ROMANS CHAPTER 4 ROMANS 4:1 Abraham himself was justified by faith, ROMANS 4:9 which was imputed to him for righteousness before circumcision, that he might be the common father of believers, whether circumcised or not. ROMANS 4:13 The promise was not given him through the law, else had it been void... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HATH WHEREOF TO GLORY; he hath cause or matter of glorying and boasting; he hath something from whence he may take occasion of so doing. BUT NOT BEFORE GOD; something must be supplied to fill up the sense, i.e. he hath nothing whereof to glory before God. The argument of the apostle might be thus... [ Continue Reading ]
The scripture referred to is in GENESIS 15:6. The apostle a little varies the words; in Genesis it is _he believed in God, _ but here HE BELIEVED GOD: again, in Genesis it is expressed actively, _he counted it to him for righteousness; _ but here passively, IT WAS COUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. T... [ Continue Reading ]
He proceeds to prove, that Abraham was not justified by works, but by faith, and free grace, and so had no cause of boasting. This he illustrates by a comparison betwixt one that _worketh, _ and one that _worketh not, but believeth. To him that worketh; _ i.e. to him that worketh with a design or in... [ Continue Reading ]
TO HIM THAT WORKETH NOT; i.e. to him that worketh not to the end or intent before mentioned, or with respect to justification, but takes the other way to be justified and saved, and that is, the way of believing. THAT JUSTIFIETH THE UNGODLY; that makes him, who is wicked in himself, just and righteo... [ Continue Reading ]
To the example of Abraham taken from Moses, he adjoins the testimony of David, that so he might more fully prove what he had asserted, ROMANS 3:21: both the one and the other were of great authority amongst the Jews. Here it may be objected, that David no where says, that he is blessed UNTO WHOM GOD... [ Continue Reading ]
This testimony is taken out of PSALMS 32:1, and it is well enough accommodated to the occasion, for those two, to remit sin, and to impute righteousness, are inseparable. The one is put here figuratively for the other. They mistake, who take occasion from hence to make justification to consist only... [ Continue Reading ]
The same thing is expressed three several ways; there are three things in sin to be considered: 1. There is an offence against God, which is said to be _forgiven._ 2. There is a filthiness in sin, which is said to be _covered._ 3. There is guilt in it, which is said not to be _imputed._... [ Continue Reading ]
This word _cometh_ is not in the original, but it is aptly inserted by our translators. CIRCUMCISION again is put for the circumcised, and _uncircumcision_ for the uncircumcised: see ROMANS 2:28. FOR WE SAY; q.d. This we have proved, and it is on all hands confessed, THAT FAITH WAS RECKONED TO ABRAH... [ Continue Reading ]
And if this be the question, the way to resolve it, is, to consider in what circumstances Abraham was when his faith was thus reckoned to him for righteousness; it was a long time before he was circumcised. The promise to which Abraham's faith had respect, was made to him fourteen years, at least, b... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SIGN OF CIRCUMCISION; or, circumcision, which is a sign. Two things are here affirmed of circumcision: 1. That it was a SIGN. Of what? Of the circumcision of the heart, of original sin and its cure. 2. That it was a SEAL. Of what? OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF FAITH: of the meaning of which, SEE POOL... [ Continue Reading ]
The former verse tells you he was the father of the believing Gentiles, for the covenant was made with him, for all his believing seed, when he was uncircumcised, which shows, that righteousness is and may be imputed to them also without any outward circumcision: and then he is the father of the bel... [ Continue Reading ]
Some by THE WORLD do understand, the world of the faithful, or believers dispersed over all the world: and so in effect it is the same which he said before, that Abraham should be the father of all that believe, whether of the circumcision or uncircumeision. Others by THE WORLD do understand the lan... [ Continue Reading ]
i.e. If they that trust to the fulfilling of the law, be heirs of the promise of God, and so the inheritance come by works; then faith is to no purpose, neither is there any use of it; and so also the promises which are made to believers are vain and useless. This is the sun, of this verse; a more p... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAW WORKETH WRATH; i.e. the wrath of God: and this it doth not of itself, but occasionally, in respect of our disobedience. This is a confirmation of what was said in the foregoing verse, that the inheritance is not by the law, and the works thereof; he proves it from the effect and work of the... [ Continue Reading ]
Here are two new arguments to prove that the inheritance is not of the law, but of faith. IT IS OF FAITH, THAT IT MIGHT BE BY GRACE; for to he justified by faith and by grace are all one with the apostle. Again, that THE PROMISE MIGHT BE SURE TO ALL THE SEED; whereas if it were of the law, it would... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE HIM WHOM HE BELIEVED; i.e. in the sight or esteem of God. He was not the FATHER OF MANY NATIONS by carnal generation in the sight of men, but by spiritual cognation in the sight of God. Or, as it may be read, like unto God, after his example; and then the meaning is, that God so honoured Abra... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the apostle digresseth a little from his principal argument, and falls into a commendation of Abraham's faith. WHO AGAINST HOPE BELIEVED IN HOPE: Abraham, when he had no natural or rational grounds of hope, either in respect of himself or Sarah his wife, did yet believe and hope he should have... [ Continue Reading ]
He regarded not the impotency of his own body, which was as it were dead, because of his age, in respect of any desires or powers of generation. Abraham several years after married Keturah, by whom he had divers children; how then doth the apostle say his body was now dead, or unable for generation?... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROMISE OF GOD; viz. in GENESIS 15:5, and GENESIS 17:16. GIVING GLORY TO GOD; as all do that rely upon the power and promise of God, setting to their seals that he is true.... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
See ROMANS 2:3. By reason of his faith he was as sufficiently disposed and qualified for the obtaining of the promise, as if he had had all the righteousness required by the law.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 23,24. Here it may be inquired, If Abraham's faith did justify him, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, what doth this concern us? The apostle answers, it was recorded of him for our sakes; see ROMANS 15:4; and to us there shall be the like imputation, if we believe in God, _that raise... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE POOLE ON "ROMANS 4:24... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO WAS DELIVERED; he saith _delivered_ rather than crucified, to lead us by the hand to the first cause thereof, the determinate counsel of the blessed Trinity: see ACTS 2:23, ACTS 4:27,28 RO 8:32. FOR OUR OFFENCES; i.e. for the expiating of them, ISAIAH 53:10. AND WAS RAISED AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFIC... [ Continue Reading ]