Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Romans 5:18
Therefore as by the offense of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life.
18. Therefore ] In Rom 5:18-19 the argument, from Rom 5:12, is summed up as to its main substance; namely, the parallel of Adam and Christ; the illustration of the work of Christ by Adam’s position in respect of his descendants and the effect on them of his sin.
as by the offence of one ] Better, as by one offence, as in marg. E. V. The Gr. is elliptical here. We may supply “the result was,” in each part of the verse; as through one offence the result was, unto all men, to condemnation; so through one righteous act the result was, unto all men, to justification of life. The word rendered here righteous act is the same as that rendered “acquittal” in the note on Rom 5:16, q.v. Its strict original meaning is a thing righteously done. Its usual actual meaning is an ordinance of justice. But in one N. T. passage at least it appears to mean a righteous act or course of acts. (Rev 19:8, “the righteousnesses of the saints.”) It thus is possible to interpret it in one place here as an ordinance of acquittal, in the other as the great act of righteousness (which becomes also, as it were, a statute of righteousness,) done by the Redeemer for His brethren. Such a change of reference is not alien to St Paul’s style. If, however, the interpretation righteous ordinance should seem more necessary than it seems to us, it would fairly suit the context. Christ’s obedience is (as suggested just above) viewed thus as the embodied ordinance, or institute, of Justification. This last, on the whole, is Meyer’s explanation.
all men all men ] What is the reference of these words in the two cases respectively? In the first, certainly, all mankind is meant. Every man, not in theory only but fact, incurred sentence of death in Adam. In the second case also, many commentators, (e.g. Meyer,) hold that all mankind is intended: not that all actually receive justification, but that all are within the scope of Christ’s work. Without entering on the profound question of the Divine Intentions, and merely seeking for St Paul’s special thought here, we prefer to take the second “all men” with a limit, as meaning “all who are connected with the Second Adam;” all “His brethren.” For through this whole context St Paul is dealing with results and facts, not with abstract theory. From the dreadful fact of the result of death from the Fall he reasons to the results of Christ’s work; and the parallel would be most imperfect (and such as precisely to contradict the “ much more ” of Rom 5:15; Rom 5:17,) if while in the one case condemnation was a fact and act, Justification should be only a possibility in the other. If Adam brings death in fact on all concerned, Christ must bring life in fact on all concerned also. Again, a limitation is suggested by the whole reasoning of the Epistle, and specially by Rom 8:30, where the justified are identical with the “foreknown” and “glorified,” in the plain sense of the passage. The use of “all men” with this change of reference is fairly illustrated by 1Co 15:22-23. For through that whole ch. the Resurrection of the Church is the sole subject; and 1Co 15:23 explicitly refers to “them that are Christ’s:” and yet, when the parallel of Adam and Christ is in view, the word “all” is equally used there in both cases. See for other illustrations, though less exact, Joh 12:32; Tit 2:11.
The view of Christ as the Head of all Mankind is, to say the least, far less distinct in Scripture than that of Christ as the Head of justified Mankind, the true Church. Bearing this in mind, a difference of reference here will surely seem more natural than a sameness which can only be explained by admitting profound differences along with it.
justification of life ] i.e. which confers, and results in, life; both by reversal of the sentence of death, and (as in Rom 5:17) by the gift of the life of glory in consequence.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Therefore – Wherefore ( 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 Rom 5:12, and after the intermediate explanation in the parenthesis Rom 5:13-17, in this verse and the following, sums up the whole subject. The explanation, therefore, of the previous verses is designed to convey the real meaning of Rom 5:18-19.
As by the offence of one – Admitting this as an undisputed and everywhere apparent fact, a fact which no one can call in question.
Judgment came – This is not in the Greek, but it is evidently implied, and is stated in Rom 5:16. The meaning is, that all have been brought under the reign of death by one man.
Upon all men – The whole race. This explains what is meant by the many in Rom 5:15.
To condemnation – Rom 5:16.
Even so – In the manner explained in the previous verses. With the same certainty, and to the same extent. The apostle does not explain the mode in which it was done, but simply scares the fact.
