For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Parallel Translations
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For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
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For what sayth the scripture? Abraham beleved god and it was counted vnto him for rightewesnes.
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For what saith the Scripture? Abraham beleeued God, and it was counted to him for righteousnesse.
Cross-references (11)
Passages linked to Romans 4:3 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 15:6 He believed in Yahweh, who credited it to him for righteousness.
- James 2:23 So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.
- Galatians 3:6-8 Even as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.” Know therefore that those who are of faith are children of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed.”
- Romans 4:9 Is this blessing then pronounced on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.
- Romans 4:22-25 Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.” Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone, but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead, who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.
- Romans 4:5 But to him who doesn’t work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
- Psalms 106:31 That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come.
- Romans 4:11 He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they might be in uncircumcision, that righteousness might also be accounted to them.
- Romans 11:2 God didn’t reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:
- Romans 10:11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”
- Romans 9:17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 3. For what saith the Scripture? This is a…
3. For what saith the Scripture? This is a proof of the minor proposition, or of what he assumed, when he denied that Abraham had any ground for glorying: for if Abraham was justified, because he embraced, by faith, the bountiful mercy of God, it follows, that he had nothing to glory in; for he brought nothing of his own, except a confession of his misery, which is a solicitation for mercy. He, indeed, takes it as granted, that the righteousness of faith is the refuge, and, as it were, the asylum of the sinner, who is destitute of works. For if there be any righteousness by the law or by works, it must be in men themselves; but by faith they derive from another what is wanting in themselves; and hence the righteousness of faith is rightly called imputative.
The passage, which is quoted, is taken from Genesis 15:6; in which the word believe is not to be confined to any particular expression, but it refers to the whole covenant of salvation, and the grace of adoption, which Abraham apprehended by faith. There is, indeed, mentioned there the promise of a future seed; but it was grounded on gratuitous adoption: and it ought to be observed, that salvation without the grace of God is not promised, nor God’s grace without salvation; and again, that we are not called to the grace of God nor to the hope of salvation, without having righteousness offered to us.
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Taking this view, we cannot but see that those understand not the principles of theology, who think that this testimony recorded by Moses, is drawn aside from its obvious meaning by Paul: for as there is a particular promise there stated, they understand that he acted rightly and faithfully in believing it, and was so far approved by God. But they are in this mistaken; first, because they have not considered that believing extends to the whole context, and ought not to be confined to one clause. But the principal mistake is, that they begin not with the testimony of God’s favor. But God gave this, to make Abraham more assured of his adoption and paternal favor; and included in this was eternal salvation by Christ. Hence Abraham, by believing, embraced nothing but the favor offered to him, being persuaded that it would not be void. Since this was imputed to him for righteousness, it follows, that he was not otherwise just, than as one trusting in God’s goodness, and venturing to hope for all things from him. Moses does not, indeed, tell us what men thought of him, but how he was accounted before the tribunal of God. Abraham then laid hold on the benignity of God offered to him in the promise, through which he understood that righteousness was communicated to him. It is necessary, in order to form an opinion of righteousness, to understand this relation between the promise and faith; for there is in this respect the same connection between God and us, as there is, according to the lawyers, between the giver and the person to whom any thing is given, (datorem et donatarium — the donor and the donee:) for we can no otherwise attain righteousness, than as it is brought to us, as it were, by the promise of the gospel; and we realize its possession by faith.
How to reconcile what James says, which seems somewhat contrary to this view I have already explained, and intend to explain more fully, when I come, if the Lord will permit, to expound that Epistle.
