Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 4:24
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
24. for us also ] Lit. also because of us; “because we were to be likewise dealt with, and therefore needed to know it.”
shall be ] Lit., fully, is about to be. The reference of the futurity is to the abiding intention of the Justifier. Justification is, individually, present on condition of belief; but with regard to all who “shall believe,” it is in intention, a future thing.
if we believe ] More lit. even us who believe. The faith is assumed.
on him that raised up, &c.] The Father. (Cp. Psa 16:10; Act 2:24; Act 13:30; Act 17:31; Eph 1:20, &c.; Heb 13:20.) His “bringing Jesus again” stands here as a Divine pledge of His infinite trustworthiness. “He hath given assurance unto all men,” not only of judgment (Act 17:31), but of a present and complete justification, “in that He raised Jesus from the dead.” Abraham believed Him specially as the God of the primeval Promise, and of particular providence and love to himself: we believe Him now also as the Father who raised His Son to life after propitiatory death.
our Lord ] The title of Majesty enhances the significance of the Resurrection.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But for us also – For our use; (compare Rom 15:4; 1Co 10:11), that we might have an example of the way in which people may be accepted of God. It is recorded for our encouragement and imitation, to show that we may in a similar manner be accepted and saved.
If we believe on him … – Abraham showed his faith in God by believing just what God revealed to him. This was his faith, and it might be as strong and implicit as could be exercised under the fullest revelation. Faith, now, is belief in God just so far as he has revealed his will to us. It is therefore the same in principle, though it may have reference to different objects. It is confidence in the same God, according to what we know of his will. Abraham showed his faith mainly in confiding in the promises of God respecting a numerous posterity. This was the leading truth made known to him, and this he believed.
(The promise made to Abraham was, in thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed, on which we have the following inspired commentary: And the scriptures foreseeing that God would justify the pagan through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed, Gal 3:8. It would seem, then, that this promise, like that made immediately after the fall, contained the very germ and principles of the gospel. So that after all there is not so great difference between the object of Abrahams faith, and that of ours. Indeed the object in both cases is manifestly the same.)
The main or leading truths that God has made known to us are, that he has given his Son to die; that he has raised him up; and that through him he is ready to pardon. To put confidence in these truths is to believe now. Doing this, we believe in the same God that Abraham did; we evince the same spirit; and thus show that we are the friends of the same God, and may be treated in the same manner. This is faith under the gospel (compare the notes at Mar 16:16), and shows that the faith of Abraham and of all true believers is substantially the same, and is varied only by the difference of the truths made known.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 24. But for us also] The mention of this circumstance has a much more extensive design than merely to honour Abraham. It is recorded as the model, according to which God will save both Jews and Gentiles: indeed there can be no other way of salvation; as all have sinned, all must either be saved by faith through Christ Jesus, or finally perish. If God, therefore, will our salvation, it must be by faith; and faith contemplates his promise, and his promise comprehends the Son of his love.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
24. to whom it shall be imputed, ifwe believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the deadinHim that hath done this, even as Abraham believed that Godwould raise up a seed in whom all nations should be blessed.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed,…. What was written in the books of the Old Testament, was not written merely on account of them who are the subjects thereof, but for the use, learning, instruction and profit of saints under the New Testament dispensation; and particularly this concerning the pulsation of Abraham’s faith for righteousness, or of the imputation of the righteousness of faith unto him for justification; which was not Abraham’s faith, but that “righteousness” which his faith looked to, and laid hold on: see Ro 4:12; for Abraham’s faith itself could never be reckoned for righteousness to another, nor indeed was it to himself; but such as believe as Abraham did, they have the same righteousness imputed to them as he had; and truly of the same kind is the faith of Abraham, who believed in “God that quickeneth the dead”, Ro 4:17; and that of ours:
if, or “seeing”
we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; which descriptive of the faith of New Testament believers, and of the object of it; see Ro 10:9; and which object of faith is further described in Ro 4:25.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Him that raised up Jesus ( ). First aorist active articular participle of , to raise up. The fact of the Resurrection of Jesus is central in Paul’s gospel (1Co 15:4ff.).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
It shall be reckoned [ ] .. Not the future of the verb to reckon, but mellw to intend points to God ‘s definite purpose. See on Act 27:2; 2Pe 1:12.
