Big Idea: Unlike the Mosaic covenant, based on obeying the Torah, the Abrahamic covenant is based on faith. Abraham becomes Paul’s star witness that justification is by faith alone. Paul marshals five arguments to refute the commonly held view that Abraham was justified by his good works: theological (4:1–5), hermeneutical (4:6–8), historical (4:9–12), logical (4:13–17a), and experiential (4:17b–25).
Understanding the Text
The general context of Romans 4 is that it continues the discussion of 3:27–31: the latter states that justification is by faith, while the former illustrates that principle from the life of Abraham. We may correlate these two passages in this way:
1. Justification is by faith (3:27–28; 4:1–8)
2. Justification by faith is for Jews and Gentiles (3:29–30; 4:9–17)
More specifically, Romans 4:1–8 unfolds the first two of Paul’s arguments that Abraham was accepted by God by faith:
1. Theological argument (4:1–5)
a. Negatively, Abraham had no merit before God (4:1–2)
b. Positively, Abraham was reckoned righteous by God’s grace (4:3–5)
2. Hermeneutical argument—gezerah shawah (4:6–8)
a. Genesis 15:6 (4:6 [cf. 4:3, 5])
b. Psalm 32:1–2 (4:7–8)
Historical and Cultural Background
Two key items inform Romans 4: the high estimation of Abraham in the Old Testament and in Second Temple Judaism, and Rabbi Hillel’s rules for interpreting the Scriptures.
1. Three points about Abraham are indispensable for interpreting Romans 4. (a) Abraham was revered by Jews as the father of the Jewish people (Gen. 12–22; Ps. 105:6; Isa. 41:8). (b) Abraham was thought to have obeyed the Torah in advance and thereby to have been justified by his good works (e.g., Sir. 44:19–20; 1 Macc. 2:52; Jub. 19.8–9; 23.9–10; CD 3.2–4). (c) In a number of ancient Jewish texts, Genesis 15:6 (Abraham believed God’s promise to give him innumerable seed, and therefore God reckoned that Abraham was righteous) was interpreted through the lens of Genesis 17 (Abraham’s institution of circumcision as an act of obedience to God) or Genesis 22 (Abraham’s offering of Isaac) to show that Abraham was declared righteous because he obeyed the Torah in advance.1In Romans 4 Paul begs to differ with the second and third points. Thus, Paul denies that Abraham was justified by his works, and he gives priority to Genesis 15:6 over both Genesis 17 and Genesis 22.
2. Rabbis such as Paul were taught seven rules developed by Hillel, a leading rabbi of the first century BC, for interpreting the Scriptures (see sidebar). In Romans Paul uses two of these rules: qal wahomer (what applies in a less important case will certainly apply in a more important case) and gezerah shawah (where the same words are applied to two separate cases, it follows that the same considerations apply to both).
Interpretive Insights
4:1–2 If . . . Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. Romans 4:1–8 presents the first two arguments of Paul’s five in chapter 4 that Abraham was justified by faith and not by works. Verses 1–5 contain the theological argument, while verses 6–8 develop the hermeneutical argument. Regarding the theological argument, there are two competing views as to what Paul is decrying in 4:1–5, especially concerning the phrase “justified by works.”
The traditional view is that Paul is stating, in contrast to the prevailing view in Second Temple Judaism, that God’s declaration of Abraham as righteous was not based on the patriarch’s good works. In other words, the apostle is taking issue with individual legalism as the means of acceptance before God, even as he did in 3:27–31. But the New Perspective on Paul argues to the contrary that “works” in 4:2 are Israel’s covenant markers that manifest an exclusivity toward Gentiles. This school of thought bases its case on two points: (1) since Paul is talking about Abraham in 4:1–23, beginning with 4:1–8, he must be attacking Jewish nationalism, not individual legalism; (2) Paul’s discussion of circumcision in 4:9–17 indicates that the works are neither good works in general nor the entirety of the Torah but rather the three covenant markers of circumcision, Sabbath, and diet.2
The traditional perspective counters these two arguments as follows. First, in 4:1–5 Paul is not so much popping the balloon of Jewish pride in Abraham as the source of their superiority over the Gentiles but rather jettisoning individual merit on the part of Abraham before God. And if Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, cannot be justified by works, then neither can his descendants. Both can be accepted by God only on the basis of his grace and the sinner’s faith. Second, the works in 4:2, and for that matter throughout Romans 4, have nothing to do with the Torah. The issue of works instead pertains to Abraham, who lived four hundred years before the giving of the Torah (compare 4:1–5 with 4:9–17), and to David’s confession of his sin (lack of works [4:6–8]). Moreover, only circumcision is mentioned in Romans 4 and not Sabbath keeping or dietary laws. Therefore, I believe that the traditional view here is correct. To recap 4:1–2: on the negative side, Abraham had no merit before God.
