Question 1

In vv. 23–24, what does Paul say about why the statement “it was credited to him” was written?

Accepted Answer

Paul says the wording was not written only “for his sake,” meaning it was not preserved merely to report Abraham’s personal story. It was written “for our sake also,” so that later readers would understand how God acts toward them as well. Paul treats Scripture as speaking beyond the first character and first setting. The phrase about being “credited” becomes a pattern for understanding God’s response to faith, extending Abraham’s experience to a wider community Paul calls “us.”

Question 2

How does v. 24 define the group to whom the crediting applies?

Accepted Answer

The group is described as “us to whom it will be credited,” and then identified more specifically: “who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” So the defining feature is believing, and the object of belief is God—described by a particular act, raising Jesus. Paul is not simply describing generic theism; he frames faith around God’s resurrection power and around Jesus’ identity as “our Lord,” which marks a shared allegiance and confession.

Question 3

What details about God and Jesus are emphasized in vv. 24–25, and why might Paul choose those details here?

Accepted Answer

God is highlighted as the one who raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus is named and also called “our Lord,” and his story is summarized in two actions: being “delivered up” and being “raised.” Paul likely chooses these details because they match his argument about faith: Abraham trusted God as life-giver, and believers trust the same God now seen raising Jesus. The short summary also connects the gospel events directly to human need (“trespasses”) and to the saving outcome (“justification”).

Question 4

In v. 25, what is the relationship between “our trespasses” and Jesus being “delivered up”?

Accepted Answer

The text links Jesus’ being “delivered up” with “our trespasses,” indicating a connection between human wrongdoing and Jesus’ handing over to death. Paul does not explain the mechanism here, but the pairing suggests that Jesus’ death is not random or merely political; it is related to the problem of sins. The sentence structure sets up a contrast and movement: first the issue (trespasses) connected to Jesus’ death, then the resolution side connected to his resurrection.

Question 5

In v. 25, what is the relationship between Jesus being “raised” and “our justification”?

Accepted Answer

Paul pairs Jesus’ resurrection with “our justification,” presenting the raising of Jesus as closely tied to the outcome called justification. The wording can be read as meaning the resurrection is the means by which justification comes, the event that brings it into effect, or the event that confirms it has been achieved. Even without settling that nuance, Paul clearly treats resurrection as essential to the saving outcome, not merely as a sequel to the cross. The raised Christ is bound to the believer’s “justification” in Paul’s summary.

Question 6

How do vv. 23–25 connect Abraham’s experience to the experience of later believers?

Accepted Answer

Paul connects them through the repeated idea of “crediting.” Abraham’s faith was “credited” to him, and Paul says the same kind of crediting is for “us” who believe. The continuity is not based on sharing Abraham’s ethnic identity or repeating his specific life story, but on trusting the same God—now identified as the one who raised Jesus. This creates a line from Abraham’s faith in God’s life-giving ability to Christian faith in God’s raising of Jesus, with both described using the same crediting language.

Question 7

What role does the phrase “our Lord” play in Paul’s brief summary (v. 24)?

Accepted Answer

Calling Jesus “our Lord” is a relational and communal marker: it identifies Jesus as the shared Lord of the group Paul is describing (“us who believe”). In context, it also ensures that the faith Paul is talking about is not detached from Jesus; belief is in God, but it is the God who raised Jesus, who is acknowledged as Lord. That phrase compresses a lot: allegiance, identity, and the community’s common confession, all while keeping the focus on God’s action in resurrection.

Romans 4:23-25

Scripture