Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Galatians 3:9
So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
9. faithful ] The original word, like its English equivalent, may mean either trustworthy or trusting, deserving confidence or exercising it. In the former sense it occurs 1Co 1:9 ; 1Co 4:2. In the latter (which is the sense here), Joh 20:27, where it is rendered ‘believing’. The context will determine which meaning is to be assigned to it. A similar ambiguity attaches to such English words as pitiful, mournful, hopeful.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
So then they which be of faith – They whose leading characteristic it is that they believe. This was the leading trait in the character of Abraham, and this is the leading thing required of those who embrace the gospel, and in the character of a true Christian.
Are blessed with faithful Abraham – In the same manner they are interested in the promises made to him, and they will be treated as he was. They are justified in the same manner, and admitted to the same privileges on earth and in heaven.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Gal 3:9
Are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Aspects of faith
I. Faith as a possessor–of faith.
1. Men are hardly believers in the fullest sense until they have been mastered and subjugated by their faith.
2. History, secular and sacred, is full of examples of men who have not only had faith, but have belonged to faith.
The true believer–
1. Acts on faiths impulse;
2. Follows faiths guidance as a good servant
(1) unquestionably;
(2) fully;
(3) cheerfully.
II. Faith as a possession–Faithful.
1. There is a partial faith
(1) of the intellect;
(2) of the affections;
(3) of the will;
(4) of the life.
Of these one may act without the other. We may believe in Christ
(1) historically;
(2) doctrinally;
(3)emotionally;
(4) ethically.
2. There is a fulness of faith which embraces all.
III. Faith as a bond of union, Blessed with Abraham.
1. This bond unites all classes, Jew and Gentile.
2. Unites all ages.
3. Unites all classes and ages in a common blessedness.
Believers are saved
I recollect the lesson which I learned from my Sunday school class, Though yet a youth, I was teaching the gospel to boys, and I said, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. One of them asked somewhat earnestly, Teacher, are you saved? I answered, I hope so. As if he had been sent to push the matter home to me the boy replied, Teacher, dont you know? and further inquired, Teacher, have you believed? I said, Yes. Have you been baptized? I said Yes. Well, then, he argued, Youre saved. I was happy to answer, Yes, I am, but I had hardly dared to say that before. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Gods people blessed in faithful Abraham
I. Observe, then, in the first place–Abraham is declared to be faithful and blessed. Truly he may well be called faithful Abraham; for though there are some evident marks of want of faith in Abraham, yet this is saying no more of him than of any one of Gods people. In those the most excellent–standing forth the most prominently in Gods Word–it is remarkable, that in the very point in which the Holy Ghost made them peculiarly excellent–gave a peculiar beauty in their character–you will find in that very point are they distinguished, in some few stages of their journey, for that which is the direct opposite; and if that teaches us no more than this, than Abraham was not saved for his faiths sake–that Job was not saved for his patience sake–that David was not saved for his courage sake–it leads us to this, to say that by grace they were saved, and not by anything wrought in them or done by them. When we look at the character of this eminent servant of God, truly he was distinguished for this most excellent gift–the faith of Gods elect. But observe: the passage also asserts that faithful Abraham was blessed, Faithful Abraham had temporal blessings. Thats one proof, among many, why I cannot think that Abrahams covenant is the same with our gospel covenant. There was the act of circumcision that entitled him to a blessing; and there was the promised land–the temporal good. Surely this does not savour of the unearthly gospel. The gospel covenant gives no promise of any temporal blessing, except, indeed, in this waySeek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these shall be added unto you. All these things shall be thrown in. Ye shall find riches in your poverty, and health in your sickness. Ye shall find that God, who worketh by contraries, shall give you real good even out of evil. But His covenant gives no assurance of earthly blessings, though the covenant of Abraham did; and thats one reason, among ten thousand, why I never could consider it the same with the gospel covenant. But besides this, Abraham was especially blessed in spiritual things. He inherited the promise–the great promise. He inherited the promise of Isaac, and saw through him the Messiah that was to be cut off, but not for Himself.
