And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Scripture was fulfilled - Genesis 15:6, quoted by Paul, as realized in Abraham's justification by faith; by James, as realized subsequently in Abraham's work of offering Isaac, which, he says, justified him. Plainly James means by works the same thing as Paul means by faith; only he speaks of faith in its manifested development; Paul speaks of it in its germ. Abraham's offering of Isaac was not a mere act of obedience, but an act of faith. Isaac was the subject of God's promises, that in him Abraham's seed should be called. The same God calls on Abraham to slay the subject of His own promise, when as yet there was no seed in whom those predictions could be realized. James' saying that Abraham was justified by such a work, is equivalent to saying, as Paul, that he was justified by faith; for it was faith expressed in action, as in other cares faith is expressed in words. Paul states as the mean of salvation faith expressed. Paul opposes self-righteousness; James, unrighteousness. The "scripture" would not be fulfilled, as James says it was, but contradicted, by any interpretation which makes man's works justify him before God: for that scripture makes no mention of works at all, but says that Abraham belief was counted to him for righteousness. God, in the fiat instance, 'justifies the ungodly' through faith; subsequently the believer is justified before the world as righteous through faith manifested in words and works (cf. Matthew 25:35-37, "the righteous," Matthew 25:40). Greek, 'But Abraham believed,' etc.
And he was called the Friend of God - He was not so called in his lifetime, though he was so from the time of his justification; but he was called so, when recognized as such by all, because of his works of faith. 'He was the friend (active), the lover of God, as to his works; and (passive) loved by God as to his justification by works. Both senses are united' (John 15:14-15) (Bengel).