4:3–5 “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Here we have the positive side of Paul’s theological argument regarding Abraham: he was justified before God by faith. In other words, Abraham could not save himself (4:1–2), but God could save him (4:3–5). Verse 3 quotes Genesis 15:6, a text drawn on thereafter in every section of Romans 4 (vv. 3–8, 9–12, 13–23). The Greek word logizomai is also pervasive in Romans 4 (vv. 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24). That term (variously translated in Rom. 4 as “credited,” “reckoned,” “counted,” “imputed,” “declared,” all of which are essentially the same) was used in commercial language to refer to payment to a person for service rendered (e.g., Thucydides, 2.40.4; 4 Ezra 8.31–36). Paul’s point in 4:4, then, is that if Abraham had performed exemplary religious service to God, then God would be obligated to remunerate him by saving him. But quite to the contrary, says Paul, Abraham performed no such service; rather, he was reckoned to be righteous simply by believing God’s promise to make of him a great nation (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:3).
In 4:5 Paul amplifies the theological argument of 4:1–4 (no one, not even Abraham, has lived a good enough life to obligate God to save them) by stating what was unthinkable to the Jewish mind: God justifies the ungodly (for the canon of Jewish justice that God does not justify the ungodly, see Exod. 23:7; Prov. 17:15; 24:24; Isa. 5:23; Sir. 42:2; CD 1.19; for the Old Testament conviction that sinners are outside the covenant with God, see Pss. 1:1, 5; 36:34 LXX [37:34 ET]; Prov. 11:31; 12:12–13; Ezek. 33:8–11; cf. Sir. 7:16–17; 9:11–12; 41:5–8).3And, if Paul’s audacious assertion that God justifies the ungodly by faith was not revolting enough, the apostle goes on to indicate that Abraham himself was ungodly and thus had no hope of obligating God to save him; his only hope was to be reckoned by God to be righteous by faith.4Thus, Paul’s theological point in 4:1–5 is that Abraham was a sinner, and so God was not obliged to justify him; instead, God saved the father of the Jewish people solely because of divine grace, which Abraham received by faith apart from any good work.
4:6–8 “Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” In 4:6–8 Paul the rabbi utilizes Rabbi Hillel’s hermeneutical rule known as gezerah shawah to make the controversial point that Abraham was a sinner and therefore could be justified before God only by faith. According to gezerah shawah, if the same key word occurs in two Old Testament texts, even if far removed from each other contextually (often the particular word occurred in the Pentateuch and in the Writings, as is the case here in Rom. 4:6–8 [Gen. 15:6; Ps. 32:1–2]), then those two texts should be read as mutually interpretive:
Genesis 15:6 LXX: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited [logizomai] to him as righteousness” (Rom. 4:6 [cf. 4:3, 5])
Psalm 31:1–2 LXX (32:1–2 ET): “Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count [logizomai] against him” (Rom. 4:7–8)
Since the key word, logizomai, occurs in both Genesis 15:6 and Psalm 32:1–2, Paul, using the principle of gezerah shawah, interprets Genesis 15:6 through the lens of Psalm 32:1–2 thus: Abraham being credited/counted righteous before God (Gen. 15:6) means that God did not credit/count against Abraham his sin (Ps. 32:1–2, referring to God’s forgiveness of David’s sins of adultery and murder [see 2 Sam. 11]). All this to say that Abraham was justified before God by faith, not by works. Indeed, Abraham was a sinner whose only hope was God’s grace received through faith. Thus, Paul’s hermeneutical argument in 4:6–8 reinforces his theological argument in 4:1–5.
