The Blessing is for Both
Romans 4:9
“Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.” -Romans 4:9
For the Jews of Paul’s day, circumcision was considered to be the first work of the law toward righteousness. All other works needed to be established by that work first.
But Paul will show otherwise—that righteousness comes graciously from God alone and that no ceremony is able to produce the righteousness of God for our salvation.
Verses 9-17 make up the next stage of Paul’s argument. But here he initiates the next stage by raising the question to whom belongs the blessing to which David refers (vss. 7-8)?
Is this forgiveness of sins for the circumcised only? Is it reserved for those, like David, who were under the covenant blessing? Or does the blessing apply to the uncircumcised also?
As it shall be seen, Paul will argue that it is for both since God made the covenant with Abraham 14 years before he was circumcised, while he was still an uncircumcised Gentile.
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