Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 4:25
Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.
25. delivered ] As the Victim. Cp. Rom 8:32. Here the Father delivers up His Son. In Gal 2:20; Eph 5:2, &c.; we have the self-surrender of the Son. See Psa 40:8-9, for the union of the two truths. “Lo, I come; I delight to do Thy will.”
for our offences ] Lit. because of our offences; “because we had offended.” Such is the natural meaning of the Gr. The fact of our sins demanded, for their just remission, nothing less than the Lord’s Death.
for our justification ] Lit. because of our Justification. The construction is identical. This, and the balance of the clauses, seem to demand the exposition: “He was raised, because our justification was effected; ” not, “ in order to give us justification,” as many interpret it. The parallel is complete: “We sinned, therefore He suffered: we were justified, therefore He rose.” To this it is objected that the thought is not doctrinally true; justification being, for each believer, dated not from the Lord’s death, but from the time of faith (see ch. Rom 5:1). But the answer is obvious: the Apostle here states the Ideal of the matter; he means not individual justifications, but the Work which for ever secured Justification for the believing Church. A close parallel is the “It is finished” (Joh 19:30). (See too the ideal language in Rom 8:30; and instructive parallels in Heb 1:3; Heb 10:14.) In the Divine Idea every future believer was declared to be justified, through an accomplished Propitiation, when Jesus rose. His resurrection proved His acceptance as our Substitute, and therefore our acceptance in Him. No doubt the other interpretation is true as to fact: He was raised that, through the Gospel, (which but for His resurrection would never have been preached,) we might receive justification. But the Gr. construction, and the balance of clauses, are certainly in favour of that now given.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Who was delivered – To death; compare the notes at Act 2:23.
For our offences – On account of our crimes. He was delivered up to death in order to make expiation for our sins.
And was raised again – From the dead.
For our justification – On account of our justification. In order that we may be justified. The word justification here seems to be used in a large sense, to denote acceptance with God; including not merely the formal act by which God pardons sins, and by which we become reconciled to him, but also the completion of the work – the treatment of us as righteous, and raising us up to a state of glory. By the death of Christ an atonement is made for sin. If it be asked how his resurrection contributes to our acceptance with God, we may answer,
(1) It rendered his work complete. His death would have been unavailing, his work would have been imperfect, if he had not been raised up from the dead. He submitted to death as a sacrifice, and it was needful that he should rise, and thus conquer death and subdue our enemies, that the work which he had undertaken might be complete.
(2) His resurrection was a proof that his work was accepted by the Father. What he had done, in order that sinners might be saved, was approved. Our justification, therefore, became sure, as it was for this that he had given himself up to death.
(3) His resurrection is the main-spring of all our hopes, and of all our efforts to be saved. Life and immortality are thus brought to light, 2Ti 1:10. God hath begotten us again to a lively hope (a living, active, real hope), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1Pe 1:3. Thus, the fact that he was raised becomes the ground of hope that we shall be raised and accepted of God. The fact that he was raised, and that all who love him shall be raised also, becomes one of the most efficient motives to us to seek to be justified and saved. There is no higher motive that can be presented to induce man to seek salvation than the fact that he maybe raised up from death and the grave, and made immortal. There is no satisfactory proof that man can be thus raised up, but the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In that resurrection we have a pledge that all his people will rise. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him, 1Th 4:14. Because I live, said the Redeemer, ye shall live also, Joh 14:19; compare 1Pe 1:21.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 25. Who was delivered for our offences] Who was delivered up to death as a sacrifice for our sins; for in what other way, or for what other purpose could He, who is innocence itself, be delivered for our offences?
And was raised again for our justification.] He was raised that we might have the fullest assurance that the death of Christ had accomplished the end for which it took place; viz. our reconciliation to God, and giving us a title to that eternal life, into which he has entered, and taken with him our human nature, as the first-fruits of the resurrection of mankind.
1. FROM a careful examination of the Divine oracles it appears that the death of Christ was an atonement or expiation for the sin of the world: For him hath God set forth to be a PROPITIATION through FAITH in HIS BLOOD, Ro 3:25. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ DIED FOR the UNGODLY, Ro 5:6. And when we were ENEMIES, we were RECONCILED to God by the DEATH of his Son, Ro 5:10. In whom we have REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the FORGIVENESS of SINS, Eph 1:7. Christ hath loved us, and GIVEN HIMSELF FOR US, an OFFERING and a SACRIFICE to God for a sweet-smelling savour, Eph 5:2. In whom we have REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the FORGIVENESS of SINS, Col 1:14. And having made PEACE THROUGH the BLOOD of his CROSS, in the BODY of HIS FLESH, through DEATH, Col 1:20, Col 1:22. Who GAVE HIMSELF a RANSOM for all, 1Ti 2:6. Who GAVE HIMSELF FOR US, that he might REDEEM us from all iniquity, Tit 2:14. By which will we are sanctified, through the OFFERING of the BODY of Jesus Christ, Heb 10:10. So Christ was once OFFERED TO BEAR THE SINS of many, Heb 9:28. See also Eph 2:13, Eph 2:16; 1Pe 1:18, 1Pe 1:19; Re 5:9. But it would be transcribing a very considerable part of the New Testament to set down all the texts that refer to this most important and glorious truth.
2. And as his death was an atonement for our sins, so his resurrection was the proof and pledge of our eternal life. See 1Co 15:17; 1Pe 1:3; Eph 1:13, Eph 1:14, c.,c.
3. The doctrine of justification by faith, which is so nobly proved in the preceding chapter, is one of the grandest displays of the mercy of God to mankind. It is so very plain that all may comprehend it and so free that all may attain it. What more simple than this? Thou art a sinner, in consequence condemned to perdition, and utterly unable to save thy own soul. All are in the same state with thyself, and no man can give a ransom for the soul of his neighbour. God, in his mercy, has provided a Saviour for thee. As thy life was forfeited to death because of thy transgressions, Jesus Christ has redeemed thy life by giving up his own he died in thy stead, and has made an atonement to God for thy transgressions; and offers thee the pardon he has thus purchased, on the simple condition, that thou believe that his death is a sufficient sacrifice, ransom, and oblation for thy sin; and that thou bring it as such, by confident faith, to the throne of God, and plead it in thy own behalf there. When thou dost so, thy faith in that sacrifice shall be imputed to thee for righteousness; i.e. it shall be the means of receiving that salvation which Christ has bought by his blood.
4. The doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Christ, as held by many, will not be readily found in this chapter, where it has been supposed to exist in all its proofs. It is repeatedly said that FAITH is imputed for righteousness; but in no place here, that Christ’s obedience to the moral law is imputed to any man. The truth is, the moral law was broken, and did not now require obedience; it required this before it was broken; but, after it was broken, it required death.
Either the sinner must die, or some one in his stead: but there was none whose death could have been an equivalent for the transgressions of the world but JESUS CHRIST. Jesus therefore died for man; and it is through his blood, the merit of his passion and death, that we have redemption; and not by his obedience to the moral law in our stead. Our salvation was obtained at a much higher price. Jesus could not but be righteous and obedient; this is consequent on the immaculate purity of his nature: but his death was not a necessary consequent. As the law of God can claim only the death of a transgressor-for such only forfeit their right to life-it is the greatest miracle of all that Christ could die, whose life was never forfeited. Here we see the indescribable demerit of sin, that it required such a death; and here we see the stupendous mercy of God, in providing the sacrifice required. It is therefore by Jesus Christ’s death, or obedience unto death, that we are saved, and not by his fulfilling any moral law. That he fulfilled the moral law we know; without which he could not have been qualified to be our mediator; but we must take heed lest we attribute that to obedience (which was the necessary consequence of his immaculate nature) which belongs to his passion and death. These were free-will offerings of eternal goodness, and not even a necessary consequence of his incarnation.
