Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Romans: Chapter 4].
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4:1 {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}
(\heur•kenai\). Westcott and Hort put \heur•kenai\ 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\.
4:2 {The Scripture} (\h• graph•\). Ge 15:6. {Was justified by
works} (\ex erg•n edikai•th•\). 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.
4:3 {It was reckoned unto him for righteousness} (\elogisth• eis
dikaiosun•n\). 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 t•i the•i\).
4:4 {But as of debt} (\alla kata opheil•ma\). An illustration of
the workman (\ergazomen•i\) who gets his wages due him, "not as
of grace" (\ou kata charin\).
4:5 {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).
4:6 {Pronounceth blessing} (\legei ton makarismon\). old word
from \makariz•\, to pronounce blessed (Lu 1:48), felicitation,
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Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Romans: Chapter 4)