Romans 4:2

For Q. d., "the question is asked, because if the answer is yes, Abraham stands in a position of independence before God."

by works Lit. out of works; in consequence of them.

he hath "As he stands before us in Scripture;" a frequent and natural use of the present tense.

whereof to glory Lit. a boast; a ground of self-congratulation. The word is nearly the same as that in Romans 3:27. Both Gr. words are good or bad according to their connexion; meaning sometimes rightful and even holy exultation (e.g. ch. Romans 5:2; Hebrews 3:6, "rejoicing"), sometimes vanity and self-assertion.

but not before God Lit. but not towards God; i.e. "not as looking Him in the face." Before is thus a fair rendering. The phrase seems to be pregnant: instead of a mere negative to the question proposed, St Paul suggests the ultimate reason of the negative the impossibility that man can boast rightly before God. We may paraphrase: "But as a fact he had no ground of boasting; for, in view of the holiness of God, that could not be, even for him. And (Romans 4:3) Scripture bears this out in direct terms; for it records that he was accepted as believing."