What shall we then say— In the foregoing chapter the Apostle has proved, that neitherJews nor Gentiles have a right to the blessings of God's peculiar kingdom, otherwise than by grace, which is free to the one, as well as the other. In this chapter he advances to a new argument, admirably adapted to convince the Jew; to shew the believingGentile in a clear light the high value of the mercies freelybestowed upon him in the Gospel, and at the same time to display the wondrous plans of the providence and grace of God. His argument is taken from Abraham's case. Abraham was the father and head of the Jewish nation. God pardoned him through faith, and took him and his seed into his especial covenant, and bestowed upon them many extraordinary blessings above the rest of the world. Thus he was justified through faith; and it is evident he was justified not upon the footing of obedience to law, or the rule of right action, but in the only way a sinner can be justified,—by the favour of the Law-giver. Now this is the very same way in which the Gospel saves the believing Gentiles, and gives them a part in the blessings of God's covenant. Why then should the Jews so violently oppose the Gentiles being interested in those blessings?—Especially if it be farther observed, that the believing Gentiles are actually included in the promise made to Abraham, and the covenant established with him; for at the time God entered into covenant with Abraham, he considered him as the head, not of one nation only, but of many nations (Genesis 17:4.). As for me, behold my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be, with regard to this my covenant, the father of many, or a multitude of nations; consequently, the covenant being made with Abraham, as the head or father of many nations, all in any nation, who should stand upon the same religious principle with him, were his seed, and with him interested in the covenant that God made with him: but he stood only upon the footing of faith in the mercy of God through the seed of the woman, pardoning his sins and graciously bestowing extraordinary blessings; and upon this footing also the believing Gentiles stand in the Gospel; therefore they are the seed of Abraham, and included in the covenant of promise made to him. Now to all this the Apostle knew very well it would be objected, that it was not faith alone which gave Abraham a right to the blessings of the covenant; but his obedience to the law of circumcision; which, being peculiar to the Jewish nation, gave them also, and them alone, an interest in the Abrahamic covenant: consequently, whoever among the Gentiles would be interested in that covenant, ought to embrace Judaism, and, as the only ground of their right, perform obedience to the law of circumcision, and so come under the obligations to the whole law. With this objection the Apostle introduces his argument, ver. l, 2.; shews that, according to the Scripture account, Abraham was justified by faith, Romans 4:3-5.; explains the nature of that justification by a quotation out of the Psalms, Romans 4:6-9.; proves that Abraham was justified long before he was circumcised, Romans 4:9-11.; that the believing Gentiles are his seed, to whom the promise belongs, as well as to the believing Jews, Romans 4:12-17.; and describes Abraham's faith, in order to explain the faith of the Gospel; Romans 4:17 to the end. See Locke.
Abraham our father— Father is of an extensive and emphatical signification in the Hebrew: amongst other things, it signifies a person who is first in the invention, use, or enjoyment of any thing, with regard to those who imitate him, or derive from him any particular custom or advantage. Genesis 4:20-21. Jabal was the father of shepherds; Jubal was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. Abraham is the father of all them that believe, Romans 4:11 and the father of us all, Romans 4:16.: namely, as he was the first to whom the grant or promise of extraordinary blessings was made upon his faith, and as all that believe are included in that promise, and are justified in the same way that he was. In this sense the Jew here calls Abraham our father; meaning, not only as the Jews were naturally descended, but as they heldall their privileges from him, were included in the promises made to him, and must be justified as he was. Thus we must understand our father, to give the Jew's argument its proper sense and force; and this he meant according to his own narrow notion, as if Abraham, in this respect, was father to the Jews only, and to no other people. But the Apostle proves that he was, in this respect,—namely as the head and pattern of justification,—the father of all them that believe, whether
Heathens or Jews. The expression, as pertaining to the flesh, or with respect to the flesh, evidently relates to circumcision, and the obligation it laid upon the Jews: for in the flesh,—after the flesh,—or appertaining to the flesh, are thus frequently used;—Galatians 6:12. 1 Corinthians 10:18. 2 Corinthians 5:16; 2 Corinthians 11:18. Philippians 3:3. This was the Jew's glorying in the flesh, and is sufficient to point out the sense of Abraham's finding or obtaining, as appertaining to or after the flesh, that whereof he had καυχημα, to glory. See chap. Romans 3:27 and on Romans 2:17. It is what the Jews suppose he procured from God, for his obedience to the law of circumcision, and for answering the peculiar obligations he was thereby brought under; as farther appears from Romans 4:9-12 where, arguing against the Jew's objection started here in the first and second verses, he asks, How was faith reckoned to Abraham?—when he was in circumcision or uncircumcision?—Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision, &c. Now as this reason is undoubtedly full to the purpose of the Jew's objection, it confirms, or rather makes necessary, the sense we have given of the phrase before us.