The design of Romans 5, which has usually been considered as one of the most difficult portions of the New Testament, especially Romans 5:12, is evidently to show the results or benefits of the doctrine of justification by faith. That doctrine the apostle had now fully established. He had shown in t... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE - οὖν oun Since we are thus justified, or as a consequence of being justified, we have peace. BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH - See the notes at Romans 1:17; Romans 3:24; Romans 4:5. WE - That is, all who are justified. The apostle is evidently speaking of true Christians. HAVE PEACE WITH GOD... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE ACCESS - See the note at John 14:6, “I am the way,” etc. Doddridge renders it, “by whom we have been introduced,” etc. It means, “by whom we have the privilege of obtaining the favor of God which we enjoy when we are justified.” The word rendered “access” occurs but in two other places in th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOT ONLY SO - We not only rejoice in times of prosperity, and of health. Paul proceeds to show that this plan is not less adapted to produce support in trials. BUT WE GLORY - The word used here is the same that is in Romans 5:2, translated, “we rejoice” καυχώμεθα kauchōmetha. It should have be... [ Continue Reading ]
AND PATIENCE, EXPERIENCE - Patient endurance of trial produces experience. The word rendered “experience” (δοκιμήν dokimēn) means trial, testing, or that thorough examination by which we ascertain the quality or nature of a thing, as when we test a metal by fire, or in any other way, to ascertain... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HOPE MAKETH NOT ASHAMED - That is, this hope will not disappoint, or deceive. When we hope for an object which we do not obtain, we are conscious of disappointment; perhaps sometimes of a feeling of shame. But the apostle says that the Christian hope is such that it will be fulfilled; it will no... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHEN ... - This opens a new view of the subject, or it is a new argument to show that our hope will not make ashamed, or will not disappoint us. The first argument he had stated in the previous verse, that the Holy Spirit was given to us. The next, which he now states, is, that God had given the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR SCARCELY ... - The design of this verse and the following is, to illustrate the great love of God by comparing it with what man was willing to do. “It is an unusual occurrence, an event which is all that we can hope for from the highest human benevolence and the purest friendship, that one would... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GOD COMMENDETH ... - God has exhibited or showed his love in this unusual and remarkable manner. HIS LOVE - His kind feeling; his beneficence; his willingness to submit to sacrifice to do good to others. WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS - And of course his enemies. In this, his love surpasses all tha... [ Continue Reading ]
MUCH MORE, THEN - It is much more reasonable to expect it. There are fewer obstacles in the way. If, when we were enemies, he overcame all that was in the way of our salvation; much more have we reason to expect that he will afford us protection now that we are his friends. This is one ground of the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF - The idea in this verse is simply a repetition and enlargement of that in Romans 5:9. The apostle dwells on the thought, and places it in a new light, furnishing thus a strong confirmation of his position. WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES - The work was undertaken while we were enemies. From being enem... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOT ONLY SO - The apostle states another effect of justification. WE ALSO JOY IN GOD - In Romans 5:2, he had said that we rejoice in tribulations, and in hope of the glory of God. But he here adds that we rejoice in God himself; in his existence; his attributes; his justice, holiness, mercy, tr... [ Continue Reading ]
Romans 5:12 has been usually regarded as the most difficult part of the New Testament. It is not the design of these notes to enter into a minute criticism of contested points like this. They who wish to see a full discussion of the passage, may find it in the professedly critical commentaries; and... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS - Notwithstanding that sin is not imputed where there is no law, yet death reigned. DEATH REIGNED - People died; they were under the dominion of death in its various melancholy influences. The expression “death reigned” is one that is very striking. It is a representation of death as a... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOT AS THE OFFENCE - This is the first point of contrast between the effect of the sin of Adam and of the work of Christ. The word “offence” means properly a fall, where we stumble over anything lying in our way It then means sin in general, or crime Matthew 6:14; Matthew 18:35. Here it means th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOT ... - This is the second point in which the effects of the work of Christ differ from the sin of Adam The first part Romans 5:15 was, that the evil consequences flowed from the sin of one man, Adam; and that the benefits flowed from the work of one man, Jesus Christ. The point in this verse... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF - This verse contains the same idea as before presented, but in a varied form. It is condensing the whole subject, and presenting it in a single view. BY ONE MAN’S OFFENCE - Or, by one offence. Margin. The reading of the text is the more correct. “If, under the administration of a just and m... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE - Wherefore (Ἄρα οὖν ara oun). This is properly a summing up, a recapitulation of what had been stated in the previous verses. The apostle resumes the statement or proposition made in Romans 5:12, and after the intermediate explanation in the parenthesis Romans 5:13, in this verse and... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR ... - This verse is not a mere repetition of the former, but it is an explanation. By the former statements it might perhaps be inferred that people were condemned without any guilt or blame of theirs. The apostle in this verse guards against this, and affirms that they are in fact sinners. He a... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER - But. What is said in this verse and the following, seems designed to meet the Jew, who might pretend that the Law of Moses was intended to meet the evils of sin introduced by Adam, and therefore that the scheme defended by the apostle was unnecessary. He therefore shows them that the effe... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT AS SIN HATH REIGNED - Note, Romans 5:14. UNTO DEATH - Producing or causing death. EVEN SO - In like manner, also. The provisions of redemption are in themselves ample to meet all the ruins of the fall. MIGHT GRACE REIGN - Might mercy be triumphant; see John 1:17, “Grace and truth came by Jes... [ Continue Reading ]