Theological Insights
Several theological insights jump out at the reader of Romans 4:1–8. First, God is no one’s debtor. In other words, no one can live a life exemplary enough to force God’s hand to save them: not Abraham, not David, not Paul, not anyone. Rather, God offers his salvation in Christ freely to all who will receive it as a gift. Second, related to the previous point, faith is not a work. It is, rather, receiving God’s righteousness as an unearned gift. Third, Paul’s term logizomai indicates that God declares, not makes, a person righteous who receives Christ as Savior. Technically speaking, justification is God crediting to the “account” of the sinner the righteousness of Christ; it is not yet sanctification, whereby God makes the sinner righteous through the lifelong process of spiritual transformation (Rom. 6:1–8:16 discusses sanctification, as we will see later). Fourth, except for the sin of rejecting Christ, there is no sin that God cannot forgive through Christ, not even adultery and murder, as David testifies to in Psalm 32:1–2.
Teaching the Text
Two sermon ideas impress me from Romans 4:1–8. “No One’s Debtor” (based on 4:1–5) could make the powerful, but elusive, point that salvation is based not on human works, but solely on the grace of God received by faith. Surveys have been taken in which passersby are asked if they know that they are going to heaven and why. The results usually are discouraging; many answer by listing their religious works as the basis for salvation. Another sermon that could be delivered from Romans 4:1–8 is “No Sin Too Great: Romans 4:6–8,” with reference to God forgiving David his detestable acts of adultery and murder. David, of course, still had to pay the consequences of his sins (loss of a baby, rebellion and death of another son, rebellion in his kingdom), yet God forgave David, whom God saw as “a man after his own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14).
Illustrating the Text
Like Abraham, we receive God’s righteousness as an unearned gift through faith.
Lyrics: Both the children’s song “Father Abraham” and the great hymn “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place” illustrate the theme of justification by faith and could be used to reach all elements of the congregation. Particularly appropriate is the first verse of the hymn: “My faith has found a resting place, / not in device nor creed. / I trust the ever-living One, / his wounds for me shall plead.”
Biography: Scottish writer J. M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, told a story about another Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island. When Stevenson moved to the island of Samoa toward the end of his life, he built a small hut before he moved into a larger house. On the first night he spent at the larger house, he was feeling very tired and regretful that he had not had the forethought to ask his servant to bring him coffee and tobacco. At about that time, the servant came in with a tray carrying the coffee and tobacco. Stevenson said to him in his native language, “Great is your forethought.” The boy corrected him, “Great is the love.”5
There is no sin that God cannot forgive through Christ.
Film: The Silence of the Lambs; No Country for Old Men; The Dark Knight. It seems useful, in the interest of freshness, to illustrate this point by describing the lead characters in these well-known films (or others like them) and then ask the audience if they think that Christ could forgive a cannibal (The Silence of the Lambs [1991]), a psychopathic killer (No Country for Old Men [2007]), a human being relentlessly bent on destruction (The Dark Knight [2008]). In these films (widely viewed by young people, especially The Dark Knight) the lead characters are purely evil. The much earlier one, The Silence of the Lambs, is included because of the public’s widespread knowledge of the gruesome character Hannibal Lecter. Too often films like these get caricatured or treated too lightly. In fact, college students have had look-alike contests in which an award is given for the best Dark Knight costume. It would be good to arouse thoughtfulness about the reality of human evil and Christ’s ability to forgive.
The Abrahamic Covenant versus the Mosaic Covenant
Big Idea: Paul’s historical argument: Abraham was reckoned righteous before his circumcision (which in Judaism became the sign of the Mosaic law), so he is the father of all believers, apart from the law. Paul’s logical argument: The means for actualizing God’s promise to Abraham are based not on the law but solely on faith. The Abrahamic covenant is therefore superior to the Mosaic covenant.
Understanding the Text
In general, Romans 4:9–17a continues Paul’s argumentation that Abraham was justified by faith, adding two more pieces of evidence: the historical argument (vv. 9–12) and the logical argument (vv. 13–17a). The flip side is that Romans 4 offers four contrasts between the covenant with Abraham and its counterpart, the covenant with Moses, as seen in table 1.