5. This doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Christ is capable of great abuse. To say that Christ’s personal righteousness is imputed to every true believer, is not Scriptural: to say that he has fulfilled all righteousness for us, or in our stead, if by this is meant his fulfilment of all moral duties, is neither Scriptural nor true: that he has died in our stead, is a great, glorious, and Scriptural truth: that there is no redemption but through his blood is asserted beyond all contradiction; in the oracles of God. But there are a multitude of duties which the moral law requires which Christ never fulfilled in our stead, and never could. We have various duties of a domestic kind which belong solely to ourselves, in the relation of parents, husbands, wives, servants, c., in which relations Christ never stood. He has fulfilled none of these duties for us, but he furnishes grace to every true believer to fulfil them to God’s glory, the edification of his neighbour, and his own eternal profit. The salvation which we receive from God’s free mercy, through Christ, binds us to live in a strict conformity to the moral law that law which prescribes our manners, and the spirit by which they should be regulated, and in which they should be performed. He who lives not in the due performance of every Christian duty, whatever faith he may profess, is either a vile hypocrite, or a scandalous Antinomian.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Who was delivered; he saith delivered rather than crucified, to lead us by the hand to the first cause thereof, the determinate counsel of the blessed Trinity: see Act 2:23; 4:27,28; Ro 8:32.
For our offences; i.e. for the expiating of them, Isa 53:10.
And was raised again for our justification; not that his death had no hand in our justification; see Rom 3:24; but because our justification, which was begun in his death, was perfected in his resurrection. Christ did meritoriously work our justification and salvation by his death and passion, but the efficacy and perfection thereof with respect to us depend on his resurrection. By his death he paid our debt, in his resurrection he received our acquittance, Isa 53:8; when he was discharged, we in him, and together with him, received our discharge from the guilt and punishment of all our sins. This one verse is an abridgement of the whole gospel.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25. Who was delivered for“onaccount of.”
our offencesthat is,in order to expiate them by His blood.
and raised again for“onaccount of,” that is, in order to.
our justificationAsHis resurrection was the divine assurance that He had “put awaysin by the sacrifice of Himself,” and the crowning of His wholework, our justification is fitly connected with that glorious act.
Note, (1) The doctrine ofjustification by works, as it generates self-exaltation, is contraryto the first principles of all true religion (Ro4:2; and see on Ro 3:21-26,Note 1). (2) The way of a sinner’s justification has been thesame in all time, and the testimony of the Old Testament on thissubject is one with that of the New (Ro4:3, c., and see on Ro 3:27-31,Note 1). (3) Faith and works, in the matter of justification,are opposite and irreconcilable, even as grace and debt (Rom 4:4Rom 4:5; and see on Ro11:6). If God “justifies the ungodly,” works cannot be,in any sense or to any degree, the ground of justification. For thesame reason, the first requisite, in order to justification, must be(under the conviction that we are “ungodly”) to despair ofit by works; and the next, to “believe in Him that justifieththe ungodly”that hath a justifying righteousness to bestow,and is ready to bestow it upon those who deserve none, and to embraceit accordingly. (4) The sacraments of the Church were never intended,and are not adapted, to confer grace, or the blessings ofsalvation, upon men. Their proper use is to set a divine sealupon a state already existing, and so, they presuppose,and do not create it (Ro4:8-12). As circumcision merely “sealed” Abraham’salready existing acceptance with God, so with the sacraments of theNew Testament. (5) As Abraham is “the heir of the world,”all nations being blessed in him, through his Seed Christ Jesus, andjustified solely according to the pattern of his faith, so thetransmission of the true religion and all the salvation which theworld will ever experience shall yet be traced back with wonder,gratitude, and joy, to that morning dawn when “the God of gloryappeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, beforehe dwelt in Charran,” Ac 7:2(Ro 4:13). (6) Nothing givesmore glory to God than simple faith in His word, especially when allthings seem to render the fulfilment of it hopeless (Ro4:18-21). (7) All the Scripture examples of faith were recordedon purpose to beget and encourage the like faith in every succeedingage (Rom 4:23; Rom 4:24;and compare Ro 15:4). (8)Justification, in this argument, cannot be takenasRomanists and other errorists insistto mean a change upon men’scharacter; for besides that this is to confound it withSanctification, which has its appropriate place in thisEpistle, the whole argument of the present chapterand nearly allits more important clauses, expressions, and wordswould in thatcase be unsuitable, and fitted only to mislead. Beyond all doubt itmeans exclusively a change upon men’s state or relation toGod; or, in scientific language, it is an objective, not asubjective changea change from guilt and condemnation toacquittal and acceptance. And the best evidence that this is the keyto the whole argument is, that it opens all the wards of themany-chambered lock with which the apostle has enriched us in thisEpistle.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Who was delivered for our offences,…. Christ was delivered into the hands of men, and into the hands of justice, and unto death; and he was delivered by men, by Judas, to the chief priests, and by them to Pilate, and by Pilate to the Jews and Roman soldiers to be put to death; and he was also delivered up by his Father into the hands of justice and death, according to his determinate counsel and foreknowledge; but not without his own free consent, who voluntarily laid down his life, and gave himself a ransom for his people: he was delivered to death, not for any offences of his own, for he committed none; nor for the offences of angels, for these were not spared; nor for the offences, of all men, since all will not be saved; but for the offences of all God’s elect: he was delivered for these, as the causes of his death, and as the end for which he died; namely, to make reconciliation, atonement, and satisfaction for them; which shows the love of the Father in delivering him up, and the grace and condescension of the Son in being willing to be delivered up on such an account: the nature and end of Christ’s death may be learnt from hence, that he died not merely as a martyr, or as an example; nor only for the good, but in the room and stead of his people: we may also learn from hence the nature of sin, the strictness of justice, the obligations we lie under to Christ, and how many favours and blessings we may expect from God through him: who also
was raised again for our justification; he was raised again from the dead by his Father, to whom this is often ascribed; and by himself, by his own power, which proves him to be the mighty God; and this was done not only that he might live an immortal and glorious life in our nature, having finished the work he undertook and came about, but for “our justification”. He died in the room and stead of his people, and by dying made satisfaction for their sins; he rose again as their head and representative, and was legally discharged, acquitted, and justified, and they in him. Christ’s resurrection did not procure the justification of his people, that was done by his obedience and death; but was for the testification of it, that it might fully appear that sin was atoned for, and an everlasting righteousness was brought in; and for the application of it, or that Christ might live and see his righteousness imputed, and applied to all those for whom he had wrought it out.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
For our justification ( ). The first clause ( ) is from Isa 53:12. The first with is probably retrospective, though it will make sense as prospective (to make atonement for our transgressions). The second is quite clearly prospective with a view to our justification. Paul does not mean to separate the resurrection from the death of Christ in the work of atonement, but simply to show that the resurrection is at one with the death on the Cross in proof of Christ’s claims.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Was delivered [] . See on Mt 4:12; 1Pe 2:23. Used of casting into prison or delivering to justice, Mt 4:12; Mt 10:17, Mt 19:21. Frequently of the betrayal of Christ, Mt 10:4; Mt 17:22; Joh 6:64, 71. Of committing a trust, Mt 25:14, 20, 22. Of committing tradition, doctrine, or precept, Mr 7:13; 1Co 11:2; 1Co 14:3; Rom 6:17; 2Pe 2:21. Of Christ ‘s yielding up His spirit, Joh 19:30. Of the surrender of Christ and His followers to death, Rom 8:32; 2Co 4:11; Gal 2:20. Of giving over to evil, Rom 1:26, 28; 1Co 5:5; Eph 4:19.
Raised again for our justification. “But if the whole matter of the justification depends on what He has suffered for our offenses, we shall as certainly be justified or have our account made even, if He does not rise, as if He does. Doubtless the rising has an immense significance, when the justification is conceived to be the renewing of our moral nature in righteousness; for it is only by the rising that His incarnate life and glory are fully discovered, and the righteousness of God declared in His person in its true moral power. But in the other view of justification there is plainly enough nothing depending, as far as that is concerned, on His resurrection” (Bushnell). Compare ch. 6 4 – 13.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Who was delivered,” (hos paredothe) “Who was delivered,” “given over to death;” no man took his life; He was not the helpless victim of a wicked mob –He was delivered or given to death by the Father and by his own will, Isa 53:6-12; Joh 3:16; Joh 10:17-18; Luk 23:46.
