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ROMANSChapter Four

Rom 4:1-84:1 Abraham Justified by Faith (Gen 17:10)What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 David Celebrates the Same Truth But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin." NKJV

Luther's Preface to RomansIn chapters 1 to 3, St. Paul has revealed sin for what it is and has taught the way of faith which leads to justice. Now in chapter 4 he deals with some objections and criticisms.

1. He takes up first the one that people raise who, on hearing that faith make just without works, say, "What? Shouldn't we do any good works?" Here St. Paul holds up Abraham as an example. He says, "What did Abraham accomplish with his good works? Were they all good for nothing and useless?"

2. He concludes that Abraham was made righteous apart from all his works by faith alone. Even before the "work" of his circumcision, Scripture praises him as being just on account of faith alone (cf. Genesis 15).

3. Now if the work of his circumcision did nothing to make him just, a work that God had commanded him to do and hence a work of obedience, then surely no other good work can do anything to make a person just.

4. Even as Abraham's circumcision was an outward sign with which he proved his justice based on faith, so too all good works are only outward signs which flow from faith and are the fruits of faith; they prove that the person is already inwardly just in the sight of God.

5. St. Paul verifies his teaching on faith in chapter 3 with a powerful example from Scripture. He calls as witness David, who says in Psalms 32 that a person becomes just without works but doesn't remain without works once he has become just.

6. Then Paul extends this example and applies it against all other works of the law. 7. He concludes that the Jews cannot be Abraham's heirs just because of their blood relationship to

him and still less because of the works of the law. Rather, they have to inherit Abraham's faith if they want to be his real heirs, since it was prior to the Law of Moses and the law of circumcision that Abraham became just through faith and was called a father of all believers.

St. Paul adds that the law brings about more wrath than grace, because no one obeys it with love and eagerness. More disgrace than grace come from the works of the law. Therefore faith alone can obtain the grace promised to Abraham. Examples like these are written for our sake, that we also should have faith.(From Luther: Preface to Romans, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

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ROMANS CHAPTER FOURAbraham Made Righteous by FaithAs Israel's ancestor, Abraham was regarded as the model for their faith; he was also regarded as the model *proselyte (convert to Judaism), because he was considered a *Gentile before his circumcision. Jewish readers believed that they had been chosen in Abraham and that virtually every Israelite would be saved by God's *grace if they maintained the covenant. Gentiles who wished to become part of the chosen community, however, had to be circumcised and join Israel in doing the righteous deeds of the *law, as Abraham did.

This chapter is a good Jewish *Midrash, or commentary, on Genesis 15:6. Jewish and Greco-Roman debaters often proved their cases by examples, and this text was a favorite example used by ancient Jewish teachers.

4:1. *Diatribes typically used rhetorical questions such as "What shall we say then?" as transitions to the next point. Jewish tradition spoke repeatedly of "our father Abraham."

4:2. If anyone was righteous in Jewish tradition, it was surely Abraham. The model *Pharisee, he served God from love; the model *proselyte, he brought many other *Gentiles to faith in the one true God. He destroyed idols and stood for God's truth. These extra-biblical Jewish traditions often declared that Abraham's merit sustained or rescued Israel in subsequent generations. (From IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament by Craig S. Keener Copyright © 1993 by Craig S. Keener. Published by InterVarsity Press. All rights reserved.)

(4:1-3) “What shall we say?”[ti eroumen] Is the Greek words, ti (NT: 5100) eroumen (NT: 2046). See Rom 4:1; 6:1; 7:7; 8:31; 9:14, 30. The phrase anticipates an objection or proposes an inference. It is used by Paul only, and by him only in this Epistle and in its argumentative portions. It is not found in the last five chapters, which are hortatory.

1. “Father” is propatora, (NT: 4310a), which is “forefather.” 2. “Hath found.” Westcott and Hort omit. The Concordant Greek has ‘to-have-found’ [The

Codex Vaticanus omits it]. Then the reading would be "what shall we say of Abraham," etc.3. "Found" signifies, attained by his own efforts apart from grace.

As pertaining to the flesh [kata sarka] kata (NT: 2596) sarka (NT: 4561). Construe with "found." The question is, Was Abraham justified by anything which pertained to the flesh?

1. Some construe with "Abraham: our father humanly speaking." (Vincent)2. Denney says; “‘According to flesh,’ goes with ‘our father,’ because the contrast with another

kind of fatherhood belonging to Abraham is already in the Apostle’s thoughts; see verse 11. 3. If the reading ‘hath found’ be adopted, no change is necessary in the interpretation. 4. To take ‘according to the flesh’ with ‘hath found,’ as though the question were; What shall we

say that our forefather Abraham found in the way of natural effort, as opposed to the way of grace and faith?

5. Is to put a sense on ‘according to the flesh’ which is both forced and irrelevant. 6. The whole question is, ‘What do you make of Abraham,’ with the theory as that just described?7. The A.V. so punctuates as to construe “hath found” with “according to flesh.”

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ROMANS CHAPTER FOURAlford agrees with Vincent. He says, “’According to the flesh’ belongs to ‘hath found,’ for the course and spirit of the argument is not to limit the paternity of Abraham to a mere fleshly one, but to show that he was the spiritual father of all believers. And the question is not one which requires any such distinction between his fleshly and spiritual paternity (as in Romans 9:3, 5).

(4:1) this being the case, what does ‘according to the flesh’ mean? 1. It cannot allude to circumcision, for that is rendered improbable, not only by the parallel

expression of works in the plural, but also by the consideration that circumcision was no work at all, but a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith being yet uncircumcised (verse 11), -

2. And by the whole course of the argument in the present place, which is not to disprove the exclusive privilege of the Jew (that having been already done, Romans 2:3,

3. But to show that the father and head of the race himself was justified not by works, but by faith…‘According to the flesh’ then is in contrast to ‘according to the spirit.’ –

4. And refers to that department of our being from which spring works in contrast with that in which is the exercise of faith.”

‘We-are-standing-up any then we-shall-be-declaring to-have-found Abraham the before-father of-us.’ Romans 4:1 Concordant Greek

Note: This is what these theologians had to work with, to arrive at there conclusions. Paul the Learner

(4:2) For. Supply, "Abraham found nothing according to the flesh; for," if he did, he has something to boast of. The “if” is the word, ei, and it means, “Assuming that.” The word “By” is ek, “Out of” a source of works.

Vincent explains, By works [ex ergoon] ex (NT: 1537) ergoon (NT: 2041). Literally, "out of" works. In speaking of the relation of works to justification, Paul never uses dia (NT: 1223) "by or through," but ek (NT: 1537) "out of;" works being regarded by the Jew as the meritorious source of salvation.

Homily 8 Archbishop John Chrysostom of Constantinople A.D. 400Romans 4:1,2."What shall we then say 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."

He had said (5 MSS. ei@pen), 1. That the world had become guilty before God, 2. And that all had sinned, 3. And that boasting was excluded 4. And that it was impossible to be saved otherwise than by faith.

He is now intent upon showing that this salvation, so far from being matter of shame, was even the cause of a bright glory, and a greater than that through works. For since the being saved, yet with shame, had somewhat of dejection in it, he next takes away this suspicion too. And indeed he has hinted

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at the same already, by calling it not barely salvation, but "righteousness. Therein" (he says) "is the righteousness of God revealed." (Romans 1:17.) For he that is saved as a righteous man has a confidence accompanying his salvation. And he calls it not "righteousness" only, but also the setting forth of the righteousness of God.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURHomily 8 - Romans 4:1, 2But God is set forth in things which are glorious and shining, and great. However, he nevertheless draws support for this from what he is at present upon, and carries his discourse forward by the method of question. And this he is always in the habit of doing both for clearness sake, and for the sake of confidence in what is said. Above, for instance, he did it, where he says,

1. "What advantage then hath the Jew?" (Romans 3:1.) and, 2. "What then have we more than they?" (Romans 3:9) and again, 3. "where then is boasting? it is excluded" (Romans 3:27): and here, 4. "what then shall we say that Abraham our father?" etc.

Now since the Jews kept turning over and over the fact, that the Patriarch, and friend of God, was the first to receive circumcision, he wishes to show, that it was by faith that he too was justified. And this was quite a vantage ground to insist upon ( periousia nikh$ pollh$ ). For a person who had no works, to be justified by faith, was nothing unlikely. But for a person richly adorned with good deeds, not to be made just from hence, but from faith, this is the thing to cause wonder, and to set the power of faith in a strong light. And this is why he passes by all the others, and leads his discourse back to this man. And he calls him "father, as pertaining to the flesh," to throw them out of the genuine relationship ( suggeneia$ gnhsia$ ) to him, and to pave the Gentiles' way to kinsman ship with him.

And then he says, "For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory: but not before God." After saying that God "justified the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith," and making the same sufficiently sure in what he said before, he now proves it by Abraham more clearly than he promised, and pitches the battle for faith against works, and makes this righteous man the subject of the whole struggle. And that not without special meaning. Wherefore also he sets him up very high by calling him "forefather," and putting a constraint upon them to comply with him in all points. For, Tell me not, he would say, about the Jews, nor bring this man or that before me. For I will go up to the very head of all, and the source whence circumcision took its rise.

For "if Abraham," he says, "was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory: but not before God." What is here said is not plain, and so one must make it plainer. For there are two "gloryings," one of works, and one of faith. After saying then, "if he was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God;" he points out that he might have whereof to glory from faith also, yea and much greater reason for it. For the great power of Paul is especially displayed in this, that he turns what is objected to the other side, and shows that what seemed rather to be on the side of salvation by works, viz. glorying or boldness of claim ( parrhsiazesqai ) belonged much more truly to that by faith. For he that glories in his works has his own labors to put forward: but he that finds his honor in having faith in God, has a much greater ground for glorying to show, in that it is God that he glorified and magnified.