Only let us remember this, — that those to whom righteousness is imputed, are justified; since these two things are mentioned by Paul as being the same. We hence conclude that the question is not, what men are in themselves, but how God regards them; not that purity of conscience and integrity of life are to be separated from the gratuitous favor of God; but that when the reason is asked, why God loves us and owns us as just, it is necessary that Christ should come forth as one who clothes us with his own righteousness.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain A confirmation of the proposition: Abraham was justified by…
A confirmation of the proposition: Abraham was justified by imputation of faith, therefore freely without any respect of his works.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God,…
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Ver. 3. Abraham believed God] Latomus of Louvain was not ashamed to write that there was no other faith in Abraham than what was in Cicero. And yet our Saviour saith, Abraham saw my day and rejoiced; so did Cicero never. Another wrote an apology for Cicero, and would needs prove him to have been a pious and penitent person, because in one place he hath these words, Reprehendo peccata mea, quod Pompeio confisus, eiusque partes secutus fuerim. A poor proof: Hoc argumentum tam facile diluitur, quam vulpes comest pyrum. (Joh. Manl.)
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain The scripture referred to is in Gen 15:6. The…
The scripture referred to is in Gen 15:6. The apostle a little varies the words; in Genesis it is he believed in God, but here he believed God: again, in Genesis it is expressed actively, he counted it to him for righteousness; but here passively, it was counted to him for righteousness. The answer is, That the apostle in both followed the Septuagint, which was then more in use than the Hebrew text; and both are capable of an easy reconciliation, the difference being more in sound than in sense.
Abraham believed God; i.e. the promises of God: that he would be his shield and exceeding great reward, Gen 15:1; that he would give him an heir of his body, Gen 15:4; that he would multiply his seed, Gen 15:5, whereby he understood not only his fleshly seed, but also the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, which was come of his loins; He took on him the seed of Abraham, Heb 2:16. And besides these promises in Gen 15:1-21, he believed that promise which was made him, Gen 12:3, That in him and his seed all families of the earth should be blessed. That in these promises the Messiah is understood, is evident from Gal 3:8,16; and that Abraham had an eye to him is evident, without exception, from Joh 8:56.
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It was counted unto him for righteousness; i.e. he was justified thereby: to have faith imputed for righteousness, and to be justified by faith, is the same thing. Faith is not our righteousness materially, but objectively and organically, as it apprehends and implies the righteousness of Christ, which is the matter of our justification. Our adversaries the papists oppose the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us; they cavil at the very word, and call it putative righteousness: and yet the apostle useth the word ten times in this chapter, and in the same sense that word ten times in this chapter, and in the same sense that we take it. But how shall we reconcile our apostle with St. James, about the manner of Abraham’s justification: he says expressly, Jam 2:21, that Abraham our father was justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac; and thence he infers, Rom 4:24, that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. They are easily reconciled, forasmuch as the one discourseth of the cause of our justification before God; the other, of the signs of justification before men. The one speaks of the imputation of righteousness; the other, of the declaration of righteousness. The one speaks of the office of faith; the other, of the quality of faith. The one speaks of the justification of the person; the other, of the faith of that person. The one speaks of Abraham to be justified; the other, of Abraham already justified.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Observe here, 1. The account which the scripture gives…
Observe here, 1. The account which the scripture gives of Abraham’s justification; it was by faith alone; He believed God and was accounted to him for righteousness: That is, he firmly believed the promise of God, that he would give him a son, in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed. And by means of his faith, he was reckoned or esteemed righteous before God, and not by means of his works.
Observe, 2. The apostle’s argument, to prove that Abraham was justified by faith, and not by works; had he works of perfect holiness, then in strict justice a reward might have been expected by him as a due debt, and not given him in a way of grace and favour. For to him that worketh, that is, with a design and intent to obtain justification by his works, is the reward reckoned not of grace, but of debt; he having performed all that was required, in order to his being righteous before God. But to him that worketh not; that is, who worketh not to the intent and end forementioned; namely to procure justification by working, but seeks that in a way of believing; his faith is counted for righteousness. To him that worketh not, but believeth, &c. We must not understand it absolutely; for he that believeth, worketh: But, secundum quid, after a sort, he is said not to work; because he worketh not with a design to stand righteous before God by his works.
