04850
 \\For what if?\\ (\\ti gar ei?\\). But Westcott and Hort print it, \\Ti\\
 \\gar? ei\\. See
 # Php 1:18
 for this exclamatory use of \\ti gar\\ (for how? How stands the
 case?). \\Some were without faith\\ (\\pistsan\\). First aorist active
 indicative of \\apiste\\, old verb, to disbelieve. This is the
 common N.T. meaning
 # Lu 24:11,41; Ac 28:24; Ro 4:20
 Some of them "disbelieved," these "depositaries and guardians of
 revelation" (Denney). But the word also means to be unfaithful to
 one's trust and Lightfoot argues for that idea here and in
 # 2Ti 2:13
 The Revised Version renders it "faithless" there. Either makes
 sense here and both ideas are true of some of the Jews,
 especially concerning the Messianic promises and Jesus. \\The\\
 \\faithfulness of God\\ (\\tn pistin tou theou\\). Undoubtedly \\pistis\\
 has this sense here and not "faith." God has been faithful
 # 2Ti 2:13
 whether the Jews (some of them) were simply disbelievers or
 untrue to their trust. Paul can use the words in two senses in
 verse
 # 3
 but there is no real objection to taking \\pistsan, apistian,\\
 \\pistin\\, all to refer to faithfulness rather than just faith.

04851
 \\Let God be found true\\ (\\ginesth ho theos alths\\). "Let God
 continue to be true" (present middle imperative). \\But every man a\\
 \\liar\\ (\\ps de anthrpos pseusts\\). The contrast in \\de\\ really
 means, "though every man be found a liar." Cf.
 # Ps 116:12
 \\As it is written\\ (\\kaths gegraptai\\).
 # Ps 51:6
 \\That thou mightest be justified\\ (\\hops an dikaithis\\). \\Hops\\
 rather than the common \\hina\\ for purpose and \\an\\ with the first
 aorist passive subjunctive of \\dikaio\\. Used of God this verb here
 has to mean "declared righteous," not "made righteous." \\Mightest\\
 \\prevail\\ (\\nikseis\\). Future active indicative with \\hops\\ of
 \\nika\\, to win a victory, though B L have \\niksis\\ (first aorist
 active subjunctive, the usual construction). \\When thou comest\\
 \\into judgement\\ (\\en ti krinesthai se\\). "In the being judged as to
 thee" (present passive infinitive or, if taken as middle, "in the
 entering upon trial as to thee"). Common construction in the LXX
 from the Hebrew infinitive construct.

04852
 \\What shall we say?\\ (\\ti eroumen?\\). Rhetorical question, common
 with Paul as he surveys the argument. \\Commendeth\\ (\\sunistsin\\).
 This common verb \\sunistmi\\, to send together, occurs in the N.T.
 in two senses, either to introduce, to commend
 # 2Co 3:1; 4:2
 or to prove, to establish
 # 2Co 7:11; Ga 2:18; Ro 5:8
 Either makes good sense here. \\Who visiteth the wrath\\ (\\ho\\
 \\epiphern tn orgn\\). "Who brings on the wrath," "the inflicter
 of the anger" (Vaughan). \\I speak as a man\\ (\\kata anthrpon\\). See
 # Ga 3:15
 for same phrase. As if to say, "pardon me for this line of
 argument." Tholuck says that the rabbis often used \\kata\\
 \\anthrpon\\ and \\ti eroumen\\. Paul had not forgotten his rabbinical
 training.

04853
 \\For then how\\ (\\epei ps\\). There is a suppressed condition between
 \\epei\\ and \\ps\\, an idiom occurring several times in the N.T.
 # 1Co 15:29; Ro 11:6,22
 "Since, if that were true, how."

04854
 \\Through my lie\\ (\\en ti emi pseusmati\\). ] Old word from
 \\pseudomai\\, to lie, only here in N.T. Paul returns to the
 imaginary objection in verse
 # 5
 The MSS. differ sharply here between \\ei de\\ (but if) and \\ei gar\\
 (for if). Paul "uses the first person from motives of delicacy"
 (Sanday and Headlam) in this supposable case for argument's sake
 as in
 # 1Co 4:6
 So here he "transfers by a fiction" (Field) to himself the
 objection.

