Can you explain what “flesh” is in\u00a0Romans 4:1?<\/p>\n\t
This verse is translated in two different ways:<\/p>\n
“What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?<\/i>” (New King James Version)<\/p>\n
“What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?<\/i>” (New American Standard Bible)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
In the former, the question is: What did Abraham discover from his experiences in the world? In the latter, the question is being addressed to Christians of Jewish descent as to what Abraham had learned. The verses that follow are obviously addressed to those familiar with the teachings of the Old Testament. A third understanding is that Abraham was the father to the Jews as evident by his circumcision in the flesh. A fourth and similar understanding is: What did Abraham discover in regards to his circumcision? In this understanding, the verse is making the same point as\u00a0Romans 3:1, “What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision?<\/i>” Interestingly, none of these renditions alter the meaning of the verses following.<\/p>\n
Paul still argues that Abraham’s justification was not earned by came by believing God. (Notice that it does not say Abraham believed\u00a0in<\/i>\u00a0God, but that he believed God. He accepted and lived by what God told him.) He was not justified by circumcision because God counted him as righteous prior to his being circumcised. It was not by the Mosaical law either as he lived long before Moses was born. Abraham believed God while he lived in the world and he saw the fruits of that belief in the birth of his son Isaac. Since the Jews physically descend from Abraham, the points Paul is making is significant to them because Paul is talking about their revered ancestor.<\/p>\n
This is an occasion where the statement appears ambiguous but remains meaningful and accurate no matter how it is read. Sometimes I wonder if this style of writing was purposely done to communicate multiple truths at once.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Can you explain what “flesh” is in\u00a0Romans 4:1? Answer: This verse is translated in two different ways: “What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?” (New King James Version) “What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?” (New American Standard…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[413,76],"class_list":["post-1609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-flesh","tag-terminology"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2040,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/abraham-wasnt-baptized-so-why-should-we-need-it\/","url_meta":{"origin":1609,"position":0},"title":"Abraham wasn’t baptized, so why should we need it?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 3, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In Romans chapter 4 it talks about Abraham being saved by belief.\u00a0 \"For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness\" (Romans 4:3).\u00a0 \u00a0Did they baptize in the Old Testament?\u00a0 Nowhere that I have read.\u00a0 Now you might say that baptism wasn't\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14702,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-romans-49-12-indicate-that-we-are-saved-prior-to-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":1609,"position":1},"title":"Does Romans 4:9-12 indicate that we are saved prior to baptism?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 24, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Can you explain why Romans 4:9-12 does not indicate that we are saved prior to baptism? I am not sure how to put the answer into words for an acquaintance that insists that he was saved prior to baptism regardless of clear passages of Scripture. Thank you! Answer: When\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7858,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-christians-considered-to-be-israelites\/","url_meta":{"origin":1609,"position":2},"title":"Are Christians considered to be Israelites?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 21, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Are those who are now under the new covenant, Christians, considered to be Israelites now? Are we the part of the nation of Israel? Figuratively speaking, of course. Answer: Christians are not physically Israelites, but we are the spiritual equivalent. \"For he is not a Jew who is one\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1916,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-is-jesus-referred-to-as-the-son-of-david-more-than-as-the-son-of-abraham-or-of-noah\/","url_meta":{"origin":1609,"position":3},"title":"Why is Jesus referred to as the son of David more than as the son of Abraham or of Noah?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 4, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why is Jesus referred to as the son of David more than as the son of Abraham or of Noah? Answer: Jesus was born into this world, which meant that he was a descendant of Noah, just as everyone else in the world since the flood has descended from\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8714,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/you-cant-be-saved-unless-you-become-an-israelite\/","url_meta":{"origin":1609,"position":4},"title":"You can’t be saved unless you become an Israelite","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 19, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: You refer to Jeremiah 31:31 as a proof text to prove that it is no longer necessary to keep the Sabbath. Have you noticed who the New Covenant is made with? It is with the House of Israel and the House of Judah. Paul cites this in Hebrew 8:8\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2465,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/since-christians-are-spiritual-israel-shouldnt-they-be-following-the-ten-commandments\/","url_meta":{"origin":1609,"position":5},"title":"Since Christians are spiritual Israel, shouldn’t they be following the Ten Commandments?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 5, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In the current age, Christians are spiritual Israel. Hence, the Ten Commandments would still apply to us just as they did to physical Israel. Answer: This point alludes to\u00a0Romans 2:23-29: \"You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 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