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Again, by him that worketh not, we are not to understand an idle, lazy believer that takes no care of he duties of obedience; no, an idle faith is an ineffectual faith, and can never be a saving faith: But the meaning is, he worketh not in a law sense, to the ends and intentions of the first covenant, to make up a righteousness by the law, and seeing all his endeavours to obey the law-sense not to work, because he doth not work so as to answer the purpose and end of the law, which accepts of nothing short of perfect and complete obedience. And whereas it is here said, That God justifieth the ungodly; the meaning is, such as have been ungodly, not such as continue so.
The apostle describes the temper and frame of their hearts and lives before justification, and not after it; as it found them, not as it leaves them. True, Christ justifies the ungodly, yet such as continue ungodly are not justified by him: We must bring credential from our sanctification, to bear witness to the truth of our justification.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain For what saith the Scripture?.... This answers to "what…
For what saith the Scripture?.... This answers to "what is that which is written" (c)? or what does the Scripture say? which is a way of speaking used by the Jews, when anything is proposed, which seems contrary to Scripture, as here justification by works does. A testimony from Scripture is here produced, proving that Abraham was justified by faith, and not by works: the place referred to is Gen 15:6;
Abraham believed God; the object of his faith and trust were not his riches, nor his righteousness, but Jehovah, the Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, styled in Gen 15:1, "the Word of the Lord", the essential Word of God, and called his "shield", and "exceeding great reward"; characters which are very applicable to Christ: and this faith of his in the Lord was not a mere assent to the promise of God, but a fiducial act of faith in him; and was not merely concerned with temporal, but with spiritual things, and particularly about Christ the promised seed:
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and it was counted to him for righteousness, the meaning of which is not, that Abraham imputed righteousness to God, or celebrated his righteousness and faithfulness, as some; or that the world reckoned Abraham a righteous person, as others; but that God reckoned him righteous, or imputed it to him for righteousness: and the question is, what the it is which was counted to him for righteousness? and that this is to be understood, , "concerning faith", as R. Solomon Jarchi says, is out of question; for this is expressly said by the apostle, Rom 4:9. The only one is, whether it means the grace of faith by which he believed; or the object of faith on which he believed, and with which his faith was conversant: not the former, for that is not righteousness, nor accounted so; but is distinguished from it, and is that by which a person receives and lays hold on righteousness; besides, whatever may be alleged in favour of the imputation of Abraham's faith to himself for righteousness, it can never be thought to be imputed to others on that account; whereas the very selfsame it is imputed to others also; see Rom 4:24; it remains then that it was the promised seed, the Messiah, and his righteousness, which Abraham, by faith, looked unto, and believed in, that was made unto him righteousness by imputation. Now since so great and good a man as Abraham was not justified by works, but by faith in the righteousness of the Messiah, it follows, that none of his sons, nor any other person whatever, ought to seek for, or expect to be justified in any other way.
(c) T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 5. 1. & 15. 2. & passim.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Abraham believed God - That promise of God concerning…
Abraham believed God - That promise of God concerning the numerousness of his seed, Gen. xv, 5, 7; but especially the promise concerning Christ, Gen. xii, 3, through whom all nations should be blessed. And it was imputed to him for righteousness - God accepted him as if he had been altogether righteous. Gen. xv, 6.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 3. For, what saith the Scripture?] The Scriptural…
Verse 3. For, what saith the Scripture?] The Scriptural account of this transaction, Ge 15:6, is decisive; for there it is said, Abraham believed God, and it was counted, ελογισθη, it was reckoned to him for righteousness, ειςδικαιοσυνην, for justification.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Rom 4:3. For what saith the Scripture? — What…