More specifically, Romans 4:9–17a provides historical and logical arguments that Abraham was justified by faith. The historical argument (4:9–12) can be outlined thus:
1. The biblical basis (4:9)
2. The historical priority (4:10–11a)
3. The spiritual principle (4:11b–12)
The logical argument (4:13–17a) can be outlined thus:
1. The promise to Abraham defined (4:13a)
2. The promise to Abraham was not by the law (4:13b–15)
3. The promise to Abraham was by faith (4:16–17a)
Historical and Cultural Background
1. The traditional view (especially in the Pentateuch and in Second Temple Judaism) was that Abraham was the father of those committed to the Torah; that is, Abraham kept the Torah in advance by obediently submitting to the divine command to be circumcised (Gen. 17), and so should all Jews.1Moreover, Judaism could readily embrace the thought of Abraham as the father of Gentiles if they became proselytes by being circumcised.2All of this carried into the future restoration of Israel. With the Old Testament prophets, however, a new view of the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants began to emerge: the latter coming to signify Israel’s sin and exile, the former being recognized as the ground for Israel’s hope for restoration and the attendant conversion of the Gentiles (see, e.g., 2 Kings 13:23; Dan. 7–9, where Daniel portrays the sin-exile-restoration of Israel in terms of the cosmic story of the nations to the effect that the fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise will be carried out by the new Adam, the heavenly Son of Man).3Paul aligns himself with the prophets.
2. Paul’s statement of the promise that Abraham would be the heir of the world (in Rom. 4:13) conflates three guarantees God gave to Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3: his descendants would be a great nation; they would inherit the land (of Israel); and Abraham would be a blessing to all peoples. Later in the Old Testament it is indicated that Israel will inherit not only its own land but also the world (e.g., Isa. 55:3–5). This was seen in ancient Judaism as the fulfillment of Genesis 1:26–28 and God’s command to Adam to subdue the earth.4
Interpretive Insights
4:9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised . . . ? In 4:9–12 Paul presents the historical argument that Abraham was justified by faith. The argument consists of three parts (as outlined above): the biblical basis (v. 9), the historical priority (vv. 10–11a), and the spiritual principle (vv. 11b–12). Verse 9a piggybacks on 4:6–8 and David’s statement quoted there that God forgives sins. One rabbinic interpretation of Psalm 32:1–2 was that such forgiveness applied only to Israel (Pesiq. Rab. 45.185b), a view probably held in Paul’s day.5But 4:9b refers back to Genesis 15:6, reminding the reader that Abraham was reckoned righteous by faith. Romans 4:9, then, is the second half of Paul’s usage of gezerah shawah, with Genesis 15:6 casting light on Psalm 32:1–2, even as Psalm 32:1–2 in Romans 4:6–8 cast light on Genesis 15:6 in Romans 4:3, 5, 6. Thus, Psalm 32:1–2 and the blessedness of forgiveness (4:9a) are interpreted through the lens of Genesis 15:6 (4:9b) to say that the blessedness of being credited righteous by faith (= forgiveness of sin) applies to both Jew and Gentile (like Abraham’s faith [Rom. 4:10–12] and against the rabbinic restriction of that faith to Jews).
4:10–11a was it credited . . . after he was circumcised, or before? Romans 4:10–11a is the heart of Paul’s historical argument that Abraham was justified by faith and not by the works of the law. Verse 10 makes it clear that Abraham was reckoned righteous by faith (Gen. 15:6) before (twenty-nine years before, on Jewish reckoning) the giving of the rite of circumcision (Gen. 17; later recognized as the sign of the Mosaic covenant, a connection made in 1–2 Macc.).6 For Paul, circumcision is a sign that Abraham earlier had been justified by faith, not a sign that he kept the Torah (4:11a). Paul thus introduces a discontinuity between faith and circumcision (in the sense that circumcision was not the basis of faith but rather the later sign that faith had already occurred and that before circumcision), the likes of which was known only by the Old Testament prophets (see Jer. 4:4; 9:25; cf. already in Deut.10:16; 30:6). All other expressions of Judaism maintained continuity between Abraham’s faith and circumcision, between the covenants of Abraham and Moses, beginning with Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6. But Paul asserts in 4:10–11a that the chronological priority of faith over circumcision dismisses the notion that Abraham kept the Torah in advance by submitting to circumcision. In other words, the apostle to the Gentiles continues the prophetic tradition of pitting the Abrahamic covenant against the Mosaic covenant.
