Calvin (6/2/01)

4:9-4:10

Paul does not restrict his argument to the one issue of circumcision, as some suppose. In circumcision, the Jews made a departure from the path of righteousness it was intended to seal to them. Our justification comes not to our own merit, but due only to the mercy of God. And in this, remission of sins must precede any meritorious effort of our own, of which the first was circumcision. This act, which God had intended as a symbol of His favor, they had changed to be a work of their own merit, which in turn led to pride. Paul's argument leans on the order of events, on cause and effect, being as cause must always precede effect. And since Abraham was declared righteous before the first rites of law were established in circumcision, that later act cannot have been the cause for the earlier declaration.

4:11

Yet, he allows circumcision its remarkable nature, being as it was the seal, the proof, as it were, of the righteousness declared previously. [Which view, of course, aligns nicely with the teaching of James.] By this, we see the worth of our own sacraments, which, while not any more effective than circumcision in bringing about our righteousness, yet act by God's design to seal His promises upon our hearts. And the nature of these sacraments cannot be changed by unbelief, though they prove ineffective in the face of such unbelief. In regard to the particular rite that is circumcision, two things are represented therein. First, in that rite, Abraham was reminded to look forward to the promised seed, that seed upon which the promise of God to be a God to Abraham was hinged (Ge 17:7 - I will establish my covenant to you and your descendants to be God to you.) In this aspect is included reconciliation. The other point found in circumcision is the reminder that integrity and holiness only come as we cut off our fleshly nature, and this is a wholly spiritual act. (Dt 10:16 - Circumcise your heart.) That this is a work of God and not man is made clear in that the act was required of those still infants, who could not yet perform the act for themselves (Dt 30:6 - The LORD will circumcise your hearts.) This same two-fold significance is found in baptism, wherein new life and remission of sins are both signified. Nor is it always the case that the righteousness precedes the rite, but the founding case was made so, so that none should mistake the outward sign as the cause of righteousness. Circumcision confirms faith as the base for righteousness because the truth of righteousness and its import had preceded the act. Paul takes no further action to defend the lack of circumcision amongst the Gentiles, considering it sufficiently evident that baptism serves the same purpose of sealing and confirming. This is the significance of 'believing without being circumcised.'

4:12

He confirms that circumcision does not exclude the justification by faith, but rather requires it still, the symbol being insufficient in itself. By this same rule, all attempts to make the rites of the New Testament effective to justify also fail, for Paul clearly shows justification to come solely on the basis of faith.

 

 

Matthew Henry (6/3/01)

4:9-4:10

Paul now moves on to show the importance of Abraham's justification preceding the giving of both circumcision and the law. First, note that his circumcision is not recorded until Chapter 17 of Genesis, whereas his justification is stated in Ge 15:6. This is some fourteen to twenty-five years apart. So it is clear that Abraham's pardon came prior to his circumcision, which factor ought to reduce the pride of the Jews in their glorifying of the act.

4:11

Why, then, was Abraham justified in an uncircumcised state? First, because it was the act sealing a covenant, and a covenant, to be sealed, must first have been made. God's so sealing the covenant with Abraham was by His own pleasure, and was received as a special favor by Abraham, in spite of its painful nature. In this, we see the nature of our own sacraments, which are both signs of His grace towards us, and seals upon His promises to us. As well, they seal us to Him as a people. In circumcision we see the sign of our original corruption cut off, of admission into the visible church. So is baptism today. In both, we have the 'outward and sensible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.' It also served as the seal of justification, the covenant of grace, which covenant is both in the New (Ro 10:6 - Thus speaks the righteousness based on faith…), and the Old Testament (Dt 30:12 - It is not in heaven, such that somebody must go retrieve it for us.) It needs to be asked, then, if circumcision as the seal of justification was acceptable for the infant then, how is it that infant baptism comes to be excluded now, which seals the same justification? Abraham is also, by this justification, declared the father of all who believe, just as Jabal is declared the father of all shepherds, and Jubal, the father of all musicians (Ge 4:20-21). He is the 'standing pattern of faith.' In this, he is father not only to the Jews, but to the uncircumcised, since he, himself was uncircumcised when justified. (Lk 19:9 - Zaccheus, in believing, became also a son of Abraham.) So we see the barring of the Gentiles anticipated and the bar lifted. (Col 3:11 - In this renewal, there is no longer a distinction between the circumcised and the uncircumcised, for Christ is all and in all. Gal 5:6 - In Christ, neither circumcision nor its lack have meaning, but only faith working through love.)

