James 2:23

ἐπίστευσεν δὲ Ἀβραὰμ κ.τ.λ. The quotation is from the LXX. of Genesis 15:6. The example of Abraham’s faith is cited Sir 44:20-21 and 1Ma 2:52 and in N.T. Romans 4:3; Romans 4:9; Romans 4:22; Galatians 3:6. The prominence given to this illustration is another instance of the influence of post-exile thought in the N.T. The faith of Abraham became a leading topic with Philo and the Alexandrian school as well as with Rabbinical writers at the Christian era. See Bp Lightfoot, Galatians, p. 156 f.

ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην, was reckoned or counted to him for righteousness. That is according to divine reckoning Abraham’s faith was righteousness. There is no need to seek any other meaning in the words than their exact and literal sense. St Paul quotes the words (Romans 4:3; Romans 4:9; Romans 4:22; Galatians 3:6) to prove justification by faith, St James quotes them to prove justification by works which spring from faith and are inseparably connected with it.

εἰς δικαιοσύνην. In some instances of this use of εἰς in the N.T. it can be illustrated from the classics (Winer III. p. 229, xxix. a). In others where it is more clearly influenced by the Hebrew idiom with לְ εἰς still retains its proper sense denoting aim or result or the state into which a thing passes; comp. the German machen zu. Instances are ἔσονται οἱ δύο σάρκα μίαν, Matthew 19:5; αἱ γλῶσσαι εἰς σημεῖόν εἰσιν, 1 Corinthians 14:22; ἡ� Romans 2:26. See Green’s Grammar, p. 212.

φίλος θεοῦ ἐκλήθη. The precise expression is not found in the LXX.; but comp. Isaiah 41:8 σπέρμα Ἀβραὰμ ὅν ἠγάπησα, semen Abraham amici mei, V., and 2 Chronicles 20:7 Ἀβραὰμ τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ σου: Hebr. אֹהַבְךָ: ‘thy friend,’ R.V.

ἐκλήθη. καλεῖσθαι is not merely equivalent to the substantive verb, but implies (1) prestige, as ὁ πᾶσι κλεινὸς Οἰδίπους καλούμενος, Soph. Oed. R. 8; (2) permanence in a class, τάδε γὰρ ἄλυτα κεκλήσεται, Soph. El. 230. See Jebb on the last passage and Ellendt’s Lex. sub voc.; (3) recognition by others, comp. Luke 1:76; Romans 9:26.