BibleTools
Romans 4:2
Compare all

Abraham Justified by Faith

1 What then shall we say that aAbraham our bfather has found according to the flesh?  
2 For if Abraham was ajustified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.  
3 For what does the Scripture say? a“Abraham believed God, and it was1 accounted to him for righteousness.”  
4 Now ato him who works, the wages are not counted1 as grace but as debt.  

David Celebrates the Same Truth

5 But to him who adoes not work but believes on Him who justifies bthe ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,  
6 just as David also adescribes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 
7 “Blesseda 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.”

Abraham Justified Before Circumcision

9 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 ahe received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that bhe 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 aAbraham had while still uncircumcised.  

The Promise Granted Through Faith

13 For the promise that he would be the aheir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.  
14 For aif those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect,  
Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
<< Romans 4:1   Romans 4:3 >>


Romans 4:2

For if Abraham ... - This is the answer of the apostle. If Abraham was justified on the ground of his own merits, he would have reason to boast, or to claim praise. He might regard himself as the author of it, and take the praise to himself; see Romans 4:4. The inquiry, therefore, was, whether in the account of the justification of Abraham, there was to be found any such statement of a reason for self-confidence and boasting.

But not before God - In the sight of God. That is, in his recorded judgment, he had no ground of boasting on account of works. To show this, the apostle appeals at once to the Scriptures, to show that there was no such record as that Abraham could boast that he was justified by his works. As God judges right in all cases, so it follows that Abraham had no just ground of boasting, and of course that he was not justified by his own works. The sense of this verse is well expressed by Calvin. "If Abraham was justified by his works, he might boast of his own merits. But he has no ground of boasting before God. Therefore he was not justified by works."




Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Romans 4:2:

Acts 13:39
Romans 3:28
Romans 4:3
Romans 5:19
Hebrews 11:8
James 2:26
James 2:26
James 2:26

 

<< Romans 4:1   Romans 4:3 >>

DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.

Join 137,305+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.

Close
E-mail This Page