And the father of circumcision,.... So the Jews call Abraham ראש הנימולים (l), "the head of those that are circumcised"; and ראש למולים (m), "the head to them that are circumcised"; but the apostle here says, he is a father
to them who are not of the circumcision only; not to the Jews only, in a spiritual sense, and not to all of them, since some were "of Israel", who were not Israel, not Israelites indeed, or true believers;
but [to such] also [who] walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had, being yet uncircumcised; that is, who have the same faith he had; imitate and follow him in the exercise of faith; walk by faith, as he did when he was uncircumcised, as they are; and so the Jews say (n),
"Abraham is the father of all, באים אחריו באמונתו, "that go after him in his faith".''
(l) Tzeror Hammor, fol. 18. 3. (m) Juchasin, fol. 5. 2. Midrash Esther, fol. 85. 3. (n) R. Sol. Hammelech Michlol. Jophi in Mal. ii. 15.
And the father of circumcision,.... So the Jews call Abraham ראש הנימולים (l), "the head of those that are circumcised"; and ראש למולים (m), "the head to them that are circumcised"; but the apostle here says, he is a father
to them who are not of the circumcision only; not to the Jews only, in a spiritual sense, and not to all of them, since some were "of Israel", who were not Israel, not Israelites indeed, or true believers;
but [to such] also [who] walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had, being yet uncircumcised; that is, who have the same faith he had; imitate and follow him in the exercise of faith; walk by faith, as he did when he was uncircumcised, as they are; and so the Jews say (n),
"Abraham is the father of all, באים אחריו באמונתו, "that go after him in his faith".''
(l) Tzeror Hammor, fol. 18. 3. (m) Juchasin, fol. 5. 2. Midrash Esther, fol. 85. 3. (n) R. Sol. Hammelech Michlol. Jophi in Mal. ii. 15.