham, though they had not the law before.”

Who is the father of us all, etc. The relative has the meaning of a causative particle; for he meant to prove, that the Gentiles were become partakers of this grace, inasmuch as by the same oracle, by which the heirship was conferred on Abraham and his seed, were the Gentiles also constituted his seed: for he is said to have been made the father, not of one nation, but of many nations; by which was presignified the future extension of grace, then confined to Israel alone. For except the promised blessing had been extended to them, they could not have been counted as the offspring of Abraham. The past tense of the verb, according to the common usage of Scripture, denotes the certainty of the Divine counsel; for though nothing then was less apparent, yet as God had thus decreed, he is rightly said to have been made the father of many nations. Let the testimony of Moses be included in a parenthesis, that this clause, “Who is the father of us all,” may be connected with the other, “before God,” etc.: for it was necessary to explain also what that relationship was, that the Jews might not glory too much in their carnal descent. Hence he says, “He is our father before God; ” which means the same as though he had said, “He is our spiritual father;” for he had this privilege, not from his own flesh, but from the promise of God (142)

(142) It appears from [ Pareus ] and [ Hammond ], that some of the Fathers such as [ Chrysostom ], and [ Theophylact ], regarded κατέναντι in the sense of ὁμοίως, like, and have rendered the passage, “like God, in whom he believed;” that is, that as God is not partial, but the Father of all, so Abraham was. But this meaning is not consistent with the import of κατέναντι, nor with the context. The preposition is found in four other places, Mar 11:2; Mar 12:41; Mar 13:3; Luk 19:30, and invariably means before, or, over against. The Septuagint use it in Num 25:4, in the sense of before , κατέναντι τοῦ ἡλίου — “before the sun,” not “ against the sun” as in our version; for the word in Hebrew is נגד, Coram, in conspectu . The context also requires this meaning: Abraham was a father of many nations before God, or, in the view or estimation of God, and not in the view or estimation of men, because God, as it is said at the end of the verse, regards things which are not, as though they were. Hence Abraham was already in God’s view, according to his purpose, the father of many nations.

The collocation of the words is said by [ Wolfius ] to be an instance of Atticism, the word θεοῦ, being separated from its preposition: and οὗ is put for ᾧ by the grammatical law of attraction; and [ Stuart ] brings three similar instances of the relative being regulated by the case of its noun, though preceding it in the sentence, Mar 6:16, Act 21:16; and Rom 6:17

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(16) Therefore it is of faith.The words it is have to be supplied. It stands for the Messianic inheritance, or, in common phrase, salvation. Faith on mans part is correlative with grace on the part of God, and salvation being thus dependent upon grace is as wide and universal as grace itself. It knows no restriction of law.

Not to that only which is of the law.Not only to that part of the human race which belongs to the dispensation of the Law, but also to that which is in a spiritual sense descended from Abraham by imitating his faith.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

16. Father of us all A telling clause by which Paul boldly and forever inserts the Christian Church into sonship to Abraham.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘For this reason it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may 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.’

It is because the Law can only bring down on men the wrath of God that God’s promise had to be based on faith, so that the promise could depend on the unfailing grace of God. This alone made the promise sure of fulfilment. And it was a fulfilment that would be available to ‘all the seed’, that is all whom God had promised to bless through Abraham (the whole world – Gen 12:3). But that being so, this sureness of fulfilment was now not just to be seen as available to those who were ‘of the Law’, if they believed, but was also to be seen as available towards all who believed God as Abraham believed God. And this was because the Scriptures say that Abraham is ‘the father of us all’, not just of those who called themselves the sons of Abraham.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Rom 4:16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace By favour. Here it should be well observed, that faith and favour do mutually and necessarily infer each other; for the grace or favour of God in its own nature requires faith in us, and faith on our part in its own nature supposes the grace or favour of God. If any blessing is the free gift of God in order to influence our temper and behaviour, then in the very nature of things it is necessary that we be sensible of this blessing, and persuaded of the grace of God who bestows it; otherwise, it is not possible we should improve it. On the other hand, if faith in the goodness or favour of God, with regard to any blessing, is the principle of our religious hopes and actions, then it follows, that the blessing is not due in strict justice, or uponthe footing of law; but that it is the free gift of divine goodness. If the promise to Abraham, constituting him and his seed the heirs or first-born of the world, is of faith on our part, then is it by favour on the part of God; and it is of faith that it might be by favour. Favour, being the mere good-will of the donor, is free and open to all whom he chooses to make the objects of it: and the divine wisdom appointed faith to be the condition of that promise, because faith, or a persuasion of the truth of the promise, is on our part the most simple principle; bearing an exact correspondence to grace or favour, and reaching as far as that can extend; that so the happy effects of that promise might spread far and wide, take in the largest compass, and be confined by no condition, but what is merely necessary in the nature of things. See Bengelius, and Calmet. Mr. Locke observes, that the grammatical constructionat the beginning of this verse does not seem much to favour inheritance, as the word to be supplied, (therefore the inheritance is of faith,) because it does not occur in the preceding verses; but he that observes St. Paul’s way of writing, who more regards things than forms of speaking, will be satisfied that it is enough that he mentions heirs, Rom 4:13-14. And that he means inheritance here, is put past a doubt by Gal 3:18.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Rom 4:16 f. ] Inference from Rom 4:15 , consequently from the wrath-operating nature of the law, on account of which it is so utterly incapable of being the condition of the , that the latter must on the contrary result from the opposite of the law from faith, etc. Comp on Rom 4:14 f. This conclusion is so evident and pertinent that it required only the incomplete, but thus all the more striking expression: “ therefore of faith, in order that according to grace ,” to the end that, etc.

] scil, , according to Rom 4:14 . The supplying, by Fritzsche and others, of or from Rom 4:13 is forbidden by the contrast in which . stands to , Rom 4:14 .

] The purpose of God in : “ in order that they might be so by way of grace ,” not by way of merit. Comp Rom 4:4 and Rom 3:24 .

. . [1044] ] contains now in turn the divine purpose, [1045] which prevails in the . They shall be heirs by way of grace; and why by way of grace? In order that the promise may be sure, i.e. may subsist in active validity as one to be realised (the opposite of , Rom 4:14 ) for the collective posterity ( i.e. for all believers, see Rom 5:11 ; Rom 5:13 ), not for those alone, who are such out of the law (not solely for believers who have become so out of the legal bond of Judaism), but also for those who are such out of the faith of Abraham , [1046] i.e. whose Abrahamic kinship is based on Abraham’s faith, the uncircumcised believers. Theophylact: , , , , . If anything else than (such as ) were the reason determining God to confer the , then both halves of the , in their legal imperfection, would be unsecured with respect to the promise. As it is, however, believing Jews as also believing Gentiles have in the divine the same guarantee that the shall be imparted to them .

. . ] reiterated (comp Rom 4:11-12 ) solemn setting forth of the fatherhood of Abraham for all ( ) believers ( ), which was indeed the pith and fundamental idea of the entire argument (since Rom 4:9 ); there is therefore no new point raised here (Hofmann), but this fatherhood of the patriarch in the history of salvation, already clearly laid down, is summarily expressed afresh, in order (Rom 4:17 ), after the insertion of a testimony from Scripture, to present it, by means of . . [1048] , in its holy, divine guarantee and dignity.

