ACC ~ Romans 4 v17

LIFE TO THE DEAD. ORIGEN: The dead here are those whose souls have sinned, for Scripture says: “The soul that sins will die.” For just as the senses perish in our mortal body so that the body can no longer hear, smell, taste or touch, so also the spiritual senses perish in the soul so that it cannot see God or hear his Word, or sense the sweet odor of Christ, or taste the good Word of God, or handle the word of life. People like that must be said to be dead. This is what we were like when Christ came, but he has given us life by his grace. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

PELAGIUS: Abraham is the father of all believers, not just of the nation of Israel. “Life to the dead” is given to those who are dead for the purpose of bearing children, which is the context of the present discussion. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

FATHER OF MANY NATIONS. AMBROSIASTER: Paul confirms by quoting the law that Abraham is the father of all who believe, and so the promise is firm if they abandon the law on account of their faith, because the promise of the kingdom of heaven is given to the righteous, not to sinners. Those who are under the law are under sin because all have sinned, and it is not possible for anyone who is under the law to receive grace.

In order to teach that there is one God for all, Paul tells the Gentiles that Abraham believed in God himself and was justified in his sight. The Gentiles also believe in him that they may be justified, and so there is no difference between Jew and Greek in faith, for when the circumcision and the uncircumcision are taken away they are made one in Christ.

Paul invites the Gentiles to share the faith of Abraham, who believed God while he was still uncircumcised. Now that that faith is preached in Christ, he has been raised from the dead, along with his wife. For when they were already very old they sprang back to life, so that Abraham did not doubt that he would have a son by Sarah, whom he knew to be sterile and who had long since ceased to have her menstrual period. Paul said this so that they would not worry about circumcision or uncircumcision but that they would respond eagerly because of their faith, secure in the knowledge that the one in whom they believe is no other than the one who gives life to the dead, who has the power to bring things which do not exist into being by his will. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

THE RELATION OF FAITH. CHRYSOSTOM: Is God here referring to the fact that Abraham was the father of the Ishmaelites, or the Amalekites, or the Hagarenes? No … God is a father not by way of natural relationship but by way of the relation of faith. It is in this sense also that Abraham is the father of us all. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 8.

AUGUSTINE: This means that faith is in the inner man, in the sight of God and not in human display, which is what the circumcision of the flesh is. AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 24.

OUT OF NOTHING. AUGUSTINE: Everything which God did not beget of himself but made through his Word he made not out of things which already existed but out of what did not exist at all, i.e., out of nothing. THE NATURE OF THE GOOD 26.