04855
 \\And why not\\ (\\kai m\\). We have a tangled sentence which can be
 cleared up in two ways. One is (Lightfoot) to supply \\gentai\\
 after \\m\\ and repeat \\ti\\ (\\kai ti m gentai\\, deliberative
 subjunctive in a question): And why should it not happen? The
 other way (Sanday and Headlam) is to take \\m\\ with \\poismen\\ and
 make a long parenthesis of all in between. Even so it is
 confusing because \\hoti\\ also (recitative \\hoti\\) comes just before
 \\poismen\\. The parenthesis is necessary anyhow, for there are two
 lines of thought, one the excuse brought forward by the
 unbeliever, the other the accusation that Paul affirms that very
 excuse that we may do evil that good may come. Note the double
 indirect assertion (the accusative and the infinitive \\hms\\
 \\legein\\ after \\phasin\\ and then the direct quotation with recitative
 \\hoti\\ after \\legein\\, a direct quotation dependent on the infinitive
 in indirect quotation. \\Let us do evil that good may come\\
 (\\poismen ta kaka hina elthi ta agatha\\). The volitive aorist
 subjunctive (\\poismen\\) and the clause of purpose (\\hina\\ and the
 aorist subjunctive \\elthi\\). It sounds almost uncanny to find this
 maxim of the Jesuits attributed to Paul in the first century by
 Jews. It was undoubtedly the accusation of Antinomianism because
 Paul preached justification by faith and not by works.

04856
 \\What then?\\ (\\ti oun?\\). Paul's frequent query, to be taken with
 verses
 # 1,2
 \\Are we in worse case than they?\\ (\\proechometha?\\). The American
 Revisers render it: "Are we in better case than they?" There is
 still no fresh light on this difficult and common word though it
 occurs alone in the N.T. In the active it means to have before,
 to excel. But here it is either middle or passive. Thayer takes
 it to be middle and to mean to excel to one's advantage and
 argues that the context demands this. But no example of the
 middle in this sense has been found. If it is taken as passive,
 Lightfoot takes it to mean, "Are we excelled" and finds that
 sense in Plutarch. Vaughan takes it as passive but meaning, "Are
 we preferred?" This suits the context, but no other example has
 been found. So the point remains unsettled. The papyri throw no
 light on it. \\No, in no wise\\ (\\ou pants\\). "Not at all." See
 # 1Co 5:10
 \\We before laid to the charge\\ (\\proitiasametha\\). First aorist
 middle indicative of \\proaitiaomai\\, to make a prior accusation, a
 word not yet found anywhere else. Paul refers to
 # 1:18-32
 for the Greeks and
 # 2:1-29
 for the Jews. The infinitive \\einai\\ with the accusative \\pantas\\ is
 in indirect discourse. \\Under sin\\ (\\hupo hamartian\\). See
 # Ga 3:22; Ro 7:14

04857
 \\As it is written\\ (\\kaths gegraptai hoti\\). Usual formula of
 quotation as in verse
 # 4
 with recitative \\hoti\\ added as in verse
 # 8
 Paul here uses a catena or chain of quotations to prove his point
 in verse
 # 9
 that Jews are in no better fix than the Greeks for all are under
 sin. Dr. J. Rendel Harris has shown that the Jews and early
 Christians had _Testimonia_ (quotations from the Old Testament)
 strung together for certain purposes as proof-texts. Paul may
 have used one of them or he may have put these passages together
 himself. Verses
 # 10-12
 come from
 # Ps 14:1-3
 first half of
 # 13
 as far as \\edoliousan\\ from
 # Ps 4:9
 the second half from
 # Ps 140:3
 verse
 # 14
 from
 # Ps 10:7
 # 15-17
 from an abridgment of
 # Isa 59:7
 verse
 # 18
 from
 # Ps 35:1
 Paul has given compounded quotations elsewhere
 # 2Co 6:16; Ro 9:25,27; 11:26,34; 12:19
 Curiously enough this compounded quotation was imported bodily
 into the text (LXX) of
 # Ps 14
 after verse 4 in Aleph B, etc. \\There is none righteous, no, not\\
 \\one\\ (\\ouk estin dikaios oude heis\\). "There is not a righteous man,
 not even one." This sentence is like a motto for all the rest, a
 summary for what follows.

