Abraham justified by faith 1 WHAT shall we say then that Abraham has found, who is our father according to the flesh. 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory, but not before God. 3 For what says the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice. (Gn 15:6) 4 Now to him that works, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt. 5 But to him that works not, yet believes in him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God. 6 As David also declares the blessedness of a man, to whom God reputes justice without works: 7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin. (Ps 32:1-2)
Justified before circumcision 9 This blessedness then, does it remain in the circumcision only, or in the uncircumcision also? For we say that to Abraham faith was reputed to justice. 10 How then was it reputed? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith, which he had, being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that believe, being uncircumcised, that to them also it may be reputed to justice: 12 And might be the father of circumcision; not to them only, that are of the circumcision, but to them also that follow the steps of the faithful, that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.
Not justified by the works of the Law 13 For not through the law was the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, that he should be heir of the world; but through the justice of faith. 14 For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, the promise is made of no effect. 15 For the law works wrath. For where there is no law, neither is there transgression. 16 Therefore is it of faith, that according to grace the promise might be firm to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is 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,Gn 17:5) before God, whom he believed, who quickened the dead; and calls those things that are not, as those that are.
The strength of his faith 18 Who against hope believed in hope; that he might be made the father of many nations, according to that which was said to him: So shall your seed be. (Gn 15:5) 19 And he was not weak in faith; neither did he consider his own body now dead, whereas he was almost an hundred years old, nor the dead womb of Sara. 20 In the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust; but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God: 21 Most fully knowing, that whatsoever he has promised, he is able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was reputed to him unto justice.
The model of our faith 23 Now it is not written only for him, that it was reputed to him unto justice, 24 But also for us, to whom it shall be reputed, if we believe in him, that raised up Jesus Christ, our Lord, from the dead, 25 Who was delivered up for our sins, and rose again for our justification.
Commentary on Romans 4
4 Though being in a position to provide numerous testimonies from the inspired authors, Paul goes to the very heart of Judaism, and shows the patriarch Abraham acquiring righteousness through faith. (Theodoret of Cyrus)
4:2 For he has glory, namely, before men, who see the outward works, but not before God, who sees in secret: "The Lord looks on the heart" 1 Sam l6:7. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
4:3 Abraham: Then, as the Jews made great account of the Patriarch, Paul brings his example forward, and shows that he too was justified by Faith… The Law did not then exist, he says, neither does it now exist, any more than then. In disproving the need of the Law, he introduces one who was justified before the Law, lest an objection should also be made to him; for as then it was not yet given, so now, having been given, it was abrogated. And as they made much of their descent from Abraham, and feared lest, abandoning the Law, they should be considered strangers to his kin; Paul removes this fear by turning their argument against themselves, and proves that faith is especially concerned in connecting them with Abraham. (St. John Chrysostom Com Gal 3:6)
4:4 If the works of Abraham, performed by his natural strength, were the principle of his justification, it could not be said that it was a mere voluntary act of grace on the part of God to bestow it, as the word ‘reputed’ implies. It would be given as a debt of strict justice; for, the man a work entitled to reward, shall receive that reward as a dept and not as a favor. So, as the justification of Abraham was a mere matter of gratuitous acceptance on the part of God, it was not bestowed in consideration of such works as establish a claim to it. (Bishop John McEvilly)
4:7-8: We could apply this to the sacrament of Reconciliation. In light of the Psalm, this sacrament allows one to experience the awareness of sin, often darkened in our day, together with the joy of forgiveness. The binomial "sin-punishment" is replaced by the binomial "sin-forgiveness", because the Lord is a God who "forgives iniquity and transgression and sin" (cf. Ex 34: 7). St Cyril of Jerusalem in the fourth century uses Psalm 32[31] to teach catechumens of the profound renewal of Baptism, a radical purification from all sin (cf. Procatechesi, n. 15). Using the words of the Psalmist, he too exalts divine mercy. We end our catechesis with his words: "God is merciful and is not stingy in granting forgiveness.... The mountain of your sins will not rise above the greatness of God's mercy, the depth of your wounds will not overcome the skillfulness of the "most high' Doctor: on condition that you abandon yourself to him with trust. Make known your evil to the Doctor, and address him with the words of the prophet David: "I will confess to the Lord the sin that is always before me'. In this way, these words will follow: "You have forgiven the ungodliness of my heart'" (Le Catechesi, Rome, 1993, pp. 52-53). (Pope John Paul II Hom on Ps 32) |
4:11 sign of circumcision: The circumcision of Abraham was commended so that, living under the law of commandment, his obedience might be proved. Now first it was instituted for the sake of obedience; second for a sign of Abraham’s great faith; third that this people might be distinguished from other nations; fourth that chastity of mind and body might be shown for preserving purity, and for this reason it was made in the male member; fifth because there was no way to signify that original sin is taken away by Christ. (Glossa Ordinaria)
4:13 heir of the world: that all the nations of the world would be blessed in him: "By you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" Gen 12:3. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
4:14 To prevent anyone from saying that one may have faith and also keep up the Law, Paul 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 no effect. This is because the Jew might say, What need have I of faith? If then this held, the things that were promised, would be taken away along with faith. (St. John Chrysostom)
4:15 It is not that the law makes transgressors guilty as an efficient cause but that it does not provide helping grace. (Glossa Ordinaria) The law does not make people heirs but rather assigns punishment. (Interlinear Gloss)
4:17 For the name Abram means ‘an elevated father', while Abraham means ‘father of a great nation.’ (Augustin Calmet Dic Bible) calls those things that are not: that is, the Gentiles who seemed to be nothing. as those that are: that is, the Jews who seemed to be something. (Interlinear Gloss)
4:18 So shall your seed be: A quotation from Gen 15:5. This referred to Abraham's carnal descendants, but it was particularly verified in the spiritual children of Abraham; and this principally referred to in the promise then given. (Bishop John McEvilly)
4:20 the promise: when the angel promised again, “At this time I will come and Sarah will have a son.” Gen 18:10. (Interlinear Gloss)
4:25 Jesus endured the suffering for the sake of our sins, to pay our debt, and so that His resurrection might effect the resurrection shared by everyone; through it we also gain the basis of justification, and when buried together in baptism we receive the forgiveness of sins. (Theodoret of Cyrus)
|
Catechism Cross-reference
|