Who believe. Since we are those who believe.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But for us also,” (alla kai di’ hemas) “But also because of us;” both Jews and Gentiles of Paul’s time and ours, 1Co 15:4; 1Co 10:6; 1Co 10:11.
2) “To whom it shall be imputed,” (ois mellei logizesthai) “To whom it is about to be reckoned, accounted, or computed;” Believers do have this Divine righteousness imputed to them for justification from sin’s condemnation today, Joh 3:18.
3) “If we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord,” (tois pisteuousin epi ton egeiranta lesoun ton kurion hemon) “The ones believing on the one who raised our Lord Jesus;” Men must believe in a living God, a risen Savior in order to be saved, Act 10:39-43; Act 13:30; Act 13:37-39; Act 15:7-9.
4) “From the dead,” (ek nekron) “Out of dead corpses;” as the raising up of Isaac, the “promised seed,” from the dead, the one as good as dead, -was of Abraham. So the raising up Christ out of (from among dead corpses) was according to God’s promise for redemption of all men of all times, Mat 12:39-40; Mat 16:21; Mat 26:32; Mat 28:5-7.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
24. Who believe on him, etc. I have already reminded you of the design of those periphrastic expressions: Paul introduced them, that he might, according to what the passages may require, describe in various ways the real character of faith — of which the resurrection of Christ is not the smallest part; for it is the ground of our hope as to eternal life. Had he said only, that we believe in God, it could not have been so readily learnt how this could serve to obtain righteousness; but when Christ comes forth and presents to us in his own resurrection a sure pledge of life, it then appears evident from what fountain the imputation of righteousness flows.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(24) That raised up.It is an association of ideas which leads the Apostle up to this point. The birth of Isaac resembles the resurrection of Christ in that it involved the exercise of Omnipotence, and in that Omnipotence Abraham believed and we are to believe. The Apostle is further led to allude to the Resurrection (though he has not laid so much stress upon it hitherto) because of the place which it held in his theory of the gospel.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
24. If we believe on him If we believe God now as Abraham did then. God promised the seed, and Abraham believed; God has now given the seed, and we must likewise believe. Both beliefs in their root are one, namely, faith in God. True justifying faith is trusting in God just so far as God has in faith and to faith revealed.
This is a true and great principle. The illustrious catalogue of heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11, Abel, Enoch, Noah, and others, knew not definitely of the atoning Christ. And yet their justifying faith was identical in nature with Christian faith, for it was a true faith in the holy God. It was faith in whatever God presented as object of faith; and had Christ been definitely presented, Christ would have been explicitly believed. Hence millions who never knew Christ have had true Christian faith. Even in Christian lands we may cherish a degree of trembling hope for those who seem to exhibit the Christian spirit yet fail to understand Christ as he truly is, while we feel it to be a most dubious ground to stand upon. There possibly may be in them “the spirit of faith” where there is an invincible ignorance of the true object of faith. (See the chapter on “Equation of Probational Advantages” in our work on the Will.) (See note on Rom 2:6; Rom 3:22, and introductory note to 6.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Rom 4:24. But for us also But for our sake also.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
Ver. 24. That raised up Jesus ] And with him all believers,Col 3:1Col 3:1 ; Rom 6:4 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
24. ] is almost (see Col 2:12 ; 1Th 1:10 ) always anarthrous, as indeed sometimes is (for ‘the dead’) in classic writers, e.g. Thucyd. iv. 14; Rom 4:10 , end: and see Winer, edn. 6, 19. 1. The omission may in this phrase be accounted for by the preposition (Middleton, ch. vi. 1): but I suspect Winer is right in looking for the cause of the absence of the article after prepositions rather in the usage of the particular substantive than in any idiom of general application.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
for us = on account of us.
shall = is about to.
if we believe = to (us) believing.
the dead. App-139:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
24.] is almost (see Col 2:12; 1Th 1:10) always anarthrous, as indeed sometimes is (for the dead) in classic writers, e.g. Thucyd. iv. 14; Rom 4:10, end: and see Winer, edn. 6, 19. 1. The omission may in this phrase be accounted for by the preposition (Middleton, ch. vi. 1): but I suspect Winer is right in looking for the cause of the absence of the article after prepositions rather in the usage of the particular substantive than in any idiom of general application.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rom 4:24. , Him, who raised up) Comp. v. 17, quickening the dead. The faith of Abraham was directed to that, which was about to be, and which could come to pass, ours to that which has actually taken place; the faith of both, is directed to the Quickener [Him, who makes alive].
, was delivered) so the LXX. Isa 53:12, , and for their iniquities He was delivered up. God is not said to have inflicted death upon Chirst; although He inflicted on Him [put Him to] griefs; but [God is said] to have delivered up Christ, or else Christ is said to have died, ch. Rom 8:34. I do not deny the fact itself, see Zec 13:7; but the phrases are moulded in such a way that they rather express that the passion was enjoined upon Christ by the Father, as also that the death was obediently endured by Christ to the utmost [exantlata; the cup of suffering to death drained to the dregs].-, justification) a verbal noun, differing from , righteousness. Faith flows from the resurrection of Christ, and so also does justification, Col 2:12; 1Pe 1:21. The ground on which our belief in God rests, is, that He has raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Yet this ground of belief does not impair the truth, that the obedience of Jesus Christ, and His own blood, is the source of our justification. See ch. Rom 3:25, Rom 5:19.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rom 4:24
Rom 4:24
but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,-To encourage us to exercise and perfect our faith by walking in the steps of our father Abraham, and so making our faith perfect by works, as his faith was made perfect by works. (See Jas 2:21-22). If we thus believe in Jesus Christ and perfect our faith in obedience to him, God will reckon our faith to us for righteousness. The things we are required to do by the law of faith are not such as merit salvation, but are conditions by which we show our fitness and willingness to receive the offered blessings.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
imputed
Or, reckoned, i.e. put to the account of. See Phm 1:18, same word:
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
for us: Act 2:39
if we: Rom 10:9, Rom 10:10, Mar 16:16, Joh 3:14-16, Act 2:24, Act 13:30, Eph 1:18-20, Heb 13:20, Heb 13:21, 1Pe 1:21
Reciprocal: Isa 53:11 – justify Joh 2:19 – I will Act 10:40 – General Act 13:39 – by Act 20:21 – faith Rom 4:5 – But to Rom 4:6 – imputeth Rom 5:1 – being Rom 8:11 – him Rom 15:4 – whatsoever 1Co 15:13 – General Gal 1:1 – raised Gal 2:16 – but Gal 3:6 – accounted Gal 3:7 – they Gal 3:9 – General Col 2:12 – who
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
:24
Rom 4:24. It was written as an encouragement for us (all people of our day, whether Jew or Gentile), to the intent that we believe on God who raised up his Son, the great Seed that was promised to Abraham.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rom 4:24. But for our sake also. The design was not merely to show how Abraham was justified, but also to show how we should be justified.
It shall be reckoned. Shall be is not the simple future, but points the purpose of God with respect to what is continuous; the justification of each believer is a single act, but that of believers as a whole is continuous.
Who believe; since we are such as believe fairly presents the sense.
Him that raised up Jesus our Lord, etc. This reference to the resurrection of Christ emphasizes the power of God, just as Rom 4:17 had done. The birth of Isaac was a proof of Gods omnipotence, but Christs resurrection is a still higher proof, both of this omnipotence, and, at the same time, of Divine grace, on which the whole argument turns (Rom 4:16). When the fact of Christs resurrection is denied or ignored by nominal Christians, their faith is weak in every respect.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on him that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
24. But truly for the sake of us unto whom he is about to impute it, i. e., to those who believed on him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. You see from these Scriptures that we are justified precisely like Father Abraham. Oh, how simple! He just believed God, and it was counted unto him for justification. Here it is positively specified that it was not written for the sake of Him alone, but for us, that we may know how to be saved. People are constantly stumbling over the very simplicity of Gods saving grace. Satan is constantly decoying us away after big things, lest we believe the simple truth of God and be saved.