2) “For our offences,” (dia ta paraptomata hemon) “Because of the offences of us;” Isa 53:5-6; Isa 53:12; It was not for his offences he gave (of his own accord) up the Ghost, his Spirit life, but for ours, on behalf of our sins, 2Co 5:21; Gal 1:4; 1Pe 2:24 and “bare our sins in his own body on the tree.”
3) “And was raised again,” (kai egerthe) “And was raised,” brought up out of the grave from among the dead corpses; By the Spirit of God, a firstfruit from among dead corpses, Rom 8:11; 1Co 15:20-23; Eph 1:19-23; Col 1:18.
4) “For our justification,” (dia ten dikaiosin hemon) “Because of the acquittal of us,” or on account of the justification he (Christ) had wrought for us. Justification consists of, (1) pardon from the penalty of sin (eternal condemnation), (2) restoration to God’s favor, and (3) imparted or imputed righteousness from God, by which one is qualified to enter his service, Rom 3:24-25; Rom 4:5; Rom 4:16; Act 13:39; the living Christ intercedes day and night, without rest or sleep, for the justification, acquittal, of believers from the eternal consequence of their sins, Heb 7:25; 1Jn 2:1-2; Rom 5:1.
JUSTIFICATION
When a person has been brought to trail, and found guilty, if he is able to make a sufficient satisfaction for his offence, either through his own ability or that of his friends, and the law accepts such an identification, the criminal would depart from the trail justified. The accepted satisfaction would not, indeed, render him an innocent man; but he would be so regarded by the law; and, though guilty, he would be no more liable to prosecution and punishment for their offence than a person who had never committed it. Now, this is the way in which we are justified in the sight of God. We are found guilty by this just Judge; and at any moment his justice may inflict upon us the deserved sentence of eternal death. We have no ability of our own to make satisfaction: but an Almighty Friend and Saviour has died to make an atonement for our sins; and he permits us to offer the merits of his most precious blood-shedding to God for the remission of those sins. God accepts this satisfaction from all who have a right to offer it, and, in consideration of it, releases them from the penalty of eternal death, to which they stood exposed. A person pleading this satisfaction is not, indeed, rendered innocent through what his Saviour has done for him; but he is treated as such; he is no longer liable to punishment: and we may say that an angel in heaven is in as much danger of eternal torment as is a person who is found in Christ, having the infinite merits of his Saviour to plead for his own justification.
-Lewis
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
25. Who was delivered for our offences, (150) etc. He expands and illustrates more at large the doctrine to which I have just referred. It indeed greatly concerns us, not only to have our minds directed to Christ, but also to have it distinctly made known how he attained salvation for us. And though Scripture, when it treats of our salvation, dwells especially on the death of Christ, yet the Apostle now proceeds farther: for as his purpose was more explicitly to set forth the cause of our salvation, he mentions its two parts; and says, first, that our sins were expiated by the death of Christ, — and secondly, that by his resurrection was obtained our righteousness. But the meaning is, that when we possess the benefit of Christ’s death and resurrection, there is nothing wanting to the completion of perfect righteousness. By separating his death from his resurrection, he no doubt accommodates what he says to our ignorance; for it is also true that righteousness has been obtained for us by that obedience of Christ, which he exhibited in his death, as the Apostle himself teaches us in the following chapter. But as Christ, by rising from the dead, made known how much he had effected by his death, this distinction is calculated to teach us that our salvation was begun by the sacrifice, by which our sins were expiated, and was at length completed by his resurrection: for the beginning of righteousness is to be reconciled to God, and its completion is to attain life by having death abolished. Paul then means, that satisfaction for our sins was given on the cross: for it was necessary, in order that Christ might restore us to the Father’s favor, that our sins should be abolished by him; which could not have been done had he not on their account suffered the punishment, which we were not equal to endure. Hence Isaiah says, that the chastisement of our peace was upon him. (Isa 53:5.) But he says that he was delivered, and not, that he died; for expiation depended on the eternal goodwill of God, who purposed to be in this way pacified.
And was raised again for our justification. As it would not have been enough for Christ to undergo the wrath and judgment of God, and to endure the curse due to our sins, without his coming forth a conqueror, and without being received into celestial glory, that by his intercession he might reconcile God to us, the efficacy of justification is ascribed to his resurrection, by which death was overcome; not that the sacrifice of the cross, by which we are reconciled to God, contributes nothing towards our justification, but that the completeness of his favor appears more clear by his coming to life again. (151)
But I cannot assent to those who refer this second clause to newness of life; for of that the Apostle has not begun to speak; and further, it is certain that both clauses refer to the same thing. For if justification means renovation, then that he died for our sins must be taken in the same sense, as signifying that he acquired for us grace to mortify the flesh; which no one admits. Then, as he is said to have died for our sins, because he delivered us from the evil of death by suffering death as a punishment for our sins; so he is now said to have been raised for our justification, because he fully restored life to us by his resurrection: for he was first smitten by the hand of God, that in the person of the sinner he might sustain the misery of sin; and then he was raised to life, that he might freely grant to his people righteousness and life. (152) He therefore still speaks of imputative justification; and this will be confirmed by what immediately follows in the next chapter.
(150) It is διὰ τὰ παραπτώματα ἡμων, “for our offenses,” and διὰ τὴν δικαίωσιν ἡμων, “for our justification.” The preposition διὰ, has here clearly two meanings: the first signifies the reason why, and the second, the end for which. How is this to be known? By the character of the sentence, and by what is taught elsewhere. For, to which [ Johnson ] attaches forty meanings, is commonly understood here as having a different sense, and this is sufficiently indicated by what is connected with it. But in case a doubt arises, we have only to consult other passages in which the subject is handled.
Take the first instance — “for our offenses.” There are those who say that διὰ here means because of, or, on account of; and this, in order to evade the idea of a propitiation. The preposition, no doubt, has this sense; but is this its sense here? If the sentence itself be deemed insufficient to determine the question, (though to a plain reader it is,) let us see what is said elsewhere of Christ’s death in connection with our sins or offenses. He himself said, that he came “to give his life a ransom ( λύτρον — a redeeming price) for many,” Mat 20:28. It is said, that he “gave himself a ransom ( ἀντίλυτρον — a redeeming price for another) for all,” 1Ti 2:6. It is expressly declared, that “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many,” Heb 9:28. And more to the purpose still, if possible, is the testimony of John, when he says that Christ “is the propitiation ( ἱλασμός — expiation) for our sins,” 1Jo 2:2. Now, can it be that we can give any other meaning to the text, than that God delivered his Son as a sacrifice for our offenses? This is the doctrine of Scripture throughout. — Ed.
(151) Christ is said here to have been raised from the dead by God, as well as delivered into death. “However much of the import of this,” says [ Chalmers ], “may have escaped the notice of an ordinary reader, it is pregnant with meaning of the weightiest importance. You know that when the prison door is opened to a criminal, and that by the very authority which lodged him there, it envinces that the debt of his transgression has been rendered, and that he stands aquitted of all it’s penalties. It was not for his own, but for our offenses that Jesus was delivered unto the death, and that his body was consigned to the imprisonment of the grave. And when an angel descended from heaven, and rolled back the great stone from the door of the sepulchre, this speaks to us, that the justice of God is satisfied, that the ransom of our iniquity has been paid, that Christ has rendered a full discharge of all the debt for which he undertook as the great surety between God and the sinners who believe in him.” — Ed.
(152) “Either therefore as the evidence of the acceptance of his suffering as our substitute, or as a necessary step toward securing the application of their merit to our benefit, the resurrection of Christ was essential to our justification.” — Professor [ Hodge ]
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(25) Was deliveredi.e., to death, as in Isa. 53:12 (LXX. version); Mat. 17:22; et al.
For our offences.Because of our offencesi.e., in order that He might atone for them.
