Romans 4:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven." At first sight, the Apostle brings in a testimony that does not fit, since David did not say, "Blessed are those whose faith has been counted as righteousness." But the Apostle does this intentionally, not from ignorance, in order to show the greater superiority of faith.

If the one who received forgiveness by grace is blessed, then the one justified and manifesting faith is much more blessed. Where there is blessedness, every shame is removed and great glory remains. For blessedness is the fullness of rewards and glory.

Having proved by the example of Abraham that righteousness, or justification, is from faith, he also presents David. David calls blessed the man to whom God does not impute sin, and he shows the advantage and superiority of faith.

For if the one who receives forgiveness by grace is blessed, then much more blessed is the one who has displayed faith and is justified by it. Why, he says, are you troubled that he receives forgiveness of sins by grace? You see that the one who receives remission by grace is blessed. The prophet would not have called him blessed unless he knew that he possessed great glory. For blessedness is something very great, higher than righteousness itself. It is the summit of all the good things we receive from God.

He continues: "David says, Blessed is the one to whom God has reckoned His righteousness," in order to show that God justifies him apart from works. "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven" (Ps. 31:1-2).

Plainly, blessed are those whose dishonors are forgiven without effort or any labor, whose sins are remitted without the necessary work of repentance, solely because they believe.

How, then, can what the Apostle says be applied to the repentant: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered," when it is known that penitents receive forgiveness of sins through labor and sorrows? And how does he put on the same level as a martyr the man of whom he says, "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Rom 4:8; Ps 31:2), when we know that the glory of martyrdom is obtained through sufferings and persecutions?

Yet the prophet, foreseeing the blessed time of the Savior's coming, calls them blessed, because without effort or any labor of washing, their sins are forgiven, covered, and not imputed.

Since the Apostle proved that blessed Abraham acquired righteousness by faith, yet Abraham lived before the law was given, he necessarily presents David as a witness to grace, since David lived already under the law. He says: "Even as David also speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from the works of the law: Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not reckon sin" (Ps. 31:1-2). That is, the law imposed punishment on sinners, but the Prophet blesses those who received forgiveness of sins. Therefore it is clear that he blesses us and foretells the gifts of grace.

Iniquities are forgiven, as can be understood, in baptism, while sins are covered by repentance.

Verses 6-8. The saying cited from the Psalm (Ps. 31:1-2), as Chrysostom notes, has the purpose of showing the superiority of faith. The Apostle's thought is this: David calls blessed those whose sins are forgiven. If they are blessed, they are also righteous, because blessedness is given only to the righteous. But those who have sins cannot be righteous. Therefore they became righteous by grace, not by their own works.

Fourth section. Justifying faith is not the destruction of the law. On the contrary, it was and always is the continual and universal means of justification. This is proved by the example of Abraham and the testimony of David, and by the greatness of the fruits of our justification and of God's love, which do not correspond to our sinfulness (Rom 4-5:11).

Rom 4:1-25. "What does the Scripture say" about Abraham? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness" (Rom 4:3). "So also David calls blessed the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works" (Rom 4:6).

Likewise, not by works but by God's mercy, those are blessed who, according to David, receive from God forgiveness of sins. Their sins, as though covered by God's mercy, are not imputed to them as guilt (Ps 31:1-2).

The words of David's prophetic psalm refer more to New Testament people, whose sins are covered by the sufferings of Christ the Savior. But the Hebrews might think that they refer only to Old Testament people, and therefore serve to confirm their opinion about justification by works. Therefore the Apostle returns again to the example of Abraham.

The example of righteous Abraham especially rests on this thought: justification is accomplished through faith. The testimony of holy David rests on this: it is given apart from works of the law. The holy Prophet presents a sinner received into God's mercy, justified, and counted worthy of blessedness.

Blessedness signifies that radiant state which every man seeks, the final end and supreme good. It comes from God's nearness, or from drawing near to God, when God receives someone into His mercy and embraces him with His favor. Then this mercy and favor are also felt by the heart of the one received.

Sin cuts off such nearness and prevents it. As long as sin is in someone and upon someone, such nearness cannot take place. Therefore the whole matter is to blot out and remove sin.