Romans 4:20

Rom 4:20. Εἰς, at) The promise was the foundation of his confidence.—οὐ διεκρίθη, did not [stagger or] doubt) It is clear, what doubt is, from its opposite was strong. We should observe, that it is the reverse of doubting.—δοὺς, giving) These things, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded, and very closely connected.—δόξαν) the glory of truth (its opposite is stigmatized in 1Jn 5:10, in the case of him, who does not believe) and of power.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rom_4:20, Rom_4:21

He staggered not at the promise of God; οὐ διεκρίθη. The aorist passive is here used in a middle sense, he was not in strife with himself, i.e. he did not doubt; εἰς τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν in reference to the promise of God; τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, the dative has a causal force, through unbelief. Want of faith in God did not cause him to doubt the divine promise, ἀλλὰ, but, i.e. on the contrary; ἐνεδυναμώθη, not middle, made himself strong, but passive, he was made strong; τῇ πίστει, either by, or as to faith. Giving glory to God; that is, the strength was manifested in his giving glory to God. To give glory to God, is to take him to be what he really is, almighty and faithful. It is to show by our conduct that we give him credit, (so to speak,) that he will and can do what he says. Therefore the apostle adds, καὶ πληροφορηθείς, and being fully persuaded; that is, he gave glory to God by being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform. Quod addit, says Calvin, dedisse gloriam Deo, in eo notandum est, non posse Deo plus honoris deferri quam dum fide obsignamus ejus veritatem; sicuti rursus nulla ei gravior contumelia inuri potest quam dum respuitur oblata ab ipso gratia, vel ejus verbo derogatur auctoritas. Quare hoc in ejus cultu praecipuum est caput, promissiones ejus obedienter amplecti: vera religio a fide ineipit. It is therefore a very great error for men to suppose that to doubt is an evidence of humility. On the contrary, to doubt Gods promise, or his love, is to dishonor him, because it is to question his word. Multitudes refuse to accept his grace, because they do not regard themselves as worthy, as though their worthiness were the ground on which that grace is offered. The thing to be believed is, that God accepts the unworthy; that for Christs sake, he justifies the unjust. Many find it far harder to believe that God can love them, notwithstanding their sinfulness, than the hundred-years-old patriarch did to believe that he should be the father of many nations. Confidence in Gods word, a full persuasion that he can do what seems to us impossible, is as necessary in the one case as in the other. The sinner honors God, in trusting his grace as much as Abraham did in trusting his power.

Charles Hodge — Commentary on Romans (1835), First Corinthians (1857), and Ephesians (1856) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Acknowledged and praised God, as most gracious and true.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

He staggered--hesitated

not . . . but was strong in faith, giving glory to God--as able to make good His own word in spite of all obstacles.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

20. Nor did he through unbelief make an inquiry, etc. Though I do not follow the old version, nor Erasmus, yet my rendering is not given without reason. The Apostle seems to have had this in view, — That Abraham did not try to find out, by weighing the matter in the balance of unbelief, whether the Lord was able to perform what he had promised. What is properly to inquire or to search into anything, is to examine it through diffidence or mistrust, and to be unwilling to admit what appears not credible, without thoroughly sifting it. He indeed asked, how it could come to pass, but that was the asking of one astonished; as the case was with the virgin Mary, when she inquired of the angel how could that be which he had announced; and there are other similar instances. The saints then, when a message is brought them respecting the works of God, the greatness of which exceeds their comprehension, do indeed burst forth into expressions of wonder; but from this wonder they soon pass on to lay hold on the power of God: on the contrary, the wicked, when they examine a message, scoff at and reject it as a fable. Such, as you will find, was the case with the Jews, when they asked Christ how he could give his flesh to be eaten. For this reason it was, that Abraham was not reproved when he laughed and asked, how could a child be born to a man an hundred years old, and to a woman of ninety; for in his astonishment he fully admitted the power of God’s word. On the other hand, a similar laughter and inquiry on the part of Sarah were not without reproof, because she regarded not the promise as valid.

If these things be applied to our present subject, it will be evident, that the justification of Abraham had no other beginning than that of the Gentiles. Hence the Jews reproach their own father, if they exclaim against the call of the Gentiles as a thing unreasonable. Let us also remember, that the condition of us all is the same with that of Abraham. All things around us are in opposition to the promises of God: He promises immortality; we are surrounded with mortality and corruption: He declares that he counts us just; we are covered with sins: He testifies that he is propitious and kind to us; outward judgments threaten his wrath. What then is to be done? We must with closed eyes pass by ourselves and all things connected with us, that nothing may hinder or prevent us from believing that God is true.