II. But now observe, secondly, that they which be of faith are blessed with him. When it is said that they which be of faith, we are not to understand that they have the same measure of faith as Abraham. My dear friends, we are oftentimes accused of laying too great stress on faith. I never heard a believer think we laid too much stress upon faith. I hear of those who talk of faith as a blind man talks of colours, unable to describe or truly to understand that of which he speaks. I have heard them saying we lay too much stress upon faith; but the Apostle Paul wrote two whole Epistles especially on this subject; and you will find, throughout the whole of the Romans, and throughout the whole of the Galatians, how great and how continued a stress he lays on this most important point; and how is that? He knew well this grand subject of faith sinks everything else. As faith is strong, so every thing is strong. When our views of faith rise, so our views of God rise; and when such is the case, obedience to the law of God flows as a stream, pervades the heart, and worketh by love–subjecteth the will, and leadeth a man upwards to his salvation. All the blessings are received by faith. They are as much received by faith as I receive the bread I eat. That bread becomes mine as I eat it, it becomes mine by appropriation, as it were–it becomes my own, to nutrify and sustain me; and so, by faith, Christ becomes the support of my spiritual frame. I now come to that part of the subject which opens a great and glorious prospect: they are blessed. They who have Christ are blessed; they inherit the promise–the great promise–Christ–Jehovah–Jesus the Saviour. They have Him in the glory of His person, the perfection of His work, and all the fulness of His grace. Oh I what a blessing has that man who has Christ for his portion. Does any one doubt it? They are blessed because they are hastening to that world where they shall be superlatively blessed. (J. H. Evans.)
Abraham; or, the influence of faith
Let us consider:
I. The character of his faith. Few things are more talked about, and less understood, than this subject of faith. St. James teaches us in his second chapter and twenty-sixth verse, that there are two distinct kinds of faith–that, as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. There are those who possess what we may call a living faith amongst the heathen–a faith which indeed does not come down from the living Spirit–but it inspires the soul of the Hindoo mother when she is constrained to cast her own child beneath the wheels of the ponderous machine which carries the god called Juggernaut. Is it not so, also, where the Jew really trusts on his god–who, however, is not the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, but one of his own creation? Is it not equally so with the Mahommedan, who will imbrue his hands in the blood of those who deny that Mahomet was Gods prophet? Is it not so with those Roman Catholics who believe the Virgin Mary to be more tender and compassionate than Christ, who came into the world and suffered death to save us? They exercise a living faith, but its object is such as to render it nevertheless short of salvation. You will observe that the right object of faith is as essential as the living principle of faith. Here then is the one true and only object by which faith is made instrumental in saving the soul. I need not say that faith itself never saves a man–it is the object of that faith. Faith is the instrument–it is not the life which is brought into the soul, but it merely opens the soul to receive that life–it leads the thirsty soul to the waters of life, where it may be refreshed. Still, it may be asked, how can this be true as regards the Old Testament Saints? The text teaches us to take Abraham as a type of the whole of the Old Testament Saints, and that Abraham did believe in Jesus Christ; for you will find in verse 16–Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but, as of one, and to thy seed–which is Christ. He did believe. As you read in the first lesson of this evenings service, you will remember that Abraham said unto his son–My son, God will provide himself a Lamb for a burnt-offering. Now this Lamb was no other than the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom it is said–He was the Lamb which was slain from the foundation of the world. He was regarded by all the Old Testament Saints as a Lamb slain for them. They looked forward to the sacrifice which was to be made, as we look back to it now it has been made. The promise made to Abraham is noticed in Gal 3:8. Now this does away with the notion that any faith in the abstract can possibly save. I know that there is a common notion amongst men in these latitudinarian days, by which they affirm and endeavour to maintain that it matters little what a mans faith is, provided it be sincere. Now you will observe from this that it does matter altogether what his faith is; for it may be sincerely placed on a wrong object. We come, therefore, to the inevitable conclusion, that unless the object of your faith be one with the object of Abrahams faith–i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ, His blessing cannot be yours.