By the righteousness of one – This stands opposed to the one offence of Adam, and must mean, therefore, the holiness, obedience, purity of the Redeemer. The sin of one man involved people in ruin; the obedience unto death of the other Phi 2:8 restored them to the favor of God.
Came upon all men – ( eis pantas anthropous. Was with reference to all people; had a bearing upon all people; was originally adapted to the race. As the sin of Adam was of such a nature in the relation in which he stood as to affect all the race, so the work of Christ in the relation in which he stood was adapted also to all the race. As the tendency of the one was to involve the race in condemnation, so the tendency of the other was to restore them to acceptance with God. There was an original applicability in the work of Christ to all people – a richness, a fulness of the atonement suited to meet the sins of the entire world, and restore the race to favor.
Unto justification of life – With reference to that justification which is connected with eternal life. That is, his work is adapted to produce acceptance with God, to the same extent as the crime of Adam has affected the race by involving them in sin and misery The apostle does not affirm that in fact as many will be affected by the one as by the other; but that it is suited to meet all the consequences of the fall; to be as wide-spread in its effects; and go be as salutary as that had been ruinous. This is all that the argument requires. Perhaps there could not be found a more striking declaration any where, that the work of Christ had an original applicability to all people; or that it is in its own nature suited to save all. The course of argument here leads inevitably to this; nor is it possible to avoid it without doing violence to the obvious and fair course of the discussion.
It does not prove that all will in fact be saved, but that the plan is suited to meet all the evils of the fall. A certain kind of medicine may have an original applicability to heal all persons under the same disease; and may be abundant and certain, and yet in fact be applied to few. The sun is suited to give light to all, yet many may be blind, or may voluntarily close their eyes. Water is adapted to the needs of all people, and the supply may be ample for the human family, yet in fact, from various causes, many may be deprived of it. So of the provisions of the plan of redemption. They are adapted to all; they are ample, and yet in fact, from causes which this is not the place to explain, the benefits, like those of medicine, water, science, etc. may never be enjoyed by all the race. Calvin concurs in this interpretation, and thus shows, that it is one which commends itself even to the most strenuous advocates of the system which is called by his name. He says, He (the apostle) makes the grace common to all, because it is offered to all, not because it is in fact applied to all. For although Christ suffered for the sins or the whole world (nam etsi passus est Christus pro peccatis totius mundi), and it is offered to all without distinction (indifferenter), yet all do not embrace it. See Cal. Commentary on this place.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Rom 5:18
Therefore as by the offence of one Judgment came upon all men to condemnation.
Condemnation
I. Its cause. Sin.
II. Its miseries.
1. Physical.
2. Spiritual.
3. Eternal.
III. Its cure.
1. Justification.
2. Freely offered.
3. Through the righteousness of Christ. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
The contrast between a state of condemnation and grace
I. In their origin.
1. The one originates in sin.
2. The other in the righteousness of Christ.
II. In their evidences.
1. The one is distinguished by disobedience.
2. The other by the obedience of faith.
III. In their relation to the law.
1. The law exposes sin, and increases condemnation.
2. Grace removes both yet magnifies the law.
IV. In their results.
1. Condemnation brings death temporal, eternal.
2. Grace confers a new life on earth and a glorious and blissful life in the world to come. (J. Lyth, D. D.)
The mediatorial system
1. One of the chief glories of Christianity is this–it is the religion of facts. These facts are few, extraordinary, and eternal and universal in their aspects.
2. In the context we have two classes of facts.
(1) Dark melancholy facts.
(a) Sin is in the world; it has quenched its lights, destroyed its liberties, embittered its enjoyments. History, observation and our own consciousness convince us of this.
(b) Death is in the world. It has reigned from Adam to this day. Individuals, families, nations, the world are dying. Every sepulchre, funeral, illness, pulse, reminds us that the dust is to be our home.
(c) Both sin and death have entered the world by the same man, Adam. The origin of evil is a deep mystery, but its introduction to our world is a historical fact clearly stated in the Bible. God made Adam the father, the priest of the world, but Adam ruined it and himself. Adam was the original sinner, and we his children sin and die.
(2) Bright and animating facts.
(a) Grace is in the world. Grace hath abounded. God was under no obligation to show or continue grace to this world. He might withdraw it; that would leave man a demon in character, who would soon kindle around himself the fires of an universal hell. Grace alone keeps the world from becoming the victim of its own transgression.