But he was strengthened, etc. This is of the same import with a former clause, when it is said, that he was not weak in faith. It is the same as though he had said, that he overcame unbelief by the constancy and firmness of faith. No one indeed comes forth a conqueror from this contest, but he who borrows weapons and strength from the word of God. From what he adds, giving glory to God, it must be observed, that no greater honor can be given to God, than by faith to seal his truth; as, on the other hand, no greater dishonor can be done to him, than to refuse his offered favor, or to discredit his word. It is hence the chief thing in honoring God, obediently to embrace his promises: and true religion begins with faith.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(20) In faith.—Better, through or by faith, corresponding to “through unbelief” in the preceding clause. Unbelief did not make him doubt, but faith made him confident and strong.

Giving glory to God.—This phrase does not necessarily refer to a verbal ascription of praise, but may be used of anything which tends to God’s glory, whether in thought, word, or deed (comp. Jos_7:19; Ezr_10:11; Jer_13:16; Luk_17:18; Joh_9:24; Act_12:23); here it seems to be applied to the frank recognition of God’s omnipotence involved in Abraham’s faith.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20–21. he staggered not, &c.] The Gr. suggests the paraphrase; “he looked away from his own physical state, only at the Promise, and did not doubt its terms—just because they were the Promise. So he rose in a great effort and exercise of faith, which consisted in giving glory to God (the ‘glory’ of absolute and adoring trust in Him as God); in being perfectly sure of His ability to keep whatever promise He should in fact make.”

We have here a fuller account than anywhere else of the nature of Faith as essentially Trust; not mere historic belief, nor mental assent, but personal Trust; reposed, with application to self of the consequences, on the Divine Promiser as such. We have also a precious suggestion of some reasons (if we may say so) why God prescribes Faith as the condition of the justification of a sinner. Faith, we see, is an act of the soul which looks wholly away from “self” (as regards both merit and demerit), and honours the Almighty and All-gracious in a way not indeed in the least meritorious (because merely reasonable, after all), but yet such as to “touch the hem of His garment.” It brings His creature to Him in the one right attitude—complete submission and confidence. We thus see, in part, why faith, and only faith, is the way to reach and touch the Merit of the Propitiation. This is suggested in the next verse.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And being fully persuaded,.... He had not only faith, a strong faith, but full assurance of faith:

that what he God had promised; though it was so long ago, and there were so many difficulties in the way;

he was able, being the Lord God Almighty,

to perform; so his faith rested upon the power of God, with whom nothing is impossible.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

Ver. 20. Giving glory to God] Confessing and exalting God, as Luk 17:18, giving him a testimonial, as it were, Joh 3:33; cf. Deu 32:4.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He staggered not - He was not moved, or agitated; he steadily and firmly believed the promise.

Giving glory to God - Giving honor to God by the firmness with which he believed his promises. His conduct was Such as to honor God; that is, to show Abraham’s conviction that he was worthy of implicit confidence and trust. In this way all who believe in the promises of God do honor to him. They bear testimony to him that he is worthy of confidence. They become so many witnesses in his favor; and furnish to their fellow-men evidence that God has a claim on the credence and trust of mankind.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The promise of God; viz. in Gen 15:5, and Gen 17:16.

Giving glory to God; as all do that rely upon the power and promise of God, setting to their seals that he is true.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. Staggered not—Wavered not in thought.

Glory to God—For nothing so glorifies God as the illustrious faith of the greatly faithful. By this have martyrs and confessors rendered the name of God glorious in the earth.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. “And he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was filled up with dynamite through faith, giving glory to God,

William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God ,

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. He staggered not. He accepted the promise with unfaltering faith.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

did not hesitate in unbelief

You can translate this double negative in a positive form. AT: "kept on acting in faith" (See: Double Negatives)

he was strengthened in faith

You can translate this in an active form. AT: "he became stronger in his faith" (See: Active or Passive)

He was fully convinced

"Abraham was completely sure"

he was also able to accomplish

"God was able to do"

Therefore this was also counted to him as righteousness

You can translate this in an active form. AT: "Therefore God counted Abraham's belief as righteousness" or "Therefore God considered Abraham righteous because Abraham believed him" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

promise

Abraham

faith

praise

righteous

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

20. εἰς = in regard to.

διεκρίθη. Cf. Mat 21:21; Mar 11:23; Jas 1:6; = did not hesitate; cf. S. H.; cf. Field, ad loc[121] τῇ ἀπ., under the disbelief which was natural.