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For those things which the nature of the visible world tells him not of, in receiving these by faith in Him, he at once displays sincere love towards Him, and heralds His power clearly forth. Now this is the character

1. Of the noblest soul,2. And the philosophic spirit,3. And lofty mind.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURHomily 8 - Romans 4:1, 2For to abstain from stealing and murdering is trifling sort of acquirement, but to believe that it is possible for God to do things impossible requires a soul of no mean stature, and earnestly affected towards Him; for this is a sign of sincere love. For he indeed honors God, who fulfils the commandments, but he doth so in a much greater degree who thus followeth wisdom ( filosofwn) by his faith. The former obeys Him, but the latter receives that opinion of Him which is fitting, and glorifies Him, and feels wonder at Him more than that evinced by works. For that glorying pertains to him that does aright, but this glorified God, and ladeth wholly in Him. For he glories at conceiving great things concerning Him, which redound to His glory. And this is why he speaks of having whereof to glory before God.

And not for this only, but also for another reason: for he who is a believer glories again, not only because he loveth God in sincerity, but also because he hath enjoyed great honor and love from him. For as be shows his love to Him by having great thoughts about Him, (for this is a proof of love), so doth God also love him, though deserving to suffer for countless sins, not in freeing him from punishment only, but even by making him righteous. He then hath whereof to glory, as having been counted worthy of mighty love. (Chrysostom)

4:3. *Rabbis appealed to biblical citations, sometimes prefacing them with, "What does Scripture say?" Jewish teachers often commented on Abraham's faith as reflected in Genesis 15:6, which they read as "faithfulness," one of his works. Paul reads it contextually as dependence on God's promise and stresses the word "reckon" (NASB) or "credit" (NIV), a bookkeeping term used in ancient business document for crediting payment to one's account.

4:4-5. Still expounding Genesis 15:6, Paul refers here to Abraham. This "reckoning righteousness" is comparable to the kind of justification one has in a law court — acquittal as one not guilty. But this idea goes beyond a mere declaration of forgiveness, and no ancient Jewish reader would have limited God's pronouncement of acquittal to merely legal terms: when God speaks, he creates a new reality (Genesis 1:3); see Romans 6:1-11.

*RabbiRabbi. Jewish teacher. Sometime after A.D. 70 A.D. the term became a technical one for those ordained in the rabbinic movement, which probably consisted primarily of *Pharisaic scribes. (To accommodate customary usage this commentary sometimes applies the term to Jewish teachers of the *law in general, although such common usage may have technically been later; it also applies the term to the teachings of Jewish legal experts collected in *rabbinic literature.)(From IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament by Craig S. Keener Copyright © 1993 by Craig S. Keener. Published by InterVarsity Press. All rights reserved.)

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(4:3) Now, as to the meaning of the words, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”

Dikaiosýn¢ [Righteousness]1. Origin and Presupposition of the Pauline Message of Justification. Legal righteousness forms the starting point. The law is a law of righteousness because it demands righteousness (Rom 9:30). Those who do righteousness live by it (10:5). But this is impossible except for the relative blamelessness of Phil 3:6.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURDikaiosýn¢ Cannot be achieved by way of law (Gal 2:21). Salvation is by divine mercy, not in virtue of deeds that we have done in righteousness (Titus 3:5). In the struggle to understand this, which leads him into conflict with a legalistic Judaism, Paul comes to a new and comprehensive concept of the righteousness of God which offers a new insight into the relation of the law and Christ. The roots are to be found in the OT teaching concerning:1. The judgment of God;2. The sinful bondage of humanity; 3. The collapse of synagogue piety; 4. And the dependence on God's gracious intervention in Christ if there are to be righteous people who enter into true fellowship with God.

2. The Meaning of the Pauline Use of dikaiosýn¢ theoú and the Main Elements in the Doctrine of Justification. As used by Paul, the theoú in the term dikaiosýn¢ theoú is a subjective genitive. This is God's righteousness, into which we are set. It is a conjunction of judgment and grace which God demonstrates by showing righteousness, imparting it as forgiveness, and drawing us into his kingdom, as the last judgment will fully manifest.

a. The Whole of Humanity. This righteousness of God is not just an individual experience; it is a universal happening in Christ on behalf of the whole race.

b. The Divine Action. It is not just an attribute but shows God at work with an efficacy no less than that of his wrath (cf. 1:17; 3:5, 17, 25-26).

c. The Center in the Cross. It is in the cross that the saving action takes placing. But the resurrection is closely associated with the crucifixion, so that justification is not just a declaration, but has a historical core. For this reason Christ may be called our Dikaiosýn¢ righteousness (1 Cor 1:30; cf. Rom 10:4).

d. God both Is and Demonstrates Righteousness. God is righteous (Rom 3:25), but his righteousness is an expression of grace that also displays his justice in the concrete form of an act of atonement (Gal 3:13; 2 Cor 5:21; Rom 8:3). Thus justice and grace are actively united for all time and at the deepest level. This means that antinomian laxity [one who holds that under the gospel dispensation of grace the moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation] is excluded, for forgiveness is an act of judgment which expresses God's uncompromising No to sin. God's righteousness is judicial and gracious at the same time in the one act of salvation in Christ.

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e. Forensic Justification. God's righteousness means justification. Righteousness is forensically ascribed to believers. God's judgment achieves this by remission. The justification is no mere "as if," for God's sentence is sovereign. Nor is it the attainment of moral rectitude. The justified are "right" before God. The forensic element, of course, is only a figure, for we are not in the sphere of human justice, but are dealing with the divine Judge who is also unlimited King. We have thus to transpose the legal aspect into the divine key. An act of grace replaces ordinary legal procedure. But this grace, as the legal concept shows, is not capricious. It conforms to true right. The image of God as Judge is tenable inasmuch as human law does to some extent express imperishable divine norms. But it must be understood in terms of the divine act that strictly finds no human parallel.(Theological Dictionary of the New Testament)

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURGoing back to 4:2 to what does the word “it” refers? Alford is very clear on this. He says, “The whole question so much mooted between Protestants on the one hand, and Romanists, Arminians, and Socinians on the other, as to whether this righteousness was reckoned:

1. Being God’s righteousness imputed to the sinner;2. Or so that God made Abraham righteous on account of the merit of his faith.

Lies in fact in a small compass, if what has gone before be properly taken account of. The Apostle has already proved Jews and Gentiles to be all under sin: utterly unable by works of their own to attain to righteousness. Now faith, in the second sense mentioned above, is strictly and entirely a work, and as such would be the efficient cause of man’s justification, - which, by what has preceded, it cannot be. It will therefore follow, that it was not the act of believing which was reckoned to Abraham as a righteous act, or an account of which perfect righteousness was laid to his charge, but that the fact of his trusting God to perform His promise introduced him into the blessing promised.”

1. In other words, it was the act of Abraham placing himself in such an attitude of trust in and acceptance of God’s blessings that made it possible for God to bestow righteousness upon him.

2. It is like the proffered hand of a drowning man that makes it possible for the life guard to save him. There is nothing meritorious in the act of a drowning man in stretching out his hand in order to be saved.

3. Thus, the act of faith on the sinner’s part is not meritorious but only the efficient medium through which God is able to save him.

4. The “it” therefore refers to the outstretched hand of faith of a sinner reaching out for salvation that God grasps in His own to lift him out of the mire of sin and place him upon the Rock, Christ Jesus.

“Counted” is logizomai. It was used in early secular documents; “put down to one’s account, let my revenues be placed on deposit at the storehouse; I now give orders generally with regard to all payments actually made or credited to the government.” Vincent says,

1. It was counted for righteousness [elogisthee eis dikaiosuneen ] elogisthee (NT: 3049) eis (NT: 1519) dikaiosuneen (NT: 1343).

2. For the phrase [logizesthai eis] logizesthai (NT: 3049 logizomai) eis (NT: 1519) "to reckon unto," compare Rom 2:26; 9:8, where eis (NT: 1519) is rendered "for."

3. The verb is also used with hoos (NT: 5613) "as." So Rom 8:36; 1 Cor 4:1. 4. So in the Septuagint, eis (NT: 1519), Ps. 56:31; Isa 29:17; 32:15; 40:17: hoos (NT: 5613), Gen

31:15; Job 41:20; Ps. 43:22 (44:22 *); Isa 5:28; 29:16. 7


5. The phrases [elogisthee eis] elogisthee (NT: 3049) eis (NT: 1519) and elogisthee (NT: 3049) hoos (NT: 5613) are thus shown to be substantially equivalent. See further on Rom 4:5.

HOW THE SYSTEM WORKEDThus, God put to Abraham’s account, placed on deposit for him, credited to him, righteousness. The actual payment had not been made, the actual bestowal of righteousness had not been consummated, and for the reason that our Lord had not yet paid the penalty of man’s sin and had not yet been raised from the dead.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURRomans 4:3Abraham possessed righteousness in the same manner as a person would possess a sum of money placed in his account in a bank. Since the resurrection, Old Testament saints share with New Testament believers the possession of Jesus Christ as the righteousness in which they stand, guiltless and righteous for time and for eternity. Wuest

1. The New Testament Saint –‘And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am they fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus…’ Revelation 19:10

2. The Old Testament Saint – ‘Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book…’ Revelation 22:9

Greek Text by Wuest‘What then shall we say that Abraham our forefather found with reference to the flesh? For, assuming that Abraham was justified out of a source of works, he has ground for boasting – but not when facing God. For what does the scripture say? Now Abraham believed God, and it was put to his account, resulting in righteousness.’ Romans 4:1-3

Note: Many times in trying to understand the scriptures, we hear someone quote a scripture and we say, ‘I don’t believe it means that.’ And it is not because we have a proper interpretation of the Greek, but because we feel that our way is better. I hope that this study will give you that proper interpretation of the scriptures. Paul the Learner

(4:4, 5) “Worketh” is katergazomai, it means, “to do that from which something results.” The workman works in order to earn wages. The word “Reward” is the word misthos, meaning, “Dues paid for work, wages.”

