Romans 4:2
in Romans 4If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.
KJV
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
⋯
This verse in Romans 4
Commentary
18 notes on this verseWhat can we say to those who insist that Abraham was justified by works because he was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac on the altar? Abraham was already an old man when God promised him that he would have a son and that his descendants would be as countless as the stars of the sky. Abraham piously believed that all things are possible with God and so exercised this faith.
This site's exposition
Abraham, our forefather
on Romans 4:1-2
Paul puts Abraham forward as the test case for justification, God declaring a sinner righteous in His own court. Works would have given Abraham a boast among men, and that boast is worth nothing in front of God. The father of the nation is the first proof.
This site's exposition
he had something to boast about
Calvin calls this an incomplete argument and supplies the conclusion. Works would give Abraham a boast, yet he has none before God, so works did not justify him. Ambrosiaster adds that Abraham does have glory before God, and it comes through the faith that justified him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Since Abraham without the law obtained glory not by the works of the law (as if he could fulfill the law in his own strength), since the law had not yet been given, the glory belongs to God, not to him. For he was justified not by his own merit, as if by works, but by the grace of God through faith.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
Since above he had set forth two laws, one of which he named the law of works and the other the law of faith, and says that by the law of faith the boasting of those who glory in the works of the law is excluded; and since he had pronounced that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law: consequently he now, in order that these things may be established from the Scriptures, brings forward the example of Abraham, and says that "Abraham, if he was justified by works, has glory, but not before God." And this indeed he argues not without dialectical skill. For if he who is justified by works does not have glory before God, but it is agreed that Abraham does have glory before God, then Abraham was justified not by works but by faith, so that he necessarily has glory before God. For thus the Scripture declares: that "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him unto righteousness." But if God reckoned it to him unto righteousness, without doubt his glory too is before God. For this reason, therefore, the Apostle joins to this testimony which he took from the book of Genesis also a word of his own, and says that "to him who works, the reward is not imputed according to grace, but according to debt; but to him who does not work, yet believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned unto righteousness." Throughout this whole passage, then, the Apostle seems to show this: that there are two justifications, one of which he calls that from works, the other that from faith. And the one which is from works he says indeed has glory, but in itself, and not before God; whereas the one which is from faith has glory before God, inasmuch as it is before him who inspects the hearts of men and knows who it is that believes in secret and who it is that does not believe. […]
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusINTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS · Written before 458.
proposed
The accomplishment of good works honors those who do them, but it does not reveal the kindness of God. Faith, on the other hand, reveals both the love for God of the one who believes and God's kindness.
He had said that the world had become guilty before God, and that all had sinned, and that boasting was excluded and that it was impossible to be saved otherwise than by faith. He is now intent upon showing that this salvation, so far from being matter of shame, was even the cause of a bright glory, and a greater than that through works. For since the being saved, yet with shame, had somewhat of dejection in it, he next takes away this suspicion too. And indeed he has hinted at the same already, by calling it not barely salvation, but "righteousness. Therein" (he says) "is the righteousness of God revealed." For he that is saved as a righteous man has a confidence accompanying his salvation. And he calls it not "righteousness" only, but also the setting forth of the righteousness of God. But God is set forth in things which are glorious and shining, and great. And he calls him "father, as pertaining to the flesh," to throw them out of the genuine relationship to him, and to pave the Gentiles' way to kinsmanship with him. And then he says, "For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory: but not before God." After saying that God "justified the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith," and making the same sufficiently sure in what he said before, he now proves it by Abraham more clearly than he promised, and pitches the battle for faith against works, and makes this righteous man the subject of the whole struggle. For the great power of Paul is especially displayed in this, that he turns what is objected to the other side, and shows that what seemed rather to be on the side of salvation by works, viz. glorying or boldness of claim belonged much more truly to that by faith. […]
This is a rhetorical argument. For Abraham indeed does have glory before God, but because of the faith by which he was justified, because nobody is justified by the works of the law in a way which would give him glory before God. And because …
10 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Second, when he says, for if Abraham, he answers the question he had raised. He does two things. First, he shows that Abraham did not obtain justification through circumcision and the other works of the law, but rather through faith; second, he commends his faith, …
If he was justified by works, then he "has something to boast about, but not before God," that is, he can boast that he accomplished something well by his own labors, but this does not mean boasting before God, and is not directed toward God.
