Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 4:21
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
And being fully persuaded – Thoroughly or entirely convinced; Luk 1:1; Rom 14:5; 2Ti 4:5, 2Ti 4:17.
He was able – Compare Gen 18:14. This was not the only time in which Abraham evinced this confidence. His faith was equally implicit and strong when he was commanded to sacrifice his promised son; Heb 11:19.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 21. And being fully persuaded] , his measure: his soul was full of confidence, that the truth of God bound him to fulfil his promise and his power enabled him to do it.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He looked upon God as one that was perfectly able to do whatever he had promised, and as one that was most faithful, and sure never to fail in the performance; collecting nothing else from the difficulty and improbability of the matter, but that it was the fitter for an Almighty power to effect.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. And being fully persuaded,&c.that is, the glory which Abraham’s faith gave to Godconsisted in this, that, firm in the persuasion of God’s ability tofulfil his promise, no difficulties shook him.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And being fully persuaded,…. He had not only faith, a strong faith, but full assurance of faith:
that what he [God] had promised; though it was so long ago, and there were so many difficulties in the way;
he was able, being the Lord God Almighty,
to perform; so his faith rested upon the power of God, with whom nothing is impossible.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Being fully assured (). First aorist passive participle of , from and this from and , to bear or bring full (full measure), to settle fully. Late word, first in LXX but frequent in papyri in sense of finishing off or paying off. See on Luke 1:1; Rom 14:5.
What he had promised ( ). Perfect middle indicative of , to promise, retained in indirect discourse according to usual Greek idiom.
He was able ( ). Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse. The verbal adjective with is here used in sense of the verb (Luke 14:31; Acts 11:17).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Being fully persuaded [] . Rev., more accurately, fully assured. See on most surely believed, Luk 1:1. The primary idea is, being filled with a thought or conviction.
Able [] . The sense is stronger : mighty; compare Luk 1:49; Luk 24:19; Act 18:24; 2Co 10:4; Rev 6:15.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And being fully persuaded,” (kai plerophoretheis) “And existing in a fully persuaded state (continually);” Without doubt or wavering at any of God’s promises, he kept his sojourn for God, Heb 11:8-12.
2) “That what he had promised,” (hoti ho epengeltai) “That what he has (had) promised;” that promises of (1 ) the land-grant to Israel, Gen 12:7; Gen 13:15-17; Gen 15:18; (2) Thru him all nations should be blessed, Gen 12:1-3.
3) “He was able also to perform,” (dunatos estin kai poiesai) “He is (was) able also to do;” He is able to do exceeding, abundantly, above all that men are able to ask or think, Eph 3:20; Php_4:19; Exo 23:31; Heb 11:19.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
21. That what he had promised, etc. As all men acknowledge God’s power, Paul seems to say nothing very extraordinary of the faith of Abraham; but experience proves, that nothing is more uncommon, or more difficult, than to ascribe to God’s power the honor which it deserves. There is in deed no obstacle, however small and insignificant, by which the flesh imagines the hand of God is restrained from working. Hence it is, that in the slightest trials, the promises of God slide away from us. When there is no contest, it is true, no one, as I have said, denies that God can do all things; but as soon as anything comes in the way to impede the course of God’s promise, we cast down God’s power from its eminence. Hence, that it may obtain from us its right and its honor, when a contest comes, we ought to determine thus, — That it is no less sufficient to overcome the obstacles of the world, than the strong rays of the sun are to dissipate the mists. We are indeed wont ever to excuse ourselves, that we derogate nothing from God’s power, whenever we hesitate respecting his promises, and we commonly say, “The thought, that God promises more in his word than he can perform, (which would be a falsehood and blasphemy against him,) is by no means the cause of our hesitation; but that it is the defect which we feel in ourselves.” But we do not sufficiently exalt the power of God, unless we think it to be greater than our weakness. Faith then ought not to regard our weakness, misery, and defects, but to fix wholly its attention on the power of God alone; for if it depends on our righteousness or worthiness, it can never ascend to the consideration of God’s power. And it is a proof of the unbelief, of which he had before spoken, when we mete the Lord’s power with our own measure. For faith does not think that God can do all things, while it leaves him sitting still, but when, on the contrary, it regards his power in continual exercise, and applies it, especially, to the accomplishment of his word: for the hand of God is ever ready to execute whatever he has declared by his mouth.
It seems strange to me, that [ Erasmus ] approved of the relative in the masculine gender; for though the sense is not changed, we may yet come nearer to the Greek words of Paul. The verb, I know, is passive; (148) but the abruptness may be lessened by a little change.
(148) The verb is, ἐπήγγελται, used here, and perhaps in one other place, Heb 12:26, in an active sense. It is usually found, in the sense of promising, in the middle voice, as in Mar 14:11; Act 7:5; Heb 6:13, etc. It is an anomaly that is to be met with sometimes in Greek authors. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Ver. 21. Being fully persuaded ] Gr. , being carried on with full sail, and going gallantly towards heaven.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
21. ] ., see ch. Rom 14:5 , being fully persuaded.
is not passive (nor nom.), but middle, and ‘God’ the subject; that, what He has promised, He is able also to perform.
fully persuaded. Greek. plerophoreo. Occurances, Rom 14:5. Luk 1:1. 2Ti 4:5, 2Ti 4:17.
also, &c. = to perform also.