4:12

To the Jews, he is father also, but not simply because they followed the sign of circumcision. Rather, he is their father in spirit, when they join in his spirit of faith, to walk in that faith. Not only the sign, but the thing signified is theirs, and so they show themselves of his family in spirit as well as flesh. Note from this, that the apostolic line is also not a matter of flesh passing to flesh, but rather is a matter of passing in spiritual accord. "Those have most reason to call Christ Father, not that bear His name in being Christian in profession, but that tread in His steps."

 

 

Adam Clarke (6/4/01)

4:9

The blessing David mentions, by which comes our happiness, is this then a blessing only upon the Jews? It cannot be, for it was given prior to circumcision. Abraham 'brought faith when he could not bring works; and God accepted his faith.' Therein is the instrumental cause of justification.

4:10

To further the point, Abraham's justification preceded his circumcision by fourteen or fifteen years, his righteousness being declared a year or more before Ishmael's birth, at which time he was 86 (Ge 16:16). At the time of his circumcision, Ishmael was 13, and Abraham 99 (Ge 17:24-25).

4:11

Far from being an instrumental cause, circumcision was rather the seal of a covenant already declared, for the covenant of Ge 17:2-15 (I will multiply you, make you father of nations, of which covenant circumcision shall be the sign) is the same covenant declared in Ge 12:2-3 (I will make you a great nation, and in you, bless all the families of the earth), and Ge 15:5 (As the stars of heaven, so shall your descendants be). One could say this covenant, looking forward to and including the Gospel covenant, was particularly suited to the Gentiles, who came in like fashion as Abraham, being in the same state as he was when he received God's mercy. (Gal 3:8 - Knowing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, He preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand in declaring His covenant promise.) From this, we see that we, too, stand in the Abrahamic covenant.

4:12

Abraham stands also as father to all who are circumcised, and recognize circumcision to be but a sign. As his faith was in the signified, so is theirs, and so they are truly sons of Abraham. Clarke here concludes that the covenant first came to the Gentiles, who have but reclaimed it in the Gospel age, and that the Jews were included 'only consequentially.'

 

 

Barnes' Notes (6/4/01)

4:9

Having established that Abraham was justified by faith, it now remains only to show that his justification came before his circumcision. This serves both to eliminate the last argument for the merit of works, and to establish a precedent for the Gospel justification of the Gentiles, showing that the message of the Gospel in no way departs from the plan made evident in the Old Testament. Being independent of circumcision, it comes clear that justification can be offered to all. The 'sum of all blessedness', the only truly happy state, is to be regarded as a friend of God. Agreeing that Abraham was justified by faith, is that justification then restricted to the circumcised as Jewish tradition holds, or available to all, as the Gospel proclaims?

4:10

To answer that, we must first ascertain whether his justification preceded or followed his circumcision. If it be after circumcision, his faith could be construed as made acceptable by his conformance to the rule of circumcision, but if it be prior, then it could in no way depend upon that act, thus showing Abraham's example to confirm the Gospel message regarding justification. If he was justified without works, so might others be. That his justification clearly did precede his circumcision is shown by comparison of Ge 15:6, and Ge 17:10.

4:11

A sign is representative of something, and so circumcision was representative of the pre-existing covenant between Abraham and God, the public mark of their relationship. A seal is the mark of ratification, the stamp that makes the covenant binding. (Jn 3:33 - He who received God's witness sets his seal to the fact that God is true.) The stamp used to make the seal was often worn on the finger (the signet ring) (Est 8:8 - Write to the Jews in the king's name, and seal it with his signet ring, so as not to be revocable. Ge 41:42 - Pharaoh gave his signet ring to Joseph. Ge 38:18 - Timnah made Judah give her his seal as a pledge of payment. Ex 28:11 - The names of the tribes of Israel were engraved on the two stones of the ephod, as signets are engraved by a jeweler. Ex 28:36 - Also, a gold plate engraved 'Holy to the LORD', even as a seal is engraved.) Thus, circumcision is God's seal upon the covenant already made, his attesting to his prior approval of Abraham, and of His promises to him. Since his justification clearly preceded the seal, the seal could not have contributed to his justification, nor to God's promises to him. He is, then, the spiritual father of all true believers, being their model and example. (Lk 19:9 - Today, Zaccheus, too, is a son of Abraham. Jn 8:33 - We are Abraham's offspring, never enslaved. How, then, do you say you will free us? Gal 3:7 - It is those of faith who are sons of Abraham. Gal 3:29 - If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's children, an heir to the promise.) By Abraham's example, the issue of the necessity of circumcision is settled. If not needed by him, then not necessary for us.

4:12

Yet, the Jews do have a special place, having Abraham both as true physical ancestor, and as spiritual exemplar of faith. But this unique position accords only to those who have faith as well as circumcision, the signified as well as the sign. (Ro 2:25 - Circumcision is of value, if you practice the Law). His true descendants in Israel will follow his example not only in the sealing, but also in the faith that was so sealed.