Rom 4:3. For what saith the Scripture? — What is Moses’s account of this matter? Abraham believed God — Namely, that promise of God, recorded Gen 15:5, that he should have a seed numerous as the stars. As also the promise concerning Christ, mentioned Gen 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 account, think it the only act of faith that was so counted to him. He had an habitual disposition to believe and obey God, founded on just conceptions of his being and attributes. And he began to exercise it when God first called him to leave his native country. For by faith he went out, not knowing whither he went, Heb 11:8. The same faith he exercised through the whole course of his life; acting on every occasion as one will do whose mind is filled with a present sense of Deity. Of this the instance mentioned by the apostle is a great example. For, in the eightieth year of his age, when Sarah was seventy years old, he believed what God told him concerning the numerousness of his seed, though it was at that time contrary to the ordinary course of nature: nay, he continued to believe it from that time forth, for the space of twenty years, during which no child was given him: see on Rom 4:17. At length, in the hundredth year of his age, the son so long promised was born. But mark what happened! When this son, to whom all the promises were limited, became fourteen years old, God commanded Abraham to offer him up as a burnt-offering; and he, without hesitation, obeyed; firmly believing that, after he was burnt to ashes on the altar, God would raise him from the dead, Heb 11:19. By this and other instances, Abraham became so remarkable for his faith, that God, by a covenant, constituted him the father of all believers.” And it was counted to him for righteousness — So our translators have very properly rendered the Greek phrase here, and Gal 3:6, for the original word, ελογισθη, signifies to state, and sum up an account; also, to put a value upon a thing, Rom 8:18. The word count includes both meanings. The sense is, God accepted Abraham as if he had been altogether righteous: or, this his faith was accounted by God his gospel righteousness, as being the performance of the condition the gospel requires, in order to justification. See on Rom 3:28. “But neither here, nor Gal 3:6, is it said that Christ’s righteousness was counted to Abraham. In both passages, the expression is, Abraham believed God, and it, namely, his believing God, was counted to him for righteousness; and Rom 4:9, of this chapter, we say that faith was counted to him for righteousness: so also Gen 15:6. Further, as it is nowhere said in Scripture that Christ’s righteousness was imputed to Abraham, so neither is it said anywhere that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to believers. In short, the uniform doctrine of the Scripture is, that the believer’s faith is counted to him for righteousness, by the mere grace or favour of God, through Jesus Christ; that is, on account of what Christ hath done to procure that favour for them. This is very different from the doctrine of those who hold that by having faith imputed, or accounted for righteousness, the believer becomes perfectly righteous; whether they mean thereby that faith is itself a perfect righteousness, or that it is the instrument of conveying to the believer the perfect righteousness of another. With respect to the first, it is not true that faith is a perfect righteousness; for if it were, justification would not be a free gift, but a debt. And with respect to the second supposition, although the perfect righteousness of another were conveyed to a sinner by faith, it would not make him perfectly righteous; because it is beyond the power of Omnipotence itself, by any means whatever, to make a person not to have sinned, who actually hath sinned. And yet, unless this is done, no believer can be perfectly righteous. On account of the perfect righteousness of another, God indeed may treat one as if he were perfectly righteous. But that is all. Nor does the Scripture carry the matter further.” — Macknight.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain For what saith the Scripture? - The inspired account…
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 Gen 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 he had no prospect of such a posterity. See the strength and nature of this faith further illustrated in Rom 4:16-21. The reason why it was counted to him for righteousness was, that it was such a strong, direct, and unwavering act of confidence in the promise of God.
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And it - The word “it” here evidently refers to the act of believing It does not refer to the righteousness of another - of God, or of the Messiah; but the discussion is solely of the strong act of Abraham’s faith. which in some sense was counted to him for righteousness. In what sense this was, is explained directly after. All that is material to remark here is, that the act of Abraham, the strong confidence of his mind in the promises of God, his unwavering assurance that what God had promised he would perform, was reckoned for righteousness. The same thing is more fully expressed in Rom 4:18-22. When therefore it is said that the righteousness of Christ is accounted or imputed to us; when it is said that his merits are transferred and reckoned as ours; whatever may be the truth of the doctrine, it cannot be defended by “this” passage of Scripture.
Faith is uniformly an act of the mind. It is not a created essence which is placed within the mind. It is not a substance created independently of the soul, and placed within it by almighty power. It is not a principle, for the expression a principle of faith, is as unmeaningful as a principle of joy, or a principle of sorrow, or a principle of remorse. God promises; the man believes; and this is the whole of it.