II. The influence of his faith. They that be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham by righteousness imputed to their souls. Another point is, that through faith Abraham walked with God. St. James tells us that Abraham was a friend of God. What an exalted honour and privilege is this. Can there be any term more endearing to the believing soul than to be called the friend of God? And yet Jesus says to His people, Ye are my friends! Now, dear friends, those who be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. They have the same blessing, and they, too, are the friends of God. How do they prove they are His friends? They follow the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, who says, My sheep hear My voice, and they follow Me. Through faith Abraham was supported in all his trials, and protected in all his dangers; and was there ever a friend of God left in an un-befriended state by God? No! Gen 15:1 –Fear not, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. He is a shield to ward off and protect. But not only was Abraham blessed: he was made a blessing to others. He was made a blessing to all the families of the earth by being the father of the seed to whom the promises were made. He was also a blessing by his bright example of faith and holiness, and all who follow his example shall receive his blessing. He was made a blessing to others; and, dear friends, all who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham by being made a blessing to others. Suffer me, then, to ask you, brethren, whether you this night have the mark of the blessing of Abraham? Because, if you have not this mark, you have not his faith, and consequently are not blessed with him. There is, one thought more before we leave the subject, Abraham through faith realized the Lord as his portion. You will find in Gen 15:1 : I am thy shield and exceeding great reward. Dear friends, what a depth there is here! I am thy exceeding great reward! This is what we are all seeking for–a recompense for our labours, toils, and anxieties. But here–All them that be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham–they have the Lord as their exceeding great reward. He is their portion, their everlasting inheritance–He is their all in all in this world! But here is a blessing which reaches not only to the end of time, but to all eternity. (G. A. Rogers, M. A.)
The blessing in Abraham is like a stream
I. Full–of comfort and refreshment for guilty man–of promise for the world.
II. Flowing–first enjoyed by Abraham–it flows on through time.
III. Expansive–it reaches to all nations.
IV. Free–for every one that believeth.
V. Inexhaustible–for its source is Christ. (J. Lyth.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 9. They which be of faith] All who believe, as Abraham has believed, are made partakers of Abraham’s blessings.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Those that believe in Jesus Christ with such a faith as the gospel doth require, they, and they alone, are blessed with spiritual blessings, justified from the guilt of sin,
with Abraham; that is, in the same manner that Abraham, the father of the faithful, and who himself was a believer, was justified; which was not (as was before said) by his circumcision, or by any works that he did, but by imputation upon his believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, exhibited and held forth in the promise made to him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. theyand they alone.
of faith(See on Ga3:7, beginning).
withtogether with.
faithfulimplying whatit is in which they are “blessed together with him,”namely, faith, the prominent feature of his character, and of whichthe result to all who like him have it, is justification.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So then they which be of faith,…. This is the apostle’s conclusion upon the whole, from the instance of Abraham, and, the promise made to him; and is an explanation of the preceding clause, and shows that it must be taken in a limited sense, and understood not of every individual; only of those who are of the same faith with Abraham, are believers in Christ, and seek for justification by faith in him, and not by the works of the law:
these are blessed with faithful Abraham; in his seed Christ; they are blessed with a justifying righteousness in Christ as he was, and will be blessed with eternal life as he is; they shall sit with him, and with Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. The character of “faithful” given to him, respects not his uprightness and integrity among men, but his faith in God; and does not suppose that he was blessed for his faith, but that it was through faith that he received the blessing of justification, and not by the works of the law; and that in the same way, all that believe enjoy the same favour, for to them it is limited and restrained: nor can the Jews of all men find fault with this interpretation of the apostle’s, since they themselves interpret the above clause of some particular persons of the nations of the world, and say in so many words, that
“the meaning is, not that all the men of the world should be blessed, but that every family that is in the world,
, “that comes to the obedience and faith of him” (God,) to it shall adhere the blessing and providence. o”
o Abarbinel in Pentateuch, fol. 54. 1, 2. Vid. R. Isaac Chizzuk Emuna, par. 1. c. 13. p. 135.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
With (). Along with, in fellowship with.
The faithful ( ). Rather, “the believing” (cf. verse 6).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
With [] . Not = like or as, but in fellowship with. Believers are regarded as homogeneous with Abraham, and as thus sharing the blessing which began in him.
