Romans 4:18-22 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Who, &c. In this paragraph the apostle first takes notice of the difficulties which stood in the way of Abraham's faith, and then of the power and excellence of it, manifested in its triumphing over them. Against hope Against all probability; believed in hope With an assured confidence, grounded on the divine promise; according to all that which was spoken When God called him forth abroad to view the stars of heaven. So shall thy seed be So numerous and glorious. And being not weak in faith That is, being strong in faith; for the Hebrews, when they meant to assert a thing strongly, did it by the denial of its contrary. He considered not his own body now dead With regard to the probability of begetting children. He did not regard it so as to be discouraged thereby, or induced to disbelieve the promise. The children which Abraham had by Keturah, after Sarah's death, do not invalidate the apostle's assertion here; for Abraham's body, having been renewed by a miracle in order to the begetting of Isaac, might preserve its vigour for a considerable time afterward. Nor did he consider or regard the old age of Sarah. He staggered not Greek, εις την επαγγελιαν του θεου ου διεκριθη τη απιστια, against the promise of God he did not reason; through unbelief Did not call in question the truth of God's promise, or the certainty of its fulfilment; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God Entertaining high and honourable thoughts of God's power and faithfulness, and manifesting the same by his actions. “We are told, indeed, that when God declared that Sarah was to be the mother of nations, Genesis 17:17, Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born to him that is a hundred years old? &c. But these questions did not proceed from unbelief, but from admiration and gratitude, as may be gathered from the posture into which he put himself. And with respect to his laughing, it did not imply any doubt of God's promise, otherwise he would have been rebuked, as Sarah was for her laughing: but it means simply, that he rejoiced at God's promise; for in the Hebrew language, to laugh signifies to rejoice, Genesis 21:6, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me; consequently the passage may be translated, Abraham rejoiced and said, &c.” And being fully persuaded Through the knowledge which he had of the divine perfections; that what he had promised Greek, ο επηγγελται, that what was promised; he was able, and willing also, to perform He believed God to be most faithful, and sure never to fail in the performance of his promises; collecting nothing else from the difficulty and improbability of the matter, but that it was the fitter for an Almighty power to effect; and therefore it His faith; was imputed to him for righteousness He was justified by it.