What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, has found?
All Commentaries on Romans 4:1 Go To Romans 4
Thomas Aquinas
AD 1274
After excluding the glory which the Jews took in the Law, on the basis of which they preferred themselves to the Gentiles [n. 169 and 248], the Apostle now excludes their glory in regard to circumcision. About which he does two things. First, he takes up the question he had raised earlier [n. 247], when he asked: "What is the usefulness of circumcision?" And because Abraham was the first to receive the command about circumcision, as stated in Genesis 17(:10), he repeats the question in the person of Abraham himself, saying: If it is true that God justifies the uncircumcised as well as the circumcised, What usefulness then shall we say Abraham to have found, who is our father according to the flesh? That is, according to circumcision and other bodily observances. For it does not seem fitting to say that he found no usefulness, since it is stated in Isaiah 48(:17), "I am the Lord, your God, who teaches you useful things." 323. Secondly, 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; secondly, he commends his faith, there [v.18; n. 367] at who against hope. In regard to the first he does two things. First, he explains his position with a reason based on divine acceptance; secondly, by reason of God’s promise, there [v. 13; n. 351] at For not through the Law. In regard to the first he does three things. 167 First, he proposes a conditional statement; secondly, disproves the consequent, there [v.3; n. 326] at For what do the Scriptures say?; thirdly, he proves the conditional statement, there [v. 6; n. 332] at As David also. 324. In regard to the first the Apostle intends to argue in the following manner: If Abraham were justified from works of the Law, he would have no glory with God; therefore, he was not justified from works. Hence, he presents the conditional [statement, saying]: It has been asked what Abraham found in virtue of bodily circumcision, and it is obvious that he did not find himself justified from works of the law, such that his justice consisted in the works of the Law. For he has glory, namely, before men, who see the outward works, but not before God, who sees in secret: "The Lord looks on the heart" (1 Sam l6:7); "So let no one boast of men" (1 Cor 3:21). Hence it is written against some that "they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (John l2:43). 325. Against this one might object that becoming accustomed to outward works generates an inward habit, according to which a man’s heart is also well disposed and so made ready to perform well and take pleasure in good works, as the Philosopher teaches in Ethics II. The answer is that this takes place in human justice, through which man is ordained to the human good. For the habit of this justice can be acquired through human works, but the justice which obtains glory before God is ordained to the divine good, namely future glory, which exceeds human ability, as is stated in 1 Cor 2(:9), "It has not arisen in the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him." 168 Consequently, a man’s works are not proportioned to causing the habit of this justice; rather, a man’s heart needs first to be justified inwardly by God, so that he can perform works proportioned to divine glory. 326. Then when he says For what do the Scriptures say, he disproves the consequent, which was negative, by proving the opposite affirmative, namely, that Abraham did have glory before God. He proves this on the authority of Scripture: first, he cites the authority; secondly, he explains, there [v. 4; n. 328] at Now, to him. 327. First, therefore, he says: I say that Abraham was justified in a way that gave him glory before God. For what do the Scriptures say (Gen 15:6): Abraham believed God who promised that his seed would be multiplied. "Believe God and he will help you" (Sir 2:6). And it was reputed to him, i.e., by God, as justice: "Was not Abraham found faithful when tested?" (1 Macc 2:52). Consequently, it is clear that before God, by whom that he believed was reckoned to him as justice, he has glory. But it should be noted that Abraham expressed the justice described, which God regards, not in some outward work but in the inward faith of the heart, which God alone sees. Indeed, since the act of faith is said to be threefold, namely, to believe God [Deum], to believe God [Deo] and to believe unto God [in Deum], he mentions this act, namely to believe God [Deo], which is the proper act of faith and indicates its nature [species]. For to believe unto God shows the ordering of faith to its end, which is through charity; for to believe unto God is to go to God by believing, which charity does. Consequently, it follows upon the nature of faith. 169 But to believe God [Deum] indicates the matter of faith taken as a theological virtue, having God for its object. Consequently, this act does not yet attain the nature of faith, because if one believes in God in virtue of certain human reasons and natural signs, he is not yet said to have the faith of which we now speak, but only when he believes something for the reason that it was said by God—which is indicated by the phrase, "to believe God [Deo]." It is from this that faith takes its nature [specificatur], just as any cognitive habit takes its nature from the reason in virtue of which it assents to something. For a person possessing scientific philosophical knowledge is inclined to assent to its statements for one reason, namely, through demonstration, but one having the habit of opinion is inclined to assent for a different reason, namely, through a dialectical syllogism. 328. Then, when he says Now, to him who works, he explains the aforementioned biblical citation as regards the words it was reputed to him as justice. Two explanations of these words are given in the Gloss. In the first explanation they are linked to the final reward, concerning which first, he shows how it is related to works; secondly, how it is related to faith, there [v. 5; n. 330] at But to him who does not work. 329. First, therefore, he says that to him who works the works of justice, the reward of eternal recompense—concerning which Isaiah 40(:10) says, "Behold his reward is with him"—are not reckoned as a gift [secundum gratiam] only but as his due: "Did you not agree with me for a denarius?" (Mt 20:2). 170 But on the contrary it is stated below (6:23), "The free gift [gratia] of God is eternal life," and again: "The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Rom 8:18). Therefore, that reward is not made as due, but as a gift. The answer is that human works can be considered in two ways. In one way, according to the substance of the works, and considered this way they do not have anything deserving [condignum] that the award of eternal glory should be given. In another way, they can be considered according to their source, namely, insofar as they are performed under God’s impulse in accord with the intention of God who predestines. And in this respect the aforesaid reward is due them by debt, because, as is stated below (8:14): "All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God"; "and if sons, then heirs" (8:17). 