(A principle is the “element or original cause,” out of which certain consequences arise, and to which they may be traced. And if faith be the root of all acceptable obedience, then certainly, in this sense, it is a principle. But whatever faith be, it is not here asserted that it is imputed for, or instead of, righteousness. See the note above.)
While the word “faith” is sometimes used to denote religious doctrine, or the system that is to be believed (Act 6:7; Act 15:9; Rom 1:5; Rom 10:8; Rom 16:26; Eph 3:17; Eph 4:5; 1Ti 2:7, etc.); yet, when it is used to denote that which is required of people, it always denotes an acting of the mind exercised in relation to some object, or some promise, or threatening, or declaration of some other being; see the note at Mar 16:16.
Was counted - ἐλογίσθη elogigisthē. The same word in Rom 4:22, is is rendered “it was imputed.” The word occurs frequently in the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, the verb חשׁב chaashab, which which is translated by the word λογίζομαι logizomai, means literally, “to think, to intend,” or “purpose; to imagine, invent,” or “devise; to reckon,” or “account; to esteem; to impute,” that is, to impute to a man what belongs to himself, or what “ought” to be imputed to him. It occurs only in the following places: Psa 32:2; Psa 35:4; Isa 10:7; Job 19:11; Job 33:10; Gen 16:6; Gen 38:15; 1Sa 1:13; Psa 52:4; Jer 18:18; Zec 7:10; Job 6:26; Job 19:16; Isa 13:17; 1Ki 10:21; Num 18:27, Num 18:30; Psa 88:4; Isa 40:17; Lam 4:2; Isa 40:15; Gen 31:16. I have examined all the passages, and as the result of my examination have come to the conclusion, that there is not one in which the word is used in the sense of reckoning or imputing to a man what does not strictly belong to him; or of charging on him what ought not to be charged on him as a matter of personal right. The word is never used to denote imputing in the sense of transferring, or of charging that on one which does not properly belong to him. The same is the case in the New Testament. The word occurs about forty times (see “Schmidius’ Concord),” and, in a similar signification. No doctrine of transferring, or of setting over to a man what does not properly belong to him, be it sin or holiness, can be derived, therefore, from this word. Whatever is meant by it here, it evidently is declared that the act of believing is what is intended, both by Moses and by Paul.
For righteousness - In order to justification; or to regard and treat him in connection with this as a righteous man; as one who was admitted to the favor and friendship of God. In reference to this we may remark,
(1) That it is evidently not intended that the act of believing, on the part of Abraham, was the meritorious ground of acceptance; for then it would have been a work. Faith was as much his own act, as any act of obedience to the Law.
(2) The design of the apostle was to show that by the Law, or by works, man could not be justified; Rom 3:28; Rom 4:2.
(3) Faith was not what the Law required. It demanded complete and perfect obedience; and if a man was justified by faith, it was in some other way than by the Law.
(4) As the Law did not demand this; and as faith was something different from the demand of the Law; so if a man were justified by that, it was on a principle altogether different from justification by works. It was not by personal merit. It was not by complying with the Law. It was in a mode entirely different.
(5) In being justified by faith, it is meant, therefore, that we are treated as righteous; that we are forgiven; that we are admitted to the favor of God, and treated as his friends.
(6) In this act, faith, is a mere instrument, an antecedent, a “sine qua non,” what God has been pleased to appoint as a condition on which men may be treated as righteous. It expresses a state of mind which is demonstrative of love to God; of affection for his cause and character; of reconciliation and friendship; and is therefore that state to which he has been graciously pleased to promise pardon and acceptance.