04858
 \\That understandeth\\ (\\sunin\\). Present active participle of \\suni\\,
 late omega form of \\-mi\\ verb \\sunimi\\, to send together, to grasp,
 to comprehend. Some MSS. have the article \\ho\\ before it as before
 \\ekztn\\ (seeking out).

04859
 \\They are together become unprofitable\\ (\\hama chrethsan\\). First
 aorist passive indicative of \\achreo\\. Late word in Polybius and
 Cilician inscription of first century A.D. Some MSS. read
 \\chreithsan\\ from \\achreios\\, useless (\\a\\ privative and
 \\chreios\\, useful) as in
 # Lu 17:10; Mt 25:30
 but Westcott and Hort print as above from the rarer spelling
 \\achreos\\. Only here in N.T. The Hebrew word means to go bad,
 become sour like milk (Lightfoot). \\No, not so much as one\\ (\\ouk\\
 \\estin hes henos\\). "There is not up to one."

04860
 \\Throat\\ (\\larugx\\). Old word, larynx. \\Open sepulchre\\ (\\taphos\\
 \\aneigmenos\\). Perfect passive participle of \\anoig\\, "an opened
 grave." Their mouth (words) like the odour of a newly opened
 grave. "Some portions of Greek and Roman literature stink like a
 newly opened grave" (Shedd). \\They have used deceit\\ (\\edoliousan\\).
 Imperfect (not perfect or aorist as the English implies) active
 of \\dolio\\, only in LXX and here in the N.T. from the common
 adjective \\dolios\\, deceitful
 # 2Co 11:13
 The regular form would be \\edolioun\\. The \\-osan\\ ending for third
 plural in imperfect and aorist was once thought to be purely
 Alexandrian because so common in the LXX, but it is common in the
 Boeotian and Aeolic dialects and occurs in \\eichosan\\ in the N.T.
 # Joh 15:22,24
 "They smoothed their tongues" in the Hebrew. \\Poison\\ (\\ios\\). Old
 word both for rust
 # Jas 5:3
 and poison
 # Jas 3:8
 \\Of asps\\ (\\aspidn\\). Common word for round bowl, shield, then the
 Egyptian cobra (a deadly serpent). Often in LXX. Only here in the
 N.T. The poison of the asp lies in a bag under the lips (\\cheil\\),
 often in LXX, only here in N.T. Genitive case after \\gemei\\ (is
 full).

04861
04862
 \\To shed\\ (\\ekcheai\\). First aorist active infinitive of \\ekche\\, to
 pour out, old verb with aorist active \\exechea\\.

04863
 \\Destruction\\ (\\suntrimma\\). Rare word from \\suntrib\\, to rub
 together, to crush. In
 # Le 21:19
 for fracture and so in papyri. Only here in N.T. \\Misery\\
 (\\talaipria\\). Common word from \\talaipros\\
 # Ro 7:24
 only here in the N.T.

04864
 \\The way of peace\\ (\\hodon eirns\\). Wherever they go they leave a
 trail of woe and destruction (Denney).

04865
 \\Before\\ (\\apenanti\\). Late double compound (\\apo, en, anti\\) adverbial
 preposition in LXX and Polybius, papyri and inscriptions. With
 genitive as here.

04866
 \\That every mouth may be stopped\\ (\\hina pn stoma phragi\\). Purpose
 clause with \\hina\\ and second aorist passive subjunctive of
 \\phrass\\, old verb to fence in, to block up. See
 # 2Co 11:10
 Stopping mouths is a difficult business. See
 # Tit 1:11
 where Paul uses \\epistomizein\\ (to stop up the mouth) for the same
 idea. Paul seems here to be speaking directly to Jews (\\tois en\\
 \\ti nomi\\), the hardest to convince. With the previous proof on
 that point he covers the whole ground for he made the case
 against the Gentiles in
 # 1:18-32
 \\May be brought under the judgement of God\\ (\\hupodikos gentai ti\\
 \\thei\\). "That all the world (Jew as well as Gentile) may become
 (\\gentai\\) answerable (\\hupodikos\\, old forensic word, here only in
 N.T.) to God (dative case \\ti thei\\)." Every one is "liable to
 God," in God's court.