The Reformation1 voice
For if Abraham, etc. This is an incomplete argument, which may be made in this form -- "If Abraham was justified by works, he might justly glory: but he had nothing for which he could glory before God; then he was not justified by works." Thus the clause but not before God, is the minor proposition; and to this must be added the conclusion which I have stated, though it is not expressed by Paul.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
); and this unbelief was a foil to his faith, and bespeaks it a believing against hope. Being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
For if Abraham were justified by works,....
Observe, He takes it for granted that man must not pretend to glory in any thing before God; no, not Abraham, as great and as good a man as he was; and therefore he fetches an argument from it: it would be absurd for him that glorieth to glory in any but the Lord. It is expressly said that Abraham's faith was counted to him for righteousness.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
For if Abraham were justified by works - The Jew proceeds: - I conclude, therefore, that Abraham was justified by works, or by his obedience to this law of circumcision; and, consequently, he has cause for glorying, καυχημα, to exult in something which he has done to entitle him to these blessings. Now, it is evident that he has this glorying, and consequently that he was justified by works. Apostle.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
What shall we say then that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?--that is, (as the order in the original shows), "hath found, as pertaining to ('according to,' or 'through') the flesh"; meaning, "by all his natural efforts or legal obedience."
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God--"If works were the ground of Abraham's justification, he would have matter for boasting; but as it is perfectly certain that he hath none in the sight of God, it follows that Abraham could not have been justified by works." And to this agree the words of Scripture.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For if Abraham ... - This is the answer of the apostle. If Abraham was justified on the ground of his own merits, he would have reason to boast, or to claim praise. He might regard himself as the author of it, and take the praise to himself; see Rom 4:4. The inquiry, therefore, was, whether in the account of the justification of Abraham, there was to be found any such statement of a reason for self-confidence and boasting. But not before God - In the sight of God. That is, in his recorded judgment, he had no ground of boasting on account of works. To show this, the apostle appeals at once to the Scriptures, to show that there was no such record as that Abraham could boast that he was justified by his works. As God judges right in all cases, so it follows that Abraham had no just ground of boasting, and of course that he was not justified by his own works. The sense of this verse is well expressed by Calvin. “If Abraham was justified by his works, he might boast of his own merits. But he has no ground of boasting before God. Therefore he was not justified by works.”
The words behind it
12 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰ | ei | If | G1487 → | 508 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| Ἀβραὰμ | abraam | Abraham | G11 → | 73 times |
| ἐξ | ex | by | G1537 → | 911 times |
| ἔργων | ergon | works | G2041 → | 168 times |
| ἐδικαιώθη, | edikaiothe | was justified, | G1344 → | 38 times |
| ἔχει | echei | he has | G2192 → | 707 times |
| καύχημα | kauchema | ground of boasting | G2745 → | |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| πρὸς | pros | toward | G4314 → | 700 times |
| θεόν. | theon | God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
εἰIf
eiG1487 →508 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἈβραὰμAbraham
abraamG11 →73 times
ἐξby
exG1537 →911 times
ἔργωνworks
ergonG2041 →168 times
ἐδικαιώθη,was justified,
edikaiotheG1344 →38 times
ἔχειhe has
echeiG2192 →707 times
καύχημαground of boasting
kauchemaG2745 →
ἀλλ᾽but
all᾽G235 →635 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
πρὸςtoward
prosG4314 →700 times
θεόν.God.
theonG2316 →1312 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 1:31Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
it leads to
- Jeremiah 9:23–24
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 9:23–24
Through
Philippians 3:9and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
- 1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
- Galatians 2:16
know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in…
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
Through
Ephesians 2:9not by works, so that no one can boast.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 1:9
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
- Romans 11:6
And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.
- Titus 3:3–5
For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
- Romans 9:16
So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
- 2 Timothy 1:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies10
On this verse
About Romans
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Augustine of Hippo, AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 20; Cyril of Alexandria, EXPLANATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans VIII; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Robert Haldane, Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.