(7) Since this is not a matter of law; since the Law could not be said to demand it; as it is on a different principle; and as the acceptance of faith, or of a believer, cannot be a matter of merit or claim, so justification is of grace, or mere favor. It is in no sense a matter of merit on our part, and thus stands distinguished entirely from justification by works, or by conformity to the Law. From beginning to end, it is, so far as we are concerned, a matter of grace. The merit by which all this is obtained, is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom this plan is proposed, and by whose atonement alone God can consistently pardon and treat as righteous those who are in themselves ungodly; see Rom 4:5. In this place we have also evidence that faith is always substantially of the same character. In the case of Abraham it was confidence in God and his promises. All faith has the same nature, whether it be confidence in the Messiah, or in any of the divine promises or truths. As this confidence evinces the same state of mind, so it was as consistent to justify Abraham by it, as it is to justify him who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ under the gospel; see Heb. 11.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and…
For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.[1] The Scripture, therefore, teacheth us that he became just by his faith. And as he had this faith by the grace of God, grace was the cause of his justification, and not any works without grace. And when it is said, it was reputed to him, we must not understand an imputation of being just without a true and interior justice: for to be reputed just in the sight of God, who sees the heart, and sanctifies the soul by his interior grace, is the only true justice that can make a man acceptable to God. As not to have our sins imputed in the sight of God, is to have them forgiven, and to be free from our sins. (Witham) --- Reputed, &c. By God, who reputeth nothing otherwise than it is. However, we may gather from this word, that when we are justified, our justification preceedeth from God’s free grace and bounty; and not from any efficacy which any act of ours could have of its own nature, abstracting from God’s grace. (Challoner)
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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]
Et reputatum est illi ad justitiam, Greek: kai elogisthe auto eis dikaiosunen. The Greek word is sometimes translated in the Vulgate Latin, by imputare, or accepto ferre.
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George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain For what saith the, Scripture? Abraham believed God, and…
For what saith the, Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it--his faith.
was counted to him for righteousness-- (Gen 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 Rom 4:4-5. The meaning, therefore, cannot possibly be that the mere act of believing--which is as much a work as any other piece of commanded duty (Joh 6:29; Jo1 3:23) --was counted to Abraham for all obedience. The meaning plainly is that Abraham believed in the promises which embraced Christ (Gen 12:3; Gen 15:5, &c.), as we believe in Christ Himself; and in both cases, faith is merely the instrument that puts us in possession of the blessing gratuitously bestowed.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 3. For—He now proves from Scripture that Abraham was…
3. For—He now proves from Scripture that Abraham was justified otherwise than by works before God.
Abraham believed God—In Ur of the Chaldees, (Note Act_7:3-4,) where Abraham dwelt, the true God, as an infinite, living and holy person was but dimly recognized. Jehovah had faded to the popular view into a thin and nebulous pantheism, far in the background of the upper sky. In that cold and colourless mist, neither warming man’s heart to love nor raising it to holiness, the dim figures of the nature gods, finite, elemental powers, were visibly nearer at hand as objects of worship. Or the sun, the moon, the stars presented themselves as the highest and most definite objects on which man, forgetting God and good, could fix his dependence and worship. It was the middle stage of that terrible apostacy described in Romans i, in which men, not liking to retain God in their thoughts, were being given over to vileness. In the midst of the process a single faithful one was found to whom the Infinite could unfold himself and be in faith received. God revealed himself in his reality to Abraham, and Abraham committed himself fully and absolutely to God. A covenant and compact was formed between them of mutual fidelity, ratified with all the forms, divinely prescribed, of a treaty between man and man. (Gen_15:9-21.) Repeatedly was the firmness of Abraham’s faith put to the test by God, and completely did he stand the ordeal. Thereby did he become the founder of the Church and the father of the faithful.
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Abraham believed—Gen_15:6. In the passage of Genesis from which the quotation is made a particular act of faith exercised by Abraham is specified, but not his first justifying act of faith. Abraham believed God, surrendered himself in faith to God, as early at least as he obeyed the divine call to leave Ur of the Chaldees and migrate to the promised land. He was in a permanent state of active faith, living by faith, and of ever-flowing, consequent justification and approval from God. And this being his continuous history, any marked act of Abraham’s faith upon which the consequent justification is clearly apparent is conclusively sufficient for the apostle’s argument. The phraseology of Gen_15:6, thereby renders it a fit passage for his purpose.
For righteousness—As a sinner, Abraham’s faith, being an entire self-surrender to God, pregnant with holy obedience, was accepted in the lieu of past and perfect righteousness; so that he was accepted and held—just, as if he had never sinned.