04867
 \\Because\\ (\\dioti\\, again, \\dia, hoti\\). \\By the works of the law\\ (\\ex\\
 \\ergn nomou\\). "Out of works of law." Mosaic law and any law as
 the source of being set right with God. Paul quotes
 # Ps 43:2
 as he did in
 # Ga 2:16
 to prove his point. \\The knowledge of sin\\ (\\epignsis hamartias\\).
 The effect of law universally is rebellion to it
 # 1Co 15:56
 Paul has shown this carefully in
 # Ga 3:19-22
 Cf.
 # Heb 10:3
 He has now proven the guilt of both Gentile and Jew.

04868
 \\But now apart from the law\\ (\\nuni de chris nomou\\). He now (\\nuni\\
 emphatic logical transition) proceeds carefully in verses
 # 21-31
 the \\nature\\ of the God-kind of righteousness which stands
 manifested (\\dikaiosun theou pephanertai\\, perfect passive
 indicative of \\phanero\\, to make manifest), the \\necessity\\ of which
 he has shown in
 # 1:18-3:20
 This God kind of righteousness is "apart from law" of any kind
 and all of grace (\\chariti\\) as he will show in verse
 # 24
 But it is not a new discovery on the part of Paul, but "witnessed
 by the law and the prophets" (\\marturoumen\\, present passive
 participle, \\hupo tou nomou kai tn prophtn\\), made plain
 continuously by God himself.

04869
 \\Even\\ (\\de\\). Not adversative here. It defines here. \\Through faith\\
 \\in Jesus Christ\\ (\\dia pistes [Isou] Christou\\). Intermediate
 agency (\\dia\\) is faith and objective genitive, "in Jesus Christ,"
 not subjective "of Jesus Christ," in spite of Haussleiter's
 contention for that idea. The objective nature of faith in Christ
 is shown in
 # Ga 2:16
 by the addition \\eis Christon Isoun episteusamen\\ (we believed in
 Christ), by \\ts eis Christon pistes humn\\ (of your faith in
 Christ) in
 # Col 2:5
 by \\en pistei ti en Christi Isou\\ (in faith that in Christ
 Jesus) in
 # 1Ti 3:13
 as well as here by the added words "unto all them that believe"
 (\\eis pantas tous pisteuontas\\) in Jesus, Paul means. \\Distinction\\
 (\\diastol\\).
 See note on "1Co 14:7"
  for the difference of sounds in musical instruments. Also in
 # Ro 10:12
 The Jew was first in privilege as in penalty
 # 2:9
 but justification or setting right with God is offered to both on
 the same terms.

04870
 \\Sinned\\ (\\hrmarton\\). Constative second aorist active indicative of
 \\hamartan\\ as in
 # 5:12
 This tense gathers up the whole race into one statement (a
 timeless aorist). \\And fall short\\ (\\kai husterountai\\). Present
 middle indicative of \\hustere\\, to be \\husteros\\ (comparative) too
 late, continued action, still fall short. It is followed by the
 ablative case as here, the case of separation.

04871
 \\Being justified\\ (\\dikaioumenoi\\). Present passive participle of
 \\dikaio\\, to set right, repeated action in each case, each being
 set right. \\Freely\\ (\\drean\\). As in
 # Ga 2:21
 \\By his grace\\ (\\ti autou chariti\\). Instrumental case of this
 wonderful word \\charis\\ which so richly expresses Paul's idea of
 salvation as God's free gift. \\Through the redemption\\ (\\dia ts\\
 \\apolutrses\\). A releasing by ransom (\\apo, lutrsis\\ from \\lutro\\
 and that from \\lutron\\, ransom). God did not set men right out of
 hand with nothing done about men's sins. We have the words of
 Jesus that he came to give his life a ransom (\\lutron\\) for many
 # Mr 10:45; Mt 20:28
 \\Lutron\\ is common in the papyri as the purchase-money in freeing
 slaves (Deissmann, _Light from the Ancient East_, pp. 327f.).
 \\That is in Christ Jesus\\ (\\ti en Christi Isou\\). There can be no
 mistake about this redemption. It is like
 # Joh 3:16

