Romans 4:12

And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. AND THE FATHER OF CIRCUMCISION TO THEM WHO ARE NOT OF THE CIRCUMCISION ONLY. Here the same sentiment is expressed, but in a somewhat unexpected form-namely, that Abraham is the father of circumcision to all uncircumcised believers. This cannot refer to the distinctive peculiarities of the circumcised, in which uncircumcised Gentiles could of course have no share: it simply means that all that was of essential and permanent value in the standing before God of the circumcised-all that circumcision chiefly set its seal on-is shared in by the believing children of Abraham who are strangers to the circumcision of the flesh. What had just been Said of Circumcision is Now, in the next Five Verses, Applied to t...

12._To them who are not, etc. _The verb, _are_, is in this place to be taken for, “are deemed to be:” for he touches the carnal descendants of Abraham, who, having nothing but outward circumcision, confidently gloried in it. The other thing, which was the chief matter, they neglected; for the faith of Abraham, by which alone he obtained salvation, they did not imitate. It hence appears, how carefully he distinguished between faith and the sacrament; not only that no one might be satisfied with the one without the other, as though it were sufficient for justifying; but also that faith alone might be set forth as accomplishing everything: for while he allows the circumcised Jews to be justified, he expressly makes this exception — provided in true faith they followed the example of Abraham; for why does he mention faith while in uncircumcision, except to show, that it is alone sufficient,...

1-12 To meet the views of the Jews, the apostle first refers to the example of Abraham, in whom the Jews gloried as their most renowned forefather. However exalted in various respects, he had nothing to boast in the presence of God, being saved by grace, through faith, even as others. Without noticing the years which passed before his call, and the failures at times in his obedience, and even in his faith, it was expressly stated in Scripture that "he believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness," Genesis 15:6. From this example it is observed, that if any man could work the full measure required by the law, the reward must be reckoned as a debt, which evidently was not the case even of Abraham, seeing faith was reckoned to him for righteousness. When believers are justified by faith, "their faith being counted for righteousness," their faith does not justify them as a part...

Verse Romans 4:12. _AND THE FATHER OF CIRCUMCISION_] He is also the _head_ and _representative_ of all the circumcision of all the JEWS _who_ _walk in the steps of that faith_; who seek for justification by _faith only_, and not by the _works of the law_; for this was the faith that Abraham had before he received circumcision. For, the covenant being made with Abraham while he was a _Gentile_, he became the representative of the _Gentiles_, and they _primarily_ were included in that covenant, and the Jews were brought in only _consequentially_; but _salvation_, implying _justification by faith_, originally belonged to the _Gentiles_; and, when the Gospel came, they laid hold on _this_ as their original right, having been granted to them by the free mercy of God in their father and representative, Abraham. So that the...

AND THE FATHER OF CIRCUMCISION - The father, that is, the ancestor, exemplar, or model of those who are circumcised, and who possess the same faith that he did. Not only the father of all believers Romans 4:11, but in a special sense the father of the Jewish people. In this, the apostle intimates that though all who believed would be saved as he was, yet the Jews had a special proprietorship in Abraham; they had special favors and privileges from the fact that he was their ancestor. NOT OF THE CIRCUMCISION ONLY - Who are not merely circumcised, but who possess his spirit and his faith. Mere circumcision would not avail; but circumcision connected with faith like his, showed that they were especially his descendants; see the note at Romans 2:25

EXPOSITION ROMANS 4:1 (5) _Abraham himself shown to have been justified by faith, and not by works, believers being his true heirs._ The main points of the argument may be summarized thus: When Abraham obtained a blessing to himself and to his seed for ever, it was by faith, and not by works, that he is declared to have been justified so as to obtain it. Thus the promise to his seed, as well as to himself, rested on the principle of justification by faith only. The Law, of which the principle was essentially different, could not, and did not, in itself fulfil that promise; and that its fulfilment was not dependent on circumcision, or confined to the circumcised, is further shown by the fact that it was before his own circumcision that he received the blessing and the promise, Hence the seed intended in the promise was his spiritual seed, who a

AND THE FATHER OF CIRCUMCISION,.... So the Jews call Abraham ראש הנימולים l, "the head of those that are circumcised"; and ראש למולים m, "the head to them that are circumcised"; but the apostle here says, he is a father TO THEM WHO ARE NOT OF THE CIRCUMCISION ONLY; not to the Jews only, in a spiritual sense, and not to all of them, since some were "of Israel", who were not Israel, not Israelites indeed, or true believers; BUT [TO SUCH] ALSO [WHO] WALK IN THE STEPS OF THAT FAITH OF OUR FATHER ABRAHAM, WHICH HE HAD, BEING YET UNCIRCUMCISED; that is, who have the same faith he had; imitate and follow him in the exercise of faith; walk by faith, as he did when he was uncircumcised, as they are; and so the Jews say n, "Abraham is the father of all, באים אחריו באמונתו, "that go after him in his faith".'' l Tzeror Hammor, fol. 18. 3. m Juchasin, fol. 5. 2. Midrash Esther, fol. 85. 3. n R. S...

Romans 4:1. _What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness._ He stands as the great Father of believers, and this is the charter given to him, and given to all believers in him. «Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.» Romans 4:4. _Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt._ That is to say, to him who hopes to be saved by his works, to whom salvation is of merit. He has worked for the reward. He has earned it. Do not talk about grace in that case....

CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The Witness of Abraham to Justification. (Romans 4:1 .)_ 2. As Confirmed also by David. (Romans 4:6 .) 3. Circumcision the Sign of the Covenant. (Romans 4:9 .) 4. Faith in Him Who Raiseth the Dead. (Romans 4:13 .) Romans 4:1 Two witnesses are summoned next in whose lives the truth of justification by faith is illustrated. The Jews boasted of Abraham as the father of their nation. “Abraham our father” is still the common phrase used by all orthodox Jews as it was in the days of John the Baptist, as he declared, “Sa

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....