And as of Abraham, so of every man. Acceptance, justification, the being held righteous, can be attained never by the righteousness of any one work or many works of ours; for our works benefit not God, confer nothing upon him, buy nothing of him. But it comes most freely and gratuitously upon us when we perform the unreserved act of self-surrendering faith unto God, not for the merit of that self-surrender, but because that is the only proper position for a subject of God’s mercy. (See note Rom_1:17; Rom_2:7; Rom_3:22; Rom_3:24.) And when such receptive position is assumed and maintained, God’s free and abounding mercy, consequent on the mediation of Christ, is ever ready to flow forth in a full stream of grace upon the soul. Like Abraham, we enter into compact with God, and will ever find the Holy One faithful to his covenant. Paul, therefore, reasons conclusively with the Jews when he bases justification by faith in the foundations of their history.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 3. what saith the scripture?] See on Rom_1:17.
3. what saith the scripture?] See on Rom_1:17.
Abraham believed, &c.] Lit. But Abraham believed, &c. The particle is, perhaps, significant; emphasizing the verb. The Gr. is verbatim from LXX. of Gen_15:6, save that “but” is “and” in LXX. See by all means Gen_15:5-6, as a leading illustration of what faith is in St Paul’s sense; personal trust in God; acceptance of His word absolutely, because it is His. (See further on Rom_4:22 below.)
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it was counted] The same Gr. verb is rendered in this chapter “reckoned,” Rom_4:4; Rom_4:9-10; “counted,” Rom_4:5; “imputed,” Rom_4:11; Rom_4:22-24 : see too Rom_4:6; Rom_4:8. (In 2Ti_4:16 it is “laid to charge.”) Its plain meaning is (like that of the Lat. imputare) to put down on an account (whether as debt or credit the context decides). The reason why of the “imputation” does not lie in the word itself, which may equally be used where merit and grace, wages and gift, are in question.
for righteousness] i.e. “as if it were righteousness” (in respect of results) Same construction as Rom_2:26, a passage which illustrates this. There the (supposed) Gentile who keeps the law, is treated as if he were circumcised, though he is not. Here Abraham, because he believes, is treated as having personal (justifying) righteousness, though he has it not. In other words, he is justified on a ground which is not his own works. It is specially needful to notice (what this particular passage brings out) that faith is in no sense regarded as, in itself, righteousness. (See below, on Rom_4:25.) The statement is that, “by grace,” the same result, viz. acceptance before God, follows faith that would follow the possession of merit. Faith is the condition, but not the ground, of this acceptance. The ground is the Propitiation.
[In Psa_106:31 we have the very words used of Phinehas which are here used of Abraham. But comparing the Psalm with Num_25:11-13 we see the difference of application. In Phinehas, an act of holy zeal was honoured by a special temporal favour, the permanence of the priesthood in his family. It was no question of acceptance in respect of salvation; a matter which lies on a totally different level from that of temporal rewards. On that lower level, the act of Phinehas was one of merit, and was “reckoned” as such to him and his house. In Abraham’s case we have two notes of difference from that of Phinehas: (1) faith in God, not an act of zeal, is the occasion; (2) the “imputation” is mentioned absolutely and with peculiar solemnity, unconnected with any temporal results. And thus it is taken by St Paul here, as his whole reasoning shews, as a Divine intimation of the true conditions of the acceptance of man by God “without works.”]
On Jas_2:14, &c., see Appendix C.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (3) The Apostle gives a proof of this from…
(3) The Apostle gives a proof of this from Scripture. Abraham was not justified by works, and therefore had nothing to boast of in God’s sight. He was justified by faith. His righteousness was not real, but imputed. His faith was treated as if it had been equivalent to a righteousness of works. It met with the same acceptance in the sight of God that a righteousness of works would have done. But—the argument goes on—faith carries with it no such idea of merit or debt as works. It is met by a pure act of grace on the part of God.