(b) There is a higher, nobler life than this. Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life. Eternal life means freedom from sin, which is the destroyer of the innocence, happiness and utility of man; freedom from the penalties of violated law; and freedom from annihilation, It means an existence without sin, misery, or end.
(c) This grace and eternal life flow to man through the same channel, Christ Jesus the Lord.
3. The apostle states these great truths–
(1) To convince Jews and Gentiles that both were equally indebted to Christ for salvation. The Gentile had the law written on his conscience, and the Jew had the law outwardly written, and both transgressed, so that both needed a Saviour.
(2) To set forth the nature and number of benefits derived through the mediation of Christ.
I. The existence of the human race rests on the mediation of Jesus.
1. The Lord commanded the man, saying,of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. A phrase which must have meant either absolute annihilation or the dissolution of soul and body, and the consequent punishment of both in hell. But Adam did sin. Was his existence quenched? Was he driven to hell? No. Was he spared on the ground of rectitude? No; for if justice could have spared him for one hour, it could have spared him forever. But he was spared; and as he could not have been spared on the ground of justice, he must have been spared on the ground of grace, and if on the ground of grace, then it was through the mediation of Christ, for grace reigns only through Him.
2. A new system was introduced, and Adams forfeited being was spared, and his species was to be multiplied because the Second Adam had been appointed to be the Great Head and Saviour of the human kind. But if our very existence is an effect of the great mediatorial scheme, all the means, comforts, and hopes of our existence are also effects of the same scheme. In Him all things consist.
3. Under the government of the Son of Man the human race has already grown into extraordinary numerical greatness, and is to continue to augment in strength, moral and physical excellence, grandeur and happiness, for perhaps millions of years to come. It is natural to think so, if we consider the honour which God has already bestowed on our nature, by raising it to union with Himself; that four thousand years were occupied in preparations for the advent; the extensive provisions that have been made for the future accommodation of our race in another world; that the agency of the Church is in its infancy; that the sciences and arts, matter and mind, have hardly yet presented their first oblations to Christianity.
4. Christ is to be honoured here more than He has yet been. It was on earth He was born, died, first published His salvation, qualified Himself for His mediatorial crown. Here, also, He is to be acknowledged as the Lord of all. The mediation of Christ is the basis of human existence, and the means of restoration to light, purity and glory.
II. The mediatory agency of Jesus Christ procures immortality for man.
1. Mans existence is not limited to this narrow, dark sphere. Our immortality and the knowledge of it are the gifts of Christ. His existence in the invisible world is the greatest proof we have of its reality. His resurrection and ascension are the most convincing arguments for a future world. He lives. We shall live.
2. It is true that an endless existence will be a curse to the wicked; but let not the author of immortality be blamed for that. Remember–
(1) Existence is a blessing; history and consciousness prove that.
(2) Nothing can render existence a curse but sin. It is not in the power of any creature. The Creator Himself will not render a perfectly holy being unhappy.
(3) Christ is now able and willing to take away sin from us. Yes, He is willing, and if you are so too, your existence is safe forever.
III. The mediation of Christ has furnished us with a system of means to prepare us for a happy immortality. Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Here is the essence of the gospel. This is–
1. A system of grace. The doctrine of human merit is at once unphilosophical and unscriptural. Mans salvation is all of grace. Its origination, discovery, application, and perfection in heaven is grace. Let us trust and triumph in gospel grace.
2. A system of righteousness also. It justifies man before God, and justifies God in doing so before His own intelligent universe. Here, then, is a scheme that is just to all. It injures none; it benefits the universe.
Conclusion: From the whole we may infer–
1. That Christianity is infinitely superior to natural religion. It reveals more, and its revelations are warm, loving, transforming.
2. Christ is the most extraordinary and interesting Being in the universe. How vast His sphere! How benevolent His agency! How Divine His character! In all things He has the preeminence.
3. Let us rejoice in Christianity while parting with friends in death. Christ lives, they live. We shall also live. (Caleb Morris.)