4:11b–12 he is the father of all who believe. Paul spells out in 4:11b–12 the spiritual principle driving the story of Abraham: faith, not the works of the law. Because Abraham was credited as righteous before God by faith alone, all people who have faith (in Christ), Jew and Gentile alike, are the children of Abraham. Note the parallel between 4:11b and 4:12: both the uncircumcised/Gentile Christians and the circumcised/Jewish Christians are children of Abraham by faith, meaning that righteousness is credited to them by faith.7
4:13a the promise that he would be heir of the world. Romans 4:13–17a provides the logical argument for Paul’s case that Abraham was justified by faith. Verse 13a defines the promise God gave to Abraham: God was going to make Abraham the heir of the world. The noun “promise” (epangelia) occurs four times in 4:13–22 (vv. 13, 14, 16, 20; cf. v. 21), signaling the main theme of those verses. As we noted earlier, the promise that Abraham would be the heir of the world is a conflation of the foundational guarantees that God made to Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3. Moreover, Genesis 12 implies that Adam’s dominion over the world has now devolved onto Abraham. Paul interprets this to mean that Abraham is the father of those who have faith in Christ; that is, Christians, both Jews and Gentiles all across the world, are Abraham’s descendants. Moreover, the physical land of Israel is replaced by the kingdom of God in the hearts of his people (see Rom. 14:17). Not Jews ruling Gentiles, but the two together reigning in Christ, fulfill God’s promise to Abraham that he would inherit the earth.
4:13b–15 if those who depend on the law are heirs, . . . the promise is worthless. The negative aspect of Paul’s logical argument appears here. If righteousness is by the works of the law, then righteousness by faith is made of no effect, and the promise is rendered null because the law stirs up wrath and therefore transgression. The word that Paul uses here of making void (NIV: “worthless”) the promise (covenant of Abraham) is katarge?, which, I suggested earlier, Paul applies to the old covenant in Romans 3:31. Here Paul implies that the new covenant would be rendered void by the law of Moses, if it were indeed the way of salvation. Surely it is wrong to interpret these verses as no more than Paul’s criticism of Jewish nationalism.8True, Paul is against the Jewish exclusion of Gentiles from the Abrahamic covenant, but Jews exclude Gentiles precisely because they demand adherence to the entire Torah. Thus, Paul is decrying both exclusivism and legalism (cf. 3:27–31).
4:16–17a Therefore, the promise comes by faith. Paul here presents the positive aspect of his logical argument. Since the promise to Abraham is based on faith and grace, both Jew and Gentile can have the righteousness of God. Though this is debated, the words “not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham” probably mean that the seed of Abraham is not merely the Jew (“not only to those who are of the law”) but the Jew whose faith is in Christ (“but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham”; cf. 4:12). Furthermore, the words “faith of Abraham . . . father of us all” certainly include Christian Gentiles as Abraham’s spiritual offspring (cf. 4:11). Simply put, God’s promise to make Abraham a father of many nations (Rom. 4:17a; Gen. 17:5) has failed if it is rooted in the law of Moses, since no one can obey the Torah; indeed, the law stirs the heart to disobedience. Therefore, the promise has failed and is totally illogical. But if the promise to Abraham is based on faith, then all can participate in it. This is only logical.
Theological Insights
At least two powerful truths are embedded in Romans 4:9–17a. First, for Paul the Abrahamic covenant, not the Mosaic covenant, contains the most realistic hope for the restoration of Israel and the conversion of the Gentiles. This is because the divine promise to Abraham is based on faith, not works, and therefore is the legitimate foreshadowing of the new covenant. Second, Romans 4:9–17a (cf. Gal. 3:6–29) reveals that the gospel of Christ was anticipated in God’s covenant with Abraham in that it is based on faith and is inclusive. This is in contrast to the Mosaic covenant, which is legalistic and exclusivistic. If the Abrahamic covenant conveys God’s promise of grace to both Jew and Gentile, what, then, is the purpose of the Mosaic/Sinaitic covenant? The law of Moses was given by God to convict humankind of its sin and thereby drive people to the gospel of God’s grace in Christ. The Reformer Martin Luther recognized this long ago.
Teaching the Text
A couple of sermons come to mind for Romans 4:9–17a. The first, based on 4:9–12, could cover the historical argument. It would follow the outline above for that section: the biblical basis (v. 9), the historical priority (vv. 10–11a), and the spiritual principle (vv. 11b–12). The first point finishes Paul’s connection of Genesis 15:6 and Psalm 32:1–2 and shows that Jew and Gentile are saved by faith. The second point calculates that salvation by faith came twenty-nine years before circumcision. The third point demonstrates that people of faith are the true children of Abraham.