04872
 \\Set forth\\ (\\proetheto\\). Second aorist middle indicative.
 See note on "Ro 1:13"
  for this word. Also in
 # Eph 1:9
 but nowhere else in N.T. God set before himself (purposed) and
 did it publicly before (\\pro\\) the whole world. \\A propitiation\\
 (\\hilastrion\\). The only other N.T. example of this word is in
 # Heb 9:5
 where we have the "cherubim overshadowing the mercy seat" (\\to\\
 \\hilastrion\\). In Hebrews the adjective is used as a substantive
 or as "the propitiatory place " But that idea does not suit here.
 Deissmann (_Bible Studies_, pp. 124-35) has produced examples
 from inscriptions where it is used as an adjective and as meaning
 "a votive offering" or "propitiatory gift." Hence he concludes
 about
 # Ro 3:25
 : "The crucified Christ is the votive gift of the Divine Love for
 the salvation of men." God gave his Son as the means of
 propitiation
 # 1Jo 2:2
 \\Hilastrion\\ is an adjective (\\hilastrios\\) from \\hilaskomai\\, to
 make propitiation
 # Heb 2:17
 and is kin in meaning to \\hilasmos\\, propitiation
 # 1Jo 2:2; 4:10
 There is no longer room for doubting its meaning in
 # Ro 3:25
 \\Through faith, by his blood\\ (\\dia pistes en ti autou haimati\\).
 So probably, connecting \\en toi haimati\\ (in his blood) with
 \\proetheto\\. \\To show his righteousness\\ (\\eis endeixin ts\\
 \\dikaiosuns autou\\). See
 # 2Co 8:24
 "For showing of his righteousness," the God-kind of
 righteousness. God could not let sin go as if a mere slip. God
 demanded the atonement and provided it. \\Because of the passing\\
 \\over\\ (\\dia tn paresin\\). Late word from \\parimi\\, to let go, to
 relax. In Dionysius Hal., Xenophon, papyri (Deissmann, _Bible
 Studies_, p. 266) for remission of punishment, especially for
 debt, as distinct from \\aphesis\\ (remission). \\Done aforetime\\
 (\\progegonotn\\). Second perfect active genitive participle of
 \\proginomai\\. The sins before the coming of Christ
 # Ac 14:16; 17:30; Heb 9:15
 \\Forbearance\\ (\\anochi\\). Holding back of God as in
 # 2:4
 In this sense Christ tasted death for every man
 # Heb 2:9

04873
 \\For the shewing\\ (\\pros tn endeixin\\). Repeats point of \\eis\\
 \\endeixin\\ of
 # 25
 with \\pros\\ instead of \\eis\\. \\At this present season\\ (\\en ti nun\\
 \\kairi\\). "In the now crisis," in contrast with "done aforetime."
 \\That he might himself be\\ (\\eis to einai auton\\). Purpose with \\eis\\
 to and the infinitive \\einai\\ and the accusative of general
 reference. \\Just and the justifier of\\ (\\dikaion kai dikaiounta\\).
 "This is the key phrase which establishes the connexion between
 the \\dikaiosun theou\\ and the \\dikaiosun ek pistes\\" (Sanday and
 Headlam). Nowhere has Paul put the problem of God more acutely or
 profoundly. To pronounce the unrighteous righteous is unjust by
 itself
 # Ro 4:5
 God's mercy would not allow him to leave man to his fate. God's
 justice demanded some punishment for sin. The only possible way
 to save some was the propitiatory offering of Christ and the call
 for faith on man's part.

04874
 \\It is excluded\\ (\\exekleisth\\). First aorist (effective) passive
 indicative. "It is completely shut out." Glorying is on man's
 part. \\Nay; but by a law of faith\\ (\\ouchi, alla dia nomou pistes\\).
 Strong negative, and note "law of faith," by the principle of
 faith in harmony with God's love and grace.

04875
 \\We reckon therefore\\ (\\logizometha oun\\). Present middle indicative.
 Westcott and Hort read \\gar\\ instead of \\oun\\. "My fixed opinion" is.
 The accusative and infinitive construction occurs after
 \\logizometha\\ here. On this verb \\logizomai\\, see
 # 2:3; 4:3; 8:18; 14:14
 Paul restates verses
 # 21

04876
 \\Of Gentiles also\\ (\\kai ethnn\\). Jews overlooked it then and some
 Christians do now.