The two representatives of the race
The words judgment came and the free gift came, are not part of the original, but are introduced to complete the sense. In the margin you read, by one offence, instead of, by one mans offence, and also by one righteousness (righteous act) instead of by the righteousness of one. Dean Alford translates the verse–As through one trespass the issue was unto all men to condemnation; even so through one righteous act, the issue was unto all men to justification of life. Note, then–
I. The loss to all men through Adam.
1. There is no principle more widely conceded than that of representation. Our national, municipal, and social arrangements, are all more or less representative. We honour the son of a good man, not merely for his own excellence, but also for the sake of his father. We suspect the son of a bad man, even although we know no evil of him personally. No one imagines that there is any injustice in this. Those who suffer by it are pitied, but their misfortune is recognised to be the natural consequence of their connection with those whom they represent. On the other hand we never grudge to others any advantage which they may gain by it.
2. Now this principle is everywhere recognised in the Bible. We read that the Lord our God is a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, etc. We see the descendants of Canaan punished for their progenitors offence; the Edomites excluded from their birthright because their father Esau had despised it; how the wives and children of Achan and those of Dathan and Abiram were destroyed because of the sin of their relatives. We find Jesus Himself declaring that vengeance was about to descend upon the children of those who slew the prophets. And when we read the story of the siege of Jerusalem, that awful record seems to demand no less an explanation than that all the righteous blood shed upon the earth was exacted at the hands of that generation. His blood be upon us and upon our children; and in the story of the Jews through eighteen centuries, who can fail to perceive the cleaving of the curse?
3. The loss which has come to all men through the trespass of Adam is an instance of this great law of representation. Adam was the head of our race. He could neither stand nor fall alone. That which we see upon a small scale when the fortunes of a family depend upon the conduct of some member, or when the history of a nation is determined by some one statesmans decision–that took place upon the vastest scale when Adam was placed upon his probation in Eden. What was the tragic issue we all know. The head of the family gambled away his fair inheritance, bequeathing only to us the bitter entail of his corruption and death. The forbidden fruit turned out to be a deadly poison, and the pale infection has spread through all the race. Adam had been created in the likeness of God. But when Adam begat a child (Gen 5:3), it was in the image of a depraved and fallen man. The perversity which appears in early childhood, the proneness to error even of the wisest and most virtuous, the callous indifference to the will of Heaven which characterises the majority, the common selfishness and the black list of daily crimes are witnesses of the curse that broods over the nations. Moreover, there is in the conscience of every one of us the knowledge that we have our own sad share in the inheritance of the fall.
4. There is something painful in this view of life. To be born under the condemnation of God, who can bear to think of it? As Paul points out in this very chapter, death, the wages of sin, comes even upon those who have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression; i.e., the sentence comes upon those who have not personally incurred it. Torturing pains and untimely death are allotted to our little babes, and to those who, by reason of disease or imperfection of brain, are at no period of their lives responsible. God forbid that because of this we should challenge the Divine justice. If I suffer wrong today because of the crime or folly of some ancestor, the wrong be upon the head of the offender, not upon the law! Yet if this were the whole truth we might, indeed, be perplexed and broken-hearted. But, thank God, there is a counterbalancing fact, viz.
II. The gain to all men through Jesus Christ. By His righteous act there is an issue unto all men towards acquittal resulting in life. We have in this new fact a new operation of the representative principle. It pleased God to make His Divine Son a Second Great Head of the human race, that as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive (1Co 11:3). As our Representative He paid the penalty of our sins. He bare our sins in His own body on the tree. As our Representative He fulfilled all righteousness, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. From the first Adam a poison passed into the lives of all men. From the Second an antidote passed into the lives of all men. The statements have respect not to a portion of the race, not to an elect few, but to all men.
1. We owe to Christ the very fact of our existence. The warning to Adam respecting the forbidden fruit was, In the day thou cutest thereof thou shalt surely die. Had the sentence been speedily executed, then, in the deepest of all senses, we should all have died in Adam, for we should never have been born. What was it that arrested the course of the law? Not justice, surely; but grace (Joh 1:17). It was because of the obedience of Christ, foreseen and mercifully taken into account, that Adam was spared, and that our birth into this world became possible.