GRACE CONTINUEDCháris, charízomai, charitóœ, acháristos C. Judaism. 1. Qumran and the Testaments of the Twelve. (a) Hsd is dominant in the Qumran writings. Closely connected with mercy and righteousness, it is a basic term for God's dealings. The righteous rely on it, they extol God's fullness of it, and it proves itself in times of trouble.

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(b) The use in the Testaments of the Twelve is of little significance. 2. Rabbinic Writings. In the rabbis the verb hnn means "to be favorable," and the noun hsd signifies "favor" or "attractiveness." The central problem is the relation between grace and works. Grace arises where there are no works, and the stress falls on the freedom of the divine giving. Yet the concept of grace remains caught in the schema of the law, i.e., the principle of act and reward.

3. The LXX. (a) Cháris [grace] translates h¢n rather than hesed and usually denotes "attractiveness" or "favor" with God or others. It is not a theological term. (b) Charízomai occurs only in Sirach and Maccabees and means "to give." (From Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, abridged edition, Copyright © 1985 by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURBen Sira (Sirach)Jesus ben Sira was a Jewish teacher who compiled a book of wise sayings and instructions in Hebrew in about 190 BCE. The author’s grandson later translated this work into Greek and added a preface of his own. Dead Sea Scrolls Bible by Harper San Francisco.

1. “Grace” is the Greek word charis, the New Testament word for God’s grace, but used here in its classical sense of a favor. [See above 2. Rabbinic Writings under the noun hsd].

2. The word “Debt” is the Greek word opheilema, and it means, “That which is justly or legally due, a debt.” Paul uses an illustration here taken from human affairs.

THE EXAMPLEHe calls attention to the fact that when the employer gives the workman his pay, which is not counted as a favor, but as a legal obligation which the employer is bound to discharge. It is a debt which he owes his employee. The latter, out of courtesy, thanks his employer, but he is not legally obligated to do so. He earned the wages and he deserved them.

HOW IT APPLIES TO USIf the sinner earned salvation by good works, God would be indebted to man and obligated to give it to him. It would not be a favor which God would do for man. And man would not need to thank God nor glorify Him for it. Wuest

But in the realm of the moral and spiritual, if a sinner does not perform good works in an effort to earn salvation, but instead puts his trust in the God who justifies the ungodly person, that act of faith is put down to his account as the efficient medium through which God bestows a righteous standing upon that person. The word “ungodly” is the word, asebes. It describes the person who is destitute or reverential awe towards God, an impious person. Every sinner who has not trusted the Lord Jesus for salvation falls into this category.

SIN’S HANDLED BY THE LAW. SIN’S HANDLED BY GRACE.‘Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If any one All. By the Cross of Jesusshall sin through error, in any of the things whichthe Lord hath commanded not to be done, and shalldo any one of them:’ Leviticus 4:2

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2. Sin. The Hebrew root word means in its simplestform, ‘to miss the mark.’ The sinner misses the trueaim of human living.Through error. Or, ‘unwittingly’ (RV Text). TheRegulations here prescribed did not apply where theOffence was committed deliberately. (Rabbi Hertz The Pentateuch & Haftorahs by Soncino Press)

Only sins that were committed through error [you madea mistake] were covered by the sin offering. Sins ofomission not of commission. Paul the Learner

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURGreek Text by Wuest‘Now, for the one who works with a definite result in view [his wages], the remuneration is not put down on his account as a favor, but as a legally contracted debt. But for the one who places his trust upon the One who justifies the person who is destitute of reverential awe towards God, there is put to his account his faith, resulting in righteousness.’ Romans 4:4, 5

Homily 8 - Romans 4:4Ver. 4. "For to him that Worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt."

Then is not this last the greatest? he means. By no means: for it is to the believer that it is reckoned. But it would not have been reckoned, unless there were something that he contributed himself. And so he too hath God for his debtor, and debtor too for no common things, but great and high ones. For to show his high-mindedness and spiritual understanding, he does not say "to him that believeth" merely, but

Ver. 5. "To him that believeth on Him that justifies the ungodly."

For reflect how great a thing it is to be persuaded and have full confidence that God is able on a sudden not to free a man who has lived in impiety from punishment only, but even to make him just, and to count him worthy of those immortal honors. Do not then suppose that this one is lowered in that it is not reckoned unto the former of grace. For this is the very thing that makes the believer glorious; the fact of his enjoying so great grace, of his displaying so great faith. And note too that the recompense is greater.

1. For to the former a reward is given, 2. to the latter righteousness.

Now righteousness is much greater than a reward. For righteousness is a recompense which most fully comprehends several rewards. Therefore after proving this from Abraham, he introduces David also as giving his suffrage in favor of the statement made. What then doth David say? and whom doth he pronounce blessed?

1. Is it him that triumphs in works, 2. Or him that hath enjoyed grace? 3. Him that hath obtained pardon and a gift?

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And when I speak of blessedness, I mean the chief of all good things; for as righteousness is greater than a reward, so is blessedness greater than righteousness. Having then shown that the righteousness is better, not owing to Abraham's having received it only but also from reasonings (for he hath whereof to boast, he says, before God ); he again uses another mode of showing that it is more dignified, by bringing David in to give his suffrage this way. For he also, he says, pronounces him blessed who is so made righteous, saying, (Chrysostom)

4:6-8. Using the Jewish interpretive principle gezerah shavah, which links different texts containing the same key word or phrase, Paul introduces Psalms 32:1-2, which explains what "reckons" means. Omitting the next line on moral righteousness (not yet relevant to his point), Paul recognizes that the "reckoning" of the psalm is based on God's grace rather than on the psalmist's perfection (Psalms 32:1-5). Psalms 32 was ascribed to David. (From IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament by Craig S. Keener Copyright © 1993 by Craig S. Keener. Published by InterVarsity Press. All rights reserved.)

ROMANS CHAPTER FOUR(4:6-8) “Blessedness” is the word makarismos, which is “A declaration of blessedness.” The word makarios in classical Greek means “prosperous,” in the New Testament, “spiritually prosperous.” David declares the spiritually prosperous condition of the man to whom God imputes righteousness not on the basis of any good works on his part.

1. The word “Impute” is the word, logizomai, “to put on one’s account, to credit him with, put on deposit.”

2. “Blessed” (verse 7) is makarios, “Spiritually prosperous.” 3. Iniquities is “lawlessness’s,” from the word anomia, which means “contempt and violation of

law.” 4. “Are forgiven” is aphiemi, “To put away” in a judicial sense at the Cross.

Greek Text by Wuest‘Even as David also declares the spiritual prosperity of the man to whose account God puts righteousness apart from works. Spiritually prosperous are those whose lawlessness’s were put away and whose sins were covered. Spiritually prosperous is the man to whose account the Lord does not put sin.’ Romans 4:6-8

Rom 4:9-259 Abraham Justified Before Circumcision Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. 13 The Promise Granted Through Faith For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the

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promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17(as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed — God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. NKJV

ROMANS CHAPTER FOUR4:9. The "blessedness" (NIV) or "blessing" (NASB) here is that of which 4:7-8 spoke; in standard Jewish fashion, Paul expounds the details of the text he has cited.

4:10. Here Paul appeals to another Jewish interpretive rule — context. Abraham was made righteous by faith over thirteen years before he was circumcised (Genesis 15:6; 16:3-4,16; 17:24-25; some Jewish interpreters made this even longer — twenty-nine years). This fact challenged the great significance Judaism gave to circumcision, although Jewish teachers were correct that the *Old Testament had used it as the mark of the covenant.

4:11-12. Circumcision was the "sign" of the covenant (Genesis 17:11; *Jubilees 15:26); but Paul interprets it also as a sign of Abraham's prior righteousness according to Genesis 15:6. Jewish ears would recoil at Paul's argument, which makes *Gentile Christians full heirs of Abraham without circumcision. It is one thing to say that uncircumcised Gentiles could be saved if they kept the seven Noahide laws, as many Jews believed; it is quite another to put them on the same level as the Jewish people.

*Jubilees, Book ofJubilees. A theologically shaped midrashic reworking of Genesis and part of Exodus. It circulated in (and probably derived from) *Essenes circles in the second century B.C. (From IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament by Craig S. Keener Copyright © 1993 by Craig S. Keener. Published by InterVarsity Press. All rights reserved.)

(4:9-12) Paul had already argued that circumcision was not a good work, but the seal of God stamping Abraham’s faith as a faith which resulted in the bestowal of righteousness.

Now, he proposes the question,Is the bestowal of a righteous standing before God connected with the observance of ordinances or apart entirely from such things? He answers his question by citing the case of Abraham who was declared righteous in answer to his faith, fourteen years before he was circumcised. Wuest

Rom 4:11

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The sign ... a seal [seemeion….. sfragida] seemeion (NT: 4592) ... sfragida (NT: 4973). "Sign" refers to the material token; "seal" to its religious import. Compare 1 Cor 9:2; Gen 17:11. That he might be [eis to einai auton ]eis (NT: 1519) to (NT: 3588) einai (NT: 1511) auton (NT: 846). Not "so that he became," but expressing the divinely appointed "aim" of his receiving the sign.

