The promise through faith, Abraham as heir of the world, and the God who gives life to the dead (Romans 4:13–17)

Says "For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith" (4:13, BSB). The words are ἐπαγγελία (lex.G1860) and κληρονόμος (lex.G2818) (note.language.Rom.4.13-Rom.4.16.kleronomos-kosmou).

Uncertain What "heir of the world" means. Genesis promises Abraham's offspring the land (Gen 12:7; 13:14–17; 15:18; 17:8), many nations (17:4–6), blessing for all the families of the earth (12:3), and blessing for all nations through his offspring (22:17–18; xref.Rom.4.13.Gen.22.17-Gen.22.18.heb). This commentary leans to the promise of land and nations widened to the world, as 8:17–23 develops: believers are "heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ" (8:17, BSB), and creation itself will be set free. The alternative limits it to the many nations of Gen 17:5 (4:17–18). Jewish writers had already widened the land promise to the whole earth (Sir 44:21; Jub. 22:14; both non-canonical; note.historical.Rom.4.1-Rom.4.25.abraham-second-temple).

Implies The inheritance belongs to Abraham "and his offspring" (4:13, BSB), that is, to all who are "of the faith of Abraham" (4:16, BSB), Jews and Gentiles. It comes by promise received through faith, not by the law.

Says "For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless, because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression" (4:14–15, BSB). κεκένωται and κατήργηται are perfects (lex.G2673). RP and TR read γάρ for δέ in 4:15 (var.Rom.4.15.de-gar).

Implies The law brings wrath because sinners break it (lex.G3709; lex.G3551). παράβασις (lex.G3847) is the overstepping of a stated command (2:23; 5:13–14). An inheritance resting on the law could therefore never be received, and faith and promise would be emptied.

Uncertain The subject of the verbless clause in 4:16. This commentary leans to "the promise," as the BSB supplies ("the promise comes by faith," 4:16, BSB), because ἐπαγγελία is the subject of 4:13–14 and returns at the end of the verse. The alternative supplies "the inheritance" or "the heirs" from 4:14 (note.language.Rom.4.13-Rom.4.16.kleronomos-kosmou).

Implies The promise rests on grace "and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring" (4:16, BSB) because it depends on God's grace received by faith, not on keeping the law. βεβαίαν, "guaranteed," marks it as sure. "He is the father of us all" (4:16, BSB).

Says "As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”" (4:17, BSB). The quotation is Gen 17:5 in the words of Swete's LXX (note.language.Rom.4.17-Rom.4.18.gen-17-5-gen-15-5; xref.Rom.4.17.Gen.17.5.heb). In κατέναντι οὗ ἐπίστευσεν θεοῦ the relative is attracted, "before the God in whom he believed" (note.language.Rom.4.17.katenanti-kalountos).

Uncertain What τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ καλοῦντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα (4:17) says about creation (lex.G2227). This commentary follows the lean of note.language.Rom.4.17.katenanti-kalountos: God's creative call that brings into being what does not exist, with ὡς ὄντα giving the result. Creation out of nothing is then the background, not the statement (compare 1 Cor 1:28, τὰ μὴ ὄντα; 2 Macc 7:28, non-canonical). The alternative takes ὡς as "as though": God "speaks of things that are not as though they were," naming the promised nations before they exist (4:17a, 18). The BSB, "calls into being what does not yet exist" (4:17, BSB), follows the first reading (note.historical.Rom.4.1-Rom.4.25.creation-from-nothing).

Implies The description of God as "the God who gives life to the dead" (4:17, BSB) prepares for the deadness of Abraham's body and Sarah's womb (4:19) and for the God who raised Jesus (4:24).