Romans 4:11-17

Romans 4:11 b - Romans 4:17 a. Abraham's Relation to Mankind. With Abraham's faith a great prospect opened for humanity.

Romans 4:11 b, Romans 4:12. According to Genesis 17 the patriarch received the Covenant-sign to the end he might be father of all that believe while in uncircumcision like himself,. and father, to be sure, of circumcision in the case of those who do not rely upon the fleshly token (cf. Romans 2:26), but who keep in the track of our father Abraham's pre-circumcision faith.

Romans 4:13. The antithesis of Law and Grace becomes that of Law and Promise; God's grace toward Abraham was charged with blessing for future ages. The men of faith, circumcised or not, are Abraham's sons (Romans 4:11 f.; cf. Galatians 3:7). Such filiation implies that the world-embracing promise, whether considered as made to Abraham or to his seed, was given simply on terms of the faith-righteousness common to Abraham with believing Gentiles.

Romans 4:14 f. Had law conditioned the inheritance, it must have lapsed for want of qualified heirs, faith being thus reduced to an empty word and the promise being nullified; for the law breeds transgression (see Romans 5:20; Romans 7:7), which entails God's anger (Romans 1:18 ff., Romans 2:8 f.). The negative form of Romans 4:15 b suits Abraham's case, in which the fatal sequence of commandment, transgression, wrath, was obviated.

Romans 4:16. Two purposes are answered by conditioning the promise upon faith: it devolves by way of grace, which is God's delight (cf. Romans 5:20, Ephesians 1:6; Ephesians 2:7, etc.); and the fulfilment is secured to all the seed to Gentiles along with Jews.

Romans 4:17 a supports Abraham's title to ecumenical fatherhood, by quoting the oracle attached to the Covenant of Circumcision (p. 151).