Rom 4:12Father of circumcision. Of circumcised persons. The abstract term is used for the concrete. See the note at 11:7. Who not only are ... but who also walk. Apparently Paul speaks of two classes, but really of but one, designated by two different attributes. The awkwardness arises from the article tois (NT: 3588), erroneously repeated with stoichousin (NT: 4748) "walk," which latter word expresses an added characteristic, not another class. Paul means that Abraham received a seal, etc., that he might be the father of circumcision to those who not only are circumcised, but who add to this outward sign the faith which Abraham exhibited.

Walk stoichousin (NT: 4748). (Vincent)

Greek Text by Wuest‘Therefore, does this spiritual prosperity come upon the circumcised one or the uncircumcised one, for we say, There was put to Abraham’s account his faith, resulting in righteousness? How then was it put to his account? At the time when he was circumcised, or at the time when he was uncircumcised? Not in circumcision but in uncircumcision.’

‘And he received the attesting sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteous character of the faith which he had in his uncircumcision, resulting in his being the father of all who believe while in the state of uncircumcision, in order that there may be put to their account righteousness; and the father of circumcision to those who are not of the circumcision only but to those who walk in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham when he was in uncircumcision.’ Romans 4:9-12

Homily 8 - Romans 4:7Ver. 7. "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven."

And he seems to be bringing a testimony beside his purpose. For it does not say, Blessed are they whose faith is reckoned for righteousness. But he does so on purpose, not through inadvertency, to show the greater superiority. For if he be blessed that by grace received forgiveness, much more is he that is made just, and that exhibits faith. For where blessedness is, there all shame is removed, and there is much glory, since blessedness is a greater degree both of reward and of glory. And for this cause what is the advantage of the other he states as unwritten, "Now to him that Worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace;" but what the advantage of the faithful is, he brings Scriptural testimony to prove, saying, As David saith, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." What, he means, is it that you say? Is it that "it is not of debt but of grace that he receives forgiveness?" But see it is this person who is pronounced blessed. For he would not have pronounced him so, unless he saw him in the enjoyment of great glory. And he does not say this "forgiveness" then comes upon the circumcision; but what saith he?

Ver. 9. "Cometh this blessedness then" (which is the greater thing) "upon the circumcision or upon the uncircumcision?"

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For now the subject of enquiry is, With whom is this good and great thing to be found; is it with the circumcision or with the uncircumcision? And notice its superiority! For he shows that it is so far from shunning the uncircumcision, that it even dwelt gladly with it before the circumcision. For since he that pronounced it blessed was David, who was himself also in a state of circumcision, and he was speaking to those in that state, see how eagerly Paul contends for applying what he said to the uncircumcised. For after joining the ascription of blessedness to righteousness, and showing that they are one and the same thing, he enquires how Abraham came to be righteous. For if the ascription of blessedness belong to the righteous, and Abraham was made righteous, let us see how he was made righteous, as uncircumcised or circumcised? Uncircumcised, he says.

"For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness."

After mentioning the Scripture above (for he said, "What saith the Scripture? Abraham believed in God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness,") here he goes on to secure also the judgment of the speakers, and shows that justification took place in the uncircumcision. Then from these grounds he solves another objection which is starting up. For if when in uncircumcision, one might say he was justified, to what purpose was the circumcision brought in?

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURHomily 8 - Romans 4:11Ver. 11. "He received it," he says, "a sign and seal of the righteousness that was by the faith, which he had being yet uncircumcised."

See you how he shows the Jews to be as it were of the class of parasites (i.e. guests), rather than those in uncircumcision, and that these were added to the others? For if he was justified and crowned while in uncircumcision, the Jews came in afterwards, Abraham is then the father

1. First of the uncircumcised, which through faith appertain to him, 2. And then of those in the circumcision. 3. For he is a forefather of two lines. 4. See you faith lightening up? for till it came the patriarch was not justified. 5. See you the uncircumcision offering no hindrance? for he was uncircumcised, yet was not

hindered from being justified.

The circumcision therefore is behind the faith. And why wonder that it is behind the faith, when it is even behind the uncircumcision. Nor is it behind faith only, but very far inferior to it, even so far as the sign is to the reality of which it is the sign; for instance, as the seal is to the soldier. And why, he says, did he want a seal then? He did not want it himself. For what purpose then did he receive it? With a view to his being the father alike of them that believe in uncircumcision and in circumcision. But not of those in circumcision absolutely: wherefore he goes on to say, "To them who are not of the circumcision only." For if to the uncircumcised, it is not in that he is uncircumcised that he is their father, although justified in uncircumcision; but in that they imitated his faith; much less is it owing to circumcision that he is the forefather of those in the state of circumcision, unless faith also be added.

For he says that the reason of his receiving circumcision was that either of us two parties might have him for a forefather, and that those in the uncircumcision might not thrust aside those in the circumcision. See how the former had him for their forefather first. Now if the circumcision be of dignity owing to its preaching righteousness, the uncircumcision even hath no small preeminence in having received it

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before the circumcision. Then wilt thou be able to have him as a forefather when thou walks in the steps of that faith, and art not contentious, nor a causer of division in bringing in the Law. What faith? tell me.

(Chrysostom)

4:13. Abraham was told that he would inherit the "land"; but in Hebrew the word for "the land" also means "the earth," and Jewish interpreters had long been declaring that Abraham and his descendants would inherit the whole world to come.

4:14-16. Paul forces the reader to choose between

1. completed righteousness by faith (based on God's *grace; Judaism acknowledged grace) 2. and completed righteousness by a knowledge of the *law, which would have made Israel more

righteous than the Gentiles, regardless of faith.

4:17. Judaism agreed that God could speak things into being (e.g., Genesis 1:3). Paul says that God's promise to Abraham was thus enough to transform Gentiles into his children (especially because God decreed Abraham father of many nations just before telling him to be circumcised — Genesis 17:5).

ROMANS CHAPTER FOUR4:18-22. Faith as defined in Abraham's experience is not passive assent to what God says; it is an enduring dependence on God's promise, on which one stakes one's life and lives accordingly. On the level of meaning, Paul and James (James 2:14-26) would agree. It is possible, although far from certain, that Paul's analogy here alludes to the offering and survival of Isaac, Abraham's son (Genesis 22). (From IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament by Craig S. Keener Copyright © 1993 by Craig S. Keener. Published by InterVarsity Press. All rights reserved.)

(4:13-15) as to the promise that Abraham should be heir of the world, 1. Vincent says; Heir of the world [kleeronomon kosmou] kleeronomon (NT: 2818) kosmou (NT: 2889). "Paul here takes the Jewish conception of the universal dominion of the Messianic theocracy prefigured by the inheritance of Canaan, divests it of its Judaist element, and raises it to a Christ logical truth." Compare Matt 19:28-29; Luke 22:30. The idea underlies the phrases "kingdom of God, kingdom of Heaven."

By the phrase “righteousness of faith” we are not to understand that the faith exercised by the sinner is righteous in quality. The promise was made to Abraham not upon the basis of any attempted obedience to the law on his part but because of that faith which he exercised, which faith was of such a nature as to cause God to put righteousness down to his account. Wuest

(4:13-15) Denney says, “It was not as one under law, but as one justified by faith, that Abraham had the promise given him.’

1. “Is made void” is perfect in tense, “has been voided and as a present result is in a state of invalidation.”

2. “Made of none effect” is the perfect of katargeo, ‘to render inoperative.” 3. “Worketh” is katergazomai, “to result in.”

Greek Text by Wuest15


‘For not through law was the promise made to Abraham or to his offspring, that he should be the heir of the world, but through a righteousness which pertains to faith. For, assuming that those who are of the law are heirs, the aforementioned faith has been voided with the result that it is permanently invalidated with the result that it is in a state of permanent inoperation. For the law results in divine wrath. Now where there is not law, neither is there transgression.’ Romans 4:13-15

‘I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.’ Amos 5:21-24 KJV

Note: If God will not accept your feast days, offerings and so forth, then the only thing that is left is the one thing that Israel has refused to accept and that is the only sacrifice that God would accept, the sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ. After the destruction of the first Temple, God no longer visited His people in there house of worship, it is only at the Cross that God will meet sinful man. Paul the Learner

(4:16, 17) Paul argues that since the only thing the law can do is condemn, the inheritance is of faith. “Of faith” is the words, ek pisteoos, ablative of source, “out of faith as a source.”

ROMANS CHAPTER FOUR

FAITHPisteúœ [to believe, trust], pístis [faith, trust], pistós [faithful, trusting], pistóœ [to make someone trust], ápistos [faithless, unbelieving], apistéœ [to disbelieve, be unfaithful], apistía [unfaithfulness, unbelief], oligópistos [of little faith], oligopistía [littleness of faith]

1. General Remarks. In the OT a theocentric view prevails. Hence faith is the human reaction to God's primary action. At first faith is collective, and a wealth of usage appears only when individuals break free from the collective bond. The prophets give a new creative impulse to the vocabulary and imagery of faith. The greatest expansion takes place in the Psalms. Faith and fear are closely related in the OT; although contradictory, they shade into one another, and together they express the living tension and polar dynamic of the OT relationship to God. They occur more or less equally. Among the relevant stems,

I. The OT Legacy. OT faith corresponds to Gk. pisteúein Inasmuch as both involve trust in persons and belief in words (including God and his word). The OT term, however, carries a stronger element of acknowledgment and obedience. Thus the divine commandments can be objects of faith (Deut 9:23), and believing God is acknowledging him as such in a unity of trust, hope, fear, and obedience. This faith has its ground in God's past actions, and has its own relation to the past in the form of faithfulness. But it also relates to the future as an assurance that God will do what he has promised, and to the present as obedience to the commands in demonstration of covenant faithfulness. In the OT faith always bears an essential relationship to the people, individuals being its subjects only as members of the people.

