Albert Barnes Commentary James 2:21

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?" — James 2:21 (ASV)

Was not Abraham our father. He was our progenitor, our ancestor; the word father is used, as it frequently is in the Bible, to denote a remote ancestor. See Barnes on Matthew 1:1.

This refers to Abraham; he, and probably most of those to whom this epistle was addressed, were of this character. See Barnes on James 2:1 and the Introduction.

Justified by works. That is, in the sense in which James maintains that a man professing religion is to be justified by his works. He does not affirm that the ground of acceptance with God is that we keep the law, or are perfect; or that our good works make an atonement for our sins, and that it is on their account that we are pardoned. Nor does he deny that it is necessary that a man should believe in order to be saved.

In this sense, he does not deny that men are justified by faith; and thus he does not contradict the doctrine of the apostle Paul. But he does teach that where there are no good works, or where there is not a holy life, there is no true religion; that that faith which is not productive of good works is of no value; that if a man has that faith only, it would be impossible for him to be regarded as justified, or to be saved; and that consequently, in that large sense, a man is justified by his works—that is, they are the evidence that he is a justified man, or is regarded and treated as righteous by his Maker.

The point on which the apostle has his eye is the nature of saving faith; and his design is to show that a mere faith which would produce no more effect than that of the demons did, could not save. In this, he states no doctrine that contradicts Paul.

The evidence to which he appeals concerning faith is good works and a holy life; and where that exists, it shows that the faith is genuine. The case of Abraham is one directly in point. He showed that he had the kind of faith that was not dead.

He gave the most affecting evidence that his faith was of such a kind as to lead him to implicit obedience and to painful sacrifices. Such an act as that referred to—the act of offering up his son—demonstrated, if anything could, that his faith was genuine and that his religion was deep and pure. In the sight of heaven and earth, it would justify him as a righteous man, or would prove that he was a righteous man. Regarding the strength of his faith and the nature of his obedience in this sacrifice, see Barnes on Hebrews 11:19.

That the apostle here cannot refer to the act of justification as the term is commonly understood (referring by that to the moment when one is accepted by God as a righteous person) is clear from the fact that in a passage of the Scriptures which James himself quotes, that acceptance is declared to be a consequence of Abraham’s believing: Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. The act referred to here occurred long subsequent to that, and was thus a fulfillment or confirmation of the declaration of Scripture, which says that he believed God. It showed that his faith was not merely speculative, but was an active principle, leading to holy living. See Barnes on James 2:23.

This demonstrates that what the apostle refers to here is the evidence by which it is shown that a man's faith is genuine, and that he does not refer to the question whether the act of justification, when a sinner is converted, is solely in consequence of believing. Thus, the case proves what James purposes to prove: that the faith that justifies is only that which leads to good works.

When he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar. This was long after he believed, and was an act that, if any could, would show that his faith was genuine and sincere. Concerning the meaning of this passage, see Barnes on Hebrews 11:17.