[121] ad loc. ad locum

ἐνεδυναμώθη τῇ πίστει. With S. H. = was empowered, by his faith, to beget a son; cf. Heb 11:11-12, and Talmud qu. S. H.

ἐνδυναμοῦν. Cf. 2Ti 2:1; Eph 6:10. Formed from ἐνδύναμος; the preposition therefore does not govern a case following; cf. ἐνεργεῖν.

δοὺς δόξαν—because he acknowledged GOD’S power to fulfil His promise; ct[122] Rom 1:21.

[122] ct. contrast

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20.] On δέ, see above. But with regard to (ref.) the promise of God he doubted not through unbelief—(De Wette thinks from the analogy of πιστεύειν εἴς τι,—that εἰς τ. ἐπ. is perhaps the immediate object of διακρίνεσθαι: q. d. ‘did not disbelieve in the promise of God’), but was strong (lit. ‘was strengthened,’ ‘shewed himself strong’) in faith (dat. of reference, ‘with regard to faith.’ τῇ ἀπ. and τῇ πίστ., because both are here strictly abstract, being set against one another as opposites).

δοὺς δόξ. τῷ θ.] viz. by recognizing His Almighty power (see reff., especially Luke).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. οὐ διεκρίθη: ‘did not hesitate’ (τουτέστιν οὐδὲ ἐνεδοίασεν οὐδὲ ἀμφέβαλε Chrys.). διακρίνειν act. = diiudicare, (i) to ‘discriminate,’ or ‘distinguish’ between two things (Mat 16:3; cf. 1Co 11:29, 1Co 11:31) or persons (Act 15:9; 1Co 4:7); (ii) to ‘arbitrate’ between two parties (1Co 6:5). διακρίνεσθαι mid. (and pass.) = (i) ‘to get a decision,’ ‘litigate,’ ‘dispute,’ or ‘contend’ (Act 11:2; Jas 2:4; Jud 1:9); (ii) to ‘be divided against one-self,’ ‘waver,’ ‘doubt.’ The other senses are all found in LXX (where the word occurs some thirty times), but this is wanting. It is however well established for N. T., where it appears as the proper opposite of πίστις πιστεύω. So Mat 21:21 ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν, καὶ μὴ διακριθῆτε: Mar 11:23 ὃς ἂν εἴπῃ … καὶ μὴ διακριθῇ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀλλὰ πιστεύῃ: Rom 14:23 ὁ δὲ διακρινόμενος, ἐὰν φαγῇ, κατακέκριται, ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως: Jas 1:6 αἰτείτω δὲ ἐκ πίστει μηδὲν διακρινόμενος: also probably Jud 1:22. A like use is found in Christian writings of the second century and later: e.g. Protev. Jac. 11 ἀκούσασα δὲ Μαριὰμ διεκρίθη ἐν ἑαυτῇ λέγουσα, κ.τ.λ. (quoted by Mayor on Jas 1:6): Clem. Homil. i. 20 περὶ τῆς παραδοθείσης σοι ἀληθείας διακριθήσῃ: ii. 40 περὶ τοῦ μόνου καὶ ἀγαθοῦ Θεοῦ διακριθῆναι. It is remarkable that a use which (except as an antithesis to πιστεύειν) there is no reason to connect specially with Christianity should thus seem to be traceable to Christian circles and the Christian line of tradition. It is not likely to be in the strict sense a Christian coinage, but appears to have had its beginning in near proximity to Christianity. A parallel case is that of the word δίψυχος (St. James, Clem. Rom., Herm., Didaché, &c.). The two words seem to belong to the same cycle of ideas.