As distinct from NT faith, this faith does not plainly cover the problem of death, still leaves some scope for an appeal to piety, and is so fulfilled in history that it is not a radical attitude of

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desecularization like the peace with God (Rom 5:1) which is independent of national history and individual destiny in this world.

II. Faith in Judaism.

1. OT Motifs. All the motifs of OT faith appear in Judaism, but with a tendency in the rabbis to put an emphasis on obedience to the law, and a heavier stress on faithfulness in the Apocrypha and pseudepigrapha. Along with trust in God, believing that things are true (e.g., God's word and promises) is inherent in faith. While faith is usually defined by adding the object, the absolute use may also be found. The righteous are the faithful, and they are also believers as distinct from the ungodly or pagans.

2. The Difference from the OT. The main difference from the OT is that faith is no longer to the same degree either faithfulness to God's acts in history or trust in his future acts. It is much more strongly obedience to the law, the role of the present being merely to mediate canonized tradition. In its orientation to divine acts, faith is more one-sidedly either a belief in miracles or a general belief in providence, while hope looks ahead to supernatural events in which salvation is for the righteous and judgment means an individual retribution that is based on fulfillment or non fulfillment of the divine commands, so that works tend to stand alongside faith, and faith itself may even be viewed as a merit.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURD. the pístis Group in the NT.

I. Formal Considerations. 1. Pisteúœ. Formally in the NT, as in Greek usage, pisteúœ denotes reliance, trust, and belief. We find similar constructions to those in the Greek world. Semitic usage produces some new ones, e.g., with epí plus the dative or accusative, or with en. Distinctive is the use of pisteúein with eis, which has the new and strong sense of "believing in" and arises in the context of the church's mission. Another fairly common sense of pisteúein is "to entrust or commit oneself" (cf. Luke 16:11; John 2:24; also in the passive).

2. Pístis. As in Greek, this word means "faithfulness" and more commonly (religious) "trust" or "faith," usually in the absolute, but with eis, prós, epí, en, and also with an objective genitive.

3. Pistós. This word may mean either "faithful" or "trusting." The former sense is usually secular and no special religious meaning attaches when the reference is to service of God (1 Cor 4:2 etc.). The situation is different when we read of the loyalty of faith (Rev 2:10) or of the faithful witness (2:13), but when preaching is pistós the idea is simply that it is reliable (and cf. the use in relation to God or Christ, 1 Cor 10:13; 2 Cor 1:18; 2 Tim 2:13). When the idea is "trusting," pistós bears the religious sense of "believing."

4. Pistóœ. This word occurs in the NT only in the passive at 2 Tim 3:14 in the sense "to be made believing (certain)" (cf. 1 Clem. 42:3). In 1 Clem. 15:4 [early church fathers], however, the sense is "to remain faithful to...."

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5. Ápistos. This might mean "faithless" in Luke 12:46, but the more likely sense is "unbelieving" (cf. more generally Mark 9:19). In Acts 26:8 the meaning is "unworthy of credence."

6. Apistéœ. This verb means "to be unfaithful" in Rom 3:3, "not to believe" in Luke 24:11 and more technically "to refuse to believe" in Mark 16:16.

7. Apistía. This word means "unfaithfulness" in Rom 3:3; Heb 3:12 (closely related to disobedience; cf. Heb 3:19), "unbelief" in Mark 6:6, "unbelief" in words in Mark 16:14, and "unbelief" regarding the Christian message in Rom 11:20.

8. Oligópistos. This word derives from Judaism and occurs only in the Synopsis’s (Matt 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8). Olígopistía is a variant in Matt 17:20.

Now we come to Paul’s usage of the word faith.

III. Pístis and pisteúœ in Paul.

1. Paul and the Common Christian Concept. a. Acceptance of the Message. For Paul faith is primarily, not a disposition, but an acceptance of the message related to confession (Rom 10:9). Faith is a historical, not a psychological, possibility (Gal 3:25 ff.). The event of salvation history is actualized in baptism; faith makes it the believer's. As belief in what the message proclaims, faith recognizes its personal validity.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURIt entails obedience as acceptance of the divine act of both grace and judgment at the cross, which brings understanding both of God and of self, i.e., of the grace of God and of the self under grace. Trust and hope arise within this new understanding.

b. Ways of Believing. Since faith involves confession and obedience, it is a state as well as an act. One can have it (Rom 14:22), be in it (2 Cor 13:5), and stand in it (1 Cor 16:13; cf. 1 Thess 3:8; Rom 5:2). Yet standing in faith is not static, for faith is under assault and has to establish itself (cf. Rom 11:20).

There are degrees of faith (1 Thess 3:10; 2 Cor 10:15). A weak faith (Rom 14:1-2) is related to defective knowledge of right conduct (cf. 14:2, 23). Action must be from faith (Rom 14:23) according to the measure that each enjoys (12:3). There is a work of faith (1 Thess 1:3); it works by love (Gal 5:6). This work stands in contrast to the works of the law. (From Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, abridged edition, Copyright © 1985 by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)

THE STUDY OF SCRIPTURE HAS:1. A Bible in there own language.2. Reference to the meaning of the Greek or Hebrew words using a Strong’s Concordance.3. A Greek or Hebrew Lexicon for the meaning of a word.4. A Theological Dictionary that explains the word better.5. The Holy Spirit that inspired both the Old Testament writers and the New Testament writers to

write these scriptures down so that we can understand what God is saying to us.

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Note: And all of these helps are of no use, unless you learn to ‘listen’ to what the Spirit is saying to the church as Revelation says. Paul the Learner

Now back to our subject.(4:16, 17) That is, the terms laid down by God as to how the inheritance, eternal life, is dispensed by God and appropriated by the sinner, are that the latter exercise faith rather than perform works.

1. The channel through which eternal life is given is that of faith, and in that sense the channel becomes the source of the transaction whereby God gives eternal life.

2. And salvation is channeled to the sinner thus in order that it can be by grace. 3. If the sinner earned salvation by his works, salvation would not be by grace, would not be an

unmerited gift given out of the spontaneous generosity of the heart of God. 4. But since faith is the supplicant’s hand outstretched for salvation, the latter can be a gift given

in pure grace.

And this is so adjusted also that salvation is available to both Jew and Gentile. The law was only given to the Jew, and if salvation could have been given on the basis of works, only the Jew could be saved, for the Gentile was never given the law. Abraham, Paul has shown, was saved before the ordinance of circumcision was given and thus before the Mosaic Law was instituted. Thus, he becomes the spiritual father of both Jew and Gentile in that both are saved exactly like he by pure faith without the necessity of works as a preliminary requirement to salvation. The word “Sure” is the word bebaian, “stable, valid, something realized.” Wuest

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURGreek Text by Wuest‘On account of this it is by faith, in order that it might be by grace, to the end that the promise might be something realized by all the offspring, not to that which is of the law only but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is father of all of us, even as it stands written, A father of many nations I have established you permanently, before whom ye believed, before God who makes alive those who are dead and calls the things that are not as being in existence.’ Romans 4:16, 17

Homily 8 - Romans 4:12Ver. 12. "Which he had being yet uncircumcised."

Here again he lays low the lofty spirit of the Jews by reminding them of the time of the justification. And he well says, "the steps," that you as well as Abraham may believe in the resurrection of bodies that are dead. For he also displayed his faith upon this point. And so if you reject the uncircumcision, be informed for certain that the circumcision is of no more use unto you. For if you follow not in the steps of his faith, though you were ten thousand times in a state of circumcision, you will not be Abraham's offspring. For even he received the circumcision for this end, that the man in a state of uncircumcision might not cast thee off.

Do not then demand this of him too. For it was you whom the thing was to be an assistance to, not he. But he calls it a sign of the righteousness. And this also was for thy sake, since now it is not even this: for thou then wert in need of bodily signs, but now there is no need of them. "And was it not possible," one might say, "from his faith to learn the goodness of his soul?" Yes, it was possible but thou stood in

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need of this addition also. For since thou didst not imitate the goodness of his soul, and wert not able to see it, a sensible circumcision was given thee, that, after having become accustomed to this of the body, thou mightest by little and little be led on to the true love of wisdom in the soul also, and that having with much seriousness received it as a very great privilege, thou mightest be instructed to imitate and revere thine ancestor.

This object then had God not only in the circumcision, but in all the other rites. the sacrifices, I mean, and the sabbath, and feasts. Now that it was for thy sake that he received the circumcision, learn from the sequel. For after saying that he received a sign and a seal, he gives the reason also as follows. That he might be the father of the circumcision-to those who received the spiritual circumcision also, since if you have only this (i.e. the carnal), no farther good will come to you. For this is then a sign, when the reality of which it is the sign is found with thee, that is, faith; since if thou have not this, the sign to thee has no longer the power of a sign,

1. For what is it to be the sign of? 2. Or what the seal of, when there is nothing to be sealed?

Much as if you were to show one a purse with a seal to it, when there was nothing laid up within. And so the circumcision is ridiculous if there be no faith within. For if it be a sign of righteousness, but you have not righteousness, then you have no sign either. For the reason of your receiving a sign was that you might seek diligently for that reality whereof you have the sign: so that if you had been sure of diligently seeking thereafter without it, then you had not needed it. But this is not the only thing that circumcision proclaims, namely righteousness, but righteousness in even an uncircumcised man. Circumcision then does but proclaim, that there is no need of circumcision.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOUR SECTION TWOHomily 8 - Romans 4:14Ver. 14. "For if they which are of the Law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect."

