Romans 4:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore you will be able to have Abraham as forefather when you walk in the steps of faith, and when you do not persist and argue in defense of the law. What faith, tell me? The faith which he had in uncircumcision. Again the Apostle lowers Jewish pride by recalling the time of righteousness. He rightly said “in the steps,” so that you, like Abraham, may believe in the resurrection of dead bodies, since in this also he revealed his faith.

Thus, if you reject uncircumcision, know clearly that circumcision will be of no benefit to you either. If you do not follow in the steps of faith, then even if you were circumcised a thousand times, you would not become a child of Abraham. He received circumcision precisely so as not to reject you, who remain in uncircumcision.

Do not demand this of him. This matter served as an aid to you, not to him. But you will say that circumcision serves as a sign of righteousness. This too was for your sake, though now it is no longer so, since then you needed bodily signs, while now there is no longer need of them.

You will ask again: could the excellence of his soul not have been known by Abraham’s faith? Of course it could. Yet you needed this addition as well. Since you did not emulate spiritual virtue and could not see it, sensible circumcision was given to you. Thus, by exercising yourself in this bodily sign, you might little by little be guided toward spiritual philosophy. Having received circumcision with all zeal, as the sign of the highest dignity, you would learn to imitate and honor the forefather.

God established this not only in circumcision, but also in all the rest, for example, in sacrifices, sabbaths, and feasts. Learn from the Apostle’s next words that Abraham received circumcision for your sake. Having said that Abraham received a sign and a seal, he also indicates the reason, saying: “that he might be the father of circumcision” (Rom 4:11). This is for those who also receive inward circumcision, because if you have only outward circumcision, you will receive no benefit from it.

Circumcision is a sign when the thing of which it is a sign is visible in you, that is, faith. Likewise, if you do not have faith, then the sign can no longer be a sign. Of what, indeed, will it be a sign, and of what a seal, when there is nothing sealed? It would be like showing us a money bag with a seal, when nothing has been placed inside. Circumcision is just as ridiculous when faith is not within.

If circumcision is a sign of righteousness, and you do not have righteousness, then you do not have the sign either. You received the sign so that you might seek the thing whose sign you possess. If you could find it without the sign, then you would have no need of the sign. Circumcision proclaims not righteousness alone, but specifically righteousness in uncircumcision. Therefore circumcision proclaims nothing other than this: there is no need of circumcision.

On the other hand, through circumcision Abraham is shown to be father of circumcision, that is, of the circumcised. Yet he is father not only of those who have circumcision, but also of those who walk in the steps of the faith which he had in uncircumcision.

Therefore the present passage must be read thus: he became father of the circumcised, not for those who resemble him only in circumcision, but for those who walk in the steps of his faith. That is, they believe as he did in the resurrection of dead bodies. For in old age and deadness he believed that God could make his seed fruitful and give him a son.

The full thought is this. Abraham, while uncircumcised, believed and was justified, so that in this way he might become father of believing uncircumcised people. On the other hand, he received circumcision, the seal and sign of the faith which he had in uncircumcision, so that he might become father of the circumcised who, of course, walk in the steps of the faith which he had before he was circumcised.

When this faith is absent, circumcision boasts in vain. It imitates someone who displays a purse to which only a seal has been attached, but in which there is nothing. Thus the Jew is a purse sealed by circumcision, but without the faith of which circumcision is the seal.

He makes this very point clearer in the words added: “not to those only who are of the circumcision. But also to those who walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had in uncircumcision.” If anyone who comes from the Gentiles and has not received circumcision walks in the steps of the patriarch’s faith, which he showed before circumcision, he will not be alien to kinship with him.

For the God of all, foreseeing as God that He would gather one people from Gentiles and Jews and grant them salvation through faith, prefigured both things in the patriarch Abraham. He showed that Abraham acquired righteousness from faith even before circumcision, and that after circumcision he lived not under the guidance of the Mosaic law, but remaining under the guidance of faith.

He called him father of nations, so that, looking to him, Jews and Greeks would strive not one group for circumcision and the other for uncircumcision, but both for faith. For divine Scripture called neither circumcision nor uncircumcision righteousness, but faith.

Thus, having proved that faith is older and more honorable than the law, he also proves that the law is later than the promise given to Abraham. He confirms that grace is older than the law. For the promises concerning it were given to Abraham, and God promised to bless all nations in his seed. The promise was brought to fulfillment by the Master Christ.

If anyone who comes from the Gentiles and has not received circumcision follows that faith of the forefather which he showed before circumcision, such a person will not be excluded from kinship with him. For the God of all, knowing beforehand as God that He would gather one people from Gentiles and Jews, and that He would bring them salvation through faith, signified both things beforehand in the forefather Abraham.

He showed that Abraham found righteousness through faith even before circumcision, and that after circumcision he lived not according to the law of Moses, but remained on the path of faith. Therefore He called him father of nations (see Gen 17:4-5).

Looking more deeply into the history of Abraham, the Apostle asks: “When was it reckoned” to Abraham? Was it after circumcision or before circumcision? It was not after circumcision, but before it. For Abraham received the announcement of the birth of a son and believed it while he was still uncircumcised. “And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness through faith which he had in uncircumcision” (Rom 4:10-11).