. . [1049] ] Gen 17:5 , closely after the LXX.; therefore , for , which in the original text specifies the reason of the name Abraham, is repeated by Paul without any special bearing on his connection, simply as forming part of the words of Scripture.

.] Aptly explained, in the sense of the Apostle, by Chrysostom and Theophylact: , . In this spiritual sense which the passage of Scripture expresses typically he is constituted by God as father of many nations (in so far, namely, as all believers from among the Jews and all Gentile peoples are to be, in the history of salvation, his spiritual ), i.e. appointed , and thus made so (compare Heb 1:2 ; 1Ma 10:65 ; 1Ma 14:34 ; Hom. Od. xv. 253, Il. vi. 300; Plat. Theaet. p. 169 E; Pind. Ol. xiii. 21). Even the original text cannot have meant by merely the twelve tribes of Israel (Hofmann). It means the posterity of Abraham, in so far as Gentile peoples also shall be subjected to it. The Israelite tribes would be .

. ] is connected, after the parenthesis ( . ), with . . To get rid of the parenthesis by supposing a suppressed intervening thought (Philippi), or an asyndeton , as if it were . . [1050] (van Hengel), is a harsh and arbitrary course; while it is impossible to regard . . [1051] as explanation of the (Hofmann), because . can only be taken as the quite common (occurring thirteen times in our Epistle) simple formula for quoting a Scripture proof, and not as: “ in harmony with the Scripture passage.”

, equivalent to the classical , means overagainst (Mar 11:2 ; Mar 12:41 ; Luk 19:30 ), i.e. here: in presence of ( ), coram , as after the Heb. frequently in the LXX. and Apocrypha. See Biel and Schleusner. The attraction is to be resolved into: , : coram Deo, coram quo credidit . [1052] Quite analogous are such passages as Luk 1:4 , , instead of ., Mat 7:2 al [1053] See Bornemann, Schol. in Luc. p. 177; Schmid in the Tb. Zeitschr. f. Theol. 1831, 2, p. 137 ff.; Winer, p. 155 f. [E. T. 204]; comp on Act 21:16 . So also rightly Philippi and Hofmann; [1055] comp Mrcker. The mode of resolving it adopted by most commentators (Thomas Aquinas, Castalio, Calvin, Beza, Er. Schmid, Grotius, Estius, and others; also Tholuck, Rckert, Reiche, Kllner, Fritzsche, Ewald, van Hengel, Buttmann): , is at least at variance with the usual mode of attraction, since the attraction of the relative, which, not attracted, would stand in the dative, has no precedent in the N. T., and even in Greek authors very seldom occurs (Khner, a [1057] Xen. Mem. ii. 2, 5, Gramm . II. 2, p. 914). Finally, the explanation which takes as equivalent to , , and the latter as equivalent to , propterea quod , and in accordance with which . . [1058] is then taken as genitive absolute (“whilst God, who quickeneth the dead, calleth also to that which is not, as though it were present,” Mehring), is wrong just because has not the sense supposed.

. . , . . [1059] ] Distinguishing quality of God as the Almighty, selected with practical reference to the circumstances of Abraham (Rom 4:18-21 ): “ Who quickeneth the dead and calleth the non-existent as though it were ,” and certainly, therefore, can quicken the decayed powers of procreation, and dispose of generations not yet in existence. A reference to the offering of Isaac , whom God could make alive again (Erasmus, Grotius, Baumgarten-Crusius and Mangold), is so foreign to the connection that it would have required definite indication. The is a formal attribute of the almighty God. 1Sa 2:6 ; Wis 16:13 ; Tob 13:2 ; comp Deu 32:9 . See also Joh 5:21 ; 2Co 1:9 ; 1Ti 6:13 . Origen, Ambrosiaster, Anselm, erroneously hold that the are spiritually dead, a view which the context must have rendered necessary; comp Olshausen, who holds that . and . indicate typically the spiritual awakening and the new birth; also Ewald, who will have the application made to the revivifying of the dead Gentiles into true Christians.

] i.e. “ who utters His disposing decree over that which does not exist, equally as over the existing .” What a lofty expression of all-commanding power! And how thoroughly in harmony with the then position of Abraham! For as he stood before God and believed (Gen 15:6 ), God had just showed to him the stars of heaven, with the promise ! So that God hereby issued his potent summons ( so shall it be! ) to something that was not (the of Abraham) as though it had been. This explanation (followed also by Rckert and Philippi) is perfectly faithful to the sense of the words, and as much in harmony with the vividly realised situation of Abraham as it is appropriate to the parallelism; for the latter is climactic , leading from the to the . , like , does not here mean to name (Hofmann, comp Loesner and Benecke), which would refer to the name of father pronounced by God and have in view the divine knowledge , but on the contrary, correlative with the mighty . . (comp Rom 4:21 ), it denotes the call of the Ruler, which He issues to that which is subject to His power. Comp Psa 50:1 ; Isa 41:26 ; [1065] is the simple as of comparison. Parallels in point are found in Philo, de Jos. p. 544 C, where it is said of the force of imagination, that it pictures ; and Artemidor. i. 53, p. 46, ed. Rigalt. where it is said of the painter, that he represents . Paul could also have, like Clement, Cor. II. 1, used (the non-existent, Xen. Mem. ii. 2, 3), as the contradictory antithesis of (comp also Plat. Rep. p. 476 E); but the negation is conceived subjectively, from the standpoint of the subject who calls: he calls the things, which he knows as non-existent, as if they were. Comp Xen. Anab. iv. 4, 15, and Khner in loc [1068] ; Baeumlein, Partik . p. 278. Still what Delitzsch, Psychol. p. 37 f., deduces from that that which enters into historical existence was not previously an absolute nothing, but an object of divine knowledge is based on the common conception of in the sense of creative activity, which is erroneous. No doubt , as is well known, often denotes the creating call of God (Isa 22:12 ; Isa 41:4 ; Isa 48:13 ; 2Ki 8:1 ; Wis 11:25 ; Philo, de creat. princ. p. 728 B, where is further defined by ; comp de Opif. p. 13 E). In this case we should have to think by no means of the historical act of creation out of nothing (Piscator, Estius and others), but rather, on account of the present participle, either of the continuous creative activity (Kllner), or (better still on account of the parallel of .) of an abiding characteristic of God generally, from which no time is excluded. But this whole interpretation of is set aside here by . For cannot be taken for (Luther, Wolf, and others), because an use so utterly isolated in the N. T. is in itself very improbable, and because, where stands in classic authors in the sense of , it is only so used in reference to persons (Hermann, a [1070] Viger. p. 853; Poppo, a [1071] Thuc. III. 1, p. 318 ff.), or, at the most, where what is personal is represented by neuter objects; see Dderlein, philolog . Beitr. p. 303 ff. Some desire to be taken for (de Wette), or as a summary expression for (Reiche, Kllner, Tholuck, de Wette, Bisping), but these expedients are arbitrary in themselves, and, in the case of the latter especially seeing that would have to be taken in the sense of the result, as only adjectives are elsewhere used (see on Mat 12:43 , and Breitenbach, a [1072] Xen. Oec. 4, 7)

would only be superfluous and confusing.