For our justification.Because of our justificationi.e., that justification might take effect in us.
The death of Christ is the proper cause of justification, or means of atonement, according to St. Paul; the resurrection of Christ is only the mediate or secondary cause of it. The atoning efficacy lay in His death, but the proof of that efficacythe proof that it was really the Messiah who diedwas to be seen in the Resurrection. The Resurrection, therefore, gave the greatest impulse to faith in the atoning efficacy of the death upon the cross, and in this way helped to bring about justification. Comp. especially 1Co. 15:17, If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sinsi.e., you have no guarantee that your sins have really been remitted; if the death of Christ had not been followed by His resurrection, the inference would have followed that it was merely the death of an ordinary man, and without any special saving efficacy.
The distinction should be carefully observed between the bearing of these two acts, the death and the resurrection of Christ, on the doctrines of justification and sanctification respectively. For the latter see especially Rom. 6:2 et seq.
In looking back over the argument of this fourth chapter, we feel that it is a keen and subtle argumentum ad hominem, addressed to Jews, and based upon their own method of interpretation. Its permanent value is derived from its bearing upon the theological system of St. Paul himselfthe doctrines of faith, grace, no boasting, the supreme disposing power of God, the saving efficacy of the death of Christ.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. Raised justification Christ atones for us on the cross; he justifies us on the throne. That he may purchase our pardon for us he must die; that he may secure the application of his blood to our case he must rise again. He must ever live to intercede for us by pointing to the merit of his death. He must ever live and reign, that he may apply the pardoning grace to the successive generations of the penitent as they appear in faith before him.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our being accounted as in the right (justification).’
For this was why Christ died. He was delivered up for our trespasses, for all the ways in which we come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23), and He was raised again so that we might be ‘accounted as in the right’ before Him. The referring of our ‘justification’ to the resurrection is unusual. It is normally connected with His death (Rom 3:24-25). But there is no difficulty in this, for the raising of Jesus from the dead was unquestionably seen as the moment when He was vindicated, and therefore as the moment when His righteousness became available so as to be reckoned to us. The resurrection was the seal on what He had accomplished. It was then that He was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead (Rom 1:4). It was thus the moment at which our being ‘accounted as in the right’ was made possible. Now He could visit us with righteousness and salvation (Rom 1:16-17). The association of His death and resurrection as being two aspects of our salvation will come out strongly in Rom 5:10; Rom 6:1-11.
The ‘literal’ Greek is:
Who was delivered up because of our trespasses,
And was raised because of our justification.
The fact that He was ‘delivered up (handed over) for our trespasses’ is probably a reflection of Isa 53:12 LXX, where it says, ‘because of their sins He was handed over’. The second line is indicating the success of what He had done. His resurrection was the proof that His death had accomplished its purpose, and that His righteousness was available to be set to our account once we believed in Him. The promises to Isaiah were being fulfilled, ‘It pleased the LORD to bruise Him, He has put Him to grief, when You will make His soul an offering for sin (delivered up for our trespasses) He will see His seed. He will prolong His days (resurrection), and the pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand (the triumph of the Gospel and the redeeming of His people). From the travail of His soul He will see light (resurrection) and will be satisfied. By His humiliation will My righteous Servant make many to be to be accounted as in the right, and He will bear their iniquities’ (Isa 53:10-11).
Thus our justification, our being accounted as ‘in the right’, rests on both His death and resurrection. In that sense His resurrection was ‘because of our justification’, it was evidence that our justification had been accomplished. But that is probably not Paul’s prime meaning here. Here the second ‘because’ should probably be rendered ‘because of our need for’ or ‘because the means had been provided for’. He had made the righteousness of God which is from faith unto faith (Rom 1:17) available to all who believe.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Rom 4:25. Who was delivered for our offences See chap. Rom 3:25 Rom 5:6-10. Eph 1:7; Eph 1:14; Eph 5:2. Col 1:14; Col 1:20-22. 1Ti 2:6. Tit 2:14. 1Co 15:17. In these several texts of St. Paul may be seen his own explication of what he says here; namely, that our Saviour, by his death, atoned for our sins, and so the justified believer is made innocent of his past transgressions, and thereby freed from the punishment due to them; and yet still on the condition of persevering faith and love. But he rose again to ascertain eternal life for the faithful; for the reward of righteousness is eternal life, to which inheritance we have a title by adoption in Jesus Christ. But if he himself had not possessed that inheritance, if he had not risen into the possession of eternal life, we, who hold by and under him, could not rise from the dead; and so could never come to be pronounced righteous, and to receive the reward of it, if faithful, even everlasting life. Hence St. Paul tells us, that if Christ be not raised, our faith is vain; we are yet in our sins: that is, as to the attainment of eternal life, it is all the same as if our sins were not forgiven. And thus he rose for our justification, not only as his resurrection affords the most solemn confirmation of the whole new covenant, but also enables him consistently with the divine perfections to raise us from the dead, and to give us, dying in faith and holiness, eternal life. Joh 14:19. See Locke.
Inferences.It is the corrupt inclination of the heart of man to seek for something to justify himself in his own good works, and in his own will; which does not come from God, and which is owing only to himself. The sincere Christian, on the contrary, places all his joy in owing every thing to God, through Jesus Christ: and whoever is desirous to glory in any thing independently of Him, will meet with nothing but shame and confusion at the last. In this view Abraham is the first witness to grace, and the righteousness of faith before the law, ver. l, 2 and the pattern of right conduct to every truly faithful person.
We are saved by a divine scheme, which allows us not to mention any works of our own, as if we had whereof to glory before God, but teaches us to ascribe our acceptance before God to the belief in Him who justifieth the ungodly. Nor need we be ashamed of flying to such a method: Abraham, the father of the faithful, had recourse to it himself, Rom 4:3-5 and built on it his eternal hope. May we share his disposition of mind, that so we may inherit the same promises: and thus we also, walking in the steps of our father Abraham, shall be called like him the friends and children of God; and sit down with the patriarchs and prophets of old in his heavenly kingdom!
If there be indeed any such thing as happiness to be enjoyed by mortals, it is the portion of that man of whom David speaks,of him whose iniquity is pardoned, whose sin is covered, and who enjoys the manifestation of that pardon, Rom 4:7-8. Well may such endure the greatest afflictions of life with cheerful submission, and look forward to death with comfort,to that awful yet transporting day, when the sting of all these evils shall be taken out, and returning tokens of the divine favour convert them into blessings. How earnestly should we then supplicate the throne of grace, that this happiness may become ours! that the great and glorious Being, whom by our sins we have so offended, and in whom alone the right and power of pardon resides, would spread the veil of his mercy over our provocations, and blot them out of the book of his remembrance! Let us only, on the one hand, fix it in our minds, that it is the character of the man to whom this blessedness belongs, that in his spirit there is no guile: and on the other reflect, that it is in consequence of the righteous obedience of Christ unto the death of the cross and his infinite merit which faith receives and applies.
How common is it for men to glory in the piety and holiness of those to whom they bear any relation; but how rarely do they walk in their-steps, by imitating their example! see Rom 4:12. The faith which does not dispose us to forsake all for the sake of God, and to sacrifice every thing to his known will, is not the faith of a son of Abraham; not such a faith as can ever be accounted for righteousness.
Though by our manifold transgression of the perfect law of God, we can never inherit by any claim from that, which only worketh wrath and condemnation, in consequence of our breach of it (Rom 4:14-15.); yet shall we, by believing and obeying the Gospel of our Redeemer, find the promise sure to us, as the spiritual seed of Abraham, (Rom 4:16.) and be for ever happy in the enjoyment of that better Canaan, where every earthly inheritance shall be no more.
