Romans 4:1

Abraham Justified by Faith

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?

Romans 4:1 in Other Translations

1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?

1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God?

1 So how do we fit what we know of Abraham, our first father in the faith, into this new way of looking at things?

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, hath found according to the flesh?

1 What can we say that we have discovered about our ancestor Abraham?

1 What then can we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?

1 What should we say about those things? What did our father Abraham discover about being right with God?

Romans 4:1 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 4:1

What shall we say then
The apostle having proved that there is no justification by the works of the law; to make this appear more clear and evident to the Jews, he instances in the greatest person of their nation, and for whom they had the greatest value and esteem,

Abraham, our father;
who was not a righteous and good man, but the head of the Jewish nation; and, as the Syriac version here styles him, (athbad avyr) , "the head", or "chief of the fathers"; and so the Alexandrian copy, "our forefather": and was the first of the circumcision, and is described here by his relation to the Jews, "our father"; that is,

as pertaining to the flesh;
or according to carnal descent, or natural generation and relation; for in a spiritual sense, or with respect to faith and grace, he was the father of others, even of all that believe, whether Jews or Gentiles: now the question put concerning him is, "what he, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?" for the phrase, "as pertaining to the flesh", may be connected with the word

found;
and to find anything is by seeking to obtain, and enjoy it: and the sense of the whole is, did he find out the way of life, righteousness, and salvation by the mere hint of carnal reason? and did he obtain these things by his own strength? or were these acquired by his circumcision in the flesh, or by any other fleshly privilege he enjoyed? or was he justified before God by any services and performances of his, of whatsoever kind? There is indeed no express answer returned; but it is evident from what follows, that the meaning of the apostle is, that it should be understood in the negative.

Romans 4:1 In-Context

1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?

2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.

3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.

5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

Cross References

• 1. S Romans 8:31
• 2. S Luke 3:8