CHAPTER V. _The effects of justification by faith, peace with God_, 1. _The joyous hope of eternal glory_, 2. _Glorying in tribulations_, 3. _And gaining thereby patience, experience, and hope_, 4. _And having the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy_ _Spirit_, 5. _The state of th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:2. _BY WHOM ALSO_] We are not only indebted to our Lord Jesus Christ for the free and full pardon which we have received, but our _continuance_ in a justified state depends upon his gracious influence in our hearts, and his intercession before the throne of God. _WE HAVE ACCESS_] προ... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:3. _AND NOT ONLY SO_] We are not only happy from being in this state of communion with our God, and the prospect of being eternally with him; _BUT WE GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS ALSO_] All the sufferings we endure for the testimony of our Lord are so sanctified to us by his grace, that the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:4. _AND PATIENCE, EXPERIENCE_] δοκιμεν, _Full proof, by_ _trial_, of the truth of our religion, the solidity of our Christian state, and the faithfulness of our God. In such cases we have the opportunity of putting our religion to the _test_; and, by every such test, it receives the _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:5. _AND HOPE MAKETH NOT ASHAMED_] A hope that is not _rationally_ founded will have its expectation cut off; and then _shame_ and _confusion_ will be the portion of its possessor. But our hope is of a different kind; it is founded on the _goodness_ and _truth_ of God; and our religiou... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:6. _FOR WHEN WE WERE YET WITHOUT STRENGTH_] The apostle, having pointed out the glorious state of the believing Gentiles, takes occasion to contrast this with their former state; and the means by which they were redeemed from it. Their former state he points out in _four_ particulars;... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:7. _FOR SCARCELY FOR A RIGHTEOUS MAN WILL ONE DIE_] The Jews divide men, as to their moral character, into _four_ classes: 1. First class, Those who say, "what is _mine_, is _my own_; and what is _thine_, is _thy own_." These may be considered the _just_, who render to every man his... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:8. _BUT GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE_, c.] συνιστησι: God _hath set_ this act of infinite mercy in the most _conspicuous_ light, so as to recommend it to the _notice_ and _admiration_ of all. _WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS_] We were neither _righteous_ nor _good_ but _impious_ and _wicked_. S... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:9. _MUCH MORE THEN, BEING NOW JUSTIFIED_] If Jesus Christ, in his endless comparison towards us gave his _life_ for ours, while we were yet enemies; being now justified _by his_ _blood_ - by his death on the cross, and thus reconciled to God, _we_ _shall be saved from wrath_ - from _p... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:10. _FOR IF, WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES_] See under Romans 5:6. _WE WERE RECONCILED_] The _enmity_ existing before rendered the _reconciliation_ necessary. In every human heart there is a measure of _enmity_ to holiness, and, consequently to the author of it. Men seldom suspect this; for o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:11. _WE ALSO JOY_ (ΚΑΥΧΩΜΕΝΟΙ, _WE EXULT_, OR _GLORY_) _IN GOD_, C.] We now _feel_ that God is reconciled to us, and we are reconciled to him: the _enmity_ is removed from our souls and He, for Christ's sake, _through whom we have received the atonement_, καταλλαγην, _the reconciliati... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:12. _WHEREFORE, AS BY ONE MAN SIN ENTERED INTO THE WORLD_] From this verse, to the conclusion of the chapter, the apostle produces a strong argument to prove that, as all mankind stood in need of the grace of God in Christ to redeem them from their sins, so this grace has been afforde... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:13. _FOR UNTIL THE LAW SIN WAS IN THE WORLD_] As _death_ reigned from Adam to Moses, so also did _sin_. Now, as there was no _written law_ from Adam to that given to Moses, the _death_ that prevailed could not be the breach of that law; for sin, so as to be punished with temporal deat... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:14. _NEVERTHELESS, DEATH REIGNED FROM ADAM TO MOSES_] This supposes, as Dr. Taylor very properly observes:- 1. That _sin_ was in the world from Adam to Moses. 2. That _law_ was not in the world from Adam to Moses during the space of about 2500 years; for, after Adam's transgression,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:15. _BUT NOT AS THE OFFENCE, SO ALSO_ IS _THE FREE GIFT._] The same learned writer, quoted above, continues to observe:- "It is evident that the apostle, in this and the two following verses, is running a _parallel_, or making a _comparison_ between the offence of Adam and its conseq... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 5:16. _AND NOT AS IT WAS BY ONE THAT SINNED_] That is, the judicial act that followed Adam's sin (the sentence of death pronounced upon him, and his expulsion from paradise) took its rise from his _one offence_ alone, and terminated in condemnation; but the free gift of God in Christ ta... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _DEATH REIGNED BY ONE_] Death is here _personified_, and is represented as reigning over the human race; and death, of course, reigns unto death; he is known as reigning, by the _destruction_ of his subjects. _SHALL REIGN IN LIFE_] Those who _receive_, retain, and improve the abundant gr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _THEREFORE, AS BY THE OFFENCE OF ONE_, c.] The Greek text of this verse is as follows:- Αρα ουν, ὡς δι' ἑνος παραπτωματος, εις παντας ανθρωπους εις κατακριμα· αυτω και ἑνος δικαιωματος, εις παντας ανθρωπους, εις δικαιωσιν ζωης; which literally rendered stands thus:-_Therefore, as by on... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _FOR, AS BY ONE MAN'S DISOBEDIENCE_, c.] The explanation of this verse has been anticipated in the foregoing.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _THE LAW ENTERED THAT_ (ΙΝΑ) _THE OFFENCE MIGHT_ _ABOUND._] After considering various opinions concerning the true meaning of this verse, (see under Romans 5:12,) I am induced to prefer my own, as being the most simple. By _law_ I understand the Mosaic law. By _entering in_, παρεισηλθεν,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 21. _THAT AS SIN HATH REIGNED UNTO DEATH_] As extensively, as deeply, as universally, as _sin_, whether implying the _act of transgression_ or the _impure principle_ from which the act proceeds, or _both_. _Hath reigned_, subjected the whole earth and all its inhabitants; the whole soul, and... [ Continue Reading ]