[1044] . . . .

[1045] Here also the peculiar deeper scope of the view given is often left unnoticed, and is taken as inference: so that, etc. See on the other hand on Rom 1:20 .

[1046] . goes together (in opposition to Fritzsche, who has conceived the to be supplied as before ., and made the genitive dependent on it), since it is not Jews and Christians , but Jewish and Gentile believers who are placed side by side, and in the latter the faith of Abraham (comp. ver. 10) is the characteristic.

[1048] . . . .

[1049] . . . .

[1050] . . . .

[1051] . . . .

[1052] The coram, in presence of , is neither to be explained ad exemplum (Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylact and others), nor “according to the will” (Reiche, Krehl and others), nor “according to the judgment” (Rckert, Kllner, Fritzsche, Maier, Umbreit and others), nor “vi atque potestate divina” (Koppe), nor “before the omniscience of God” (Olshausen), but is to be left without any modifying explanation. Abraham is realised as present , just as he stands face to face with the God who had appeared to him, and has become a believer in conspectu Dei. This vivid realisation of the believing patriarch, as if he were standing there as father of us all before the face of God, just as formerly in that sacred moment of history, is a plastic form of presentation which, inaptly condemned by Hofmann, quite accords with the elevated and almost poetic strain of the following words. It also fully warrants the coupling of . . . with ; it is unnecessary to seek a connection with . , either with Bengel, who compares Mat 9:6 , or with Philippi, who, thereby getting rid of the parenthesis, inserts after the thought: “and as such he has been appointed.”

[1053] l. and others; and other passages; and other editions.

[1055] Who, nevertheless, in consequence of his incorrect view of , professes to illustrate the thus: “ At that time, when he believed, he stood face to face with God as Him who quickeneth the dead, etc.; and by the fact, that God has shown Himself to be just the same as Him before whom he then stood, it has so come to pass, that he is now before Him the father of us all .”

[1057] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[1058] . . . .

[1059] . . . .

[1065] Quite contrary to the context Erasmus, Ch. Schmid, Koppe and Bhme take in the dogmatic sense. And yet even Fritzsche and Mangold have gone over to this explanation: “homines nondum in lucem editos ad vitam aeternam invitat.” Van Hengel takes as arcessere , and that which is of no account (see on 1Co 1:28 ), so that the sense would be: “quaecunque nullius numeri sunt arcessivit (to the childship of Abraham), quasi sint in pretio.” But this peculiar interpretation of and must have been specifically suggested by the context, especially as it strips off the whole poetical beauty of the expression.

[1068] n loc. refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[1070] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[1071] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

[1072] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 1838
JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH NECESSARY TO THE HONOUR OF GOD, AND THE HAPPINESS OF MAN

Rom 4:16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed.

TO many the doctrines of the Gospel appear mere arbitrary appointments; and justification by works seems as much entitled to our approbation as justification by faith alone. But the doctrines of the Gospel are grounded on absolute and indispensable necessity: we are shut up to them: we have no other ground of hope. After man had fallen, it was not possible that any law should be given him whereby he might regain his lost happiness. If such a law could have been devised, God would have given it in preference to the plan of salvation provided in the Gospel; as St. Paul tells us; If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law [Note: Gal 3:21.]. But a Saviour was necessary; and justification by faith in him was necessary, indispensably necessary,

I.

For the honour of God

It is surely meet that God should have the undivided honour of all that he has done
[He has made the universe for the express purpose of glorifying himself in the works of his hands [Note: Rev 4:11.]; and both the celestial and terrestrial bodies reflect upon him the honour due unto his name [Note: Psa 19:1.]. In the various dispensations of his providence also God has respect to his own glory, upholding all things by the word of his power, and ordering all things, even from the rise and fall of empires to the preservation of a sparrow, or the falling of a hair from our head [Note: 1Sa 2:6-8. Isa 45:5-7.].

But, if in the works of creation and providence God have all the glory, shall he not much more have it in the work of redemption? Who first devised that wondrous work? The counsel of peace was between the Father and the Son from all eternity [Note: Zec 6:13. Eph 3:9.]. Who prevailed upon the Father to give his only Son out of his bosom to be our surety and substitute, and to accept his vicarious sacrifice in our behalf? All this was the result of Gods eternal purpose which he purposed in himself, according to the counsel of his own will, and to the praise of the glory of his own grace [Note: Eph 1:9-12; Eph 3:10-11.]. We may further ask also, How is it that this salvation is imparted to the souls of men? Do men attract his notice first by their own superior merits? or do they of themselves begin to seek his favour? Does not God in every instance prevent them with the blessings of his goodness; and of his own good pleasure give them both to will and to do [Note: Php 2:13.]? Now all this exercise of love and mercy is intended by God himself to shew to the whole universe the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus [Note: Eph 2:7.]. Is he then, or is he not, to have the glory of this work? Is it meet, that, when he gives all, and his creatures receive all, the crown should be taken from his head, and be placed on the head of those, who, but for the superabundance of his grace, must all have perished like the fallen angels? We think that, however prejudiced any may be against the doctrine of justification by faith alone, it is impossible for them not to see, that man has no right to invade the prerogative of the Most High, and that God cannot, consistently with his own honour, give his glory to another [Note: Isa 42:8.].]

But, if mans salvation be in any measure by works, God will not have all the glory of it
[Therefore is salvation by faith, that it may be by grace. Were it in any measure by works, it would become a debt, and not a reward of grace [Note: ver. 4.]. Let but the smallest part of our reward be claimed as a debt, and there is an end of Gods honour as the sole Author of our salvation. Man will have a right to boast: indeed he cannot but boast: he cannot but say, I paid a price for this benefit: whether the price be equal in value to the benefit conferred, is nothing to the purpose: it was the price demanded; and the man who pays this price may claim the benefit, as having performed the terms on which that benefit was suspended. To suppose that salvation can be of faith and of works at the same time, is absurd; the two are incompatible with each other: if it be of works it cannot be of grace; and therefore it is of faith, that it may be by grace [Note: Rom 11:6.].]

But justification by faith alone is yet further necessary,

II.