Abraham believed God.—The quotation is taken from Gen_15:6, where it appears as a comment upon Abraham’s belief in the promise that he should have a numerous posterity. The same passage is elaborately commented upon by Philo and others, so that it would seem to have been a common topic in the Jewish schools. It should be noticed that the word “faith” is not used in quite the same sense in the original and in the application. In Abraham’s case it was trust in the fulfilment of the divine promise, in St. Paul’s sense it is rather enthusiastic adhesion to a person. This is part of the general enlargement and deepening of the Old Testament terminology by St. Paul. A writer of less profundity (though marked by striking and elevated qualities), the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, applies the word more strictly. (See Heb_11:8 et seq.) In Jas_2:23 the word has the still thinner meaning of a merely intellectual assent. St Paul quotes the same passage in the same sense as here in Gal_3:6. (See Excursus B: On the Meaning of the word Faith.)
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It was counted unto him.—It should be observed that the same words are translated by the Authorised version here, “it was counted unto him;” in Rom_4:9, “faith was reckoned to Abraham;” in Rom_4:22, “it was imputed unto him;” in Gal_3:6, “it was accounted to him;” in Jas_2:23, “it was imputed to him.” A defect in the translation, which, however, hardly obscures the true meaning.
The sense of imputation is not to be got rid of. It is distinctly a forensic act. The righteousness attributed to Abraham is not an actual righteousness, but something else that is considered and treated as if it were equivalent to such righteousness. It is so treated by God acting as the judge of men. (See Excursus E: On the Doctrine of Justification by Faith and Imputed Righteousness.)
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and…
For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned Unto him for righteousness. This notable text, (Gen_15:6) declaring the ground of Abraham"s acceptance, is similarly quoted in the cognate passage, Gal_3:6. It has a peculiar cogency in the general argument from being in connection with, and with reference to, one of the Divine promises to Abraham of an unnumbered seed; so that it may be understood with an extended application to those who were to inherit the blessing, as well as to the "father of the faithful," and so declaring the principle of justification for all the "children of the promise." Further, it would be peculiarly telling as addressed to the Jews, who made such a point of their descent from Abraham as the root of all their position of privilege. (cf. Psa_105:6 Isa_41:8 Isa_51:2 Mat_3:9 Luk_3:8 Joh_8:39) The two significant expressions in it are episteuse (denoting faith, not works) and elogisyh eiv . The whole phrase, the apostle proceeds to say, implies that the reward spoken of was not earned, but granted.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 3. What saith the Scripture? The passage quoted is…
3. What saith the Scripture? The passage quoted is found in Genesis 15:6, and is quoted three times in the New Testament—here, and in Gal. 3:6 and in James 2:23. God promised an heir to Abraham, and, although it seemed contrary to nature, he believed the promise. His faith in the promise was reckoned as righteousness. It was the ground of his acceptance with God. His faith was a trusting faith, which contained in it the element of obedience. No other faith justifies (see James 2:23).
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain For what saith the scripture? [ Gen_15:6 ] And…
For what saith the scripture? [ Gen_15:6 ] And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness . [Now, of course, Abraham was some way justified. If he was justified by works, as you Jews suppose, he has ground for glorying toward God, for he can claim his justification from God as a debt due to him; but we hear of no such glorying toward God, and hence he was not justified by works. On the contrary, we hear that he was justified by faith, for the Scripture says that he believed God and his belief was counted unto him for righteousness.]
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain God Jehovah. Gen 15:6.
God Jehovah. Gen 15:6.
counted Or, reckoned, or imputed, i.e. put to the account of. See Phm 1:18 same word:
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righteousnesss See Rom 4:5; Rom 4:6; Rom 4:9; Rom 4:11; Rom 4:13; Rom 4:22. See Rom 3:21. (See Scofield "Rom 3:21").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 4:3 Paul quotes Gen 15:6. In response to God’s…
4:3 Paul quotes Gen 15:6. In response to God’s promise that he would have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, Abraham believed God. It was faith that established Abraham’s relationship with God—not works (Rom 4:3-8), circumcision (4:9-12), the law (4:13-17), or the number of his descendants (4:18-21).
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