2. All men owe much more than this. When we come to inspect human nature, we find there that which cannot be accounted for by our descent from the fallen Adam. Those who have had to deal with abandoned women declare that beneath all their degradation they have discovered something left of womanhood and modesty. Those who have moved freely among the vilest men of the land, have found in the deepest heart of the blackest reprobates something of good. In every man, side by side with a corruption whose issue is unto condemnation, there exists, also, a pure influence, whose issue, could it but prevail, is unto justification of life. Whence comes this influence? Is it a part of our heritage from the first Adam? We cannot believe it. Can a clean thing come out of an unclean? Do men gather grapes on thorns, or figs on thistles? Whatever of generosity, of purity, is found in any human heart; whatever gracious disposition, or kindly motive, or noble inspiration; whatever is sweet and child-like in the young; whatever is modest, and gentle, and winsome in woman; whatever is brave, and loyal, and faithful in man is some portion of that heritage of good which has come to us from Christ, the federal Head and redeeming Representative of our race. Conclusion: We are here today, losers and gainers by this principle of representation. The first Adam and the second are in every one of us. We have inherited from both. We have inherited a sinful and corrupt nature. We have inherited also a better nature. We stand now upon our own personal probation. We are summoned now to make our choice between the natural man that is in us, and the Spiritual Man that is in us. The issue is for eternity, and why will ye die? Choose not that forbidden fruit, whose bitter end is death, or at the last the just God must needs ratify your choice, and you will perish in the second death. Choose rather to live. Let that life which was bestowed for Christs sake be used in Christs service. (W. J. Woods, B. A.)
Our loss through Adam and our gain through Christ
1. Some points of importance are lost in the authorised rendering. The offence of one is, in the original, one offence, or one trespass, as in Mat 6:14. The word properly expresses a fall by the side of the path of duty. The righteousness of one is, in the same way, in the original, one act of righteousness. The whole redeeming work of Christ is here, then, summed up into a single act of righteousness. The next verse explains the expression by introducing the equivalent word obedience, and if further explanation were needed, St. Paul himself gives it in Php 2:8. Obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the Cross; not a death by itself as a single isolated deed, but as a crown of life–the self-sacrifice begun in incarnation, continued through the earthly life, and consummated on Calvary. Through this one act of righteousness the free gift through the grace of Jesus (verse 15), bringeth all men unto the justification of life, i.e., bringing with it the absolution which has life in it, the free forgiveness which gives that unity with God which is the eternal life of the soul. This is the first change of rendering.
2. The next is perhaps yet more important. The fourfold omission in verse 19 (A.V) of the definite article is a very serious loss. St. Paul did not write Greek at random. In verse 16 he omits the article, for there his purpose was to contrast the singleness of the sin which brought condemnation to the multitudes with the sins which elicited and evoked compassion; but in verses 15, 17 and 19 the particular one man who brought sin and death is designedly set in contrast with the particular one man who brought in grace and life. The other pair of omissions in this verse is equally serious. Many were made sinners, many were made righteous, is a culpable gloss upon St. Pauls language. St. Paul was not afraid to say judgment came upon all men; the free gift came upon all to justification of life; nor that the many were made sinners and the many were made righteous; the all in the one verse and the many in the other are equivalent terms. St. Pauls object was to show the universality of redemption. Christ, by His one sacrifice made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Although they will not come, He yet speaks in that universal whosoever will. The gracious work of Christ in redeeming is co-extensive with the disastrous work of Adam in ruining–As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. As through the disobedience of one man, the many–the universe of humanity–were made or placed on the footing of sinners, even so through the obedience of the One shall the many be constituted as righteous. (Dean Vaughan.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 18. Therefore, as by the offence of one, c.] The Greek text of this verse is as follows:- , ‘ , , , ; which literally rendered stands thus:-Therefore, as by one offence unto all men, unto condemnation; so likewise, by one righteousness unto all men, to justification of life. This is evidently an elliptical sentence, and its full meaning can be gathered only from the context. He who had no particular purpose to serve would, most probably, understand it, from the context, thus:- Therefore, as by one sin all men came into condemnation; so also by one righteous act all men came unto justification of life: which is more fully expressed in the following verse. Now, leaving all particular creeds out of the question, and taking in the scope of the apostle’s reasoning in this and the preceding chapter, is not the sense evidently this? – Through the disobedience of Adam, a sentence of condemnation to death, without any promise or hope of a resurrection, passed upon all men; so, by the obedience of Christ unto death, this one grand righteous act, the sentence was so far reversed, that death shall not finally triumph, for all shall again be restored to life. Justice must have its due; and therefore all must die. The mercy of God, in Christ Jesus, shall have its due also; and therefore all shall be put into a salvable state here, and the whole human race shall be raised to life at the great day. Thus both justice and mercy are magnified; and neither is exalted at the expense of the other.