Let us then bear continually in our minds the great, the venerable example of Abraham our father; labour to the utmost to trace his steps, and have faith in that omnipotent God, who at his pleasure quickeneth the dead, and calleth the things which are not, as if they were, Rom 4:17. If sense were to judge, it would pronounce many of those difficulties insurmountable, which seem to oppose the accomplishment of his promises;but we have the truth of God pledged as our security, that they shall all be fulfilled to the faithful in their season. Surely no argument should be so effectual as this to render us strong in faith, and thus dispose our hearts to glorifying God, Rom 4:20. He hath promised, and he is able also to perform; for with him all things are possible. Already has he done that for us, which we had much less reason to expect or conceive, than we now have to hope for any thing remaining. He that delivered up his Son Jesus for our offences (Rom 4:25.), to redeem us by his blood from final and everlasting ruin;How shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Be it our daily joy, that this mighty Saviour was raised again for our justification. A belief of the resurrection of Christ comprehends every thing, since it includes the belief of all the mysteries and truths of Christianity, whether antecedent or subsequent; the resurrection being in fact the seal of every thing which the blessed Jesus did, suffered, taught, and promised. Let it therefore be continually considered as the noblest argument to establish our faith in him who performed this illustrious work of mercy and of power. So shall it be accounted to us likewise for righteousness, Rom 4:22-23. Yea, so shall the righteousness of God be revealed to our souls from faith to faith to all the blessed purposes of our justification (see chap. Rom 1:17.); and, if we perseveringly cleave to this adorable Saviour, we shall be accepted through his blood to all eternity.
REFLECTIONS.1st, Abraham was the renowned ancestor, on their descent from whom the Jews so highly prided themselves. If therefore it can be made to appear, that he who was so eminent for his obedience was justified not by works but by faith, then surely none of his descendants, who came so short of his excellent character, may expect to be justified in any other way.
What shall we say then that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? Did he obtain justification by the efforts of his natural wisdom and strength, or by circumcision, or his other outward privileges and performances? No, in no wise. For,
1. If he were justified by works, he might have had room for boasting; but whatever excellence there was in his character before men, he had nothing whereof to glory before God. Therefore, when speaking of Abraham, the Scripture expressly observes, Gen 15:6. Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness; that which he believed respecting the promised seed, who should suffer in his stead, was reckoned to his account, as the ground of his justification before God, and not any doings or duties of his own.
2. If Abraham were justified by works, his reward would have been of debt, not of grace; for perfect obedience would have entitled him to eternal life: but God called Abraham when he was ( ) an ungodly person, and justified him through faith in the promised Messiah. And to him that worketh not, who is utterly unable to perform that immaculate obedience which the law requires, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, conscious that this is his character, and perceiving the absolute necessity of an infinitely meritorious sacrifice for his sins, even that which God hath provided in his Son; his faith is counted to him for his justifying righteousness and title to God’s favour. If Abraham then must be justified as an ungodly sinner, as one that worketh not, it would be strange presumption in his descendants, or any others, to expect justification in any other way.
3. He argues the necessity of free justification from the declarations of the Psalmist, who describes him as the truly blessed man, not who has no sins to answer for, but who has them not counted or imputed to him, being justified from them all by the free grace of God, without any works of his own, of whatever kind, to recommend him to the divine regard.
2nd, The blessedness above described is, no doubt, most desirable; the question is, to whom it belongs? Is it peculiar to the circumcised Jews, or common to the uncircumcised Gentiles? The former would fain monopolize it as the sole privilege of those who were within the pale of circumcision; but the Gospel declares the uncircumcised Gentiles alike capable of receiving it.
It was faith, not circumcision, which was Abraham’s justifying righteousness, as we have before shewn. This was imputed to him, and in consequence thereof he was a justified man, fourteen years before he was circumcised. It is evident therefore that when he afterwards submitted to this instituted ordinance of God, and received the sign of circumcision, it was not in order to his being justified, since that he had been long before, but as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, being yet uncircumcised; a visible token that God had taken him and his seed into the bond of the covenant, and an assurance to him, if faithful, of all the blessings which were to be procured by that Redeemer in whom he had believed. Thus, in this eminent instance of him who bore the distinguished title of father of the faithful, and from whom the Messiah should spring in whom all nations were to be blessed, the Gentiles, though uncircumcised, might behold the way of justification freely opened to them, and stand in the nearest relation to Abraham, whose faith they followed, as his spiritual children; and, though they were not his natural descendants, might share in all his most distinguished blessings, and righteousness be reckoned or imputed unto them also, in like manner as it was to him during his uncircumcised state.
And herein also God shewed to the Jews, that it was not their being the natural descendants of Abraham, and partakers of circumcision with him, which entitled them to pardon; but that the distinguishing privileges of that covenant of grace into which Abraham was admitted, belonged only to those who walked in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham which he had, being yet uncircumcised: and without which, circumcision, and all their other duties and performances, would never procure for them justification to life.
3rdly, As circumcision was not a justifying righteousness to Abraham, nor to any of his seed; neither was the law, in which the Jewish people trusted. For the promise, that he should be heir of the world, was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law of Moses, which was not yet given, nor in virtue of any personal obedience of his or theirs, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, and the title to the blessings promised arose from the fulfilling the law, whether that of Moses or any other, then faith is made void; there is no place for the exercise of it; and the promise is of no effect, since the blessings of it would depend on our perfect and immaculate obedience: if that were not perfect and immaculate, the promise would be useless, which must necessarily be the case in our present corrupted state; because the law worketh wrath, and can only deliver over every man to the righteous judgment of God, as transgressors. Had there indeed been no law given, had no notice of God’s will, traditionary or revealed, been afforded, there would have been no conscience of sin, for where no law is, there is no transgression: but now that there is a law, the offender is obnoxious to the curse, which is the sanction annexed to the transgression of it. Therefore, since none by their obedience to any law, moral or ceremonial, could possibly be entitled to the promised blessings, God so ordained, that it should be of faith, that it might be of grace; that the promise, and all the blessings contained in it, might appear to be given of God’s mere goodness, without the least desert on our part, faith stretching out its empty hand to receive the inestimable treasure, to the end the promise might be sure to every persevering believer, even to all the seed, to the spiritual seed of Abraham, even to every faithful soul; not to that only which is of the law, who live under the Mosaical dispensation, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, though Gentiles by birth and profession, yet who through faith become, in God’s account, the children of this eminent patriarch, who is the father of us all, whether believing Jews or Gentiles; as it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations. In a spiritual sense, before him whom he believed, even God, was he thus reputed as the father of nations; even before him who quickeneth the dead; Abraham and his wife, whose bodies were now as good as dead; or the Gentiles dead in trespasses and sins; or the bodies of the deceased in the last day: and who, in virtue of his almighty power, calleth those things which be not as though they were, since whatever he wills, at his word starts into being. Persuaded of this, notwithstanding all the difficulties which his faith had to encounter, Abraham against hope, if reason were consulted, believed in hope; and against all arguments which sense or experience urged, he rested satisfied in the fulfilment of the promise, that he should become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, Gen 15:5 when, pointing him to the stars, God assured him, so shall thy seed be, so numberless, so illustrious. Having this divine promise, he staggered not a moment through any improbabilities which unbelief might suggest, from the consideration of his own great age, which, with regard to his having children, rendered his body as if already dead, nor at the deadness of Sarah’s womb, long since past child-bearing; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, with the fullest assurance expecting the fulfilment of what God had promised, and was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness; and what he saw about to be done by the promised seed, Christ Jesus, was now reckoned to his account, and he stood thereby justified before God. Note; Where God has promised, whatever objections carnal reason and unbelief may make, it is our wisdom to turn a deaf ear to every suggestion, and confidently wait the accomplishment of his word; and this gives God the highest glory.