In this event, that is, in the institution of circumcision only after Abraham had manifested faith concerning God’s promise to him, the holy Apostle sees a deliberate purpose of God. It was to show in Abraham a universal model of faith, both for the circumcised and for the uncircumcised. It was also so that he might be not the fleshly, but the spiritual father of all believers, “that righteousness might be reckoned to them also,” as to those “who walk in the steps of the faith which he had in uncircumcision” (Rom 4:12).

Returning to Abraham’s example, the Apostle draws two conclusions from the fact that his justification by faith took place long before circumcision, fourteen years before it, and before the birth of his son. First, circumcision was only the seal of that justification which had come through faith. Second, Abraham was father of all believing uncircumcised and circumcised people, provided they are guided by the same living faith by which Abraham lived.

Saint John Chrysostom writes: “If Abraham was justified and crowned before circumcision, it follows that he is first the father of the uncircumcised, and only afterward father of the circumcised. Therefore circumcision appeared later than faith. It is not only later, but far inferior to it, as much as a sign is inferior to the thing it signifies. Thus, for example, military clothing is inferior to the soldier. Circumcision is then a sign when the very thing of which it is a sign is visible, that is, when faith is visible in you. You received the sign so that you might seek the thing of which you have the sign. But if you find the thing without the sign, you have no need of the sign. Therefore circumcision proclaims only this: that circumcision is not needed.”

Thus circumcision, as something added afterward, has no influence on justification, which depends entirely on faith. Blessed Theodoret writes: “If someone, coming from the Gentiles and not receiving circumcision, walks in the steps of that faith of the patriarch which he showed before circumcision, he will not be alien to kinship with him. The God of all, foreseeing as God that He would gather one people from Gentiles and Jews, and would grant them salvation through faith, prefigured both in the patriarch Abraham. He showed that even before circumcision Abraham acquired righteousness from faith. After circumcision he lived, not guided by the law of Moses, but remaining under the guidance of faith. Therefore He called him the father of the nations, so that, looking to him, Jews and Greeks would not contend, the one for circumcision and the other for uncircumcision, but both for faith. For divine Scripture called neither circumcision nor uncircumcision righteousness, but faith.”

Chrysostom carries his conclusions further, always in favor of the uncircumcised, that is, of us: “Do you see how the Apostle proved that it is more correct to call the Jews those received by mercy than to say that those in uncircumcision have been joined to the Jews? If Abraham was justified and crowned before circumcision, then received circumcision, and only afterward the Jews appeared, it follows that Abraham is first the father of the uncircumcised, who have kinship with him by faith, and only afterward the father of the circumcised. For he is forefather of two generations. Do you see the splendor of faith? As long as there was no faith, the patriarch was not justified. Do you see that uncircumcision is no hindrance at all? Abraham was uncircumcised, and this did not prevent him from being justified. Therefore circumcision appeared later than faith. Not only is it later, but it is far lower than faith, as a sign is lower than the thing it signifies, just as military dress is lower than the soldier.

But why, you ask, did Abraham need a seal? So that he might become the common father of believers, both in uncircumcision and in circumcision, and not simply of the circumcised, not only of those from circumcision. If Abraham is father of the uncircumcised not because he himself was uncircumcised, though he was justified in uncircumcision, but because the uncircumcised imitated him in faith, then still less will he be forefather of the circumcised by circumcision alone, without faith added to it.

He received circumcision so that the uncircumcised would not drive out the circumcised, but both might have Abraham as their father. You will be able to have Abraham as forefather when you walk in the steps of his faith, and when you cease being stubborn and zealously standing for the law. If you do not walk in the steps of faith, then even if you are circumcised a thousand times, you will not become a son of Abraham.

Abraham received circumcision so that, if he had remained uncircumcised, he would not reject you. Do not seek in him the cause of circumcision. It was performed on him as an aid to you, not to him. You needed bodily signs. Since you did not imitate spiritual courage and could not see it, sensible circumcision was given to you. Thus, reflecting on this bodily sign, you might gradually ascend to spiritual philosophy. Receiving circumcision with all zeal, as the sign of the highest dignity, you would learn to imitate the forefather in the thing signified, that is, in faith.

With this intention God established not only circumcision, but all the rest as well. I mean sacrifices, sabbaths, and feasts. That Abraham received circumcision for your sake you can see from the Apostle’s next words. Having said that Abraham received a sign and seal, he adds the reason, saying: that he might be the father of circumcision, for those who receive inward circumcision through faith. For if you have outward circumcision alone, you gain nothing by it.

Circumcision is a sign when the very thing of which it is a sign is visible in you, that is, when faith is visible in you. If you do not have faith, then the sign can no longer be a sign. Of what will it be a sign, and of what a seal, when there is nothing sealed? It would mean that you show us a purse with a seal attached, but with nothing inside. Circumcision is just as ridiculous when there is no faith within.

If circumcision is a sign of righteousness from faith, and you do not have such righteousness, then your sign is not a sign. You received the sign so that you would seek the thing of which you have the sign. But if you find the thing without the sign, then you have no need of the sign. Circumcision proclaims not only righteousness, but specifically righteousness in uncircumcision. Therefore circumcision proclaims only this: circumcision is not needed.”