The apostle uses three remarkable words in these three verses:-
1. , justification, Ro 5:16.
2. , which we render righteousness, Ro 5:17; but is best rendered justification, as expressing that pardon and salvation offered to us in the Gospel: See Clarke on Ro 1:16.
3. , which is also rendered justification, Ro 5:18.
The first word, , is found in the following places: Lu 1:6; Ro 1:32; Ro 2:26; Ro 5:16, Ro 5:18; Ro 8:4; He 9:1, He 9:10; Re 15:4; Re 19:8; to which the reader may refer. signifies, among the Greek writers, the sentence of a judge, acquitting the innocent, condemning and punishing the guilty; but in the New Testament it signifies whatever God has appointed or sanctioned as a law; and appears to answer to the Hebrew mishpat Yehovah, the statute or judgment, of the Lord; It has evidently this sense in Lu 1:6: Walking in all the commandments and ORDINANCES, , of the Lord blameless; and it has the like meaning in the principal places referred to above; but in the verse in question it most evidently means absolution, or liberation, from punishment, as it is opposed to , condemnation, Ro 5:18. See Clarke on Ro 1:16; and see Schleusner in voce.
The second word, , I have explained at large in Ro 1:16, already referred to.
The third word , is used by the Greek writers, almost universally, to denote the punishment inflicted on a criminal, or the condemnatory sentence itself; but in the New Testament where it occurs only twice, (Ro 4:25, he was raised for our justification, ; and Ro 5:18, unto justification of life, ,) it evidently signifies the pardon and remission of sins; and seems to be nearly synonymous with . Dr. Taylor thinks that ” is Gospel pardon and salvation, and has reference to God’s mercy. is our being set quite clear and right; or our being restored to sanctity, delivered from eternal death, and being brought to eternal life; and has reference to the power and guilt of sin. And he thinks may mean no more than our being restored to life at the resurrection.” Taking these in their order, there is:
First, pardon of sin.
Secondly, purification of heart, and preparation for glory.
Thirdly, the resurrection of the body, and its being made like to his glorious body, so as to become a fit tabernacle for the soul in a glorified state for ever and ever.
The same writer observes that, when the apostle speaks of forgiveness of sins simply, he insists on faith as the condition; but here, where he speaks of justification of life, he mentions no condition; and therefore he supposes justification of life, the phrase being understood in a forensic sense, to mean no more than the decree or judgment that determines the resurrection from the dead. This is a favourite point with the doctor, and he argues largely for it: see his notes.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Here, after a long parenthesis, the apostle returns to what he had begun to say in Rom 5:12; and now he makes the comparison full in both members, which there, by reason of intervening matter, was left imperfect, as I before hinted.
Judgment; guilt, which exposeth to judgment.
Came upon all men; all the posterity, or natural seed, of the first Adam.
The free gift; that which all along he calls the free gift, seems to be the benefit believers have by Christs obedience.
Came upon all men; not all universally, but all sorts of men indifferently, Gentiles as well as Jews; or all that are his spiritual seed. Or all men here is put for many men; see elsewhere, Luk 6:26; Act 22:15.