4thly, Great was the faith of the patriarch, great the honour put upon him thereby! But this record borne to him of his acceptance before God was not written for his sake alone, historically to inform us of that which rendered him so eminent; but for us also, as a pattern, comfort, and encouragement to us, and an assurance that the same righteousness shall be counted to us, for our justification, if we, as true sons of this father of the faithful, believe as he did, on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who, as our substitute and surety, was delivered for our offences, to bear our sins in his own body on the tree; and, having so done, was raised again for our justification.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
Blessed be God the Holy Ghost for the boundless condescension of his grace, in explaining to the Church the precious doctrine of justification by faith, without the works of the law. And blessed be his name for illustrating the truth yet more abundantly in the instance of the Patriarch Abraham. Now, Lord, through thy blessed teaching we see, wherein the call of God consisted, in taking the great father of the faithful from his country and his kindred, and his father’s house, to come unto the land which a covenant God in Christ shewed him. And doth not the same God in covenant now command all the Church to forget her own people, and her father’s house, that she may be brought into the King’s palace? Oh! precious faith, in a precious, precious Savior! Lord I give all thy redeemed grace, that when called upon by grace, like Abraham, to go out into a place hereafter to be received as an inheritance, they may, like him, by faith go out, in full confidence in thy grace and mercy.
But let thy people learn, O Lord, from this beautiful illustration of the precious doctrine in the instance of Abraham, that the justification of thy Church and people is by Christ’s person and righteousness, and not our faith. That which was, and is counted for righteousness, is not our faith in that righteousness, but the righteousness itself imputed to the persons of the faithful, from their union and oneness in Christ. By faith in the Person and Righteousness of Christ, We do indeed enjoy the blessedness of it, but the work of faith, no more than other works in the creature, can give any title to it. And faith itself comes from and is by this righteousness. Oh! for grace from the Lord to have a right apprehension of the important distinction. And do thou, blessed Lord! grant to thy whole family the sweet enjoyment of their vast privileges. Neither the circumcision of the Jew, nor the uncircumcision of the Gentile, are anything, where Christ and his righteousness are imputed; Seeing it is One God which justifies the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel, both Jew and Gentile, be justified, and shall glory.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Ver. 25. Who was delivered, &c. ] Not that his death had no hand in our justifying, but because our justification, begun in his death, was perfected by his resurrection. Redemption we have by Christ’s abasement, application of it by his advancement. This one verse is an abridgment of the whole gospel, the sum of all the good news in the world, the grand inquest of all the ancient prophets,1Pe 1:111Pe 1:11 . Adore we the fulness of the Holy Scriptures.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
25 .] Here we have another example of the alliterative use of the same preposition where the meanings are clearly different (see above, Rom 4:23-24 ). Our Lord was delivered up (to death) for or on account of our sins (i.e. because we had sinned ): He was also raised up (from the dead) for or on account of our justification (i.e. not because we had been , but that we might be justified ). This separate statement of the great object of the death and resurrection of Christ must be rightly understood, and each member of it not unduly pressed to the exclusion of the other. The great complex event by which our justification (death unto sin and new birth unto righteousness) has been made possible, may be stated in one word as the GLORIFICATION of Christ. But this glorification consisted of two main parts, His Death, and His Resurrection. In the former of these, He was made a sacrifice for sin; in the latter, He elevated our humanity into the participation of that Resurrection-life, which is also, by union with Him, the life of every justified believer. So that, when taking the two apart , the Death of Christ is more properly placed in close reference to forgiveness of sins , His Resurrection, to justification unto life everlasting. And thus the Apostle treats these two great events, here and in the succeeding chapters. But he does not view them respectively as the causes, exclusively of one another , of forgiveness and justification: e.g. (1) ch. Rom 5:9 , we are said to be justified by His blood , and 2Co 5:21 God made Him sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him: and (2) 1Co 15:17 , if Christ is not raised, we are yet in our sins . So that, though these great events have their separate propriety of reference to the negative and positive sides of our justification, the one of them cannot be treated separately and exclusively of the other, any more than can the negative side of our justification, the non-imputation of our sin, without the positive, the imputation of God’s righteousness.
It will be seen from what I have said above that I cannot agree with Bp. Horsley’s view, that as our transgressions were the cause of Jesus being delivered up, so our justification must be the cause of His being raised again. Such a pressing of the same sense on is not necessary, when Paul’s manifold usages of the same preposition are considered: and the regarding our justification (in the sense here) as a fact past, is inconsistent with the very next words, , which shew that not the objective fact , but its subjective realization , is here meant. In these words (of Rom 4:25 ) the Apostle introduces the great subject of chaps. 5 8, DEATH, as connected with SIN, and LIFE, as connected with RIGHTEOUSNESS. The various ramifications of this subject see in the headings below.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
delivered. See Joh 19:30.
offences. App-128.
again. Omit.
justification = justifying. App-191.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
25.] Here we have another example of the alliterative use of the same preposition where the meanings are clearly different (see above, Rom 4:23-24). Our Lord was delivered up (to death) for or on account of our sins (i.e. because we had sinned):-He was also raised up (from the dead) for or on account of our justification (i.e. not because we had been, but that we might be justified). This separate statement of the great object of the death and resurrection of Christ must be rightly understood, and each member of it not unduly pressed to the exclusion of the other. The great complex event by which our justification (death unto sin and new birth unto righteousness) has been made possible, may be stated in one word as the GLORIFICATION of Christ. But this glorification consisted of two main parts,-His Death, and His Resurrection. In the former of these, He was made a sacrifice for sin; in the latter, He elevated our humanity into the participation of that Resurrection-life, which is also, by union with Him, the life of every justified believer. So that, when taking the two apart, the Death of Christ is more properly placed in close reference to forgiveness of sins,-His Resurrection, to justification unto life everlasting. And thus the Apostle treats these two great events, here and in the succeeding chapters. But he does not view them respectively as the causes, exclusively of one another, of forgiveness and justification: e.g. (1) ch. Rom 5:9, we are said to be justified by His blood, and 2Co 5:21 God made Him sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him: and (2) 1Co 15:17, if Christ is not raised, we are yet in our sins. So that, though these great events have their separate propriety of reference to the negative and positive sides of our justification, the one of them cannot be treated separately and exclusively of the other, any more than can the negative side of our justification, the non-imputation of our sin, without the positive, the imputation of Gods righteousness.
It will be seen from what I have said above that I cannot agree with Bp. Horsleys view, that as our transgressions were the cause of Jesus being delivered up, so our justification must be the cause of His being raised again. Such a pressing of the same sense on is not necessary, when Pauls manifold usages of the same preposition are considered: and the regarding our justification (in the sense here) as a fact past, is inconsistent with the very next words, , which shew that not the objective fact, but its subjective realization, is here meant.-In these words (of Rom 4:25) the Apostle introduces the great subject of chaps. 5-8,-DEATH, as connected with SIN,-and LIFE, as connected with RIGHTEOUSNESS. The various ramifications of this subject see in the headings below.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rom 4:25
Rom 4:25
who was delivered up for our trespasses,-[This verse is a comprehensive statement of the gospel. Christ was delivered unto death for our sins. (Isa 53:5-6; Heb 9:28; 1Pe 2:21). The delivering of Christ is ascribed to God (Rom 8:32) ; to Christ himself (Gal 1:4; Tit 2:14) ; and to wicked men (Luk 24:20; Act 2:23; Act 5:30). It was by the divine purpose and counsel that he suffered for the sins of the world, and he gave himself willingly. (Isa 53:7-8).]