330. Then (v. 5) he shows how the eternal award is related to faith, saying, but to one who does not work outward works, for example, because he does not have time to work, as in the case of one who dies immediately after baptism, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, namely, in God, of whom he says below (8:33): "It is God who justifies," his faith is reckoned, i.e., faith alone without outward works, as righteousness, so that in virtue of it he is called just and receives the reward of justice, just as if he had done the works of justice, as he says below (10:10): "Man believes with his heart and so is justified," according the purpose of the grace of God, i.e., accordingly as God proposes to save men gratuitously: "Who are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28); "He accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will" (Eph 1:11). 331. Another explanation refers those words to man’s justification. 171 Then to the one who works, i.e., if anyone be justified by works, the justice would be reckoned not as a gift but as his due: "If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace" (Rom 11:6). But to him who does not work, so as to be justified by his works, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith will be reckoned as justice according to the purpose of God’s grace, not that he merits justice through faith, but because the believing itself is the first act of the justice God works in him. For from the fact that he believes in God justifying, he submits himself to his justification and thus receives its effect. This is the literal explanation and accords with the intention of the Apostle, who lays special stress on the words, "it was reckoned to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6)" a saying which is used when that which is lacking on someone’s part is reckoned to him gratis, as if he had accomplished the whole. That is why the Apostle says that such reckoning would have no place, if righteousness were from works, but only as it is from faith. 332. Then when he says As also David (v. 6) he proves the conditional statement by a quotation from a psalm. First, he gives its sense; secondly, he presents its words, there [v. 7; n. 334] at Blessed they whose; thirdly, he excludes a false interpretation, there [v. 9; n. 339] at So does this blessedness? 333. He says: So also David pronounces a blessing [happiness] upon the man to whom God reckons, i.e., confers, justice apart from works, i.e., gratis, without preceding works: "Not because of deeds done by us in righteousness" (*** 3:5). 172 But man’s happiness is from God, as Ps 40 (v.5) says: "Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his hope." Hence, it is plain that he has glory before God who is justified not by the works of the Law, as has been said. 334. Then when he says Blessed they (v. 7) he presents David’s words containing the previous judgment and says that those whose sins are forgiven are blessed; consequently, they did not previously have good works, from which they obtained righteousness or happiness. 335. But sin is divided into three classes: original, actual mortal and actual venial. First, in regard to original sin he says: Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven. Here it should be noted that original sin is called iniquity, because it is the lack of that original justice, by which in equity man’s reason was subject to God, the lower powers to reason, and the body to the soul. This equity is removed by original sin, because after reason ceased to be subject to God, the lower powers rebel against reason and the body is withdrawn from obedience to the soul and subjected to decay and death. Hence Ps 51 (v.5) says: "I was brought forth in iniquities." In both texts original sin is presented in the plural, either because of the multitude of men in whom original sin is multiplied or better because it virtually contains within itself all sins in some way. Such original sin is said to be forgiven, because the reatus passes with the coming of grace, but the effect remains in the form of fomes or concupiscence, which is not entirely taken away in this life, but is remitted or mitigated. 336. Secondly, in regard to actual mortal sin he says, and whose sins are covered. 173 For sins are said to be covered from the divine gaze, inasmuch as he does not look upon them to be punished: "Thou didst cover all their sin" (Ps 85:2). 337. Thirdly, in regard to venial sin he says, blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin, where sin refers to venial sins which, although light, if they be many, man is separated and distant from God: "The good Lord will pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, even though not according to the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness" (2 Ch 30:18). 338. These three can be distinguished in another way. For in sin are three things, one of which is offense against God. In regard to this he says, blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, the way man is said to remit an offense committed against him: "Her iniquity is pardoned" (Is 40:2). The second thing is the fact that the disordered deed has been done and cannot be said not to have occurred, once it has been perpetrated; but it is covered over by the hand of God’s mercy and is held as if not committed. The third is the debt of punishment, in regard to which he says: Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin, i.e., to punish. 339. Then when he says So does this blessedness (v. 9) he excludes a false interpretation of the text. For a Jew could interpret it as meaning that the grace of forgiveness of sins is conferred only on the circumcised. Therefore, to exclude this the Apostle first raises the question, Is this blessing by which God confers righteousness without works, pronounced only upon the circumcised, i.e., affects only the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised, i.e. on the Gentiles? 174 Plainly it is for both, according to what he says below (10:12): "The same Lord bestows his riches upon all who call upon him." Secondly, there at For we say, to show this he appeals to the authority of Scripture (Gen 15:6), as if to say: I ask this, because we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. Thirdly, from this text he concludes to the answer, although he states it in the form of a question: How then was it reckoned to him, namely, Abraham’s faith as justice, i.e., was it before, i.e., when still uncircumcised, or after he had been circumcised? He answers: It was not after, but before he was circumcised. This is obvious from the reported sequence of events. For Gen (15:6) reports that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness, but the fact of receiving circumcision is not recorded until Gen (17:23 ff). Therefore, if Abraham, still uncircumcised, was justified by faith, it is plain that the justice of faith, through which sins are forgiven gratis, occurs not only in circumcision but also in uncircumcision, i.e., in Gentiles.
