James 2:21 BSB — MannaFest

James 2:21

Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?

KJV

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

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Commentary

3 voices

Cyril of Alexandria

CATENA (444)

On the one hand, the blessed James says that Abraham was justified by works when he bound Isaac his son on the altar, but on the other hand Paul says that he was justified by faith, which appears to be contradictory. However, this is to be understood as meaning that Abraham believed before he had Isaac and that Isaac was given to him as a reward for his faith.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

John Gill

1697–1771

Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)

Was not Abraham our father justified by works,.... Not as the causes of his justification, that is denied, Rom 4:2 but as effects of it, showing the truth of his faith, and the reality of his justification: he had both faith and works, and the former were known by the latter; and even the faith which he had expressed years ago was manifested, demonstrated, and confirmed to be true and genuine, by the instance of his obedience to God, here produced; by which it appeared he was a true believer, a justified person, approved of God, and loved by him.

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Was not Abraham justified by works - St. Paul says he was justified by faith, Rom. iv, 2, &c.: yet St. James does not contradict him; for he does not speak of the same justification. St. Paul speaks of that which Abraham received many years before Isaac was born, Gen. xv, 6.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

But these are well reconciled, by observing what is said in Heb. 11 , which shows that the faith both of Abraham and Rahab was such as to produce those good works of which James speaks, and which are not to be separated from faith as justifying and saving.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

Was not Abraham our father - Our progenitor, our ancestor; using the word “father,” as frequently occurs in the Bible, to denote a remote ancestor. Compare the notes at Mat 1:1. A reference to his case would have great weight with those who were Jews by birth, and probably most of those to whom this Epistle was addressed were of this character. See the Introduction. Justified by works - That is, in the sense in which James is maintaining that a man professing religion is to be justified by his works.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

16 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
Ἀβραὰμ	Abraam	Abraham	G11 →
ὁ	ho	the	G3588 →
πατὴρ	patēr	father	G3962 →
ἡμῶν	hēmōn	of us	G3165 →
οὐκ	ouk	not	G3756 →
ἐξ	ex	by	G1537 →
ἔργων	ergōn	works	G2041 →
ἐδικαιώθη	edikaiōthē	was justified	G1344 →
ἀνενέγκας	anenegkas	having offered	G399 →
Ἰσαὰκ	Isaak	Isaac	G2464 →
τὸν	ton	the	G3588 →
υἱὸν	huion	son	G5207 →
αὐτοῦ	autou	of him	G846 →
ἐπὶ	epi	upon	G1909 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
θυσιαστήριον;	thusiastērion	altar?	G2379 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Matthew 12:37
For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
leads to
- Proverbs 13:3
  He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
Through
Romans 4:16
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who…
leads to
- Romans 3:24–26
  and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 2:8
  For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Through
John 8:39
“Abraham is our father,” they replied. “If you were children of Abraham,” said Jesus, “you would do the works of Abraham.
leads to
- Galatians 3:7
  Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.
- Romans 9:7
  Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
- John 8:37
  I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.
- Romans 2:28–29
  A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical.
- Matthew 5:45
  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

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About James

The Feeding of the Multitude — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

James: the study guide →Read chapter 2 →The featured study →

Continue: James 2 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About James

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About James