 

 

Wycliffe (6/5/01)

4:9-4:10

The question of Abraham's circumcision, and its relation to faith and justification was bound to come up, and here, Paul answers that issue with an insistence that faith preceded circumcision.

4:11

In fact, circumcision was a confirmation of his righteousness. And thus, by his example, he makes it clear that the Gentile who believes can also be reckoned as righteous by God. Note the order: faith, then righteousness, then the sign.

4:12

That the sign was given declares him the father of those to whom the sign is given, and in whom resides the same belief in the signified. Without belief, the sign is an empty, external thing, and the fatherhood of Abraham loses its spiritual facet. The danger of legalism is that we follow the wrong footsteps, not that of the signified, but that of the lawyer looking at those steps.

 

 

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (6/5/01)

4:9-4:10

No comments

4:11

Uncircumcision takes up a different precedent in the beginning and end of this verse. At the beginning it is spoken of as en [1722] in, by, or with tee [3588] this uncircumcision. At the end, it is di [1223] through, by reason of, because of uncircumcision. The latter seems to express the way in which the justification of faith broke through, or pierced, the seeming barrier of uncircumcision. Thus, any attempt to restrict David's song to the circumcised, the happiness he describes to those who have fully obeyed the Law, is seen to be countered by Abraham's example. His example, in which faith is the clear precedent to justification, and not circumcision, should stand as the model to both Jew and Gentile, who would attain to eternal life in God.

4:12

[ Somehow, JF & B make of this verse, another reference to Abraham as father of the uncircumcised. That seems a stretch.] The basic truth, though, is that he is the father of all who come to God in belief, whether or not they share in the signs and seals. 'All that was of essential and permanent value … before God of the circumcised … is shared in by the believing children of Abraham who are strangers to the circumcision of the flesh.'

 

 

New Thoughts (6/6/01)

Three things have caught my mind in looking over this section of Romans, and I'd like to consider them rather in reverse order. The comment from Wycliffe's commentaries, spelling out the dangers of legalism really strikes a chord. Here is something all of us who are active in our churches, who operate in ministry before God's people, need to bear in mind. The danger, we are told, lies in our tendency to follow the wrong footsteps as we walk after our Savior. We are entirely too prone to follow the footsteps of the one who is studying and chasing Him, rather than following Him ourselves. This is the point brought out. And I'd add to that that in any place where we operate in a leadership role, we are in danger of becoming the one followed. Christian leadership must reside in following faithfully after our Lord. Furthermore, Christian leadership must bear in mind the nature of those they lead, and seek with greatest care and concern, to ensure that they not become the object of their follower's faith. In this day and age, entirely too much of church life can get wrapped around the personality of a particular leader, can wind up being more about the pastor or teacher, than about the Lord they are intended to teach us of. This is the danger of circumcision all over again, the getting wrapped up in the sign, and forgetting the signified. God help us to steer clear of any such 'personality cults.' Help us, Holy Spirit, to remain true to the One we serve, and not get caught up in serving Your servant.

Do I then intend to suggest that we should leave the servant to their own devices? Not at all. We are told over and over in Scripture that the worker is worthy of his support. Nowhere, though, are we told that the worker is worthy of such devotion and adoration as should be reserved for God. Respect, yes. Unquestioning reliance, no. And the wise leader in Christ's family will do whatever is necessary to ensure that such exaggerated responses to their leadership are put back in line. Witness the example of Paul and Barnabus, who were regarded by those they would save as being gods. Did they accept the praise and honor that were being given them? Not for a moment. Rather, they immediately turned all eyes upon the fact that they were but 'men, such as yourselves,' and so steered the glory and honor back to its only proper recipient.