For the happiness of man

If justification were by works, the promise would be sure to none

[Consider what must be done to secure the promised benefit: First, such a number of good works must be performed as shall be sufficient to purchase the remission of all our past sins. But who shall ascertain what measure of them shall suffice? or who, if it were ascertained, shall perform them? Next, such a number of good works must be performed as shall suffice to purchase eternal happiness and glory. And who shall tell us the amount of these that is required? or who will undertake to pay the price? Whatever is paid to purchase mercy for other acts, must need no mercy for itself: and how many of such acts can you produce? Nay further; it must be not only a perfect work, but a work of supererogation: for if it be a work that has been enjoined, you are still only an unprofitable servant; you have done no more than was your duty to do. What store of such works have you wherewith to purchase heaven? But you will say, that God has mitigated the demands of his law, and is now satisfied with imperfect obedience. I ask, Where has he done so? and What is the measure of imperfection which he allows? Can you answer this? Can any human being answer it? But, for argument sake, you shall fix your own standard; you shall fix it where you please; and you shall be judged by nothing but your own law. Suppose that you have now fixed it; Have you from the beginning observed in all things your own law? Have you come up truly and habitually to your own standard? if not, you must be condemned out of your own mouth. Reduce the law to any thing you please, to sincerity, if you choose it; and I then ask, Are you sincerely abstaining from every thing which you believe to be evil, and doing every thing which you believe to be pleasing unto God, from day to day, from month to month, from year to year? Are you willing to found all your hopes of salvation on this? and are you content that all the promises of mercy shall for ever fail you, if in any one instance you ever have been, or ever shall be, defective in your performance of these conditions? Will you look to this method of salvation to make the promise sure? Alas! there is no man that ever could, or ever can, stand on such a ground as this.]

But justification being by faith alone, the promise is sure to all

[To all who truly believe in Christ the promise is infallibly sure, whatever be their nation, their character, their attainments, their circumstances. The Jew and the Gentile are here perfectly on a level [Note: Rom 3:29.]: nothing is conceded on account of circumcision; nothing is withheld on account of uncircumcision: the righteousness of Christ shall be equally on the one or the other the very instant they believe in Christ [Note: Rom 3:22.]. Nor will it make any difference whether they have been more or less sinful in times past. The blood of Christ is as sufficient to cleanse one, as another: the very man that nailed our Saviour to the cross, or that pierced his side with the spear, may be as effectually delivered from his guilt, as any other sinner in the universe, provided he really and truly look to the Lord Jesus Christ to save him: for all that believe, are justified from all things [Note: Act 13:39.]. Moreover, babes in Christ have the promise as sure to them, as the young men or fathers have. Salvation is not suspended on the strength of our faith, but its reality; not on the time that it has been exercised, but on the simplicity and sincerity with which it is exercised. Hence St. John says, I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake [Note: 1Jn 2:12.]. It is not said here, that their sins shall be forgiven, when they have attained such an age; but, that they are even now already forgiven to them, notwithstanding their infantine weakness and insufficiency. We must go further still, and say, that, though the believer should be in the very article of death, and have no time left him for the performance of good works, yet should the blood of Christ, sprinkled by faith, cleanse him from all sin; and the righteousness of Christ, apprehended and applied by faith, shall justify him perfectly before God. The penitent thief had reviled our Saviour on the cross, no less than the impenitent one: yet, the very instant he cast himself on the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, he was accepted; and our Lord himself said to him, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. The promise being made to all who believe, it is as sure to the believer, as the power and veracity of God can make it.]

To improve this subject, we shall,
1.

Guard the doctrine from abuse

[That the doctrine of justification by faith may be abused, is certain: for so it was in the days of St. Paul himself [Note: Rom 6:1; Rom 6:15.]. But truth is not therefore to be renounced because it may be perverted; but we must, as Paul himself did, hold fast the truth, and rescue it from those perversions to which it is exposed.

We have stated with all possible plainness, that we are to look for our justification solely by faith, without the smallest dependence on any works of our own. But are we therefore at liberty to neglect good works? or can our final salvation be secured without them, where an opportunity is afforded for the performance of them? Assuredly, in their place, good works are as necessary as faith itself: only we must take care not to confound their respective offices. The use of faith is, to apprehend Christ; and the use of good works is, to glorify Christ. In no other way can Christ be apprehended, than by faith; and in no other way can he be glorified, than by good works [Note: Joh 15:18.]. Now God has clearly pointed out the way in which his people must walk: and it is only by walking in that way that they can arrive at the mansions prepared for them [Note: Eph 1:4; Eph 2:10.]. It is necessary therefore that we should cultivate all Christian virtues, adding one to another throughout their whole extent: and it is by this course of action that we are to make our calling and election sure [Note: 2Pe 1:10-11.]. Here we would particularly remind you, that the very same word which is used in my text by St. Paul in reference to faith, is used by St. Peter in reference to works [Note: .]. And how are we to explain this? Are we to set the two Apostles against each other? No: they are easily reconciled: the one is speaking of faith as securing an interest in the promises; and the other is speaking of works as the appointed road in which we are to walk, and which alone will lead us safely to the kingdom of heaven. As, on the one hand, without faith we can never be united unto Christ, or be partakers of his righteousness, so, on the other hand, if it produce not obedience, our faith will be of no more avail than the faith of devils. And this is exactly what St. James tells us [Note: Jam 2:14-20.]; as also does St. Paul in this very epistle, where he says, that to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, God will give eternal life [Note: Rom 2:7.]. If the Apostle therefore did not contradict himself, neither are we to consider the other Apostles as contradicting him, but only as affirming, that in their place good works are necessary, no less than faith is in its place. Behold then, whilst we maintain with all steadfastness the doctrine of justification by faith, we declare to all that the Kings highway is the way of holiness [Note: Isa 35:8.], and that without holiness no man shall see the Lord [Note: Heb 12:14.].]

2.

Commend it to your cordial acceptance

[If you sought for nothing but present comfort, methinks you should without hesitation embrace the doctrine of salvation by faith. For at what comfort can a man ever arrive, who seeks salvation by his works? How can he ever get satisfaction on the subjects on which all his happiness depends? How can he know what is sufficient for his acceptance, and whether he has done what under his circumstances is sufficient? And, if he can never attain the knowledge of these things, in what sad uncertainty must he be held all his days respecting the final salvation of his soul! And is it not a fearful thing to stand on the brink of eternity, and not to know whether we be going to heaven or to hell? The doctrine of justification by faith presents a clear and definite idea to the mind. Doubtless, in the lower stages of the divine life, there may be considerable suspense even there; because a person may not be certain that his faith is so simple and entire as it ought to be: but still he has a definite object in view, namely, to cast himself wholly upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and to rely altogether upon him: and, though he may not have an assured confidence of his acceptance in Christ, he knows, that it is as impossible for a man who flees to Christ to perish, as it is for God to lie: and this conviction is a source of unbounded consolation to his soul [Note: Heb 6:17-19.]. In this conviction he has an anchor for his soul, both sure and steadfast [Note: Here is the same word, .]; an anchor which shall enable him to ride out in safety all the storms which either the world or Satan can raise against him.

But present comfort is but a secondary consideration. The question is, What will avail us at the day of judgment? What will secure to us the promise then? God has told us, that he has appointed salvation to be by faith for this very end. Will God then, who has declared, that, if we believe not on his Son we are condemned already, and that his wrath abideth on us; will he, I say, reverse his sentence in favour of those who have proudly rejected the salvation which he offered them? This cannot be. Let me therefore entreat all to renounce all dependence on their own works, as Paul did on his [Note: Php 3:9.]; and to seek salvation in that adorable Emmanuel, of whom it is said, In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and in him shall they glory [Note: Isa 45:25.].]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

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,

Ver. 16. It is of faith ] Fidei mendica manu.