Many is sometimes put for all, as Dan 12:2, and again all for many; and indeed these two words, all and many, seem to be used reciprocally by this context in particular, Rom 5:15,19.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. Thereforenow at lengthresuming the unfinished comparison of Ro5:12, in order to give formally the concluding member ofit, which had been done once and again substantially, in theintermediate verses.
as by the offence of onejudgment cameor, more simply, “it came.”
upon all men to condenmation;even so by the righteousness of one the free gift camerather,”it came.”
upon all men to justificationof life(So CALVIN,BENGEL, OLSHAUSEN,THOLUCK, HODGE,PHILIPPI). But better, aswe judge: “As through one offense it [came] upon all men tocondemnation; even so through one righteousness [it came] upon allmen to justification of life”(So BEZA,GROTIUS, FERME,MEYER, DEWETTE, ALFORD,Revised Version). In this case, the apostle, resuming thestatement of Ro 5:12, expressesit in a more concentrated and vivid formsuggested no doubt by theexpression in Ro 5:16, “throughone offense,” representing Christ’s whole work, considered asthe ground of our justification, as “ONERIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Some would render the peculiar word hereemployed, “one righteous act” [ALFORD,c.] understanding by it Christ’s death as the one redeemingact which reversed the one undoing act of Adam. But this is to limitthe apostle’s idea too much; for as the same word is properlyrendered “righteousness” in Ro8:4, where it means “the righteousness of the law asfulfilled by us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,”so here it denotes Christ’s whole “obedience unto death,”considered as the one meritorious ground of the reversal of thecondemnation which came by Adam. But on this, and on the expression,”all men,” see on Ro 5:19.The expression “justification of life,” is a vividcombination of two ideas already expatiated upon, meaning”justification entitling to and issuing in the rightfulpossession and enjoyment of life”).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Therefore as by the offence of one,…. Or by one offence, as before, the guilt of which is imputed to, and
[judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; which word is used in a legal sense, and intends condemnation to eternal death, as appears from the antithesis in the text; for if “justification of life”, means an adjudging to eternal life, as it certainly does, the judgment or guilt, which is unto condemnation, must design a condemnation to eternal death, the just wages of sin: and this sentence of condemnation comes upon all men, all the sons of Adam without exception, even upon the elect of God themselves; though it is not executed upon them, but on their surety, whereby they are delivered from it:
even so by the righteousness of one, [the free gift] came upon all men to justification of life; the righteousness of Christ being freely imputed without works, as it is to all the men that belong to the second Adam, to all his seed and offspring, is their justification of life, or what adjudges and entitles them to eternal life. The sentence of justification was conceived in the mind of God from eternity, when his elect were ordained unto eternal life, on the foot of his Son’s righteousness; this passed on Christ at his resurrection from the dead, and on all his people as considered in him, when they, in consequence of it, were quickened together with him; and this passes upon the conscience of a sinner at believing, when he may, as he should, reckon himself alive unto God, and is what gives him a right and title to everlasting life and glory.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
So then ( ). Conclusion of the argument. Cf. Rom 7:3; Rom 7:25; Rom 8:12, etc. Paul resumes the parallel between Adam and Christ begun in verse 12 and interrupted by explanation (13f.) and contrast (15-17).
Through one trespass (‘ ). That of Adam.
Through one act of righteousness (‘ ). That of Christ. The first “unto all men” ( ) as in verse 12, the second as in verse 17 “they that receive, etc.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The offense of one [ ] . Rev., corrects, one trespass.
The righteousness of one [ ] . See on ver 16. Rev., correctly, one act of righteousness.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Therefore as by the offence of one,” (ara oun hos di’ henos paraptomatos) “So therefore as through the offence of the one,” the offence of Adam; The conclusion of the relationship of Adam’s sin, and its consequences on the human race, and the subsequent Divine provision for its pardon is now introduced.
2) “Judgment came upon all men to condemnation,” (eis pantas anthropous eis katakrima) “Judgment came) to or toward all men (human beings) unto condemnation,” unto both physical and Spiritual death, Ecc 9:5; 1Co 15:22; Heb 9:27; Joh 3:3; Joh 3:16; Joh 3:6; Eph 2:1-3; Heb 2:9; Joh 3:18.
3) “Even so by the righteousness of one,” (houtos kai di’ henos dikaiomatos) “Thus also on account of the righteous act,” the death of Christ, inclusive of his burial, and resurrection for sin, Isa 53:4-12; 1Co 15:14; Eph 1:7.
4) “The free gift came upon all men,” (eis pantas anthropous) “(the free gift came) to all men,” came to availability, to be available to all men, Joh 3:6; Rom 3:8-13; Tit 2:11-14.
