Book of Common Prayer

What About Abraham?

4 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according-to^[a] the flesh, has found? ² For if Abraham was declared-righteous by works, he has a boast— but not before God.

His Righteousness Came By Faith

³ For what does the Scripture say?— “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness” [Gen 15:6]. ⁴ Now to the one working, the wages are not credited to him based-on grace, but based on debt. ⁵ But to the one not working but putting-faith upon the One declaring the ungodly righteous— his faith is credited for righteousness. ⁶ Just as David also says [in Ps 32:1-2] as to the blessedness of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: ⁷ “Blessed are the ones whose lawless-deeds were forgiven and whose sins were covered. ⁸ Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count”.

This Occurred Prior To Circumcision

⁹ So is this blessedness upon the circumcised, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say “Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness”. ¹⁰ How then was it credited— to one being in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision! ¹¹ And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of ^[b] faith while in uncircumcision, so that he might be^[c] the father of all the ones believing through uncircumcision— so that righteousness might be credited also to them— ¹² and the father of the circumcised to the ones not of circumcision only, but indeed the ones walking-in-line in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham while he was in uncircumcision.

In The Middle of The Feast, Jesus Began Teaching In The Temple:

¹⁴ Now the Feast already being-at-the-middle, Jesus went up to the temple, and was teaching.

My Teaching Is From God And For His Glory. Why Do You Want To Kill Me?

¹⁵ Then the Jews were marveling, saying, “How does this One know writings^[a], not having learned?” ¹⁶ So Jesus responded to them and said “My teaching is not Mine, but the One’s having sent Me. ¹⁷ If anyone is willing^[b] to be doing His will, he will know about the teaching— whether it is from God, or I am speaking from Myself. ¹⁸ The one speaking from himself is seeking his own glory. But the One seeking the glory of the One having sent Him— this One is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. ¹⁹ Has not Moses given you the Law? And none of you is doing the Law! Why are you seeking to kill Me?”

Do Not Judge According To Appearance

²⁰ The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill You?” ²¹ Jesus responded and said to them, “I did one^[c] work, and you all marvel! ²² For this reason^[d] Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but it is from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on a Sabbath. ²³ If a man receives circumcision on a Sabbath in order that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry^[e] at Me because I made an entire man sound^[f] on a Sabbath? ²⁴ Do not be judging according to appearance, but be judging the righteous judgment”.

The God Whom You Do Not Know Sent Me To You

²⁵ Then some of the people-of-Jerusalem were saying, “Is not this the One Whom they are seeking to kill? ²⁶ And look— He is speaking in public, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers did not perhaps really know^[g] that this One is the Christ, did they? ²⁷ However, we know where this One is from. But when the Christ is coming, no one knows where He is from”. ²⁸ So Jesus cried-out while teaching in the temple and saying, “You both know Me and You know where I am from. And^[h] I have not come of Myself. However, the One having sent Me is true— Whom you do not know. ²⁹ I know Him, because I am from Him. And that One sent Me forth”. ³⁰ Therefore they were seeking to seize Him. And no one put his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

I Will Be With You a Short Time Longer, Then I Am Returning To God

³¹ But many from the crowd believed in Him. And they were saying, “When the Christ comes, He will not do more^[i] signs than the ones which this One did, will He?” ³² The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about Him. And the chief priests and the Pharisees sent out officers in order that they might seize Him. ³³ So Jesus said, “I am with you a short time longer, and [then] I am going to the One having sent Me. ³⁴ You will seek Me, and will not find Me. And where I am, you are not able to come”. ³⁵ Then the Jews said to themselves, “Where is this One going to go that we will not find Him? He is not going to go to the Dispersion of the Greeks and teach the Greeks, is He? ³⁶ What is this statement that He said: ‘You will seek Me and will not find Me. And where I am, you are not able to come’?”