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Jam_2:23. Since what was said of Abraham in the preceding appears to conflict with the Scripture, Gen_15:6, James was obliged to solve this apparent contradiction, therefore he adds to what he has said: and (thus) the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “But Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness; and he was called a friend of God.” Most expositors (also von Oettingen) explain πληροῦν by comprobare, confirmed, and find here the thought expressed, that by Abraham being justified ἐξ ἔργων , the scripture: “that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness,” received its confirmation. But in this explanation of the word πληροῦν there is an arbitrary weakening of the idea. πληροῦν signifies neither in the N. T. nor in classical usage: “to confirm,” but always “to fulfil” (see Cremer); with regard to a saying, the realization of the thought expressed in it by an action following is indicated by πληροῦν , whether that saying be in the form of a prediction or not. This meaning of the verb is also here to be recognised, and indeed so much the more as James uses the formula with which not only in the N. T. but also in the O. T. (1Ki_2:27; 2Ch_36:22; 1Ma_2:55) generally the fulfilment of a proper prediction, and always the real proof of an earlier spoken thought, is expressed.
The scripture which was fulfilled is Gen_15:6, where it is said not only that Abraham believed Jehovah, but that He (Jehovah) reckoned it to him for righteousness. James (as also Paul in Rom_4:3; Gal_3:6; see also 1Ma_2:52) cites the passage according to the LXX., where the passive ἐλογίσθη is used instead of the active éÇäÀùÑÀáÆäÈ ; whilst he only deviates from the Greek text in this, that he (as also Paul in Rom_4:3) uses ἐπίστευσεν δέ instead of καὶ ἐπίστευσεν ; it is to be observed that in the corresponding passage, Psa_106:31, the passive åÇúÌÅçÈùÑÆá is also in the Hebrew.
Instead of the expression used in these passages, the form: úÌÄäÀéÆä ìÀêÈ öÀøÈ÷Èä ìÄôÀðÅé éÀäÉåÈä , is also found in the O. T. Deu_24:13; Deu_6:25 (where the LXX. incorrectly translate öÀøÈ÷Èä by ἐλεημοσύνη ). The contrary of this is indicated by the expression: úÌÅçÈùÑÆá ìåÉ ÷ÀìÈìÈä , Pro_27:14.
All these expressions import a judgment which God pronounces to Himself on a definite conduct of man, by which He either reckons it for righteousness or for a curse; with Abraham it was his faith on account of which God declared him a righteous person.
But in what does James see the fulfilment of this scripture, that testifies this judgment of God on believing Abraham? Evidently in what he had already said, namely, that Abraham ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη , and which he indicates by what follows: καὶ φίλος Θεοῦ ἐκλήθη ; for these words—since they belong not to the scripture—are co-ordinate not with καὶ ἐλογίσθη , but with καὶ ἐπληρώθη κ . τ . λ . It is true God regarded Abraham as His φίλος ( φίλος Θεοῦ is not, as Hofmann and Philippi think, God’s friend, who loved God, but God’s friend whom God loved[153]) the instant he reckoned his faith to him for righteousness; but he was called so at a later period, namely, only at the time that he was declared righteous by God on account of his works. The expressions ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην and ἘΔΙΚΑΙΏΘΗ are not regarded by James as equivalent, but according to his representation the former was imparted to Abraham purely on account of his faith ( ἐπίστευσεν ), but the latter only when his faith was completed by works, thus on account of his works ( ἐξ ἔργων ), so that thereby that scripture was fulfilled. It is true this scripture is abstractly no promise; but as it notifies facts which point to later actions in which they received their full accomplishment, James might consider it as a word of promise which was fulfilled by the occurrence of these later actions.[154]
The appellation of Abraham as a ΦΊΛΟς ΘΕΟῦ is not indeed found in the LXX.; but in 2Ch_20:7, Jehoshaphat calls him in his prayer àÉÍäÇáÀêÈ (LXX.: Ὁ ἨΓΑΠΗΜΈΝΟς ΣΟΥ ), and in Isa_41:8 God Himself calls him àÉÍäÂáÄé (LXX.: ὋΝ ἨΓΆΠΗΣΑ ); comp. also Ges. Asar. v. 11: διὰ Ἀβραὰμ τὸν ἠγαπημένον ὑπὸ σοῦ ; also it was not unusual for the Jews to call him φίλος Θεοῦ ; to Gen_18:17, the LXX. have added to ἀπὸ Ἀβραάμ the words τοῦ παιδός μου , for which Philo puts τοῦ φίλου μου . It is evident from what has preceded that we cannot, with Grotius, Hornejus, Pott, and others, explain ἐκλήθη = factus est, fuit.
[153] Lange comprehends both; but at all events, according to the context, the reference given above is to be recognised as the prevailing one.
[154] Namely: the faith with which Abraham received the promise of God points to the later obedience, and the divine reckoning of his faith for righteousness points to the declaration of righteousness imparted to him by God at a later period after proof of his obedience.
REMARK.
When de Wette explains πληροῦν by realized, this is so far inappropriate, as πληροῦν does not directly refer to the fact itself, but to the saying of scripture, and as neither of πιστεύειν of Abraham, nor of ἑλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικ ., can it be said that it “was something not yet wholly real, but the full realization of which occurred only at a later period.” For although both point to a later period, yet there was in them something which had actually taken place, as Lange correctly adduces. Hofmann also gave an incorrect reference to the word, explaining it: “In the offering of Isaac it was proved that God had rightly estimated the faith of Abraham when He counted it for righteousness;” for, on the one hand, there was no need of a proof that God had rightly estimated something, of which there is no indication in James, and, on the other hand, πληροῦν has not the meaning of confirming or proving.[155] In opposition to the explanation of Philippi: “the scriptural expression concerning Abraham’s justification by faith was, because His justification by faith is in itself a thing invisible as it were, an unfulfilled prophecy, until it became visible through proof by works,” it is, apart, from the unjustifiable insertion of “as it were,” to be observed that Abraham’s act of obedience, happening at a later period, confirmed indeed his faith (thus that ἐπίστευσεν τῷ Θεῷ ), but not the righteousness adjudged to him on account of his faith (that ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικ .), and accordingly ἐπληρώθη would be suitable only for the first half of the scriptural expression. It is peculiar that, according to the explanation of Philippi, the same meaning: “to be proved,” is in essence ascribed to the three words
δικαιοῦσθαι , τελειοῦσθαι , πληροῦσθαι .
[155] Also in Brückner’s explanation: “Both the fact that Abraham believed God, and that this faith was reckoned to him by God for righteousness, was confirmed and proved in the offering of Isaac, leading to this that Abraham ἐξ ἔργων ἐδικαιώθη ,” the idea τληροῦν receives not its right meaning. Lange has here in essentials adopted the correct meaning.