So then, it was noted that circumcision was to serve as both a sign and a seal to God's people. It was noted that our baptism serves a similar function, although the sign is a bit less permanent. Thus, we are given other sacraments to keep the reminder fresh before us; most notably, communion. In this, we are reminded of the significance of our church life - that in it we learn the way to serve our Lord, we learn of what He has instructed us to do. We learn, because we love Him, and we grow in obedience to His instruction, as we grow in our love for Him. But is that enough for us? I don't think so. We are far too forgetful to be kept by a monthly reminder. Consider: circumcision was a daily reminder to the Jew of faith. Daily, he would awake to a reminder of whom he had committed himself to serve faithfully. Daily, he would awake to a reminder of all God's promises and commitments to him. We, too, need that daily reminder for ourselves. Ex 28:36 speaks about the gold plate of the ephod. That plate was engraved, even as a seal is engraved, with the words "Holy to the LORD." Why? First, the high priest, the servant of the Lord, was reminded of his nature in God's sight, the example he was to be for God's people. The servant of the Lord - and we are all called to be His servants - is to be Holy to the Lord. He is to be set apart, thoroughly consecrated to serve in full obedience. Secondly, the inscription served to remind those that the priest served among. It reminded those served by God's servant that he was a man set apart. He was not to be treated as others were treated, because he was the anointed ambassador of the Most High God. As such, he was to be accorded the same respect given the furniture and the utensils of the Temple. This was not an indication of some inherent worth in the priest, any more than circumcision was an indication of inherent worth in the circumcised. It was a sign of God's blessing, of God's righteousness imputed to the one so sealed. Today, we have not even this visible sign. Our pastors are largely indistinguishable from the greater body of the church, unless pointed out. And this is as it should be, for we are called to be a nation of priests, and so ought all to have the characteristics of the pastor. So, where then is our daily reminder? How then do we keep ourselves constantly aware of our condition, of our being a people set apart, of our being Holy to the LORD? It begins with discipline. We must have times in our day, not just one time, but many times, to stop and visit with our God, through reading His Word to us, through times of prayer, through times of reflection. We must strive with as much effort as we can to maintain an atmosphere of worship around ourselves, to walk humbly before our Lord, but to walk worthy of the calling He has placed on our lives. He has declared us holy and set apart, and so we must be. He is our king and our commander. If He has commanded us to walk worthy, to walk as a holy and peculiar people, to be different, and to be the difference in a darkened land, we, as His chosen people, as sealed citizens of His nation, as children in His household, must do our utmost to comply.

In this, do I suggest a new system of works? Not at all. The best of our works, as we have seen, only find their worth in His atoning sacrifice anyway. Without the washing of His blood, our best efforts remain horrid, filthy things in the sight of a holy and perfect God. But Gal 5:6, even as it reminds us that our circumcision, or our lack of circumcision are meaningless in God's economy, also tells us what does make the difference in His sight. And, what makes the difference is faith working through love. It's not faith sitting idly by. God hates the sluggard. It's not faith working because it is constrained to do so, it's not faith being coerced into action. It's faith working, and working through love. In God's family, the three work together, just as in the Triune nature of God, the three persons work together in a unity of purpose. Faith, work, and love. Any one alone is out of balance, is incapable of fulfilling the call of God upon our lives. Any two alone will not allow the light of Christ to shine through our lives. Why does God love the cheerful giver? Because in the cheerful giver, He finds one who both has faith and is faithful - for in his giving, he declares his trust in the One he gives to. He finds one who is not idle, simply sitting back and waiting for God to do everything. No, here he has a true worshipper, a true prayer, one who does more than offer empty words, but backs them up with efforts that declare his sincerity. And, in such a one, he finds one operating in love, for the work done without love cannot be accomplished cheerfully. How can we be cheerful about our daily tasks in life? About those things that are necessary to do, but seem not to have any direct connection with our spiritual walk? How do we make chores a cheerful work? First, and foremost, we must clear ourselves of this notion that there is anything in our lives that is not most directly connected with our spiritual walk. We've allowed the worldview of those around us, those we were raised among, to convince us that the worlds of daily life and religion are somehow separate things. But they're not. God created all things. God ordains all things. By His power and providence alone does anything continue its existence. So, anything we are about in the course of our day is intrinsically related to Him, and we need to learn to see it that way. When we have to walk the dog again, (as my daughter is now doing as I write this), we need to learn to see our task as a service to God. We are caring for the creatures He gave us dominion over. Not, it should be noted, elevating these creatures above the office He decreed for them, not giving them an importance greater to us than our brothers, but giving them the care we were commanded to give. When we are doing the dishes for the 21st time this week, we need to look beyond the necessity of the task, to look beyond the drudge factor, and recognize in it a service rendered not only to our fellow beings, not only to our family members, but to God, Himself. In serving others, we ever and always serve Him who made those others. And in every chore, the thing that makes it a chore in our eyes, is the very fact that it is a service to some other, and not the innate self-serving desire of our own being fulfilled. Chores teach humility. Service to others teaches humility. Our efforts on the job ought to teach humility, as well. But, I know for me, and for others who operate in technical fields, the nature of the workplace tries very hard to teach us pride instead. Oh, how competitive is the engineer! How he must be right, must be understood, must stand unquestioned and aloof! But our Father calls us to a different path. The disciple cannot be greater than his Teacher, and the true disciple will do his utmost to emulate the example of his Teacher in great detail and accuracy. If we are perfectionists, let us be perfect in this: in following hard after our Lord, in being certain to distinguish His footsteps from all others, and to walk only as He would have us.