21.] ., see ch. Rom 14:5, being fully persuaded.
is not passive (nor nom.), but middle, and God the subject; that, what He has promised, He is able also to perform.
Rom 4:21
Rom 4:21
and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.-On the other hand, he had full confidence that God could and would perform his promise. [At so great a height did his faith sustain him that he honored God in all he did, especially in being fully convinced that all he had promised, however improbable, he would certainly perform.]
fully: Rom 8:38, 2Ti 1:12, Heb 11:13
he was able: Rom 14:4, Gen 18:14, Psa 115:3, Jer 32:17, Jer 32:27, Mat 19:26, Luk 1:37, Luk 1:45, 2Co 9:8, Heb 11:19
Reciprocal: 1Ki 8:20 – hath performed Zec 8:6 – should Luk 1:38 – Behold Joh 4:50 – Go Act 27:25 – I believe Rom 4:19 – being Gal 3:6 – as Eph 3:20 – able 2Ti 1:5 – I am Heb 11:11 – because 1Jo 3:19 – assure
:21
Rom 4:21. Such a faith not only means that God is able to perform what he had promised, but that He would not have promised it, had he not known he could do it.
Rom 4:21. And being fully persuaded, etc. This simple confidence in Gods promise gave glory to God, and is the essence of faith (comp. Gen 18:14, and Heb 11:1). Many find it harder to believe that God can love them, notwithstanding their sinfulness, than the hundred-years-old patriarch did to believe that he should be the father of many nations. Confidence in Gods word, a full persuasion that He can do what seems to us impossible, is as necessary in the one case as in the other. The sinner honors God, in trusting His grace, as much as Abraham did in trusting His power (Hodge).
Vv. 21, 22. Being fully convinced that, what He has promised, he is able also to perform. Wherefore also righteousness was imputed to him., to fill a vessel to the brim; this word used in the passive applies to a man filled with a conviction which leaves no place in his heart for the least doubt. It is the opposite of the , to be inwardly divided, of Rom 4:20. If the relation between the two participles: giving glory and being convinced, is as we have said, we should probably omit the , and, which begins this verse in the Alex. and Byz., and prefer the Greco-Latin reading which rejects it.
As to the , also, before , to do, it well expresses the inseparable relation which the moral perfection of God establishes between His saying and His doing. If His power were not equal to the height of His promise, He would not promise.
and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. [This paragraph explains the clause in verse 18, which sets forth how Abraham “in hope believed against hope.” God promised Abraham a son, and though nature told him that it was now impossible for him to have a son, by reason of his own age, and the age of his wife, yet Abraham believed that (the promise of) God was more potent than (the laws of) nature, and in this belief he waxed strong, and glorified God above nature, being fully assured that God was able to perform all that he promised.]
21. Truly being fully assured that God is able to perform that which he has promised. Of course the whole plan of salvation must be ratified by the incarnation of Christ, and this covenant sealed by His precious blood, without which the scheme of redemption must collapse forever.
Consequently the grand salient fact in the Abrahamic covenant is the Messianic incarnation and the progenitorship of Christ in his family. At this point all natural possibilities take their everlasting flight, permanently superseded by the supernatural, in view of the physical impossibilities of natural posterity, arising from the fact that both Abraham and Sarah had long passed the age of fertility. This fact clearly illustrates the supernaturalism indispensable to all genuine saving faith; as none but the children of Abraham have part in the covenant of redemption. Hence it is only the faith supernaturally inspired by the Holy Ghost that can make you a son of Abraham and an heir of the promised redemption. That is the reason why true faith has always been a scarce article in this wicked world.
Moreover then the Son of man having come, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luk 18:8).
The answer is in the negative. The faithful people having been taken up in the rapture, when the Lord comes in His awful pre-millennial judgments on a wicked world and fallen church, He will not find true faith in all the earth. This is the grand salient point in the plan of salvation, faith being the great fundamental grace underlying the superstructure and appropriating the benefits of the redemptive scheme involved in the Abrahamic covenant. Oh, how Satan counterfeits human faith, eliminating the supernatural and leaving it a loathsome old corpse (Jas 2:26). Unless the Holy Ghost inspire in the soul this super natural faith such as Abraham had, you never can be one of his children, a participant of the redemption in Christ (Gal 3:29). Without this inspired supernatural faith you will always be staggering at the promises of God. Now, remember that, if you would be saved, you must walk in the steps of Abraham (5:12), who not only staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief, but was filled up with dynamite through faith. The peculiarity of natural faith, which is Satans counterfeit, is its destitution of the dynamite which the Holy Ghost alone can give, constituting the supernatural in justifying and sanctifying faith. Here we read that Abraham not only believed the promises of God which contradicted the laws of nature relative to the incarnation, but being so inundated with the dynamite of supernatural faith, he actually leaped for joy, giving glory to God. Hence, if you would be a son of Abraham, you must have that supernatural faith which so fills you up with spiritual dynamite that you not only triumph over all unbelief, but laugh at impossibilities and give glory to God, counting His promises already done without any visible manifestations of the fact, as Abraham without the shadow of a doubt leaped for joy in anticipation of His Omnipotent Son, the worlds Redeemer, two thousand years before the angels sang their gaudeamus over the manger of Bethlehem.
4:21 And being {s} fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
(s) A description of true faith.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes