Romans, Chapter 4
Commentary
4.1-Paul turns here to Abraham (AKA Abram), the son of Terah of Ur, who is the example par excellence of God's unmerited favor and unquestioning faith. Abraham, chosen for unknown reasons by God to be the father of God's chosen people, and ultimately a progenitor of Jesus himself according to the flesh, persistently pursues God's will even in the most trying circumstances, with some latitude for human frailty. This is an excellent follow-up to Paul's prior arguments, because the Jews seem to have thought of themselves as superior because of their adherence to the law, but the root of their identity, that eventually caused God to give them that law, was the faith of one man who received the unmerited election of God.
4.2-3-Genesis 15.6. Abraham's faith is his key attribute. He cannot be an adherent of the law, because the Law did not exist at that time.
4.4-If salvation could be earned through works, one would have no reason for gratitude, because receiving it would only be getting your just compensation. As Paul has already made clear, since none of us is able to consistently obey the word of God, none of us justly deserve salvation on our own merit, as the Westminster Catechism says, "No mere man, since the fall, is able, in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them, in thought, word, and deed." (Answer to Question 82).
4.5-Although it is true that Greek "pisteuo" can mean "trust," it also means "faith," (See the extensive note on 3:21; same root word). Here, the word is coupled with a phrase that literally indicates that the Christian believes "upon [God]." This faith, not a slate of good deeds, is what is accounted to the faithful person as righteousness.
4.6-8-Psalm 31:1-2. What else can we say but, "Amen!"?
4.9-10-Paul indicates that the blessings of God preceded human response to God's faithfulness. Therefore, those blessings must also be available to those who have not yet responded to God's faithfulness. Here, "circumcision" may be thought of as both literal and a shorthand, later, for "Jews who obey the law."
4.11-12-The Jews have been used to thinking of Abraham as their father only, through literal genetic links and through his being the first to practice of circumcision and obeying God. Here, Paul widens that role, indicating that he is also a sort of proto-believer, a person whose faith makes him the father of all who have faith, just as his circumcision made him the father of all those who believed in the Law and counted themselves as faithful Jews.
4.13-15-This briefly encapsulates the thesis of the entire book of the prophet Jeremiah. Essentially, some Jews simultaneously wanted to flaunt the law over "unrighteous" gentiles when it was convenient (and they were obeying the law), but then flee to the unbreakable, unilateral nature of God's promise to Abraham whenever their own shortcomings were highlighted. Here Paul, like Jeremiah, indicates that the law is no protection for those who selectively keep us, that is, for any human except Jesus Christ. Even the Jews, who took pride in the law, are better off being judged apart from it.
4.16-Again, if Paul's phrase in 3.21 actually meant "faith in Jesus Christ" rather than "faith of Jesus Christ," than this verse should be translated "Faith in Abraham," because it uses an identical construction. Instead, all translations use the most logical and correct phrase: "Faith of Abraham." The notion that Abraham is the "father of us all" (by faith) would be a truly radical idea to his audience.
4.17-This seems impossible, but Paul is quick to point out that God is the God of the impossible. Therefore, Gentiles can be children of Abraham, by the power of God, who can make children for Abraham even out of stones (Matthew 3:9).
4.18-This phrase makes more sense when you understand that the Greek word "hope" also means "expectation," so Abraham hoped against what he had a right to expect. This is the origin of the English idiom, "hoping against hope."
4.19-Remember the circumstances which made Abraham's faith so striking. Both he and Sarah (then, Sarai) were very old when Abraham responded to the promises. Paul doesn't mince words: Abraham was so old that he was nearly dead (Genesis 17.17), yet he still believed and trusted God.
4.20-23- Paul writes, "Yet [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief" but this isn't really the impression that Genesis gives, where both Abraham (Genesis 17.17) and Sarah (18.12) laugh at how absurd God's promises sound. This is cause for celebration for us, though, even wavering faith can be counted as righteousness if we persist in overcoming our doubts and trusting the saving power of Christ, whose faith is perfect.
4.24-Here, Paul unambiguous uses the language of faith "on" (we would say "in") God. The central fact of our faith is in full view. Who is this faithful God? The one who raised Christ Jesus from the dead. That is the cornerstone of all our faith and confidence.
4.25-And not just that Jesus was raised from the dead, but that he was raised from the dead after being "handed over" (in the same way that humanity was "handed over" or "given up" in Romans 1:24, using the same word, paradidomi. So humans were "handed over" to sin (1.24), but Christ was handed over to sin and death in our place (4.25) so that we might be justified.
Next: Romans, Chapter 5
Previous: Romans, Chapter 3
Back to the Centennial Scripture Challenge
4.1-Paul turns here to Abraham (AKA Abram), the son of Terah of Ur, who is the example par excellence of God's unmerited favor and unquestioning faith. Abraham, chosen for unknown reasons by God to be the father of God's chosen people, and ultimately a progenitor of Jesus himself according to the flesh, persistently pursues God's will even in the most trying circumstances, with some latitude for human frailty. This is an excellent follow-up to Paul's prior arguments, because the Jews seem to have thought of themselves as superior because of their adherence to the law, but the root of their identity, that eventually caused God to give them that law, was the faith of one man who received the unmerited election of God.
4.2-3-Genesis 15.6. Abraham's faith is his key attribute. He cannot be an adherent of the law, because the Law did not exist at that time.
4.4-If salvation could be earned through works, one would have no reason for gratitude, because receiving it would only be getting your just compensation. As Paul has already made clear, since none of us is able to consistently obey the word of God, none of us justly deserve salvation on our own merit, as the Westminster Catechism says, "No mere man, since the fall, is able, in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them, in thought, word, and deed." (Answer to Question 82).
4.5-Although it is true that Greek "pisteuo" can mean "trust," it also means "faith," (See the extensive note on 3:21; same root word). Here, the word is coupled with a phrase that literally indicates that the Christian believes "upon [God]." This faith, not a slate of good deeds, is what is accounted to the faithful person as righteousness.
4.6-8-Psalm 31:1-2. What else can we say but, "Amen!"?
4.9-10-Paul indicates that the blessings of God preceded human response to God's faithfulness. Therefore, those blessings must also be available to those who have not yet responded to God's faithfulness. Here, "circumcision" may be thought of as both literal and a shorthand, later, for "Jews who obey the law."
4.11-12-The Jews have been used to thinking of Abraham as their father only, through literal genetic links and through his being the first to practice of circumcision and obeying God. Here, Paul widens that role, indicating that he is also a sort of proto-believer, a person whose faith makes him the father of all who have faith, just as his circumcision made him the father of all those who believed in the Law and counted themselves as faithful Jews.
4.13-15-This briefly encapsulates the thesis of the entire book of the prophet Jeremiah. Essentially, some Jews simultaneously wanted to flaunt the law over "unrighteous" gentiles when it was convenient (and they were obeying the law), but then flee to the unbreakable, unilateral nature of God's promise to Abraham whenever their own shortcomings were highlighted. Here Paul, like Jeremiah, indicates that the law is no protection for those who selectively keep us, that is, for any human except Jesus Christ. Even the Jews, who took pride in the law, are better off being judged apart from it.
4.16-Again, if Paul's phrase in 3.21 actually meant "faith in Jesus Christ" rather than "faith of Jesus Christ," than this verse should be translated "Faith in Abraham," because it uses an identical construction. Instead, all translations use the most logical and correct phrase: "Faith of Abraham." The notion that Abraham is the "father of us all" (by faith) would be a truly radical idea to his audience.
4.17-This seems impossible, but Paul is quick to point out that God is the God of the impossible. Therefore, Gentiles can be children of Abraham, by the power of God, who can make children for Abraham even out of stones (Matthew 3:9).
4.18-This phrase makes more sense when you understand that the Greek word "hope" also means "expectation," so Abraham hoped against what he had a right to expect. This is the origin of the English idiom, "hoping against hope."
4.19-Remember the circumstances which made Abraham's faith so striking. Both he and Sarah (then, Sarai) were very old when Abraham responded to the promises. Paul doesn't mince words: Abraham was so old that he was nearly dead (Genesis 17.17), yet he still believed and trusted God.
4.20-23- Paul writes, "Yet [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief" but this isn't really the impression that Genesis gives, where both Abraham (Genesis 17.17) and Sarah (18.12) laugh at how absurd God's promises sound. This is cause for celebration for us, though, even wavering faith can be counted as righteousness if we persist in overcoming our doubts and trusting the saving power of Christ, whose faith is perfect.
4.24-Here, Paul unambiguous uses the language of faith "on" (we would say "in") God. The central fact of our faith is in full view. Who is this faithful God? The one who raised Christ Jesus from the dead. That is the cornerstone of all our faith and confidence.
4.25-And not just that Jesus was raised from the dead, but that he was raised from the dead after being "handed over" (in the same way that humanity was "handed over" or "given up" in Romans 1:24, using the same word, paradidomi. So humans were "handed over" to sin (1.24), but Christ was handed over to sin and death in our place (4.25) so that we might be justified.
Next: Romans, Chapter 5
Previous: Romans, Chapter 3
Back to the Centennial Scripture Challenge