Second, a sermon based on Romans 4:13–17 could cover the three points of the outline followed above: the promise to Abraham defined (v. 13a); the promise to Abraham was not by the law (vv. 13b–15); the promise to Abraham was by faith (vv. 16–17a). The message might be entitled “Give Me That Old-Time Religion.” The first point suggests that Christians—those whose faith is in Christ alone for salvation—are the fulfillment of the promise God made to Abraham. And yet, nowhere is the church more divided than on Sunday morning. Messianic Jews and Gentile Christians meet in separate locations, as do whites and people of color, not to mention the wealthy and the poor. Christians of every race, background, and status need to actualize God’s fulfilled promise to Abraham by uniting in their worship. The second and third points combine to make it clear that not only is nationalism out of place in the fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise, but so also is legalism. Abraham’s faith preceded the law and therefore trumps it in the plan of God. It is important for Jewish believers in particular to be vigilant regarding their own venerable religious heritage. They rightfully remain Jewish and may well celebrate, for example, the Old Testament feasts of the Lord such as Passover, but from a perspective of faith in Christ as the fulfillment of the Torah. Moreover, Jewish believers will want to be sensitive to their Gentile siblings in the faith and careful not to impose on them Jewish culture.
Illustrating the Text
Many religions say Abraham is their father, but only Christians are his true seed.
News Story: Ann Holmes Redding, ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1984, made a profession of faith in Islam in 2006, and she claims to be both a Christian and a Muslim. Because of her decision, she was deposed as a priest in 2009. She says, “I look through Jesus and I see Allah.” How might this compare or contrast with Romans 4:9–17a?
No physical ceremony can produce the spiritual change that comes through grace.
Spiritual Autobiography: The Journal of John Wesley, by John Wesley. In this journal Wesley (1703–91), who was influenced by Martin Luther, gives an account of his coming to understand that only grace would change his behavior. This is in spite of the fact that he performed increasingly greater works of self-denial and charity (entering holy orders, shaking off “trifling acquaintances,” studying harder, visiting the poor and infirm, getting rid of “all superfluities,” and losing “no occasion of doing good” only to be counseled that “outward works are nothing”). What he realized was that he had been intent on his own righteousness, “zealously inculcated by the Mystic writers,” “beating the air” as it were.9
Biography/Film: In the accounts of Martin Luther’s life, he is seen as doing heavy penance, undergoing self-scourging, and lying on stone floors to achieve holiness. None of these acts bring him peace, which he finds only in being justified through faith. In the 1953 film biography Martin Luther (see the “Illustrating the Text” section for Rom. 1:16–17), starring Niall McGinnis, there is a scene that depicts Luther’s misery and self-castigation.
Faith, Abraham, and the Christian
Big Idea: Abraham and the Christian experience justification before God in the same way: faith in God’s promise, apart from works. For Abraham, it was faith in God and the promise that he would be the father of many nations. For the Christian, it is faith in God and in the promise that Jesus’ death and resurrection atone for our sins, reckoning us righteous before God.
Understanding the Text
In Romans 4, Paul puts forth five arguments that Abraham was justified by faith. He has developed the theological (4:1–5), hermeneutical (4:6–8), historical (4:9–12), and logical (4:13–17a) arguments and now moves on to the experiential argument (4:17b–22). The apostle makes the point that both Abraham (4:17b–22) and the Christian (4:23–25) experience justification before God in the same way: by faith, apart from works.
1. Abraham’s faith in God’s promise that he would be the father of many nations (4:17b–22)
a. The object of Abraham’s faith: The God of the impossible (4:17b–19)
i. Resurrection: Life out of death (4:17b)
ii. Creation: Something out of nothing (4:17b)
iii. Procreation: A child from an aged couple (4:18–19)
b. The source of Abraham’s faith: The promise of God (4:20–21)
c. The result of Abraham’s faith: Justification apart from human works to the glory of God (4:22)
2. The Christian’s faith in God’s promise that justification is based on Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection (4:23–25)
a. The object of the Christian’s faith: The God of the impossible, who raised Jesus from the dead (4:24b)
b. The source of the Christian’s faith: The promise of God that Jesus’ death and resurrection atone for our sins (4:25)
c. The result of the Christian’s faith: Justification apart from human works to the glory of God (4:23–24a, 25b)
Historical and Cultural Background
1. God’s power to raise the dead to life (see Rom. 4:17b) was a cherished belief of most ancient Jews (see Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6; Tob. 13:2; Wis. 16:13; cf. Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:22, 36, 45).
