Romans 4:3

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Romans 4:3

For what saith the Scripture? - The inspired account of Abraham’s justification. This account was final, and was to settle the question. This account is found in Genesis 15:6.Abraham believed God - In the Hebrew, “Abraham believed Yahweh.” The sense is substantially the same, as the argument turns on the act of believing. The faith which Abraham exercised was, that his posterity should be like the stars of heaven in number. This promise was made to him when he had no child, and of course when... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Romans 4:3

Romans 4:3 . For what saith the Scripture? What is Moses’s account of this matter? Abraham believed God Namely, that promise of God, recorded Genesis 15:5, that he should have a seed numerous as the stars. As also the promise concerning Christ, mentioned Genesis 12:3, through whom all nations should be blessed. “The apostle mentions only this one instance of Abraham’s faith, because Moses had said of it in particular, that it was counted to him for righteousness. But we must not, on that... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Romans 4:1-25

Some examples (4:1-25)To illustrate what he has just been teaching, Paul refers to the example of Abraham. Abraham was justified because of his faith, not because of any good deeds that he did (4:1-3). (To understand the illustrations concerning Abraham that follow, read Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 15:1-6; Genesis 16:1-16; Genesis 17:15-22; Genesis 18:1-15; Genesis 21:1-21.)Righteousness is a gift received by faith, not payment for work that a person does (4-5). David, as well as Abraham, knew that... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Romans 4:3

the Scripture . Genesis 15:6 . Abraham . Read, "Now Abraham. " believed . App-150 . counted = reckoned, imputed. Greek. logizomai. See Romans 2:3 (Paul quotes the Septuagint) unto = to. righteousness . App-191 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Romans 4:3

For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.This is a quotation from Genesis 15:6, introduced to show that Abraham could not possibly have been justified by the law, because in that reference, such a long while before the law, and even before the covenant of circumcision, Abraham appears in scriptures as already a believer in God, in fact, God's faithful servant, being already reckoned as righteous in God's sight on the basis of... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Romans 4:3

Romans 4:3. It was counted— The original word 'Ελογισθη, in our translation, is rendered counted, reckoned, Romans 4:4, &c. and imputed, Romans 4:6, &c.: but as the word and the sense are constantly the same, it would certainly have been better to have rendered it constantly by one word; and reckoned seems as proper as any other. Indeed this is a remark which may be extended to many other words; as it would certainly help the English reader to find out and pursue the sense of Scripture,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Romans 4:3

3. For what saith the, Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it—his faith. was counted to him for righteousness— (Genesis 15:6). Romish expositors and Arminian Protestants make this to mean that God accepted Abraham's act of believing as a substitute for complete obedience. But this is at variance with the whole spirit and letter of the apostle's teaching. Throughout this whole argument, faith is set in direct opposition to works, in the matter of justification—and even in Romans 4:4; Romans... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 4:1-5

1. Abraham’s justification by faith 4:1-5Paul began this chapter by showing that God declared Abraham righteous because of the patriarch’s faith. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 4:3

In Paul’s day many of the rabbis taught that Abraham experienced justification because of his obedience rather than because of his faith. [Note: Harrison, p. 47. Cf. 1 Maccabees 2:51.] They also taught that Abraham had a surplus of merit that was available to his descendants, the Jews. [Note: Robertson, 4:350; Witmer, p. 453. Cf. Luke 3:8.] Consequently the apostle went back to Genesis 15:6 for his authority.Exactly what Abraham believed is not clear in Genesis 15. The Hebrew conjunction waw... read more

John Darby

Darby's Synopsis of the New Testament - Romans 4:3

4:3 say? (b-6) See Genesis 15:6 . as (c-17) I am not quite satisfied with 'as;' but it is the nearest approach to the sense in English. 'For,' I object to; because then faith is made of positive worth, having the value of righteousness; whereas the sense is that he was holden for righteous in virtue of faith. 'For' does not go far enough as righteousness; too far as to a positive value of faith. Faith might be reckoned for righteousness, and yet the righteousness come short of what was... read more

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