He had shown that faith is necessary, that it is older than circumcision, that it is more mighty than the Law, that it establishes the Law. For if all sinned, it was necessary:

1. If one being uncircumcised was justified, it is older: 2. If the knowledge of sin is by the Law and yet it was without the Law made evident, it is more

mighty: 3. If it has testimony borne to it by the Law, and established the Law, it is not opposed to it, but

friendly and allied to it.

Again, be shows upon other grounds too that it was not even possible by the Law to attain to the inheritance, and after having matched it with the circumcision, and gained it the victory, he brings it besides into contrast with the Law in these words, "For if they which are of the Law be heirs, faith is made void." To prevent them anyone from saying that one may have faith and also keep up the Law, he shows this to be impracticable. For he that clings to the Law, as if of saving force, does disparagement to faith's power; and so he says, "faith is made void," that is, there is no need of salvation by grace. For then it cannot show forth its own proper power; "and the promise is made of none effect." This is because the Jew might say, What need have I of faith?

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If then this held, the things that were promised, would be taken away along with faith. See how in all points he combats with them from the early times and from the Patriarch. For having shown from thence that righteousness and faith went together in the inheritance, he now shows that the promise did likewise. For to prevent the Jew from saying, What matters it to me if Abraham was justified by faith? Paul says, neither can what you are interested with, the promise of the inheritance, come into effect apart from it: which was what scared them most. But what promise is he speaking of? That of his being "the heir of the world," and that in him all should be blessed. And how does he say that this promise is made of none effect?

Ver. 15. "Because the Law Worketh wrath: for where no Law is, there is no transgression."

Now if it Worketh wrath, and renders them liable for transgression, it is plain that it makes them so to a curse also. But they that are liable under a curse, and punishments, and transgression, are not worthy of inheriting, but of being punished and rejected. What then happens? faith comes, drawing on it the grace, so that the promise comes into effect. For where grace is,

1. There is a remitting, 2. And where remitting is, 3. There is no punishment. 4. Punishment then being removed, 5. And righteousness succeeding from faith, 6. There is no obstacle 7. To our becoming heirs of the promise.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURHomily 8 - Romans 4:16Ver. 16. "Therefore it is of faith," he says, "that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed."

You see that it is not the Law only that faith establishes, but the promise of God also that it will not allow to fall to the ground. But the Law, on the other hand, by being kept to unseasonably, makes even the faith of none effect, and hindered the promise. By this he shows that faith, so far from being superfluous, is even necessary to that degree, that without it there is no being saved. For the Law Worketh wrath, as all have transgressed it. But this doth not even suffer wrath to arise at all: for "where no Law is," he says, "there is no transgression." Do you see how he not only

1. Does away with sin after it has existed, 2. But does not even allow it to be produced?

And this is why he says "by grace." For what end? Not with a view to their being put to shame, but to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed. Here he lays down two blessings,

1. Both that the things given are sure, 2. And also that they are to all the seed,

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So gathering in those of the Gentiles, and showing that the Jews are without, if they contend against the faith. For this is a surer thing than that. For faith doeth thee no hurt (be not contentious), but even now thou art in danger from the Law, it preserves thee. Next having said, "to all the seed," he defines what seed he meant. That which is of faith, he says, so blending with it their relationship to the Gentiles, and showing that they must not be proud of Abraham who do not believe as he did. And see a third thing which faith effected besides. It makes the relationship to that righteous man more definite ( a)kri besteran ), and holds him up as the ancestor of a more numerous issue. And this is why he does not say merely Abraham, but "our father," ours who believe. Then he also seals what he has said by the testimony-

Ver. 17. "As it is written," he says, "I have made thee a father of many nations."

Do you observe that this was ordered by Providence from of old? What then, he means, does He say this on account of the Ishmaelites, or of the Amalekites, or of the Hagarenes? This however, as he goes on he proves more distinctly not to be said of these. But as yet he presses forward to another point, by which means he proves this very thing by defining the mode of the relationship, and establishing it with a vast reach of mind. What then does he say?

"Before (or, answering to, katenanti) Him Whom he believed, even God."

But his meaning is something of this sort, as God is not the God of a part, but the Father of all, so is he also. And again, as God is a father not by way of the relationship of nature, but by way of the affiance of faith, so is he also inasmuch as it is obedience that makes him father of us all. For since they thought nothing of this relationship, as clinging to that grosser one, he shows that this is the truer relationship by lifting his discourse up to God. And along with this he makes it plain that this was the reward of faith that he received. Consequently, if it were not so, and he were the father of all the dwellers upon earth, the expression before (or answering to) would be out of place, while the gift of God would be curtailed.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURHomily 8 – Romans 4:17For the "before," is equivalent to "alike with." Since where is the marvel, pray, in a man's being the father of those sprung from himself? This is what is every man's lot. But the extraordinary thing is, that those whom by nature he had not, them he received by the gift of God. And so if thou wouldest believe that the patriarch was honored, believe that he is the father of all. But after saying, "before Him Whom he believed, even God," he does not pause here, but goes on thus; "Who quickened the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were," so laying beforehand his foundations for discoursing upon the resurrection. And it was serviceable also to his present purpose.

For if He could "quicken the dead" and bring in "those things that were not as though they were," then could He also make those who were not born of him to be his children. And this is why he does not say, bringing in the things which are not, but calling them, so showing the greater ease of it. For as it is easy to us to call the things which are by name, so to Him it is easy, yea, and much easier to give a subsistence to things that are not. But after saying, that the gift of God was great and unspeakable, and having discoursed concerning His power, he shows farther that Abraham's faith was deserving of the gift, that you may not suppose him to have been honored without reason. And after raising the attention of his hearers to prevent the Jew from clamoring and making doubts, and saying, "And how is it possible for those who are not children to become children?" he passes on to speak of the patriarch, and says, (Chrysostom)

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(4:18) Denney explains; “Abraham’s faith is described. It was both contrary to hope (as far as nature could give hope), and rested on hope (that God could do what nature could not).” Robertson translates, “Past hope in (upon) hope he trusted.”

Elpís, elpízœ [hope]E. The Early Christian Concept of Hope.

1. The NT concept of hope is essentially governed by the OT. Only when the sphere is secular does the group denote (good) expectation; cf. "counting upon" in Luke 6:34; 1 Cor 9:10, etc., or with more of an accent on "hoping" Luke 23:8; 24:21; Acts 24:26; Rom 15:24; 1 Cor 16:7. The OT element of trust is strong when the relation is to persons, as in 2 Cor 1:3; 5:11; 13:6. Trust in persons is the point in 1 Cor 13:7, though it rests on trust in God (v. 13).

2. When fixed on God, hope embraces expectation, trust, and patient waiting. It is linked to faith, as in Heb 11:1, which stresses the certainty of what is divinely given. Rom 8:24-25 makes not only the formal point that we do not hope for what is visibly present but also the material one that what is visibly present offers no basis for hope since it belongs to the sphere of the sárx. Hence we have to wait patiently, in hope believing against hope, i.e., unable to count on controllable factors and hence thrown back on God (Rom 4:18). Patient endurance is the main point in Rom 5:4; 1 Thess 1:3; Heb 6:11, but sure confidence is meant in 1 Cor 15:19; 2 Cor 1:10; Phil 1:20; Heb 3:6; 1 Peter 1:21.

The main difference from the OT is that the act of salvation has now been accomplished in Christ, so that hope itself is an eschatological blessing, and there is every reason for confidence such as Paul has in the Corinthians (2 Cor 1:12 ff.). Hope rests on faith in the act of salvation (Rom 8:24-25) and is sustained by the Spirit (vv. 26-27).

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURHOPE CONTINUEDIt is an integral part of the Christian life (Rom 15:13; 12:12). As such it goes closely with faith and love (1 Thess 1:3; 1 Cor 13:13). It endures even when we attain to sight, for its focus is not on what is to be given but on the God who gives it and will maintain it when it is given. Endurance may be stressed in this life (Rom 5:2, 4-5), but our waiting is confident, for we are saved by hope (Rom 8:24).

3. Elpís occurs only rarely in John (cf. John 5:45; 1 John 3:3), but is embraced here by pístis, or by endurance in Revelation. The element of waiting for the eschatological future is prominent in Col 1:5; 1 Tim 4:10; Acts 23:6 (the resurrection), but hope is itself an eschatological blessing in Matt 12:21; 1 Peter 1:3, and cf. Christ as our hope in Col 1:27 and hope as a gift in 2 Thess 2:16. No pictures of the future are given (except in Revelation), so that trust in God's act is always a constitutive element in the Christian's hopeful expectation. (From Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, abridged edition, Copyright © 1985 by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)

(4:18) “Against” is the word, para, which with the accusative case as it is used here means “beyond.” Abraham’s situation was beyond hope. “In” is epi, “upon.” Yet he based his expectation upon hope. His situation was beyond human hopes, but in spite of that he rested it upon hope in God. The

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quotation is from Genesis 15:5. “So” is houtos, “thus, in the manner spoken of,” and refers to the number of the stars.