2. Creatio ex nihilo (creation out of nothing), a doctrine held in ancient Judaism (see Philo, Spec. Laws 4.187; 2 Macc. 7:28; 2 Bar. 21.4; 48.8; Mek. Exod. 18.3; 21.37; 22.22; cf. Heb. 11:3), is probably alluded to in Romans 4:17b. Those who do not see an allusion here argue that the words “as though they were” (h?s onta) express the hypothetical (God’s summoning of that which does not yet exist—the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham was still future for him), not the actual (the world that God has already brought into existence). But the words h?s onta can be used of an actual quality or reality (see BDAG, III.1).
Interpretive Insights
4:17b–19 the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Romans 4:17b–22 begins Paul’s experiential argument in 4:17b–25 to the effect that Abraham (vv. 17b–22) and Christians (vv. 23–25) experience acceptance before God in the same way: by faith, apart from works. The same outline also pertains to Abraham and the Christian in this passage: both have the same object of faith, source of faith, and result of faith. The difference between the two is that God’s promise to Abraham was that he would be the father of many nations, while God’s promise to Christians is that they are reckoned righteous before him based on the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Romans 4:17b–19 presents the object of Abraham’s faith: the God of the impossible. Abraham believed in the God associated with three miraculous feats: physical resurrection (v. 17b), which speaks life into death; the creation of the world out of nothing (creatio ex nihilo) (v. 17b; see “Historical and Cultural Background,” above); and procreation on behalf of an aged couple in Abraham and Sarah (vv. 18–19).
The key to understanding 4:18–19 is to note that the opening paradoxical statement, “against all hope, Abraham in hope believed,” governs verses 18–19. “Against all hope” refers to the mere human perspective, which told Abraham that the divine promise that he was about to have a child and would be the ancestor of many nations (note “So shall your offspring be” in Gen. 15:5 [cf. 17:5]) was ludicrous because he and Sarah were too old to have children (see Gen. 17:17). In terms of procreation, their bodies were as good as dead. But despite insuperable odds, Abraham “in hope believed” in the God of the impossible. This was the divine perspective that guided Abraham. Abraham’s faith in God’s promise never wavered.2
4:20–21 he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God. In 4:20–21 Paul wants to make the point that God’s promise to Abraham generated or created the faith of Abraham. Two matters indicate this. First, the words “promise” (epangelia [v. 20]) and “promised” (perfect tense of epangellomai [v. 21]) form an inclusio around verse 20b, “Abraham was strengthened in his faith.” This structure appears to signal that Abraham’s faith was generated by God’s promise, with the outer two points shedding light on the middle point. Second, the verb enedynam?th? (“was strengthened” [v. 20]) is most likely a divine passive, meaning that the passive voice indicates God is the author of the action. If so, then the translation “was strengthened in his faith” implies that God’s promise created and strengthened Abraham’s faith.3This, together with the next consideration, in 4:22, thereby rules out that Abraham’s faith was in any way meritorious. Thus, the source of Abraham’s faith was the divine promise and the power to deliver on that promise.
4:22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” This verse spells out the result of Abraham’s faith: he was reckoned as righteous before God (again cf. Gen. 15:6). This in turn glorified God’s grace (compare 4:20 with 4:16). One can see in this the first half of Paul’s experiential argument: Abraham’s faith in the God of the impossible (4:17b–19) was born out of the divine promise (4:20–21), not out of Abraham’s merit or work. Therefore, Abraham’s experience of justification shows that God’s grace alone should be glorified and not human works (4:22).
4:23–25 for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. The Christian experiences justification before God in the same way: by faith, apart from works. In that regard, the three-point outline in 4:17b–22 applying to Abraham (see “The Text in Context,” above) pertains to the Christian in 4:23–25. Thus, according to 4:24b, the object of the Christian’s faith is the God of the impossible—in this case, the God who raised Jesus the Lord from the dead (cf. 1:3–4). And according to 4:25, the source of the Christian’s faith is the (implied) promise of God that whoever believes in Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection will be justified by God.4The former, Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection, generates or creates the latter, the believer’s faith in God. Finally, 4:23–24a, 25b spell out the result of the Christian’s faith: the Christian is reckoned as righteous before God based on the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus. In this lies the second half of Paul’s experiential argument: as with Abraham, the Christian’s belief in the God of the impossible (4:24b) was born out of God’s promise (4:25) and therefore not out of human merit or works (4:23–24a, 25b). Thus, the Christian’s salvation is based on the grace of God alone. In other words, God alone should be glorified for our justification because it is based on his grace (cf. 5:1–3, where the words “justification,” “grace,” and “glory” combine to express the same sentiment).5
Theological Insights
At least three theological insights emerge in Romans 4:17b–25. First, the Abrahamic covenant and the new covenant (even in the Old Testament) were based on faith, as opposed to the Mosaic covenant, which, if not initially, certainly in time became viewed legalistically by the Jews (against the New Perspective on Paul). The gospel of Jesus Christ too is rooted in faith. To put it another way, Paul’s message in Romans 4 is that faith as the means of salvation is not new with his message of justification; it was already so with Abraham and with the prophets’ longing for a new covenant. Second, related to the previous remark, faith is not a work; faith is the gift of God to humans so that they can respond to the gospel call (compare Rom. 4:17b–25 with Eph. 2:8–9). Third, and related to the previous two points, the word “call” (kale?) in 4:17b is thought by Calvinists to involve the “effectual call” / “irresistible grace” of God whereby God’s invitation to, even summoning of, a person to participate in salvation cannot be resisted. This in turn is connected to divine sovereignty and election, a topic that we will meet head-on in Romans 9.
