SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:6
¶ Como Abraham crey a Dios, y le fue atribuido a justicia.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 3:6
Verse 6. Abraham believed God] This is quoted from Genesis xv. 6, where see the note; and St. Paul produces it, Rom. iv. 3-5, where also see the notes. Abraham, while even uncircumcised, believed in God, and his faith was reckoned to him for justification; and Abraham is called the father of the faithful, or, of believers. If, then, he was justified without the deeds of the law, he was justified by faith; and if he was justified by faith, long before the law was given then the law is not necessary to salvation. It is remarkable that the Jews themselves maintained that Abraham was saved by faith. Mehilta, in Yalcut Simeoni, page 1, fol. 69, makes this assertion: "It is evident that Abraham could not obtain an inheritance either in this world or in the world to come, but by faith."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 6. Even as Abraham believed God , etc..] The apostle having observed, that the special grace and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit were received not through the preaching of the law, but through the doctrine of faith; by an easy transition, passes on to a further confirmation of the doctrine of justification by faith, by producing the instance of Abraham, what the Scripture says of him, and the promise made unto him; which is very appropriate to his purpose, since Abraham was certainly a righteous man, the first of the circumcision, and the head of the Jewish nation; and whom the false teachers much gloried in, and boasted of their being his seed, and of being circumcised as he was; and would fain have persuaded the Gentiles to the same practice, in imitation of him, and as necessary to their justification before God; whereas the apostle here shows, referring to ( Genesis 15:6) that Abraham was justified by faith, and not by any works whatever, much less by circumcision; for what he here refers to, was many years before his circumcision; and since therefore he was a justified person, declared to be so, before it and without it, it was not necessary to his justification, nor is it to any other person's: he believed God . The object of faith is God, Father, Son, and Spirit; here Jehovah the Son seems principally intended, who in ( Genesis 15:1) is called the Word of the Lord; the essential Word, who was with God from everlasting, and was God, and in the fulness of time was made flesh and dwelt among men; and Abraham's shield, the same the apostle in ( Ephesians 6:16) calls the shield of faith; meaning not the grace of faith, but Christ the object of faith; which faith lays hold on, and makes use of as a shield against the temptations of Satan: and also his exceeding great reward; his all in all, being made to him, as to all believers, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption: him he believed, not only that he was God, but he believed his word of promise, and in his power and faithfulness to fulfil it; which regarded not only his natural offspring, and a numerous race, the enjoyment of the land of Canaan, and many temporal good things in it, but the Messiah, and spiritual blessings in him: he believed in the Lord, ( Genesis 15:6) in Jehovah the Word, in him as his shield, and exceeding great reward, in him as the Lord his righteousness: and it was accounted to him for righteousness ; that is, by God, whom he believed; for the sense is, not that Abraham ascribed righteousness to God, and celebrated his justice and faithfulness, as some; nor, as others, that Abraham was accounted a righteous man by the world; but that something was accounted by God to Abraham as his righteousness, which could not be the act of his faith; for faith is not a man's righteousness, neither in whole nor in part; faith and righteousness are two distinct things, and are often distinguished one from another in Scripture: besides, that which was accounted to Abraham for righteousness, is imputed to others also; (see Romans 4:23,24) which can never be true of the act of his faith; but is of the object of it, the word of the Lord, his shield and exceeding great reward, the Lord his righteousness and strength, who is made or accounted, as to him, so to others, righteousness. The righteousness of Christ, whom he believed in, was accounted to him as his justifying righteousness now for faith to be accounted for righteousness, is all one as to be justified by faith; that is, by Christ, or by his righteousness imputed and received by faith; and if Abraham was justified this way, as he was, the apostle has his argument against the false teachers.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-14 - The apostle proves the doctrine he had blamed the Galatians for rejecting; namely, that of justification by faith without the works of the law. This he does from the example of Abraham, whose faith fastene upon the word and promise of God, and upon his believing he was owne and accepted of God as a righteous man. The Scripture is said to foresee, because the Holy Spirit that indited the Scripture di foresee. Through faith in the promise of God he was blessed; and it is only in the same way that others obtain this privilege. Let us the study the object, nature, and effects of Abraham's faith; for who can in any other way escape the curse of the holy law? The curse is agains all sinners, therefore against all men; for all have sinned, and ar become guilty before God: and if, as transgressors of the law, we ar under its curse, it must be vain to look for justification by it. Thos only are just or righteous who are freed from death and wrath, an restored into a state of life in the favour of God; and it is onl through faith that persons become righteous. Thus we see tha justification by faith is no new doctrine, but was taught in the churc of God, long before the times of the gospel. It is, in truth, the onl way wherein any sinners ever were, or can be justified. Thoug deliverance is not to be expected from the law, there is a way open to escape the curse, and regain the favour of God, namely, through fait in Christ. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law; being mad sin, or a sin-offering, for us, he was made a curse for us; no separated from God, but laid for a time under the Divine punishment The heavy sufferings of the Son of God, more loudly warn sinners to flee from the wrath to come, than all the curses of the law; for ho can God spare any man who remains under sin, seeing that he spared no his own Son, when our sins were charged upon him? Yet at the same time Christ, as from the cross, freely invites sinners to take refuge in him.
Greek Textus Receptus
καθως 2531 αβρααμ 11 επιστευσεν 4100 5656 τω 3588 θεω 2316 και 2532 ελογισθη 3049 5681 αυτω 846 εις 1519 δικαιοσυνην 1343
Vincent's NT Word Studies
6. Even as (kaqwv). The answer to the question of verse 5 is so obvious that it is not given. Paul proceeds at once to the illustration - the argument for the righteousness of faith furnished in the justification of Abraham. The spiritual gifts come through the message of faith, even as Abraham believed, etc.
Believed God (episteusen tw qew). See on Rom. iv. 5. Believed God's promise that he should become the father of many nations. See Rom. iv. 18-21. The reference is not to faith in the promised Messiah. It was accounted to him for righteousness (elogisqh autw eiv dikaiosunhn). See on Rom. iv. 5. Eiv does not mean instead of, but as. His faith was reckoned as righteousness - as something which it really was since all possibilities of righteousness are included in faith.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:6 {It was reckoned unto him for righteousness} (elogisqe eis dikaiosunen). First aorist passive indicative of logizomai. See on 1Co 13:5 for this old word. He quotes #Ge 15:6 and uses it at length in #Ro 4:3ff. to prove that the faith of Abraham was reckoned "for" (eis, good _Koin_ idiom though more common in LXX because of the Hebrew) righteousness before he was circumcised. James (#Jas 2:23) quotes the same passage as proof of Abraham's obedience to God in offering up Isaac (beginning to offer him). Paul and James are discussing different episodes in the life of Abraham. Both are correct.