Faithful [] . Or believing, as Act 16:1; 2Co 11:15; 1Ti 5:16. Those who are of the faith are one in blessing with him whose characteristic was faith.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “So then they which be of faith,” (hoste hoi ek pisteos) “So (then) those out of flesh-the ones believing, having believed or trusted in Jesus Christ,” those of you all trusting, depending on faith in Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, is a fundamental condition to Divine acceptance, Joh 8:24; Heb 11:6; Gal 3:26.
2) “Are blessed with faithful Abraham,” (eulogountai sun to pisto Abraam) “are blessed in affinity with the believing Abraham,” whose faith was counted for his righteousness, who obeyed and went out from the Ur of the Chaldees, not knowing whether he went, what might befall him, Heb 11:8-10. The term “Faithful” may mean trustworthy or trusting, deserving confidence, or exercising it. It is used here in the sense of exercising faith in addition to having previously been saved through faith.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
9. Faithful Abraham. This expression is very emphatic. They are blessed, not with Abraham as circumcised, nor as entitled to boast of the works of the law, nor as a Hebrew, nor as relying on his own excellence, but with Abraham, who by faith alone obtained the blessing; for no personal quality is here taken into the account, but faith alone. The word Blessing is variously employed in Scripture: but here it signifies Adoption into the inheritance of eternal life.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(9) They which be of faith.The same phrase as in Gal. 3:7 above.
With faithful Abrahami.e., in company with Abraham. The same idea is presented in two different forms. Abrahams spiritual descendants are blessed in him; they are also blessed with him. He is the head of a great company, in which they all are included.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. Of faith Out from ( ) faith. Notes on Luk 20:35, and Act 8:38.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gal 3:9 . ] The general result from Gal 3:7-8 . If, namely, believers are sons of Abraham (Gal 3:7 ), and if the Scripture, in its promise of blessing to Abraham, has had in view faith as the source of divine justification for the Gentiles, believers accordingly are those who are blessed with believing Abraham , is used in its common acceptation of the actual consequence , and is therefore not to be explained in the sense of , to which Hofmann’s view comes.
] has the whole emphasis, as in Gal 3:7 .
.] Paul does not repeat , but writes , because he looks from the present time of into the past, in which Abraham stands forth as the blessed one, with whom those who become blessed are now placed on a like footing, is not, however, equivalent to , a view on behalf of which appeal ought not to be made to Rom 8:32 (Koppe and others); but it expresses fellowship , for believers, inasmuch as they are blessed (justified), share with believing Abraham the same divine benefit which began in his person and is extended to believers as the homogeneous with him. The predicate is added to ., in order to denote the similarity of the ethical character, which necessarily accompanies the similarity of the result.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Ver. 9. Are blessed, &c. ] For they only are blessed whose sins are remitted, Psa 32:1 . Oh, the blessedness of that man, saith the Psalmist.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
9 .] Consequence of above, substantiated by Gal 3:10 below. A share in Abraham’s blessing must be the accompaniment of faith, not of works of the law has the emphasis.
, to shew their community with him in the blessing: , to shew wherein the community consists, viz. FAITH.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Gal 3:9 . . See note on Gal 3:7 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
with. Greek. sun. App-104.
faithful = the faithful. Greek. pistos. App-150.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
9.] Consequence of above, substantiated by Gal 3:10 below. A share in Abrahams blessing must be the accompaniment of faith, not of works of the law has the emphasis.