ἐνεδυναμώθη τῇ πίστει. τῇ πίστει is here usually taken as dat. of respect, ‘he was strengthened in his faith,’ i. e. ‘his faith was strengthened, or confirmed.’ In favour of this would be μὴ ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει above; and the surrounding terms (διεκρίθη, πληροφορηθείς) might seem to point to a mental process. But it is tempting to make τῇ πίστει instrumental or causal, like τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ to which it stands in immediate antithesis: ἐνεδ. τῇ πίστ. would then = ‘he was endowed with power by means of his faith’ (sc. τὸ νενεκρωμένοι αὐτοῦ σῶμα ἐνεδυναμώθη). According to the Talmud, Abraham wurde in seiner Natur erneuert, eine neue Creatur (Bammidbar Rabba xi), um die Zeugung zu vollbringen (Weber, p. 256). And we can hardly doubt that the passage was taken in this way by the author of Heb., who appears to have had it directly in mind: comp. Heb 11:11, Heb 11:12 πίστει καὶ αὐτὴ Σάρρα δύναμιν εἰς καταβολὴν σπέρματος ἔλαβε καὶ παρὰ καιρὸν ἡλικίας … διὸ καὶ ἀφʼ ἑνὸς ἐγεννήθησαν, καὶ ταῦτα νενεκρωμένου, καθὼς τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῷ πλήθει (observe esp. δύναμιν ἔλαβε, νενεκρωμένου). This sense is also distinctly recognized by Euthym.-Zig. (ἐνεδυναμώθη εἰς παιδογονίαν τῇ πίστει· ἢ ἐνεδυναμώθη πρὸς τὴν πίστιν). The other (common) interpretation is preferred by Chrys., from whom Euthym.-Zig. seems to get his ὁ πίστιν ἐπιδεικνύμενος δυνάμεως δεῖται πλείονος.

The Talmud lays great stress on the Birth of Isaac. In the name of Isaac was found an indication that with him the history of Revelation began. With him the people of revealed Religion came into existence: with him ‘the Holy One began to work wonders’ (Beresh. Rabba liii, ap. Weber, Altsyn. Theol. p. 256). But it is of course a wholly new point when St. Paul compares the miraculous birth of Isaac with the raising of Christ from the dead. The parallel consists not only in the nature of the two events—both a bringing to life from conditions which betokened only death—but also in the faith of which they were the object.

δοὺς δόξαν: a Hebraism: cf. Jos 7:19; 1Sa 6:5; 1Ch 16:28, &c.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Staggered [διεκριθη] . Rev., better, wavered. See on Act 11:12; Jas 1:6; Jas 2:4. The word implies a mental struggle.

Promise [επαγγελιαν] . See on Act 1:4.

Was strong [ενεδυναμωθη] . Passive voice. Lit., was strengthened, or endued with strength. Rev., waxed strong.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vv. 20. The δέ, but, denotes the contrast to the possible and natural result of this consideration. Strictly speaking, the antithesis would have been the ἐνεδυναυώθη, he strengthened himself; but the apostle feels the need of reminding us first, in a negative form, of what might have been so easily produced under such conditions.

The εἰς τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, in regard to the promise, stands foremost. It was the object in contrast to that which was presented to his view by the effeteness of his own body and Sarah’s. For the force of εἰς, comp. Rom 16:19.

The verb here: διακρίνεσθαι, to doubt, properly signifies to be parted, or to be divided into two men, one affirming, the other denying; one hoping and giving himself up, the other waiting to see: “but in regard to the promise, there was no division in him.” The complement: of God, brings out that which gave the promise this full power over his heart.

In the clause: through unbelief, the Greek substantive is preceded by the article: through the unbelief common among men, the well-known unbelief.

The ἀλλά, but, is more strongly adversative than the δέ: “But quite the contrary.” This word forcibly contrasts the idea of the strength drawn from the promise with the weakness arising from doubt. The verb ἐνεδυναμώθη may be translated as a passive: he was strengthened; comp. Heb 11:34; but it may also be taken in the middle and reflective sense: he strengthened himself, reinvigorated himself, Act 9:22; Eph 6:10. The antithesis of the διακριθῆναι, to doubt, speaks rather in favor of the middle sense, unless we recur to the simply intransitive meaning: he grew in strength; this shade would perhaps be preferable; it harmonizes with the preposition ἐν, which enters into the composition of the verb, and denotes a growth of inward strength. In proportion as he contemplated the promise with a fixed regard, in which he put, so to speak, his whole soul, his entire being, body and spirit, was penetrated with a new force, the principle of the complete resurrection in which he had made bold to believe (Rom 4:17).

The clause by faith is usually connected with the verb he was strengthened; but so understood, these words do little more than repeat what has already been sufficiently expressed. It is better, therefore, to join them with the following participle: “by faith (by this faith) giving glory to God.” The position of this word, heading the clause to which it is thus joined, corresponds with the importance of the idea of faith in the whole piece. Man was created to glorify God. He did not do so by his obedience. It is by faith, at least, that in his state of sin he can return to the fulfilment of this glorious destination.

To give glory to God means in Scripture, to render homage either by word or deed, to one or other of God’s attributes, or to His perfection in general. Wherein, in this case, did the homage consist? The apostle tells us in Rom 4:21 : in the firm conviction which he cherished of God’s faithfulness to His word and of His power to fulfil it.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.