That it might be by grace ] Paul was a great advancer of the grace of God, and abaser of man. For he knew that as wax and water cannot meet together, so neither can Christ and anything else in the work of man’s salvation.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

16. ] For this (viz. the following) reason it (the inheritance , not the promise ; the promise was not strictly speaking : nor must we supply they , meaning the heirs, who although they might fairly be said to be (compare above, and reff.) could hardly be without harshness described as being ) was by faith that it might be (strictly the purpose ; not, ‘so that it was’) according to grace (free unmerited favour. As the law bringing the knowledge of guilt , works wrath , so the promise , awakening faith , manifests God’s free grace , the end for which it was given); in order that the promise might be sure (not, ‘so that the promise was sure:’ this was the result , but the Apostle states this as the aim and end of the inheritance being by faith, quoad the seed of Abraham , that they all might be inheritors, as the manifestation of God’s grace was the higher aim and end) to all the seed, not only to that (part of it) which is of the law (see Rom 4:14 ), but to that which is of the faith (walks in the steps of the faith, Rom 4:12 ) of Abraham (it is altogether wrong to make depend on expressed or understood, as cum., Koppe, and Fritzsche). The part of the seed which is of the law here is of course confined to believing Jews; the seed being believers only . This has been sometimes lost sight of, and the whole argument of Rom 4:13-16 treated as if it applied to the doctrine of justification by faith without the works of the law, a point already proved, and now presupposed , the present argument being an historical and metaphysical one, proceeding on the facts of Abraham’s history, and the natures respectively of the law and grace, to prove him to be the father of all believers, uncircumcised as well as circumcised.

] By the last declaration, the paternity of Abraham, which is co-extensive with the inheritance , has been extended to all who are of his faith ; here therefore it is reasserted: meaning .

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Rom 4:16-22 . The Apostle can now develop, without further interruption or digression, his idea of the representative (and therefore universal) character of Abraham’s justification. The New Testament cannot be said to subvert the Old if the method of justification is the same under both. Nay, it establishes the Old (Rom 3:31 ). This is the point which is enforced in the closing verses of chap. 4.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

Rom 4:16 f. : because of the nature of law, and its inability to work anything but wrath. : the subject is the promise, considered in reference to the mode of its fulfilment. : on God’s part is the correlative of on man’s . . . This is the Divine purpose in instituting the spiritual order of grace and faith: it is the only one consistent with universalism in religion : there seems to be some inexactness in expression here. The seed which is “of the Law” ought to mean the Jews, as partisans of law in distinction from faith: then the seed which is “of the faith of Abraham” would mean the Gentiles. But the promise did not belong at all to the seed which was “of the law,” i.e. , to the Jews, as Abraham’s natural descendants; even in them, faith was required. And the seed which is “of the faith” of Abraham is not quite appropriate to describe Gentile believers exclusively; the very point of the argument in the passage is that the faith of Abraham is reproduced in all the justified, whether Gentile or Jew. Still there seems no doubt that the persons meant to be contrasted in the two clauses are Jewish and Gentile believers (Meyer), not Jews and Christians (Fritzsche, who supplies before ): the difficulty is that the words do not exactly suit either meaning.

. The is emphatic, and expresses the consciousness of one who has seen in Abraham the spiritual ancestor of the new Christian community, living (as it does), and inheriting the promise, by faith. Opponuntur haec verba Judaeis, qui Abrahamum non nominant nisi cum adjecto pater noster (Schoettgen). When Paul speaks out of his Jewish consciousness, he shares this pride (“whose are the fathers,” Rom 9:5 ); when he speaks as a Christian, to whom the Church is “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16 ), and who can even say “ we are the circumcision,” he claims all the Jews boasted of as in reality the property of believers: it is Christians, and not Jews by birth, who can truly say “We have Abraham to our father”. The earliest indication (an indirect one) of the Jewish pride in Abraham is perhaps seen in Isa 63:16 . That Abraham is the father of us all agrees with Scripture: Gen 17:5 LXX. The belongs to the quotation. If there is any parenthesis, it should only be from to . As Abraham has this character in Scripture, so he has it before God: the two things are one and the same; it is his true, historical, Divine standing, that he is father of all believers. The attraction in is most simply resolved into . : but see Winer, p. 204, 206. In characterising the God whom Abraham believed, the Apostle brings out further the correspondence between the patriarch’s faith and that of Christians. He is “God who makes the dead alive and calls things that are not as though they were”. Such a reference to Isaac as we find in Heb 11:19 ( ) is not suggested here (yet see Rom 4:24 ), and hence it is better to take . of restoring vitality to Abraham, whose body was as good as dead. In the application, the things that are not are the unborn multitudes of Abraham’s spiritual children. God speaks of them (hardly, issues his summons to them) as if they had a being. Faith in a God who is thus conceived comes nearer than anything else in Paul to the definition given in Heb 11:1 . On , see Winer, p. 608.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rom 4:16-25

16For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17(as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. 18In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22Therefore also It was credited to him as righteousness. 23Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

Rom 4:16 This is a beautiful summary of Paul’s argument from Rom 4:14,

1. humans must respond by faith

2. to God’s grace promise

3. the promise was certain to all descendants (Jew and Gentile) of Abraham who exercise faith

4. Abraham was the paradigm of all who are of faith

NASB, NRSV,

TEV, NIV”guaranteed”

NKJV”sure”

REB”valid”

NET”certain”

See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: GUARANTEE

“all. . .all” These refer to all believers (Jew and Gentile).

Rom 4:17-23 Paul again used Abraham to show the priority of (1) God’s initiating grace promises (covenant) and (2) mankind’s required initial faith and continuing faith response (covenant, see note at Rom 1:5). Covenants always involve the acts of two parties.

Rom 4:17 “As it is written, ‘a father of many nations'” This is a quote from Gen 17:5. The Septuagint ( LXX) has “Gentiles.” God has always wanted the redemption of all the children of Adam (cf. Gen 3:15), not just the children of Abraham. Abram’s new name, Abraham, means “a father of a multitude.” Now we know it includes not just physical descendants, but faith descendants.

“who gives life to the dead” In context this refers to the regenerated sexual powers of Abraham and Sarah (cf. Rom 4:19).

“calls into being that which does not exist” In context this refers to the pregnancy of Sarah with Isaac, but it also denotes a crucial aspect of faith (cf. Heb 11:1).

Rom 4:18

NASB”in hope against hope he believed”

NKJV”who, contrary to hope, in hope believed”

NRSV”hoping against hope, he believed”

TEV”Abraham believed and hoped, even when there was no reason for hoping”

NJB”Though there seemed no hope, he hoped and believed”

The Special Topic on “hope” is found at Rom 12:12. The term has a wide semantical field. Harold K. Moulton, The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised, p. 133, lists several usages.

1. basic meaning, hope (cf. Rom 5:4; Act 24:15)

2. the object of hope (cf. Rom 8:24; Gal 5:5)

3. the author or source (cf. Col 1:27; 1Ti 1:1)

4. trust, confidence (cf. 1Pe 1:21)

5. in security with a guarantee (cf. Act 2:26; Rom 8:20)

In this context hope is used in two different senses. Hope in human ability and power (cf. Rom 4:19-21) versus hope in God’s promise (cf. Rom 4:17).

