IV. (1-25) The subject of the chapter is an application of the foregoing to the special (and crucial) case of Abraham, with particular reference to two ideas that are continually recurring throughout the last chapter: (1) the supposed superiority of Jew to Gentile (and, _à fortiori,_ of the great p... [ Continue Reading ]
To come back to the question of Romans 3:1, repeated in Romans 3:9, in what did the superiority of Abraham, the great representative of the Jewish race, really consist? AS PERTAINING TO THE FLESH. — The construction of these words appears to be determined by their position in the sentence. Accordin... [ Continue Reading ]
We know that he obtained justification. If that justification had been earned by his own works it would then have been something to be proud of; it would be a pride that he might fairly hold both towards men and towards God; for to men he could point to the privileged position that he had gained, an... [ Continue Reading ]
The Apostle gives a proof of this from Scripture. Abraham was not justified by works, and therefore had nothing to boast of in God’s sight. He was justified by faith. His righteousness was not real, but imputed. His faith was treated as if it had been equivalent to a righteousness of works. It met w... [ Continue Reading ]
This, then (the righteousness attributed to Abraham), was an act of grace on the part of God, and not of merit on the part of man. It therefore carries with it no ground of boasting. The proposition is put in a general form. Those who base their claim on works have a right to their reward. It is not... [ Continue Reading ]
But to him who puts forward no works, but has _faith_ in God, who justifies men, not for their righteousness, but in spite of their sins, &c. THE UNGODLY. — A stronger word is here used than simply “the unrighteous,” “the impious,” or “ungodly.” Their impiety is condoned to them in virtue of their... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN AS. — In strict accordance with this description of the justified state we have another, that of David. DESCRIBETH THE BLESSEDNESS. — Rather, _speaks the felicitation, felicitates,_ or_ pronounces blessed. _... [ Continue Reading ]
(6-8) A further instance of the nature of the justification which proceeds from faith is supplied by David. From his evidence it will appear that such justification implies, not the absence of sin, but its forgiveness; not its real obliteration, but the forbearance of God to impute it. It is an _amn... [ Continue Reading ]
FORGIVEN. — The stress is upon this word; “whose sins are not abolished, but forgiven; not annihilated, but covered up, removed from sight, hidden by the absolving grace of God.”... [ Continue Reading ]
COMETH THIS BLESSEDNESS. — We shall, perhaps. best see the force of the particles “then” and “for” if we take the sentence out of its interrogative form. “It follows from the language of David that the blessedness thus predicated belongs to the uncircumcised as well as to the circumcised, _for”_ — t... [ Continue Reading ]
(9-12) What is the bearing of this upon the relation between Jew and Gentile? Is the blessedness of the justified state reserved only for the former? Is it limited to those who are circumcised? On the contrary, the state of justification was attributed to Abraham himself _before_ he was circumcised.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SIGN OF CIRCUMCISION — _i.e.,_ circumcision _as a_ sign. The expression is an instance of what is known in Greek as the “genitive of apposition,” but it is common in English. Thus we speak of the City _of_ London, the County _of_ Kent. Abraham is the father (1) of faithful uncircumcised — he hi... [ Continue Reading ]
And on the other hand, the mere performance of the rite was no guarantee for justification, unless it was attended with a faith like Abraham’s. Of the two things, faith itself, and circumcision the sign of faith, the first only was essential, and the second was useless without it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Abraham was the father of _all_ who walk in his steps. For this _all_ is not limited by the Law any more than it is limited by circumcision. The promise of that world-wide inheritance was not given through the agency of the Law (which at that time did not exist), but as an effect of the righteousnes... [ Continue Reading ]
IS MADE VOID. — Literally, _emptied_ of its meaning, becomes an empty name, and the promise is rendered nugatory. There is nothing left for either to do, if the votaries of law, simply as such, are to be the inheritors of the Messianic kingdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
(14-17) This Messianic kingdom cannot have anything to do with law; for if it had, faith and the promise would cease to have any office. Faith and law cannot co-exist. They are the opposites of each other. The proper effect of law is punishment; for law only exposes sin. Faith, on the other hand, is... [ Continue Reading ]
But in reality the Law is unable to admit them to this. It has an entirely contrary function — namely, to call down punishment upon the offences that it reveals. The Law and faith, therefore, mutually exclude each other, and faith is left to be the sole arbiter of salvation. WHERE NO LAW IS. — Tran... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE IT IS OF FAITH. — The words “it is” have to be supplied. “It” stands for the Messianic inheritance, or, in common phrase, salvation. Faith on man’s part is correlative with grace on the part of God, and salvation being thus dependent upon grace is as wide and universal as grace itself. It... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE HIM. — Rather, _in the presence of._ These words are to be connected closely with those which precede the parenthesis: “Who stands as the father of us all in the presence of that God in whom he believed.” Abraham is regarded as (so to speak) confronting the Almighty, as he had done when the p... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO. — It must be noticed that the relative here refers to Abraham, whereas in the previous verse it referred to God. BELIEVED IN HOPE. — The force of the preposition gives rather to the sentence the meaning of “grounded his faith upon hope” — that internal subjective hope that was strong within hi... [ Continue Reading ]
(18-22) Extended description of the faith of Abraham.... [ Continue Reading ]
CONSIDERED NOT. — The negative should, in accordance with the evidence of the best MSS., be emitted. “Who, because he was not weak in faith, considered indeed — took full account of — the natural impediments to the fulfilment of the promise, and yet did not doubt.”... [ Continue Reading ]
IN FAITH. — Better, _through_ or _by faith,_ corresponding to “through unbelief” in the preceding clause. Unbelief did not make him doubt, but faith made him confident and strong. GIVING GLORY TO GOD. — This phrase does not necessarily refer to a verbal ascription of praise, but may be used of anyth... [ Continue Reading ]
(23-25) Application of the foregoing. The history of Abraham is a type of the dispensation of grace; his faith, the imputation of righteousness to him, and his reward, each severally a type of the same things in the Christian. Even in details the resemblance holds. Abraham put faith in a God “who qu... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT RAISED UP. — It is an association of ideas which leads the Apostle up to this point. The birth of Isaac resembles the resurrection of Christ in that it involved the exercise of Omnipotence, and in that Omnipotence Abraham believed and we are to believe. The Apostle is further led to allude to t... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS DELIVERED — _i.e., to death,_ as in Isaiah 53:12 (LXX. version); Matthew 17:22; _et al._ FOR OUR OFFENCES. — _Because of our offences_ — _i.e.,_ in order that He might atone for them. FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION. — _Because of our justification_ — _i.e.,_ that justification might take effect in us.... [ Continue Reading ]