SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:13
Porque no por la ley fue dada la promesa a Abraham o a su simiente, que sería heredero del mundo, sino por la justicia de la fe.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 4:13
Verse 13. For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world] This promise intimated that he should be the medium through whom the mercy of God should be communicated to the world, to both Jews and Gentiles; and the manner in which he was justified, be the rule and manner according to which all men should expect this blessing. Abraham is here represented as having all the world given to him as his inheritance; because in him all nations of the earth are blessed: this must therefore relate to their being all interested in the Abrahamic covenant; and every person, now that the covenant is fully explained, has the privilege of claiming justification through faith, by the blood of the Lamb, in virtue of this original grant.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. For the promise that he should be heir of the world , etc..] This promise is thought by some to refer to that of his being the father of many nations, ( Genesis 17:4,5 Romans 4:17,18); by whom the Gentiles are particularly meant, who are sometimes called the world, and the whole world, or the elect of God, the believing part of the world; whether among Jews or Gentiles, who sometimes go by the name of the world in Scripture: but to this it may be objected, that the promise here spoken of is made to Abraham's seed, as well as to himself; by which is meant not the Messiah, who is indeed heir of the world, and all things in it, but all believers, whether Jews or Gentiles; as appears from ( Romans 4:16); and therefore cannot be both heirs and inheritance too. Others think the land of Canaan is designed, and by a synecdoche, a part of the world is put for the whole world; but that land is never so called, and, besides, the promise of it belonged to those of the law, and to them only, contrary to what the apostle argues, ( Romans 4:14,16). Others therefore consider Canaan as a type of heaven, which Abraham and his spiritual seed are heirs of by promise. But rather, by the world here, is meant, both this world and that which is to come; Abraham and all believers are the heirs of this world, and of all things in it; all things are theirs, and, among the rest, the world, Christ being theirs, and they being Christ's; he is heir of all things, and they are joint heirs with him; and how little soever they may enjoy of it now, the time is coming, when they, by virtue of their right, shall inherit the earth; (see Psalm 37:9,11); and now they have as much of it as is necessary, and with a blessing, and which the Jews call their world. It is a saying in their Talmud f61 , yyjb hart mlw[ , thou shall see thy world in thy lifetime; which the gloss explains, thou shalt find, or enjoy all thy necessities, or what is needful for thee; and of Abraham they say f62 , that he was the foundation of the world, and that for his sake the world was created; and introduce God saying of him thus f63 as I am the only one in my world, so he is the only one, wmlw[b , in his world. And as he and all the saints are heirs of this world, so of the world to come, the future salvation, the inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, never fading, and reserved in the heavens; for they are heirs of God himself, and shall inherit all things: now this large and comprehensive promise, which takes in the things of time and eternity, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed through the law : not through the law of circumcision, or on the score of their obedience to that, for this promise was made before that was enjoined; (see Genesis 12:2,3); nor through the law of Moses, which was not as yet given; nor through the law of nature, nor by any righteousness of the law; but through the righteousness of faith : by virtue of which they have all things that pertain to life and godliness, ( 2 Peter 1:3); and have the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, ( Timothy 4:8); enjoy with a blessing what they now have, and have a right and title to the heavenly glory.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-22 - The promise was made to Abraham long before the law. It points a Christ, and it refers to the promise, Ge 12:3. In Thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. The law worketh wrath, by showin that every transgressor is exposed to the Divine displeasure. As God intended to give men a title to the promised blessings, so he appointe it to be by faith, that it might be wholly of grace, to make it sure to all who were of the like precious faith with Abraham, whether Jews of Gentiles, in all ages. The justification and salvation of sinners, the taking to himself the Gentiles who had not been a people, were gracious calling of things which are not, as though they were; and thi giving a being to things that were not, proves the almighty power of God. The nature and power of Abraham's faith are shown. He believe God's testimony, and looked for the performance of his promise, firml hoping when the case seemed hopeless. It is weakness of faith, tha makes a man lie poring on the difficulties in the way of a promise Abraham took it not for a point that would admit of argument or debate Unbelief is at the bottom of all our staggerings at God's promises. The strength of faith appeared in its victory over fears. God honour faith; and great faith honours God. It was imputed to him for righteousness. Faith is a grace that of all others gives glory to God Faith clearly is the instrument by which we receive the righteousnes of God, the redemption which is by Christ; and that which is the instrument whereby we take or receive it, cannot be the thing itself nor can it be the gift thereby taken and received. Abraham's faith di not justify him by its own merit or value, but as giving him a part in Christ.
Greek Textus Receptus
ου 3756 PRT-N γαρ 1063 CONJ δια 1223 PREP νομου 3551 N-GSM η 3588 T-NSF επαγγελια 1860 N-NSF τω 3588 T-DSM αβρααμ 11 N-PRI η 2228 PRT τω 3588 T-DSN σπερματι 4690 N-DSN αυτου 846 P-GSM το 3588 T-NSN κληρονομον 2818 N-ASM αυτον 846 P-ASM ειναι 1511 5750 V-PXN του 3588 T-GSM κοσμου 2889 N-GSM αλλα 235 CONJ δια 1223 PREP δικαιοσυνης 1343 N-GSF πιστεως 4102 N-GSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
13. Heir of the world (klhronomon kosmou). See on divided by lot, Acts xiii. 19; and inheritance, 1 Pet. i. 4. "Paul here takes the Jewish conception of the universal dominion of the Messianic theocracy prefigured by the inheritance of Canaan, divests it of its Judaistic element, and raises it to a christological truth." Compare Matt. xix. 28, 29; Luke xxii. 30. The idea underlies the phrases kingdom of God, kingdom of Heaven.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:13 {That he should be the heir of the world} (to kleronomon auton einai kosmou). The articular infinitive (to einai) with the accusative of general reference in loose apposition with h epaggelia (the promise). But where is that promise? Not just #Ge 12:7, but the whole chain of promises about his son, his descendants like the stars in heaven, the Messiah and the blessing to the world through him. In these verses (#13-17) Paul employs (Sanday and Headlam) the keywords of his gospel (faith, promise, grace) and arrays them against the current Jewish theology (law, works, merit).