NASB, NKJV”So shall your descendants be”

NRSV”So numerous shall your descendants be”

TEV”your descendants will be many”

NJB”your descendants will be as many as the stars”

This is a quote from Gen 15:5 that emphasized the surety of God’s promise to Abraham about a son (cf. Rom 4:19-22). Remember that Isaac was born

1. thirteen years after the promise

2. after Abraham tried to give Sarah away (twice, cf. Gen 12:10-19; Gen 20:1-7)

3. after Abraham had a son with Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian handmaid (cf. Gen 16:1-16)

4. after both Sarah (cf. Gen 18:12) and Abraham (cf. Gen 17:17) laughed at the promise

Abraham and Sarah did not have perfect faith! Thank God, salvation does not require perfect faith, but only the proper object (God in the OT and His Son in the NT).

Rom 4:19 “he contemplated” This translation follows MSS , A, B, C. But some ancient uncial manuscripts add a negative particle (ou), D, F, G. The UBS4 is not able to make a decision (“C” rating), but prints the shorter text. The NET Bible also supports the shorter text.

Rom 4:20 Initially Abraham did not fully understand the promise, that the child would come from Sarah. Even Abraham’s faith was not perfect. God accepts and deals with imperfect faith because He loves imperfect people!

“he did not waver in unbelief” This same verb, diakrin, is used by Jesus in Mat 21:21; Mar 11:23. Abraham had reasons (cf. Rom 4:19) to question God’s word (promise), but instead he grew strong.

The two verbs in Rom 4:20 are both aorist passive indicatives. The passive voice implies the agency of God, but Abraham had to allow (covenant) God’s power to energize him!

“giving glory to God” See Special Topic at Rom 3:23.

Rom 4:21

NASB”being fully assured”

NKJV, NRSV”being fully convinced”

TEV”was absolutely sure”

NJB”fully convinced”

This is an aorist passive participle, which denotes a full assurance of something (cf. Luk 1:1; Col 4:12) or someone (cf. Rom 4:21; Rom 14:5). The noun is used of full assurance in Col 2:2 and 1Th 1:5. This confidence in God’s will, word, and power enables humans to act in faith!

“what God had promised, He was able also to perform” This is a perfect middle (deponent) indicative, which meant an action in the past has come to consummation and issues into a state of being. The essence of faith is that one trusts in the character and promises of God (cf. Rom 16:25; Eph 3:20; Jud 1:24) and not in human performance. Faith trusts in the God of promises (cf. Isa 55:11).

Rom 4:22 This is an allusion to Gen 15:6 (cf. Rom 4:3), which is the key theological point of Paul’s argument about how God gives His own righteousness to sinful humans.

Rom 4:23-25 These verses are one sentence in Greek. Notice the progression.

1. for Abraham’s sake, Rom 4:23

2. for all believers’ sake, Rom 4:24

3. by God raising Jesus, Rom 4:24

4. Jesus was given for our sin (cf. Joh 3:16), Jesus was raised for our sins to be forgiven (justification), Rom 4:25

Rom 4:24 Abraham’s faith became a pattern for all true descendants to follow. Abraham believed (see Special Topic at Rom 4:5) God about a promised son and descendants. New Covenant believers believe that Jesus the Messiah is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises to fallen mankind.

The term “seed” is both singular and plural (a son, a people).

For “raised” see note at Rom 8:11.

Rom 4:25 “who was delivered over because of our transgressions” This was a legal term which meant “to hand one over for punishment.” Rom 4:25 is a wonderful Christological statement reflecting the Septuagint (LXX) of Isa 53:11-12.

“was raised because of our justification” The two clauses of Rom 4:25 are parallel (same preposition and both are aorist passive indicatives), but for stylistic not theological reasons (cf. Rom 5:9-10; 2Co 13:4). Frank Stagg’s translation (New Testament Theology, p. 97) “delivered because of our transgressions and raised with a view to our being made righteous” has much to commend it. This interpretation involves the two aspects of Paul’s use of the term “justify” (1) a forensic (legal) standing and (2) a godly, Christlike life! See Special Topic at Rom 1:17.

The resurrection of Jesus is a central theological truth for Paul (cf. Rom 1:3-4; Rom 4:24-25; Rom 6:4; Rom 6:9; Rom 7:4; Rom 8:11; Rom 8:34; Rom 10:9; 1Co 6:14; 1Co 15:3-11; 1Co 15:20-23; 2Co 1:9; 2Co 4:14; 2Co 5:15; 2Co 13:4; Gal 1:1; Eph 2:20; Col 2:12; 1Th 1:10; 2Ti 2:8). The tomb is empty or Christianity is a lie (cf. 1Co 15:12-19)!

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

Therefore = On account of (App-104. Rom 4:2) this.

of faith. See Rom 1:17.

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

by. Greek. kata. App-104.

to the end. Greek. eis. App-104.

might = may.

sure. Greek. bebaios. Here, 2Co 1:7. Heb 2:2; Heb 3:6, Heb 3:14; Heb 6:19; Heb 9:17. 2Pe 1:10, 2Pe 1:19.

all the seed. To every child of faithful Abraham, Jew and Gentile alike.

of the faith. See Rom 1:17.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

16.] For this (viz. the following) reason it (the inheritance,-not the promise; the promise was not strictly speaking :-nor must we supply they, meaning the heirs, who although they might fairly be said to be (compare above, and reff.) could hardly be without harshness described as being ) was by faith that it might be (strictly the purpose;-not, so that it was) according to grace (free unmerited favour. As the law bringing the knowledge of guilt, works wrath,-so the promise, awakening faith, manifests Gods free grace,-the end for which it was given); in order that the promise might be sure (not, so that the promise was sure: this was the result, but the Apostle states this as the aim and end of the inheritance being by faith,-quoad the seed of Abraham,-that they all might be inheritors,-as the manifestation of Gods grace was the higher aim and end) to all the seed, not only to that (part of it) which is of the law (see Rom 4:14), but to that which is of the faith (walks in the steps of the faith, Rom 4:12) of Abraham (it is altogether wrong to make depend on expressed or understood, as cum., Koppe, and Fritzsche). The part of the seed which is of the law here is of course confined to believing Jews; the seed being believers only. This has been sometimes lost sight of, and the whole argument of Rom 4:13-16 treated as if it applied to the doctrine of justification by faith without the works of the law, a point already proved, and now presupposed,-the present argument being an historical and metaphysical one, proceeding on the facts of Abrahams history, and the natures respectively of the law and grace, to prove him to be the father of all believers, uncircumcised as well as circumcised.

] By the last declaration, the paternity of Abraham, which is co-extensive with the inheritance, has been extended to all who are of his faith; here therefore it is reasserted: meaning .

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Rom 4:16. 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,

Abraham is the father of all who believe, whether they be circumcised or not; and the promises made to him belong to them also.

Rom 4:17-18. (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. 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.

He was an old man, with a very aged wife, yet the Lord promised that he should be the father of many nations. He firmly believed that which was spoken, and in due time it came to pass.