Teaching the Text
For Romans 4:17b–25, “The God of the Impossible” is a sermon/lesson that could develop the four impossibilities that God performed: creation, procreation, resurrection, and justification. The first of these four miracles God did out of nothing. When it comes to the origin of the universe, there really are only two possibilities: either matter is eternal or God is eternal. While in the past some scientists and philosophers argued for the former, these days the Big Bang theory is hospitable to the claim that the universe indeed had a beginning. And such an argument bodes well for those of us who believe that God created the cosmos. Simply put, God’s calling the universe into being out of nothing is a miracle, a human impossibility, that the Judaic-Christian tradition cherishes, and for good reason.
The second miracle God did on behalf of Abraham and Sarah. To help people appreciate the faith of Abraham and Sarah in God’s promise of procreation, one preacher put it this way: it would be like if today a hundred-year-old husband and his ninety-year-old wife were so confident that God was going to give them a natural-born son that they bought a home beside an elementary school to prepare for his arrival.
The third miracle, resurrection, God did for Jesus. His body was dead and buried, but God spoke the word and raised his Son to life. Recently, some scientists claimed to have solved the mystery of the Shroud of Turin, the supposed burial cloth of Jesus. After months of reexamining the shroud, they concluded that it portrayed the resurrected face of Jesus, but as superimposed over the crucified face of the historical Jesus. Should these scientists prove to be correct, for the first time we humans would now see how the historical Jesus and the Christ of faith meet: at the intersection of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The fourth miracle is justification, whereby God calls righteousness out of nothing on behalf of the sinner whose faith is in Christ.
Illustrating the Text
God does the impossible: creation, procreation, resurrection, and justification.
Hymn Text: “All Creatures of Our God and King,” by Francis of Assisi. Francis (1181/82–1226), a devout Italian monk, wrote the text for this great hymn. The music was added much later. The hymn echoes Francis’s love for God’s created world; it notes that all of creation get its life from God and should live in dependence, giving glory to God. “Let all things their Creator bless / and worship him in humbleness.”
Poetry: “The Creation,” by James Weldon Johnson. Johnson’s short retelling of God’s work in the Genesis creation story is full of energy and delight. It is intended to be poetical, not theological, but certainly it is usable. Audiences love it.
The relationship between faith and fact is complementary.
Bible: Compare the faith of Abraham and Sarah as described in Hebrews 11:8–19 with Paul’s description in Romans 4:17b–25.
Spiritual Autobiography: See the conversion stories of well-known individuals who once were atheists or agnostics but who were converted to theism and even Christianity. There is a range of possibilities here. Here are some examples: Augustine, Confessions; C. S. Lewis (professor, apologist, writer), Surprised by Joy; Malcolm Muggeridge (journalist), Jesus Rediscovered; Josh McDowell (Christian apologist), From Skepticism to Faith; Anthony Flew (philosopher), There Is a God: How the World’s Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind; Lee Strobbel (journalist), The Case for Christ.
Quote: John Calvin.
Let us also remember, that the condition of us all is the same with that of Abraham. All things around us are in opposition to the promises of God: He promises immortality; we are surrounded with mortality and corruption: He declares that he counts us just; we are covered with sins: He testifies that he is propitious and kind to us; outward judgments threaten His wrath. What then is to be done? We must with closed eyes pass by ourselves, and all things connected with us, that nothing may hinder or prevent us from believing that God is true.6