Greek Text by Wuest‘Who, being beyond hope, upon the basis of hope believed, in order that he might become father of many nations, according to that which has been spoken with finality, In this manner will your offspring be.’ Romans 4:18

(4:19-22) “Considered” is katanoeo, which means, “to consider attentively, fix one’s eyes or mind upon.” The best text omits the negative before the word “considered.” The Concordant Greek has the words, ‘he down-minds the of-self’ [he considered not –he down-minds – not his own body –the of-self]

Note: if you found a part of the scripture that you disagreed with and so looking into the text itself, you found that in 10 manuscripts of the New Testament, that you found 3 that did not have that certain passage of the scripture in it. You could say as Westcott and Hort did on the words “Hath found” because it was not in The Codex Vaticanus Text but it was in the other two manuscripts, that is should be omitted. So when you see the words ‘The best texts omits this passage’ I become interested in finding out by going back to the beginning of text for the Christian church in the 4th and 5th Century. ‘His faith never weakened even when he examined his old body…’ Romans 4:19 Peshitta Text

Paul the Learner

Not being weak as respects faith, Abraham considered attentively his physical condition, [100 years old] stared his obstacles [wife past child bearing age] right in the face. The words “now dead” are a perfect participle in the text. That is, as far as procreative functions were concerned, Abraham’s body had died, (ceased to function) and was as a result in a condition in which it would say dead (never function again).

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURNote: I have a thought that I want to explain to you:

1. By using the detailed interpretation of the Greek Text by Wuest and Vincent and etc. we are looking at commentaries of the 1800 and the writers are speaking to you the reader of there works. They want to prove their ideals and to show you why that they are right in the reason of the interpretation and the why Paul said what he said and why he used this Greek word instead of the other. They do a good job of analyzing the meaning of the verses.

2. Now Chrysostom is not writing to you the reader, but is putting himself in the place of the Apostle Paul and debating Jews. He gives his statement and anticipates there rebuttal and then what Paul would say to that rebuttal. Chrysostom’s point is to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that, what Paul said was true according to the Old Testament History. And so he goes from point to point and rebuttal to rebuttal until the Jews have to surrender and say that Paul was right all along. Now in doing this type of teaching, he is teaching you the student of Scripture more than just understanding the Greek text, but also understanding the reason behind what is said and how Paul was sensitive to the feelings of others, but still trying to bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ because Paul was burden for his people Israel. Paul the Learner

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Romans 4:19The door was absolutely and forever closed so far as having offspring was concerned. The word “neither” is also omitted. ‘Where belonging and the deadening of-the matrix of-Sarah.’ Concordant Greek. Abraham squarely faced the same obstacle with respect to the dead condition of Sarah’s womb.

Rom 4:19Being not weak in faith he considered not [mee astheneesas tee pistei ou katenossen] mee (NT: 3361) astheneesas (NT: 770) tee (NT: 3588) pistei (NT: 4102) ou (NT: 3756) katenoeesen (NT: 2657). The best texts omit ou (NT: 3756) "not" before "considered." According to this the rendering is as the English Revised Version (1885): "he considered," etc. "Being not weak or weakened" (English Revised Version (1885)) is an accompanying circumstance to "be considered." He considered all these unfavorable circumstances without a weakening faith. The preposition kata (NT: 2596) in katenoeesen (NT: 2657) "considered," is intensive-"attentively." He fixed his eye upon the obstacles. Dead nenekroomenon (NT: 3499). The participle is passive, "slain." Used here hyperbolically. Hence, the English Revised Version (1885): "as good as dead." (Vincent)

(4:20) “Staggered” is diakrino, made up of krino, which means, “to judge” and dia, “to vacillate between two opinions or decisions.” Abraham did not vacillate between belief and unbelief with respect to his difficulty and the ability of God to meet it. He did not waver. Vincent says, Staggered diakrino (NT: 1252). The English Revised Version (1885), better, "wavered." The word implies a mental struggle.

1. Promise epangelian (NT: 1860). 2. Was strong enedunamoo (NT: 1743). Passive voice. Literally, "was strengthened," or endued

with strength. The English Revised Version (1885): "waxed strong." He was strengthened or endued with strength. This strength is qualified by the words

3. “In faith,” which is the Greek tei pistei, “with respect to faith.” That is, his faith was strengthened in God to meet his impossible difficulty with a miracle.

The thought is not here that Abraham’s faith was strengthened so that his physical powers again become equal to bringing children into the world. Isaac was the result of a biological miracle performed by God on Sarah in answer to Abraham’s faith. The glory would therefore be to God. Wuest

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURGreek Text by Wuest‘And not being weak with respect to his faith, he attentively considered his body permanently dead, he being about one hundred years old, also the deadness of Sarah’s womb. Moreover, in view of the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but was strengthened with respect to his faith, having given glory to God, and was fully persuaded that what He had promised with finality, He was able to do; wherefore also it was put down in his account, resulting in righteousness.’ Romans 4:19-22

Homily 8 - Romans 4:18Ver. 18. "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be."

How was it that he "believed in hope against hope?" It was against man's hope, in hope which is of God. (For he is showing the loftiness of the action, and leaving no room for disbelieving what is said.) Things which are contrary to one another, yet faith blends them together. But if he were speaking about such as were

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1. From Ishmael, this language would be superfluous: for it was not by faith but by nature that they were begotten.

2. But he bringeth Isaac also before us. For it was not concerning those nations that he believed, but concerning him who was to be from his barren wife.

3. If then it be a reward to be father of many nations, it would be so of those nations clearly of whom he so believed. For that you may know that he is speaking of them, listen to what follows.

Ver. 19. "And being not weak in faith, he considered his own body now dead."

Do you see how he gives the obstacles, as well as the high spirit of the righteous man which surmounts all? "Against hope," he says, was that which was promised:

1. This is the first obstacle. For Abraham had no other person who had received a son in this way to look to. They that were after him looked to him, but he to no one, save to God only. And this is why he said, "against hope."

2. Then, "his body now dead." This is a second. 3. And, "the deadness of Sarah's womb." This is a third, aye and a fourth obstacle.

Ver. 20. "But he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief."

For God neither gave any proof nor made any sign, but there were only bare words promising such things as nature did not hold out any hopes of. Yet still he says, "he staggered not." He does not say, "He did not disbelieve," but, "He staggered not," that is, he neither doubted nor hesitated though the hindrances were so great. From this we learn,

1. That if God promise even countless impossibilities, 2. And he that heard doth not receive them, 3. It is not the nature of things that is to blame, 4. But the unreasonableness of him who received them not.

"But was strong in faith." See the pertinacity of Paul. For since this discourse was about them that work and them that believe, he shows that the believer works more than the other, and requires more power, and great strength, and sustains no common degree of labor. For they counted faith worthless, as having no labor in it.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURHomily 8 - Romans 4:20Insisting then upon this, he shows that it is not only he that succeeds in temperance, or any other virtue of this sort, but he that displays faith also who requires even greater power.

1. For as the one needs strength to beat off the reasonings of intemperance, 2. So hath the faithful also need of a soul endued with power, that he may thrust aside the

suggestions of unbelief.

How then did he become "strong?" By trusting the matter, he replies, to faith and not to reasonings: else he had fallen. But how came he to thrive in faith itself? By giving glory to God, he says.

Ver. 21. "And being fully persuaded that what He had promised, He was able also to perform."

Abstaining then from curious questionings is glorifying God, as indulging in them is transgressing. But if by entering into curious questions, and searching out things below, we fail to glorify Him, much more

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if we be over curious in the matter of the Lord's generation, shall we suffer to the utmost for our insolence. For if the type of the resurrection is not to be searched into, much less those untterable and awe striking subjects. And he does not use file word "believed" merely, but, "being fully persuaded." For such a thing is faith, it is clearer than the demonstration by reasons, and persuades more fully. For it is not possible for another reasoning succeeding to it to shake it afterwards. He indeed that is persuaded with words may have his persuasion altered too by them.

But he that stays himself upon faith, hath henceforward fortified his hearing against words that may do hurt to it. Having said then, that he was justified by faith, he shows that he glorified God by that faith; which is a thing specially belonging to a good life. For, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16.) But lo! this is shown also to belong to faith!

1. Again, as works need power, so doth faith. 2. For in their case the body often shares’ the toil, but in the faith the well-doing belonged to the

soul alone. 3. And so the labor is greater, since it has no one to share the struggles with it.

Do you observe how he shows that all that belonged to works attached to faith in a far greater degree, as having whereof to glory before God,-requiring power and labor,-and again, glorifying God? And after saying, that "what He had promised, He is able also to perform," he seems to me to speak beforehand of things to come. For it is not things present merely that He promises, but also things to come. For the present are a type of the other. It is then a sign of a weak, little, and pitiful mind not to believe. And so when any make faith a charge against us, let us make want of faith a charge against them in return, as pitiful, and little-minded, and foolish, and weak, and no better in disposition than asses.

For as believing belongs to a lofty and high-born soul, so disbelieving doth to a most unreasonable and worthless one, and such as is sunken drowsily ( katenhnegmenh$ ) into the senselessness of brutes. Therefore having left these, let us imitate the Patriarch, and glorify God as he gave Him glory. And what does it mean, gave Him glory? He held in mind His majesty, His boundless power. And having formed a just conception of Him, he was also "fully persuaded" about His promises. (Chrysostom)

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURThe Believer Declared RighteousNo one could boast before God (2:17; 3:27; 4:2), but there is cause for a different kind of boast in hope of restored glory (5:2; cf. 3:23), in tribulation (5:3) and in God through Christ (5:11).

4:23-25. Paul begins to apply his exposition about Abraham to his readers (the application carries through 5:11). Ancient teachers (Jewish and Greco-Roman) often used examples to exhort their hearers or readers to think and act differently. (From IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament by Craig S. Keener Copyright © 1993 by Craig S. Keener. Published by InterVarsity Press. All rights reserved.)