Rom 4:19-21. 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 Sarahs womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

That is the kind of faith we want, the faith that does not enquire how God can perform his promise, but believes that he will do it.

Rom 4:22-23. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him

The imputation would be enough for Abraham without any writing; but as it is written, it is for our instruction, and for our comfort.

Rom 4:24-25. But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

May the Lord bless to us our meditation upon this precious portion of his Word!

This exposition consisted of readings from Romans 3, and Rom 4:16-25.

Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

Rom 4:16. , of faith) So , Ch. Rom 3:30, Rom 5:1. Supply heirship (the heirship is of faith) comp. Rom 4:14.- , of the law) so of the circumcision, Rom 4:12, where the not only belongs to of the circumcision, but in this verse, not only refers to the expression, to that seed which.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Rom 4:16

Rom 4:16

For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace;-As the law of works apart from faith develops the spirit of disobedience in man and calls down upon him the wrath of God, it cannot save. But salvation comes through the law of faith and not of works. Faith changes the heart, and the law growing out of faith does not excite rebellion, but makes the heart desirous of performing the law.

to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed;-The seed are those who believe in God. [If the inheritance depended on law, it would be sure to fail all; but as it is a matter of grace and dependent on the condition of faith, all may attain it who will.]

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-Then the promise came through the law of faith that it might be to all the seed (the believers)-not to the Jews only who are of the law, but to those who walk in the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all-Jews and Gentiles-who believe.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

following Abraham in Faith in God

Rom 4:16-25

Notice the remarkable alteration made by the r.v. in Rom 4:19. The a.v. suggests that Abraham refused to consider the physical disabilities which seemed to make the fulfillment of Gods promise impossible; the r.v. says that he looked them all quietly in the face, as though taking into account all their significance and force. Then he looked to the promise; and after balancing one against the other, he decided absolutely and confidently that the Word of God must stand, however great and forbidding the difficulties in the way. He was fully persuaded that what God had promised he was able to perform.

Let us remember, then, that from the time we trust Christ-whatever may have been our present frailties and temptations-we are reckoned as righteous in the sight of God. Yes, and in addition, we may count on absolute deliverance from the power of sin. Do not look down, brooding over your weakness! Do not look back upon your past, strewn with failure! Look up to the living Christ! All the promises of God are yea and amen in Christ Jesus, 2Co 1:20.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

of faith: Rom 3:24-26, Rom 5:1, Gal 3:7-12, Gal 3:22, Eph 2:5, Eph 2:8, Tit 3:7

the promise: Heb 6:13-19, 2Pe 1:10

but to: Rom 4:11

the father: Rom 9:8, Isa 51:2

Reciprocal: Gen 13:16 – General Psa 24:6 – This is Psa 73:1 – to such Isa 45:25 – the seed Isa 65:23 – for Luk 3:8 – We Luk 19:9 – forsomuch Joh 8:39 – If Rom 4:14 – For if Rom 6:14 – under Rom 9:32 – Because Rom 11:18 – thou bearest Gal 2:15 – Jews Gal 3:9 – General Gal 3:12 – the law Gal 3:29 – Abraham’s 2Th 2:16 – through Heb 2:16 – the seed Heb 6:19 – both Jam 2:21 – Abraham

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

:16

Rom 4:16. The words it is are not in the original as separate words. The thought of the verse is that the favor of God is the most important subject and the thing that should be the most desired. That is why the divine plan was to bestow such a favor on the basis of grace to the faithful of all nations, not only to the adherents of the law.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Rom 4:16. On this account. An inference from Rom 4:14-15 (though some refer it to what follows).

It is of faith. What? Not the promise, but the inheritance, in view of the contrast in Rom 4:14. Strictly speaking, we should explain, supply the heirs are of faith.

That it may be. The present is preferable, as indicating a continuous result which is purposed by God in making men heirs. As the law, bringing the knowledge of guilt, works wrath, so the promise awakening faith, manifests Gods free grace, the end for which it was given (Alford).

In order that the promise may be (the present is preferable here also). This is the purpose of God in making men heirs by the way of grace; His free unmerited favor thus makes the promise sure to all the seed, i.e., to all believers (comp. Rom 4:11; Rom 4:13), not only to the believing Jews, that which is of the law, but also to the believing Gentiles, who are described as of the faith of Abraham (Rom 4:10-11), though not descended from him. That the former class includes only believing Jews, appears from the fact that the Apostle is describing the seed who become heirs by faith in order to manifest Gods grace. That justification is by faith, not by works of the law, has already been proved, and is here presupposed. As the believing Jew was also of the faith of Abraham, of the law, the contrast respects their race, not their way of obtaining the promise. This is the same in both cases (according to grace), otherwise it would not be sure.

Who is the father of us all. Reiterated (comp. Rom 4:11-12), solemn setting forth of the fatherhood of Abraham for all believers (us), which was, indeed, the pith and fundamental idea of the entire argument (since Rom 4:9). Meyer.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

The apostle here assigns a double cause, why the wisdom of God has appointed justification and salvation to be obtained in the way of faith:

namely, 1. That it might be of free and undeserved grace and favour; for to be justified by faith, and by grace, are all one with the apostle.

And, 2. That the promise might be sure to all the seed: That is, that God’s promise might stand firm and sure to all the believing seed of Abraham, not only to all the children of the flesh, to whom the law was given, but to all the children of his faith, even Gentiles as well as Jews; he being the father of all that believe, whether Jews or Gentiles.

Learn hence, That if our justification and salvation did depend upon our performing perfect obedience to the law, it would never be sure, but always uncertain, because of our impotency and weakness to keep and observe it.

The apostle, Rom 8:3. tells us, That the law is weak through the flesh; though the truth is, the law is not weak to us, but we are weak to that; the law has the same authority for commanding that ever it had, but we have not the same ability for obeying. ‘Tis our wickedness that is the sole cause of the law’s weakness: Had every man the same integrity, the law would have the same ability that ever it had, both to justify and save us.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Rom 4:16. Therefore it The blessing; is of faith, that it might be by grace That it might appear to flow from the free love of God; that God might magnify the riches of his grace, in proposing justification and eternal life to us, in a way that might, in multitudes of instances, be effectual. A righteousness by the merit of works, or by perfect obedience to the law of nature, or of Moses, being unattainable by men, the inheritance is by a righteousness of faith, that, being a free gift, it might be bestowed in the manner, and on the persons, God saw fit; namely, on believers of all nations, whether the objects of their faith were more or less extensive, and whether their good works were more or fewer; for in the faith and works of believers there must be great differences, according to the mental endowments and outward advantages bestowed on each. In this passage, by the most just reasoning, the apostle hath overthrown the narrow notion of bigots, who confine the mercy of God within the pale of this or that church; and by a noble liberality of sentiment, he hath declared that all who imitate that faith and piety which Abraham exercised uncircumcised, shall, like him, obtain the inheritance, through the free favour of God by Jesus Christ. That the promise might be sure Might be firm and secure; to all the believing seed of Abraham; not to that only which is of the law, &c. Here the apostle teaches, that Abraham had two kinds of seed; one by natural descent, called his seed by the law, and another by faith: see Gal 3:26. To the natural seed the promise of the earthly Canaan was made; but to the seed by faith, the spiritual seed, the promise of a heavenly country, typified by the earthly one, was given. And to each the promise that was made to them was sure. As it is written, Gen 12:5, I have made thee a father of many nations That is, as I have received thee into favour upon thy believing, so many of several nations, both Jews and Gentiles, shall receive favour from me by believing, and so be justified in the way thou art: before him whom he believed, even God Though before men nothing of this appeared, those nations being yet unborn. To illustrate the greatness of Abrahams faith, and to show with what propriety he was made the father of all believers, the apostle in these words observes, that the principles on which he believed the Lord, were proper views of his almighty power, and other perfections. Who quickeneth the dead The dead are not dead to him. And even the things that have no existence, exist before him. And calleth those things which be not as though they were Summoning them to rise into being, and appear before him. The seed of Abraham did not then exist, yet God said, So shall thy seed be. A man can easily say to his servant, actually existing, Do this, and he doth it; but God saith to light, while it does not exist, Go forth, and it goeth.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Vv. 16. If, then, the promise of the inheritance was serious, there was only one way to its fulfilmentthat the inheritance should be given by the way of faith and not of law. This consequence is expounded in Rom 4:16, which develops the last words of Rom 4:13 : by the righteousness of faith, as Rom 4:15 had developed the first: not by the law.