04877
 \\If so be that God is one\\ (\\eiper heis ho theos\\). Correct text
 rather than \\epeiper\\. It means "if on the whole." "By a species of
 rhetorical politeness it is used of that about which there is no
 doubt" (Thayer. Cf.
 # 1Co 8:5; 15:15; Ro 8:9
 \\By faith\\ (\\ek pistes\\). "Out of faith," springing out of. \\Through\\
 \\faith\\ (\\dia ts pistes\\). "By means of the faith" (just
 mentioned). \\Ek\\ denotes source, \\dia\\ intermediate agency or
 attendant circumstance.

04878
 \\Nay, we establish the law\\ (\\alla nomon histanomen\\). Present
 indicative active of late verb \\histan\\ from \\histmi\\. This Paul
 hinted at in verse
 # 21
 How he will show in chapter 4 how Abraham himself is an example
 of faith and in his life illustrates the very point just made.
 Besides, apart from Christ and the help of the Holy Spirit no one
 can keep God's law. The Mosaic law is only workable by faith in
 Christ.

04879
 \\What then shall we say?\\ (\\ti oun eroumen?\\). Paul is fond of this
 rhetorical question
 # 4:1; 6:1; 7:7; 8:31; 9:14,30
 \\Forefather\\ (\\propatora\\). Old word, only here in N.T. Accusative
 case in apposition with \\Abraam\\ (accusative of general reference
 with the infinitive). \\Hath found\\ (\\heurkenai\\). Westcott and Hort
 put \\heurkenai\\ in the margin because B omits it, a needless
 precaution. It is the perfect active infinitive of \\heurisk\\ in
 indirect discourse after \\eroumen\\. The MSS. differ in the position
 of \\kata sarka\\.

04880
 \\The Scripture\\ (\\h graph\\).
 # Ge 15:6
 \\Was justified by works\\ (\\ex ergn edikaith\\). Condition of first
 class, assumed as true for the sake of argument, though untrue in
 fact. The rabbis had a doctrine of the merits of Abraham who had
 a superfluity of credits to pass on to the Jews
 # Lu 3:8
 \\But not towards God\\ (\\all' ou pros theon\\). Abraham deserved all
 the respect from men that came to him, but his relation to God
 was a different matter. He had _there_ no ground of boasting at
 all.

04881
 \\It was reckoned unto him for righteousness\\ (\\elogisth eis\\
 \\dikaiosunn\\). First aorist passive indicative of \\logizomai\\, old
 and common verb to set down accounts (literally or
 metaphorically). It was set down on the credit side of the ledger
 "for" (\\eis\\ as often) righteousness. What was set down? His
 believing God (\\episteusen ti thei\\).

04882
 \\But as of debt\\ (\\alla kata opheilma\\). An illustration of the
 workman (\\ergazomeni\\) who gets his wages due him, "not as of
 grace" (\\ou kata charin\\).

04883
 \\That justifieth the ungodly\\ (\\ton dikaiounta ton aseb\\). The
 impious, irreverent man. See
 # 1:25
 A forensic figure (Shedd). The man is taken as he is and
 pardoned. "The whole Pauline gospel could be summed up in this
 one word-- God who justifies the ungodly" (Denney).

04884
 \\Pronounceth blessing\\ (\\legei ton makarismon\\). old word from
 \\makariz\\, to pronounce blessed
 # Lu 1:48
 felicitation, congratulation, in N.T. only here, verse
 # 9; Ac 4:15

04885
 \\Blessed\\ (\\makarioi\\). See on
 # Mt 5:3
 \\Are forgiven\\ (\\aphethsan\\). First aorist passive indicative of
 \\aphimi\\, without augment (\\apheithsan\\, regular form). Paul quotes
 # Ps 32:1
 and as from David. Paul thus confirms his interpretation of
 # Ge 15:6
 \\Iniquities\\ (\\anomiai\\). Violations of law whereas \\hamartiai\\ (sins)
 include all kinds. \\Are covered\\ (\\epekaluphthsan\\). First aorist
 passive of \\epikalupt\\, old verb, to cover over (upon, \\epi\\) as a
 shroud. Only here in N.T.