(4:23-25) “Shall be imputed” is not future in tense in the Greek text. The construction consists of mellei, a verb used with an infinitive to indicate that the action is shortly to take place, for instance, “he is about to do” so and so.

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1. Denney translates, “to whom it is to be imputed as righteousness.” He says, “Mellei conveys the idea of a divine order under which things proceed so.”

2. Denney’s note is helpful. “The object of the Christian’s faith is the same as that of Abraham’s, God that giveth life to the dead. Only in this case specifically God as He who raised Jesus our Lord.

3. Compare 1 Peter 1:21, ‘Who by him do believe in God, which raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.’

In Abraham’s case, God that quickeneth the dead is merely a synonym for God Omnipotent, who can do what man cannot. In Paul, on the other hand, while omnipotence is included in the description of God – for in Ephesians 1:19, in order to give an idea of the greatest conceivable power, the apostle can do no more than say that it is according to that working of the strength of God’s might which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead – Omnipotence is not the sole object of the Christian’s faith. His spiritual attitude toward God is the same as Abraham’s but God is revealed to him, and offered to his faith, in a character in which Abraham did not yet know Him. This is conveyed in the description of the Person in relation to whom the Omnipotence of God has been displayed to Christians.

That Person is ‘Jesus our Lord,’ who was delivered up for our offences, and raised for our justification. The resurrection of Jesus our Lord entitles us to conceive of God’s omnipotence not as mere unqualified power, but as power no less than infinite engaged in the work of man’s salvation from sin. In the resurrection of Jesus, omnipotence is exhibited as redeeming power, and in this omnipotence we, like Abraham, believe.”

Rom 4:25Was delivered paredothee (NT: 3860) Used of casting into prison or delivering to justice, Matt 4:12; 10:17, 19, 21.

1. Frequently of the betrayal of Christ, Matt 10:4; 17:22; John 6:64, 712. Of committing a trust, Matt 25:14, 20, 22.3. Of committing tradition, doctrine, or precept, Mark 7:13; 1 Cor 11:2; 15:3; Rom 6:17; 2 Peter

2:21. 4. Of Christ's yielding up His spirit, John 19:30. 5. Of the surrender of Christ and His followers to death, Rom 8:32; 2 Cor 4:11; Gal 2:20. 6. Of giving over to evil, Rom 1:26, 28; 1 Cor 5:5; Eph 4:19.

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURRomans 4:25Rose again for our justification. "But if the whole matter of the justification depends on what He has suffered for our offences, we shall as certainly be justified or have our count made even, if the does not rise, as if He does. Doubtless the rising has an immense significance, when the justification is conceived to be the renewing of our moral nature in righteousness; for it is only by the rising that the incarnate life and glory are fully discovered, and the righteousness of God declared in His person in its true moral power. But in the other view of justification there is plainly enough nothing depending, as far as that is concerned, on His resurrection" (Bushnell). Compare Rom 6:4-13. (Vincent)

1. “Delivered” is paradidomi, and is used of casting into prison or delivering to justice. Here it speaks of the judicial act of God the Father delivering His Son to the justice that required the payment of the penalty for human sin.

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2. Commenting on the words, “was raised for our justification,” Denney says: “He was delivered up on account of our offences – to make atonement for them; and He was raised on account of our justification – that it might become an accomplished fact…Paul does ascribe expiatory value to the death or blood of Jesus Christ; in the sense it is true the work of Christ was finished on the Cross.

But Paul never thought of that by itself: he knew Christ only as the Risen One who had died, and who had the virtue of His atoning death over in Him; this Christ was One, in all that He did and suffered – the Christ who had evoked in him the faith by which he [Paul] was justified, the only Christ through faith in whom sinful men ever could be justified; and it is natural, therefore, that he should conceive Him as raised with a view to our justification.”

“Offences” is Paraptoma. The verb is parapipto, which means, “to deviate from the right path, turn aside,” thus “to trespass, transgress.”

Parapíptœ, paráptœmaB. The Group in the NT. 1. The verb occurs only in Heb 6:6, where it means "to commit a fault" rather than "to fall away" but with no specific reference (cf. 10:26).

2. The noun occurs in Matt 6:14-15; Mark 11:25. Faults against others are at issue in Matt 6:14 and against God in v. 15. The repetition brings out the severity of faults against others. The general use in Mark 11:25 does not specify against whom we offend; offenses against others are also offenses against God. Paul often uses the noun. He has it for Adam's sin in Rom 5:15, 17 and for the totality of sin in Rom 5:20 (in distinction from parábasis as the transgression of commandments). A similar use occurs in Gal 6:1, and in Rom 11:11-12 the paráptœma of Israel consists of its rejection of the gospel. (From Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, abridged edition, Copyright © 1985 by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)

Greek Text by Wuest‘Now, it was not written for his sake alone, namely, that it was put to his account, but also for our sakes, to whose account it is to be put, to ours who place our faith upon the One who raised Jesus our Lord out from among the dead, who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.’ Romans 4:23-25

ROMANS CHAPTER FOURHomily 9. Romans 4:23."Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him for righteousness; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead."

After saying many great things of Abraham, and his faith, and righteousness, and honor before God, lest the hearer should say, What is this to us, for it is he that was justified? he places us close to the Patriarch again. So great is the power of spiritual words.

1. For of one of the Gentiles, one who was recently come near, one who had done no work, he not only says that he is in nothing inferior to the Jew who believes (i.e. as a Jew), but not even to the Patriarch, but rather, if one must give utterance to the wondrous truth, even much greater.

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2. For so noble is our birth, that his faith is but the type of ours. And he does not say, If it was reckoned unto him, it is probable it will be also to us, that he might not make it matter of syllogism.

3. But he speaks in authentic words of the divine law, and makes the whole a declaration of the Scripture.

4. For why was it written, he says, save to make us see that we also were justified in this way? For it is the same God Whom we have believed, and upon the same matters, if it be not in the case of the same persons.

5. And after speaking of our faith, he also mentions God's unspeakable love towards man, which he ever presents on all sides, bringing the Cross before us. And this he now makes plain by saying,

Ver. 25. "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

See how after mentioning the cause of His death, he makes the same cause likewise a demonstration of the resurrection.

1. For why, he means, was He crucified? Not for any sin of His own. And this is plain from the Resurrection. For if He were a sinner, how should He have risen? But if He rose, it is quite plain that He was not a sinner.

2. But if He was not a sinner, how came He to be crucified?-For others,-and if for others, then surely he rose again. Now to prevent your saying,

3. How, when liable for so great sins, came we to be justified? he points out One that blotted out all sins, that both from Abraham's faith, whereby he was justified, and from the Savior’s Passion, whereby we were freed from our sins, he might confirm what he had said.

And after mentioning His Death, he speaks also of His Resurrection. For the purpose of His dying was not that He might hold us liable to punishment and in condemnation, but that He might do good unto us. For this cause He both died and rose again, that He might make us righteous. (Chrysostom)(From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Volume 11, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

SummaryWe find the apostle Paul using the life of Abraham (Gen. 11:27-15:6 & 17:9-14) to show the following:

1. Justification by works – vv. 2, 5 (Gen. 12:1-4 “So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him.”).

2. Inspiration –vv. 3, 6, 17 (Gen. 15:1 “I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. :).3. Faith –vv. 3, 5, 9 (Gen. 13:17 “Arise, walk through the land…”).

ROMANS CHAPTER FOUR - SUMMARY4. Imputation –vv. 3, 4, 9, 11, 22 (Gen. 15:5-18 “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it

to him for righteousness).5. Righteousness –vv. 3, 9, 22 (Gen. 15:6 “…he counted it to him for righteousness.).

Let’s look at Romans 4:7, 8 in light of Leviticus 4:20 “…the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.

THE EIGHT STEPS OF JUSTIFICATION:1. Justification defined. Romans 3:21-28.

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2. Justification is a universal remedy for mankind. Romans 3:29-30.3. Justification by faith honors the Law of Moses. Romans 3:31.4. Justification by faith in examples of Abraham and David. Romans 4:1-25.5. Justification is apart from the ordinances of man. Romans 4:9-12.6. Justification is apart from the Law of Moses. Romans 4:13-25.7. Justification the results of. Romans 5:1-11.8. Justification is compared and contrasted with condemnation. Romans 5:12-21

It was “because of our offenses” that Jesus Christ had to die (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:4). Jesus was raised again and was exalted at the right hand of the Father “because of” the fact that we were “justified by his blood” (Romans 5:9). Now His resurrection is the proof that our sins are gone. If you seek justification by any other means, good works, being a good person, giving to the poor you will find that as the scripture says, “your righteousness is as filthy rags to the Lord.” Paul the Learner

4:23-5:11 GENERAL APPLICATION (Introversion)

A 4:23-25 Atonement made. God’s Thump Print B 5:1, 2 Result: peace with God. (7) C 5:3-5 Not only so; glory also in tribulation. D 5:6-8 Reason: the love of God in Christ. C 5:9, 10 Much more than; saved from wrath by His life. B 5:11- Result: joy in God.A 5:-11 Atonement received.

For more examples of the Structure System, see my study www.lakesideministries.com at first covenant – Genesis – Preface. Paul the Learner

Note: There is not another book ever written that has this Structure System in it, except the Old and New Testaments. Even the other books written by the Early Church Fathers and etc do not have this system in them. This is why I call it ‘God’s Thump Print’ God’s ok. Paul the Learner

For more information on the subject see The Companion Bible Kregel Publications of Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501

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