Therefore: because of that condemning effect which attaches to the law. The verb and subject to be understood in this elliptical proposition might be: the promise was made. But the words following: that it might be by grace, do not allow this; the subject in question is evidently the fulfilment. What we must supply, therefore, is: the promise will be fulfilled, or: the heritage will be given. The inheritance, from the moment of its being granted to faith only, remains a gift of pure grace; and while remaining a gift of grace, it is possible for it not to be withdrawn, as it must have been if its acquisition had been attached to the fulfilment of the law. It is very important not to efface the notion of aim contained in the words (that the promise might be), by translating, as Oltramare does, so that. There was positive intention on God’s part, when He made the gift of inheritance depend solely on faith. For He knew well that this was the only way to render the promise sure (the opposite of being made void, Rom 4:14). And sure for whom? For all the seed of Abraham, in the true and full sense of the word; it was the fulfilment of those terms of the promise: to thee and to thy seed. After what precedes, this term can only designate the patriarch’s spiritual familyall believers, Jew or Gentile. Faith being the sole condition of promise, ought also to be the sole characteristic of those in whom it will be realized. These words: sure for all the seed, are developed in what follows. The apostle embraces each of the two classes of believers contained in this general term: sure, says he, not only to that which is of the law, believers of Jewish origin who would lose the inheritance if it was attached to the law, but also to that which is of faith, Christians of Gentile origin to whom the promise would cease to be accessible the instant it was made to depend on any other character than that of faith. It is plain that the expression used here has a wholly different meaning from the apparently similar form employed in Rom 4:12. There are two classes of persons here, and not two attributes of the same persons. The second is a pronoun as well as the first. It may be objected, indeed, that in designating the first of these two classes Paul does not mention the characteristic of faith, and that consequently he is still speaking of Jews simply, not believing Jews. But after all that had gone before, the notion of faith was naturally implied in that of Abraham’s seed. And to understand the apostle’s words, we must beware of connecting the , only, exclusively with the words , of the law: those who are of the law only, that is to say, who are simply Jews, and not believers. The refers to the whole phrase: , only that which is of the law, as is shown in the following context by the position of the , also, before the second : not only that which is of the law, but also that which…that is to say: not only believers who were formerly under the law, but also Gentile believers. The attribute of faith is expressly mentioned in the case of the last, because it appears in them free from all legal environment, and as their sole title to form part of Abraham’s descendants.

The last words: who is the father of us all, sum up all that has been developed in the previous context. Believing Jews and Gentiles, we all participate by faith not only in justification, but also in the future possession of the world; for the true seed to whom this promise was made was that of faith, not that according to the law. Abraham is therefore the sole stem from which proceed those two branches which form in him one and the same spiritual organism.

But after all a Jew might still present himself, saying: Very true; but that this divine plan might be realized, it was necessary that there should be an Israel; and that there might be an Israel, there must needs come into the world an Isaac. Now this son is born to Abraham in the way of natural, physical generation; and what has this mode of filiation in common with the way of faith? Here in an instant is the domain of the flesh reconquered by the adversary; and to the question of Rom 4:1 : What has Abraham found by the flesh? it only remains to answer: His son Isaac, consequently the chosen people, and consequently everything. A mind so familiarized as Paul’s was with the secret thoughts of the Israelitish heart, could not neglect this important side of the question. He enters into this new subject as boldly as into the two preceding, and sapping the last root of Jewish prejudice by Scripture, he demonstrates that the birth of Isaac, no less than the promise of the inheritance and the grace of justification, was the effect of faith. Thus it is thoroughly proved that Abraham found nothing by the flesh; quod erat demonstrandum (Rom 4:1). This is the subject of the third passage, Rom 4:17-21.

Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)

For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may 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

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

16. There it is by faith, in order that it may be by grace, that the promise may be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. Seed here means all truly elect in Christ, i. e., all who will be saved by the atonement in all ages. You see that faith and grace are counterparts of the same plan of salvation, i. e., the antithetical hemispheres of the same glorious globe of human redemption. Hence, like Siamese twins, they must live and die together. Hence you see legalism nullifies the grace of God and slights the whole scheme of redemption. If salvation had been by works, the thief on the cross might have been left out. Millions of people die out of reach of interceding priests and water baptism; yet they are not beyond the reach of Gods redeeming grace. The elect of God are, in all nations and ages, indiscriminately dispersed in all the earth. Grace reaches every one of them utterly independent of human instrumentality. God can use anything or nothing in the salvation of souls. Faith is the human side of the glorious plan, and grace the divine side. The former is coexistent with humanity and the latter with God. Hence the silly pusillanimity of laying a human embargo on the divine prerogative.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

Verse 16

It is of faith; meaning that salvation is of faith.–By grace; favor.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

4:16 {14} Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the {l} seed; {15} 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,

(14) The conclusion of this argument: the salvation and justification of the posterity of Abraham (that is, of the Church which is composed of all believers) proceeds from faith which lays hold on the promise made to Abraham, and which promise Abraham himself first of all laid hold on.

(l) To all the believers.

(15) That is to say, not only of those who believe and are also circumcised according to the law, but of those also who without circumcision and with respect of faith only, are counted among the children of Abraham.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

This verse summarizes the thought of Rom 4:13-15. God gave His promise to make Abraham the father of many nations (Rom 4:13) unconditionally ("in accordance with grace") after the patriarch stood justified. Abraham obtained the promise simply by believing it (i.e., by faith), not by keeping the law. This is the only way that the realization of what God had promised could be certain. This part of Paul’s argument therefore further exalts faith as the only method of justification. [Note: See Robert A. Pyne, "The ’Seed,’ the Spirit, and the Blessing of Abraham," Bibliotheca Sacra 152:606 (April-June 1995):216-17.]

"Faith is helplessness reaching out in total dependence upon God." [Note: Mounce, p. 127.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)