and was raised for our justification.-[The resurrection of Christ was necessary for our justification-that is, in order to complete the provisions for it and effect it. Had he not risen, we should yet be under condemnation. (1Co 15:17). But God raised him up to consummate the offering for sin. As it was necessary on the day of atonement that the high priest should not only slay the offering at the altar, but enter into the holy place and sprinkle the blood upon the mercy seat, so our High Priest, having suffered in the outer court, has passed into the heavens with his own blood, there to appear for our justification. This offering was accepted and the reconciliation was completed.] That our faith may be reckoned to us for righteousness, it is necessary for us to believe in him who was raised for our justification.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
raised
Christ died under our sins 1Pe 2:24; 2Co 5:21 that He was raised and exalted to God’s right hand, “now to appear in the presence of God for us” Heb 9:24 is the token that our sins are gone, that His work for us has the divine approbation and that we, for whom He suffered, are completely justified.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Who was: Rom 3:25, Rom 5:6-8, Rom 8:3, Rom 8:32, Isa 53:5, Isa 53:6, Isa 53:10-12, Dan 9:24, Dan 9:26, Zec 13:7, Mat 20:28, 1Co 15:3, 1Co 15:4, 2Co 5:21, Gal 1:4, Gal 3:13, Eph 5:2, Tit 2:14, Heb 9:28, 1Pe 1:18, 1Pe 1:19, 1Pe 2:24, 1Pe 3:18, 1Jo 2:2, 1Jo 4:9, 1Jo 4:10, Rev 1:5, Rev 5:9, Rev 7:14
and was raised: Rom 8:33, Rom 8:34, 1Co 15:17, Heb 4:14-16, Heb 10:12-14, 1Pe 1:21
Reciprocal: Lev 1:17 – shall not Lev 4:35 – and the priest shall make Lev 5:8 – wring off Lev 14:6 – the living bird Lev 16:10 – to make Lev 16:20 – live goat Num 6:10 – General Isa 53:11 – justify Act 10:40 – General Rom 4:5 – But to Rom 5:1 – being Rom 6:2 – God Rom 8:11 – him Rom 10:7 – to bring up 1Co 1:30 – righteousness 1Co 15:13 – General Gal 1:1 – raised Gal 2:16 – but 1Th 1:10 – whom Heb 13:20 – brought 1Pe 1:3 – by
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
:25
Rom 4:25. Was delivered refers to Jesus being turned over into the hands of his enemies, to be slain because of the offences of the world, that by his sacrifice they might be atoned for. Had Jesus not been raised from the dead, he could not have perfected that system of faith by which man could be justified before God.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rom 4:25. Who was delivered up. A standing designation for the divine surrender of Christ, surrender unto death (chap. Rom 8:32), perhaps after Isa 53:12. It is at the same time self-surrender (Gal 2:20; Eph 5:2), since Christ was obedient to His Father (Meyer).
For our trespasses, i.e., our sins which were atoned for by His sacrificial death. For, that is, on account of, but not in exactly the same sense in both clauses, in this one it gives the cause, namely, a past fact: because we had sinned; in the next clause it points to a future result. Christ died to remove our guilt which already existed, but He rose again to accomplish our justification which could not otherwise take place.
Raised for our justification. This clause presents the positive aspect of the same exhibition of grace. The word justification points to the act, though the state (of being justified) which results may be implied. By His death our Lord atoned for sin (chap. Rom 3:25), and secured our pardon and peace; this is the meritorious ground of our justification (comp. chaps. Rom 3:24-25; Rom 5:9; 2Co 5:9; Eph 1:7; 1Jn 1:7. But unless Christ has risen the atoning work could not have been appropriated by men, and their justification actually taken place. Without the resurrection, Christs grave would be the grave of all our hopes (1Co 15:17). That great fact testified that God accepted the atoning sacrifice. If man had not sinned, Christ would not have died; if Christ had sinned, He would not have been raised. To this may be added, as matters vitally connected with the words of this verse (though not fully expressed), that only the risen Saviour could intercede for us, could send the Holy Spirit to apply redemption to us; that as the death and resurrection of Christ are inseparably connected as the ground of our salvation, so the effects are indivisible, though distinguishable. The sinner cannot be buried with Christ, without rising with Him as a new creature; the death with Christ is inseparable from the new life in Christ. Hence some commentators regard this verse as a brief introduction of the great subject of chaps. 5-8, Death, as connected with Sin, and Life, as connected with Righteousness (Alford). See beginning of next section.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
In this one verse we have an abridgment of the whole gospel, the death and resurrection of Christ declared, and the benefit and advantages of both assigned. 1. For his death; he was delivered for our offences.
Here note, 1. The person delivered: He, that is, Christ Jesus the righteous; the Lord our righteousness.
Note, 2. The person delivering, not expressed, but necessarily implied and understood. Judas delivered him, the Jews delivered him, God the Father delivered him, and Christ himself delivered himself. All these did one and the same act, but not for one and the same end: Judas delivered him for gain, the Jews for envy, the Father delivered him out of love, and Christ delivered himself in great compassion to a lost world.
Note, 3. Unto what he was delivered, namely, Unto death, even the death of the cross. This in “God was an act of the highest justice, in Christ an act of wonderful obedience, in the Jews an act of the highest wickedness.
Note, 4. For whom, and for what he was delivered: for us and for our offenses: It notes the vicegerency of his sufferings, not barely for our goods the final cause, and for our sins as the meritorious cause; but for us, in our room, place and stead, dying under an imputation of guilt, and dying as the sacrificed beast for the expiation of that guilt: The original word here for offences signifies great falls, grievous offences, and heinous crimes.
This sacrificed lamb was delivered and died to expiate the guilt of guilt of great sins, and to make atonement for the greatest sinners.
Note, 5. It is here said, that Christ was delivered, rather than died for our offences, to lead us to the consideration of the first cause of his suffering for us; namely, The determinate counsel of God, pursuant to which there concession or permission given to wicked instruments to shed his blood; his own Father delivering him up to death for our offences.
Learn hence, That our sins were not only the occasions, but the moving and impulsive cause of Christ’s sufferings. He died as a sacrifice to atone an offended Deity: As the sacrifices of old were brought to the altar, and there slain, so Christ, substituting himself in our room and stead, was brought ot he altar of his cross, and there died as a victim or expiatory sacrifice for our sins. Thus, He was delivered for our offenses.
Observe, next, Our Lord’s resurrection asserted, He was raised again; and its end assigned, for our justification. Christ as our surety was under the arrest of death; but having given satisfaction by his sufferings, our discharge was published to the world by his resurrection; As by dying in our stead, he bare the curse of the law; so by rising again as a common person, we receive our acquittal from the hand of a judge. His death was our payment, his resurrection our discharge; He was raised again for our justification.
Learn thence, That Christ’s resurrection was the cause of our justification; not the meritorious cause, for that was his death and bloodshed; but the declarative and perfect cause of our justification.
His resurrection was a declaration of our justification, the justice of God thereby declaring itself satisfied, by its prisoner being released. His resurrection is also the perfective cause of our justification. The work of redemption wrought for us by his death, is perfected, and made effectual by his resurrection. This makes our redemption complete, which otherwise had been partial and imperfect; nay, none at all. ‘Tis upon Christ, as raised, that our faith must be settled: Had he not been raised from the dead, faith in his death had had no foundation, for it had been an unaccountable thing to believe in one that lay under he power of death.
By Christ’s resurrection, the efficacy of his death was declared to all the world: Therefore, says the apostle, Who shall condemn us, when Christ hath died for us? yea, rather is risen again Romans 8.
As our redemption was not in its glory till Christ’s resurrection; so neither is our faith in its full strength and vigour, till it eyes him, Who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Vv. 25. Who was delivered on account of our offences, and was raised again on account of our justification.