04886
 \\To whom\\ (\\hi\\). But the best MSS. read \\hou\\ like the LXX and so
 Westcott and Hort, "whose sin." \\Will not reckon\\ (\\ou m\\
 \\logistai\\). Strong negation by double negative and aorist middle
 subjunctive.

04887
 \\Is this blessing then pronounced?\\ (\\ho makarismos oun houtos?\\).
 "Is this felicitation then?" There is no verb in the Greek. Paul
 now proceeds to show that Abraham was said in
 # Ge 15:6
 to be set right with God by faith _before_ he was circumcised.

04888
 \\When he was in circumcision\\ (\\en peritomi onti\\). Dative masculine
 singular of the present active participle of \\eimi\\; "to him being
 in a state of circumcision or in a state of uncircumcision?" A
 pertinent point that the average Jew had not noticed.

04889
 \\The sign of circumcision\\ (\\smeion peritoms\\). It is the genitive
 of apposition, circumcision being the sign. \\A seal of the\\
 \\righteousness of the faith\\ (\\sphragida ts dikaiosuns ts\\
 \\pistes\\). \\Sphragis\\ is old word for the seal placed on books
 # Re 5:1
 for a signet-ring
 # Re 7:2
 the stamp made by the seal
 # 2Ti 2:19
 that by which anything is confirmed
 # 1Co 9:2
 as here. The circumcision did not convey the righteousness, but
 only gave outward confirmation. It came by faith and "the faith
 which he had while in uncircumcision" (\\ts en ti akrobustii\\),
 "the in the state of uncircumcision faith." Whatever parallel
 exists between baptism and circumcision as here stated by Paul
 argues for faith before baptism and for baptism as the sign and
 seal of the faith already had before baptism. \\That he might be\\
 (\\eis to einai auton\\). This idiom may be God's purpose
 (contemplated result) as in \\eis to logisthnai\\ below, or even
 actual result (so that he was) as in
 # 1:20
 \\Though they be in uncircumcision\\ (\\di' akrobustias\\). Simply, "of
 those who believe while in the condition of uncircumcision."

04890
 \\The father of circumcision\\ (\\patera peritoms\\). The accusative
 with \\eis to einai\\ to be repeated from verse
 # 11
 Lightfoot takes it to mean, not "a father of a circumcised
 progeny," but "a father belonging to circumcision," a less
 natural interpretation. \\But who also walk\\ (\\alla kai tois\\
 \\stoichousin\\). The use of \\tois\\ here is hard to explain, for \\ou\\
 \\monon\\ and \\alla kai\\ both come after the preceding \\tois\\. All the
 MSS. have it thus. A primitive error in a copyist is suggested by
 Hort who would omit the second \\tois\\. Lightfoot regards it less
 seriously and would repeat the second \\tois\\ in the English: "To
 those who are, I do not say of circumcision only, but also to
 those who walk." \\In the steps\\ (\\tois ichnesin\\). Locative case.
 See note on "2Co 12:18"
 \\Stoiche\\ is military term, to walk in file as in
 # Ga 5:25; Php 3:16

04891
 \\That he should be the heir of the world\\ (\\to klronomon auton\\
 \\einai kosmou\\). The articular infinitive (\\to einai\\) with the
 accusative of general reference in loose apposition with \\h\\
 \\epaggelia\\ (the promise). But where is that promise? Not just
 # Ge 12:7
 but the whole chain of promises about his son, his descendants
 like the stars in heaven, the Messiah and the blessing to the
 world through him. In these verses
 # 13-17
 Paul employs (Sanday and Headlam) the keywords of his gospel
 (faith, promise, grace) and arrays them against the current
 Jewish theology (law, works, merit).

04892
 \\Be heirs\\ (\\klronomoi\\). No predicate in the Greek (\\eisin\\).
 See note on "Ga 4:1"
 If legalists are heirs of the Messianic promise to Abraham
 (condition of first class, assumed as true for argument's sake),
 the faith is emptied of all meaning (\\kekentai\\, perfect passive
 indicative of \\keno\\) and the promise to Abraham is made
 permanently idle (\\katrgtai\\).

