Romans 4:19

Being not weak in faith. Better, “He weakened not in faith.”

He considered not. Textual evidence may be cited (cf. p. 10) for the omission of the word “not.” If the “not” is retained the expression may be understood as referring to the narrative in Gen. 15:1-6. On that occasion it is recorded that Abram took no heed of the difficulties attending the promise, but immediately accepted it. If the “not” is omitted the expression may be understood as referring to the experience recorded in Gen. 17:17, from which Paul quite clearly borrows some of the language. This time Abraham duly considered the unfavorable circumstances, the fact that he and Sarah were well past the normal age for bearing children, but his faith was not weakened. A faith that persists even in the face of fully recognized difficulties is really greater than a faith that merely ignores them.

Dead. That is, incapable of begetting children (cf. Heb. 11:12). Some textual evidence may be cited (cf. p. 10) for the omission of “now.” The first promise of a son was made to Abraham before the birth of Ishmael (Gen. 15:3, 4), and Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born (ch. 16:16) The second promise came when Abraham was 99 (Gen. 17:1), though he called himself a hundred, and Sarah was probably 89 (v. 17).

Deadness. See Gen. 18:11.