In the title our Lord there was involved the idea of a very intimate relation between Jesus and us. This mysterious and gracious solidarity is summed up in two symmetrical clauses, which in a few clear and definite terms present its two main aspects. He was delivered on account of our offences. Perhaps Paul means by the phrase: being delivered, to remind us of the description of the servant of Jehovah, Isaiah 53 : His soul was delivered () to death (Rom 4:12). He who delivers Him, according to Rom 8:32, is God Himself: who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. Paul has told us, Rom 3:25, for what end this act was necessary. It was required to manifest conspicuously the righteousness of God. Every sinner needed to be brought to say: See what I deserve! Thus justice was satisfied and pardon possible. And He was raised again on account of our justification. Commentators are unanimous, if I mistake not, in translating: for our justification, as if it were or , and not (on account of). This for is explained in the sense that the resurrection of Christ was needed in order that faith might be able to appropriate the expiation which was accomplished, and that so justification, of which faith is the condition, might take place. But what a roundabout way of arriving at the explanation of this for! And if the apostle really meant for (with a view to), why repeat this same preposition which he had just used in the parallel proposition, in its natural sense of on account of, while the language supplied him with prepositions appropriate to the exact expression of his thought (, , Rom 3:25-26)? I am not surprised that in this way several commentators have found in this symmetry established between the facts of salvation nothing more than an artificial distribution, belonging to the domain of rhetoric rather than to that of dogmatics, and that one has even gone the length of reproaching the apostle for sacrificing to the mania of parallelism. If we were shut up to the explanation referred to, we could only join regretfully in this judgment. But it is not so. Let us take the in its natural sense, as we are bound to do by its use in the first proposition. In the same way as Jesus died because of our offences, that is, our (merited) condemnation, He was raised because of our (accomplished) justification. Our sin had killed Him; our justification raised Him again. How so? The expiation of our trespasses once accomplished by His death, and the right of God’s justice proved in earnest, God could pronounce the collective acquittal of future believers, and He did so. Over the blood of the sacrifice a sentence of justification was pronounced in favor of guilty man; his condemnation was annulled. Now, in view of this divine fact, a corresponding change must necessarily be wrought in the person of Christ Himself. By the same law of solidarity whereby our condemnation had brought Him to the cross, our justification must transform His death into life. When the debtor is proved insolvent, his security is thrown into prison; but as soon as the latter succeeds in clearing the debt, the debtor is legally set free, and his security is liberated with him. For he has no debt of his own. Such is the bond of solidarity formed by the plan of God between Christ and us. Our lot is as it were interwoven with His: we sin, He dies; we are justified, He lives again. This is the key to the declaration, 1Co 15:17 : If Jesus be not risen, ye are yet in your sins. So long as the security is in prison, the debt is not paid; the immediate effect of payment would be his liberation. Similarly, if Jesus were not raised, we should be more than ignorant whether our debt were paid; we might be certain that it was not. His resurrection is the proof of our justification only because it is the necessary effect of it. What Paul required to say, therefore, was , on account of, and not , with a view to. If in Christ dead humanity disappeared condemned, in Christ raised again it appears acquitted. And now what is the part of faith in relation to the resurrection thus understood? Exactly that of Abraham in regard to the divine promise. On hearing the promise, he no longer saw himself as he was, but he considered himself as the promise made him. So, the resurrection of Christ once completed, we have no longer to see ourselves as we are in ourselves, but as this fact reveals us to our view: justified. For this resurrection is the incarnation of my justification. If death is the payment of my debt, resurrection is, as it were, the acknowledgment of it.
We must beware, therefore, if we would not efface from the Scriptures their most magnificent revelation, of giving to the word , justification, as several commentators, Dllinger for example, the entirely arbitrary sense of sanctification: Jesus was raised with a view to our moral amelioration!or of bringing in here, as some Protestant commentators do (Calv., Thol., Philip.) with the notion of the resurrection, those of the heavenly dominion and the intercession of Christ. The resurrection is here presented by Paul in express terms in its relation to what preceded, namely, His death, not the glorified existence which followed.
Thus is finished the demonstration of the harmony between the revelation of the Old Testament and the justification by faith revealed in the gospel. The grand truth of the righteousness of faith, summarily enunciated 3.21, 22, was first placed on its historical foundation, the work of God in Christ, Rom 3:23-26; then it was confirmed by its harmony with the Old Testament; first with the spirit of the law, Rom 3:27-31, then with the example of Abraham, Rom 4:1-24. One question might yet be raised: Will this justification by faith, which saves us at present, hold good in the future? Can it assure us of salvation even before the judgment-seat? It is to the solution of this so grave question that the following piece is devoted. Thus will be closed the didactic exposition of justification by faith.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. [Now, Moses, when he recorded the fact that Abraham was accounted righteous for his faith, did not do so for the sole purpose of giving Abraham the honor due him, but he also recorded the fact for our sakes also, unto whom a like righteousness shall be reckoned because we believe on God the Father that raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, even Jesus who was delivered up to die for our sins, and raised from the dead for our justification. This paragraph shows that our belief is very similar to that of Abraham. If Abraham believed that God could accomplish seemingly impossible things concerning his son Isaac, so we likewise believe that God accomplished, and will accomplish, seemingly impossible things through Jesus, who, according to the flesh, was also a son of Abraham. In both cases it is no mere abstract belief in God, but a concrete belief as to certain facts accomplished and to be accomplished by God. In Rom 4:25 Paul presents the twofold nature of Christ’s propitiatory work, for he was both sacrifice and priest. He offered himself and was delivered up as a sacrifice for our sins, and he was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven that he might, as High Priest, present his blood before the face of God in a heavenly sanctuary for our justification, thus completing his high-priestly duties or offices– Heb 9:11-28]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
25. Who was delivered for our transgressions and arose for our justification. Christ became our literal, actual, vicarious substitute, taking our place, dying in our room and stead. While He thus paid the penalty and redeemed every son and daughter of Adams ruined race, so perfectly and satisfactorily as to preclude all necessity of human condemnation, thus actually blockading hell against the ingress of every soul, and opening the pearly gates, with angelic shouts welcoming every poor victim of sin and sorrow to the fadeless glories of the heavenly hope, yet redemption is one thing and our participation of redeeming grace quite another. The latter we can not only secure through faith in the promises of God, unbelief climaxing an eternal forfeiture. Many have appeared on the earth claiming to be Christ, but they all fail to rise from the dead. The resurrection of Christ is the grand Archimedean lever inspiring universal faith in His Christhood.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 25
We are not probably to attempt to separate the two clauses of this verse, and to give to each its distinct signification: the form of construction seems to be only rhetorical. The meaning is, as if it were written, “Who died, and rose again, that we might be justified and saved.”
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
4:25 Who was delivered for our {t} offences, and was raised again for our justification.
(t) To pay the ransom for our sins.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
What did Paul mean when he spoke of the death and resurrection of Jesus? The NIV interprets the Greek proposition dia, which occurs twice in this verse, as "for," implying a prospective sense. The NASB translates it as having a retrospective sense: "because of." The retrospective sense is its usual significance rather than the rarer prospective sense, which we could render "with a view to." "Because of" is probably a clearer translation in view of the normal retrospective use of dia, its use in parallel statements here, and since it makes good sense here. Paul evidently meant Jesus underwent crucifixion because of our transgressions of God’s law (cf. Isa 53:11-12), and He experienced resurrection with a view to our justification. In other words, it seems best to understand the preposition in a retrospective sense in the first line and in a prospective sense in the second line. [Note: See Moo, pp. 288-89; Cranfield, 1:252; and Robertson, 4:354.] God is the implied agent of the action (cf. Rom 3:25; Isa 53:12).
"Christ being raised up, God announces to me, ’Not only were your sins put away by Christ’s blood, so that you are justified from all things; but I have also raised up Christ; and you shall have your standing in Him. I have given you this faith in a Risen Christ, and announce to you that in Him alone now is your place and standing. Judgment is forever past for you, both as concerns your sin, and as concerns My demand that you have a standing of holiness and righteousness of your own before Me. All this is past. Christ is now your standing! He is your life and your righteousness; and you need nothing of your own forever. I made Christ to become sin on your behalf, identified Him with all that you were, in order that you might become the righteousness of God in Him.’" [Note: Newell, pp. 157-58. His review of what justification is and is not on pages 159-61 is also helpful.]
"God’s entire redemptive plan is summarized in this final verse of chap. 4." [Note: Mounce, p. 131.]
Chapter 4 is a unit within Paul’s exposition of how God imputes His righteousness to sinners (Rom 3:21 to Rom 5:21). It serves to show that justification has always come because of faith toward God and not because the sinner obeyed God’s law. This was true before Jesus Christ died as well as after. Faith is the only way by which anyone has ever received justification from God. Paul’s emphasis was on faith as the method of obtaining righteousness, not on the content of faith.
"In chapter 4, Paul presented several irrefutable reasons why justification is by faith: (1) Since justification is a gift, it cannot be earned by works (Rom 4:1-8). (2) Since Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, circumcision has no relationship to justification (Rom 4:9-12). (3) Since Abraham was justified centuries before the Law, justification is not based on the Law (Rom 4:13-17). (4) Abraham was justified because of his faith in God, not because of his works (Rom 4:18-25)." [Note: Witmer, p. 455.]