| Previous Verse |
Romans 4:13 |
Next Verse |
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, [was] not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Audio commentary on this verse
Note 1 at Rom. 4:13: There is no Old Testament scripture that states in these words that Abraham would be heir of the world. The closest scriptures would be when the Lord told Abram that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him (Gen. 12:3) and that he had made Abraham the father of many nations (Gen. 17:4-5).
The Jews had interpreted God's promises to Abraham as being to his physical descendants only. However, this wording of the Old Testament promises to Abraham by the apostle Paul removed any doubt about the Jews being the only ones to be blessed through God's covenant with Abraham. Abraham's true seed is anyone of any nation or language who places faith in Christ as his Savior.
