Rom 4:16-21 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 16. Therefore . In view of the course of reasoning which has been pursued. We have come to this conclusion. It is of faith . Justification is by faith; or the plan which God has devised of saving men is by faith, . That it might be by grace . As a matter of mere undeserved mercy. If men were justified by law, it would be by their own merits; now it is of mere unmerited favour. To the end . For the purpose, or design. The promise , . Might be sure . Might be firm, or established. On any other ground it could not be established. If it had depended on entire conformity to the law , the promise would never have been established, for none would have yielded such obedience. But now it may be secured to all the posterity of Abraham. To all the seed . . Not to that only . Not to that part of his descendants alone who were Jews, or who had the law. But to that , etc. To all who should possess the same faith as Abraham. The father of us all . Of all who believe, whether they be Jews or Gentiles.

Romans 4:16-21

Verse 16. Therefore. In view of the course of reasoning which has been pursued. We have come to this conclusion.

It is of faith. Justification is by faith; or the plan which God has devised of saving men is by faith, Rom 3:26.

That it might be by grace. As a matter of mere undeserved mercy. If men were justified by law, it would be by their own merits; now it is of mere unmerited favour.

To the end. For the purpose, or design.

The promise, Rom 4:13.

Might be sure. Might be firm, or established. On any other ground it could not be established. If it had depended on entire conformity to the law, the promise would never have been established, for none would have yielded such obedience. But now it may be secured to all the posterity of Abraham.

To all the seed. Rom 4:13.

Not to that only. Not to that part of his descendants alone who were Jews, or who had the law.

But to that, etc. To all who should possess the same faith as Abraham.

The father of us all. Of all who believe, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. Verse 17. As it is written. Gen 17:5.

I have made thee. The word here used in the Hebrew (Gen 17:5) means, literally, to give, to grant; and also, to set, or constitute. This is also the meaning of the Greek word used both by the Lxx. and the apostle. The quotation is taken literally from the Septuagint. The argument of the apostle is founded, in part, on the fact that the past tense is used---I have made thee--and that God spoke of a thing as already done, which he had promised or purposed to do. The sense is, he had, in his mind or purpose, constituted him the father of many nations; and so certain was the fulfillment of the Divine purposes, that he spoke of it as already accomplished.

Of many nations. The apostle evidently understands this promise as refering not to his natural descendants only, but to the great multitude who should believe as he did.

Before him. In his view or sight; i.e., god regarded him as such a father.

Whom he believed. Whose promise he believed; or in whom he trusted.

Who quickeneth the dead. Who gives life to the dead, Eph 2:1,5. This expresses the power of God to give life. But why it is used here has been a subject of debate. I regard it as having reference to the strong natural improbability of the fulfillment of the prophecy when it was given, arising from the age of Abraham and Sarah, Rom 4:19. Abraham exercise power in the God who gives life, and who gives it as he pleases. It is one of his prerogatives to give life to the dead (νεκρους) to raise up those who are in their graves; and a power similar to that, or strongly reminding of that, was manifested in fulfilling the promise to Abraham. The giving of the promise, and its fulfillment, were such as strongly to remind us that God has power to give life to the dead.

And calleth, etc. That is, those things which he foretells and promises are so certain, that he may speak of them as already in existence. Thus is relation to Abraham, God, instead of simply promising that he would make him the father of many nations, speaks of it as already done, "I have made thee," etc. In his own mind, or purpose, he had so constituted him, and it was so certain that it would take place, that he might speak of it as already done.

(t) "I have made thee a father" @Ge 17:5 (1) "before him whom" or, "like man" (u) "quickeneth the dead" Eph 2:1,5 (v) "those things" 1Cor 1:28, 1Pet 2:10 Verse 18. Who against hope. Who against all apparent or usual ground of hope. He refers here to the prospect of a posterity. See Rom 4:19-21.

Believed in hope. Believed in that which was promised to excite his hope. Hope here is put for the object of his hope--that which was promised.

According to that which was spoken. Gen 15:5.

So shall they seed be.. That is, as the stars in heaven for multitude. Thy posterity shall be very numerous.

(w) "So shall thy seed be" Gen 15:5 Verse 19. And being not weak in faith. That is, having strong faith.

He considered not. He did not regard the fact that his body was now dead, as any obstacle to the fulfilment of the promise. He did not suffer that fact to influence him, or to produce any doubt about the fulfilment. Faith looks to the strength of God, not to second causes, or to difficulties that may appear formidable to man.

Now dead. Aged; dead as to the purpose under consideration. Comp. Heb 11:12, "As good as dead." That is, he was now at an age when it was highly improbable that he would have any children. Comp. Gen 17:17.

Deadness, etc. Heb 11:11, "When she was past age." Comp. Gen 18:11.

(x) "deadness of Sarah's womb" Verse 20. He staggered not. He was not moved, or agitated; he steadily and firmly believed the promise.

Giving glory to God. Giving honour to God by the firmness with which he believed his promises. His conduct was such as to honour God; that is, to show Abraham's conviction that he was worthy of implicit confidence and trust. In this way all who believe in the promises of God do honour to him. They bear testimony to him that he is worthy of confidence. They become so many witnesses in his favour; and furnish to their fellow-men evidence that God has a claim on the credence and trust of mankind. Verse 21. And being fully persuaded. Thoroughly or entirely convinced, Lk 1:1, Rom 14:5, 2Ti 4:5,17.

He was able. Comp. Gen 18:14. This was not the only time in which Abraham evinced this confidence. His faith was equally implicit and strong when he was commanded to sacrifice his promised son, Heb 11:19.

(y) "also able to perform" Gen 18:14, Lk 1:37,45, Heb 11:19