04893
 \\Worketh wrath\\ (\\orgn katergazetai\\). Because of disobedience to
 it. \\Neither is there transgression\\ (\\oude parabasis\\). There is no
 responsibility for the violation of a non-existent law.

04894
 \\Of faith\\ (\\ek pistes\\). As the source. \\According to grace\\ (\\kata\\
 \\charin\\). As the pattern. \\To the end that\\ (\\eis to einai\\). Purpose
 again as in
 # 11
 \\Sure\\ (\\bebaian\\). Stable, fast, firm. Old adjective from \\bain\\, to
 walk. \\Not to that only which is of the law\\ (\\ou ti ek tou nomou\\
 \\monon\\). Another instance where \\monon\\ (see verse
 # 12
 seems in the wrong place. Normally the order would be, \\ou monon\\
 \\ti ek tou nomou, alla kai ktl\\.

04895
 \\A father of many nations\\ (\\patera polln ethnn\\). Quotation from
 # Ge 17:5
 Only true in the sense of spiritual children as already
 explained, father of believers in God. \\Before him whom he\\
 \\believed even God\\ (\\katenanti hou episteusen theou\\). Incorporation
 of antecedent into the relative clause and attraction of the
 relative \\hi\\ into \\hou\\. See
 # Mr 11:2
 for \\katenanti\\, "right in front of." \\Calleth the things that are\\
 \\not as though they were\\ (\\kalountos ta m onta hs onta\\). "Summons
 the non-existing as existing." Abraham's body was old and
 decrepit. God rejuvenated him and Sarah
 # Heb 11:19

04896
 \\In hope believed against hope\\ (\\par' elpida ep' elpidi\\
 \\episteusen\\). "Past hope in (upon) hope he trusted." Graphic
 picture. \\To the end that he might become\\ (\\eis to genesthai\\
 \\auton\\). Purpose clause again with \\eis\\ to and the infinitive as in
 verses
 # 11-16

04897
 \\Without being weakened in faith\\ (\\m asthensas ti pistei\\). "Not
 becoming weak in faith." Ingressive first aorist active
 participle with negative \\m\\. \\Now as good as dead\\ (\\d\\
 \\nenekrmenon\\). Perfect passive participle of \\nekro\\, "now already
 dead." B omits \\d\\. He was, he knew, too old to become father of
 a child. \\About\\ (\\pou\\). The addition of \\pou\\ (somewhere, about)
 "qualifies the exactness of the preceding numeral" (Vaughan). The
 first promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah came
 # Ge 15:3
 before the birth of Ishmael (86 when Ishmael was born). The
 second promise came when Abraham was 99 years old
 # Ge 17:1
 calling himself 100
 # Ge 17:17

04898
 \\He wavered not through unbelief\\ (\\ou diekrith ti apistii\\).
 First aorist passive indicative of old and common verb \\diakrin\\,
 to separate, to distinguish between, to decide between, to
 desert, to dispute, to be divided in one's own mind. This last
 sense occurs here as in
 # Mt 21:22; Mr 11:23; Ro 14:23; Jas 1:6
 "He was not divided in his mind by unbelief" (instrumental case).
 \\Waxed strong through faith\\ (\\enedunamth ti pistei\\). First
 aorist passive again of \\endunamo\\, late word to empower, to put
 power in, in LXX and Paul and
 # Ac 9:22

04899
 \\Being fully assured\\ (\\plrophortheis\\). First aorist passive
 participle of \\plrophore\\, from \\plrophoros\\ and this from
 \\plrs\\ and \\pher\\, to bear or bring full (full measure), to settle
 fully. Late word, first in LXX but frequent in papyri in sense of
 finishing off or paying off.
 See note on "Lu 1:1"
 See note on "Ro 14:5"
 \\What he had promised\\ (\\ho epggeltai\\). Perfect middle indicative
 of \\epaggellomai\\, to promise, retained in indirect discourse
 according to usual Greek idiom. \\He was able\\ (\\dunatos estin\\).
 Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse. The
 verbal adjective \\dunatos\\ with \\estin\\ is here used in sense of the
 verb \\dunatai\\
