In this continuing study on the Epistle to the Romans, we now come to the fourth chapter. In it, the apostle explains the righteousness of God. Abraham is now used as an example, and for good reason.

Just before this, Paul began to define the meaning of the law more broadly. He spoke of the “law of works” and contrasted this with the “law of faith.” Specifically, he helped the Jews in the community in Rome here to deepen the meaning of the Tenach (the Old Testament). He reckons that man is justified by faith, entirely without works of the law (Rom 3:28), and that this is already so enshrined in the Tenach.

Why is Abraham so important here? We may discover that now.

1 What then shall we say Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “ But Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.” (Gen 15:6)
4 But to him who does works, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt. 5 On the other hand, to him who does not do works but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness,
6 Just as David pronounces the beatitude of the man to whom God imputes righteousness without works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawlessnesses are forgiven and whose sins are covered! 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute sin!” (Ps 32:1)
9 Now does this beatitude refer to circumcision or also to being uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it imputed to him? When he was circumcised or uncircumcised? Not in being circumcised, but in being uncircumcised.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had when he was uncircumcised, that he might be father of all, who believe in the uncircumcision, that righteousness may be imputed to them; 12 and father of the circumcision, not only of those who are of the circumcision, but also of those who walk in the footsteps of faith, the our father Abraham had when he was uncircumcised.
13 For it was not by the law that Abraham or his descendants were promised to be the heir of the world, but by the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they that are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is abolished. 15 For the law causes wrath; but where there is no law, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is by faith, that it may be according to grace, that the promise of all the seed may be sure, not of the law only, but also 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” – (Gen 17:4), before the God whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls the non-existent as if it were there; 18 who believed against hope, that he might become a father of many nations, according to what is said, “So shall your descendants be.” (Gen. 15:5) 19 And not being weak in faith, he looked upon his own body already dead, being almost a hundred years old, and the dying of Sarah’s womb, 20 and did not doubt the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, because he gave glory to God. 21 And he was fully assured that what he had promised he would be able to do. 22 Therefore it was also counted to him for righteousness.
23 Now it is not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for our sake, to whom it is to be imputed, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was given up for our transgressions and raised for our justification.

Rom 4:1-25 (Rev. Elbf.)

Before or after his circumcision?

Abraham is an interesting example for several reasons. In particular, the Jews in the community knew the idea that they were children of Abraham. This is how the Jewish people saw themselves, and some derived religious superiority from this. This is how Jesus also expressed himself critically:

“But when he granted many Pharisees and Sadducees to come to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who has given you to understand that you can flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bring forth fruit worthy of repentance! Do not think that you can say to yourselves: We have Abraham as our father. For I say unto you, God is able to raise up children unto Abraham out of these stones.
Mt 3,7-9

Abraham, therefore, has a special religious significance in the eyes of many of Jesus’ contemporaries. Abraham, however, stood in a special place. God made a covenant with him, from which Israel later emerged. The sign of this covenant was circumcision (Gen. 17:10; Acts 7:8).

For Abraham, however, circumcision was not shortly after his birth, but he was 99 years old (Gen 17:24). This was for Abraham in more ways than one an “incisive” experience. There was a time before his circumcision and a time after his circumcision. So there was a time when he already believed God and then there was a time when his circumcision became the basis for the nation of Israel. You could also say: Abraham lived a time like the nations now – only by faith – and only after that came circumcision, covenant and law. This is now taken up by Paul.

In Romans 4, Paul uses various episodes from the life of Abraham to explain that while circumcision is something, Abraham was already living by faith before he was circumcised. Those who rejoice as Jews about being descended from Abraham must also consider that their circumcision did not take place until they were very old. Before this time he already followed God’s call (read from Gen 12).

Jews and Gentiles

Abraham is a father of all believers, that is, of both the uncircumcised and the circumcised. Abraham cannot be rented by the Jews alone because God was already traveling with him before he was circumcised. With this chapter, Paul explains to the church in Rome that supposed differences in Christ have fallen away. Justification is not only from the law, but also by faith alone, to which Abraham in particular bears witness.

We will now take a closer look at this chapter in further articles.