, to shew their community with him in the blessing: , to shew wherein the community consists, viz. FAITH.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Gal 3:9. ) they who are of faith, all, and they alone; as is evident from its opposite in the following verse.- , with the faithful) The blessing was conferred on Abraham himself by faith; with whom those, who believe, are blessed. Observe, he says now, , with, not , in. In thee was said before Christ was born of the seed of Abraham; subsequently to that event, with, nay even previously; compare the heirs with him, Heb 11:9.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Gal 3:9
Gal 3:9
So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.-As Abraham secured the blessing through faith, all who believe as he did, whether Jews or Gentiles, will be blessed with him.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Gal 3:7, Gal 3:8, Gal 3:14, Gal 3:29, Gal 4:28, Rom 4:11, Rom 4:16, Rom 4:24
Reciprocal: Gen 22:18 – And in Gen 24:1 – blessed Lev 19:19 – mingled Psa 21:6 – made Psa 24:5 – receive Psa 67:7 – God Isa 51:2 – for Act 3:26 – sent Rom 4:5 – But to Rom 4:6 – blessedness Gal 3:6 – as Eph 1:1 – which Eph 1:3 – who Col 1:2 – the saints 1Ti 2:7 – in faith Heb 1:14 – heirs
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gal 3:9. , -So then they which are of faith are blessed together with the faithful Abraham. expresses a consequence. Schmalfeld, Synt. 155. The deduction is not specially from (Alford and Ellicott), but it rests also upon . Believers are ideally Abraham’s children, inheriting his righteousness, for it had been fore-announced-In thee shall all nations be blessed; therefore those who believe are really blessed along with believing Abraham. Faith brings them into such a filial union with Abraham, that they are as if contained in him- , and are through the same faith blessed along with him- . , as before, has the emphasis. The aspect of relation is now changed: it was , now it is . In the one the idea is that of unity; in the second, that of company. In him, as children in an ancestor, are they blessed, according to the promise in the quotation, and therefore with him; in fellowship with him are they blessed, he and they together-they being , and he being . For is prefixed to Abraham, to prevent any mistake as to that in which this unity and community consist. The adjective is used in an active sense. See under Eph 1:1. It is altogether wrong in Grotius to take as equivalent in meaning to or , in the same way. The apostle’s representation is by no means so vague. The assertion is directed against that error which insisted on the Gentile races submitting to the seal of Abraham’s race and lineage before they could enjoy his blessing. It attacks l’orgueilleux egisme des Juifs (Sardinoux), which mistakes the ground of Abraham’s justification, and would frustrate the promise which Jehovah made to him. Judaizing was opposed alike to the example of Abraham and this early statement of Scripture. The apostle had therefore been preaching no novelty when he preached to the Gentiles, and Jews too, a free and complete salvation, simply through faith in the Crucified One. Chrysostom describes the apostle in the conclusion of this verse as -Those who are of faith are Abraham’s children; Abraham’s children are blessed; therefore those who are of faith-believers-are blessed with believing Abraham.
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians
Gal 3:9. Which be of faith applies to all individuals who manifest the same degree of faith in God as was true of Abraham. Blessed with him means they will receive the blessing of God as being true servants of Him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Gal 3:9. The emphasis lies on faith, as in Gal 3:7.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. [The word for “Gentiles” and “nations” is the same; so Paul says that the Scripture, foreseeing that the Gentiles would be justified by faith, just as Abraham was, foretold to him this gospel of justification by saying, “In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed.” That is, the blessing of justification which is imparted to you, the father, shall attach to all the spiritual children which are potentially in you, and are hereafter to be, as it were, born out of you; even the Gentiles. Those, therefore, that are of faith, and not those who are children of Abraham after the flesh (for the Gentiles can never be such), are blessed with Abraham.]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
So then those of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Constable suggests that the line of thought of the Judaizers might have been, that the Galatians were justified by faith as was Abraham, but that they must undergo circumcision at a later point as did Abraham to complete the process of coming to God. Circumcision was also required of the gentile coming into the Jewish nation in the Old Testament. This may well be the reasoning of the false teachers. They were trying to draw the Galatians into their line of thinking that was based on their Jewish bent of thought.
Those of faith are truly blessed, with salvation while those under the law are cursed according to the next verse.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
3:9 {9} So then they which be of faith are blessed {g} with faithful Abraham.
(9) The conclusion of the fifth argument: therefore as Abraham is blessed by faith, so are all his children (that is to say, all the Gentiles that believe) blessed, that is to say, freely justified.
(g) With faithful Abraham, and not by faithful Abraham, to show us that the blessing comes not from Abraham, but from him by whom Abraham and all his posterity is blessed.