5) “Unto justification of life,” (eis dikaiosin zoes), “Unto, (with provision for) justification of life,” to acquit the one condemned to Spiritual death and impart to him Spiritual life, eternal life, Joh 5:24; Joh 10:27-29; 1Jn 5:1; 1Jn 5:13; Rom 3:24; Rom 3:28.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
18. Therefore, etc. This is a defective sentence; it will be complete if the words condemnation and justification be read in the nominative case; as doubtless you must do in order to complete the sense. We have here the general conclusion from the preceding comparison; for, omitting the mention of the intervening explanation, he now completes the comparison, “As by the offense of one we were made ( constitute ) sinners; so the righteousness of Christ is efficacious to justify us. He does not say the righteousness — δικαιοσύνην, but the justification — δικαίωμα, (173) of Christ, in order to remind us that he was not as an individual just for himself, but that the righteousness with which he was endued reached farther, in order that, by conferring this gift, he might enrich the faithful. He makes this favor common to all, because it is propounded to all, and not because it is in reality extended to all; for though Christ suffered for the sins of the whole world, and is offered through God’s benignity indiscriminately to all, yet all do not receive him. (174)
These two words, which he had before used, judgment and grace, may be also introduced here in this form, “As it was through God’s judgment that the sin of one issued in the condemnation of many, so grace will be efficacious to the justification of many.” Justification of life is to be taken, in my judgment, for remission, which restores life to us, as though he called it life-giving. (175) For whence comes the hope of salvation, except that God is propitious to us; and we must be just, in order to be accepted. Then life proceeds from justification. (176)
(173) The meaning of this word is evident here; for it stands in contrast with παράπτωμα — offense or transgression, in the former clause, and is identical in sense with ὑπακόη — obedience, in the next verse. It means what is appointed and adjudged as right; and hence it is rendered “ordinance,” Luk 1:6; “judgment,” Rom 1:32; and, in Rom 5:16, “justification,” when it stands opposed to κατάκριμα — condemnation, and means absolution, acquittal, as the determination of the judge. It signifies here, that what Christ did was according to God’s appointment; it was something directly contrary to offense or transgression; and what it was is explained in the next verse by the word “obedience.” [ Wolfius ] says, that δικαίωμα is the satisfaction of Christ, or his active and passive obedience, Rom 5:19, — that δικαιοσύνη is the merit of Christ, obtained by has death and applied to us by faith, Rom 3:22, — and that δικαίωσις is the act of justification which follows from the satisfaction of Christ, apprehended by faith. — Ed.
(174) “ Nam etsi passus est Christus pro peccatis totius mundi. atque omnibus indifferenter Dei benignitate offertur; non tamen omnes apprehendum.” It appears from this sentence that [ Calvin ] held general redemption. — Ed.
(175) It is an Hebraistic form of speaking, genitivus effectûs Its meaning is that it is a justification unto life, whose end is life, or, which issues in life, that is, eternal life, according to its import in Rom 5:17, when reigning in life — ἐν ζωὟ, is spoken of; and the word “eternal,” is added to it in the last verse. This life commences with justification, and therefore this view includes what [ Calvin ] says, though it extends farther. — Ed.
(176) In our version are introduced “judgment” and “free-gift,” from verse 16; and it is what has been done by most interpreters. The words are found here in no MSS.; but there is another reading countenanced by four MSS., as given by [ Griesbach ], and two of them ancient; the word for offense is put in the nominative case, τὸ παράπτωμα, and the word for righteousness the same, τὸ δικαίωμα. Then the reading would be —
18. So then, as through one the transgression was, as to all men, unto condemnation; so also through one the righteousness is, as to all men, unto justification of life.
This agrees better with the following verse, though the meaning is substantially the same with what is given in our version. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(18) Therefore.Recapitulating what has just been said.
The offence of one.Rather, One trespass.
Judgment came.These words are supplied in the English version, but they are somewhat too much of a paraphrase. It is better to render simply, the issue was, which words may also be substituted for the free gift came, below.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Condemnation justification From Adam’s offence resulted condemnation upon all men; from Christ’s righteousness, justification upon all men. The condemnation would have produced the exclusion of the race from existence by the infliction of immediate death upon Adam. (Note on Rom 11:32.) But the justification of all in view of the atonement secured the continuity of the race, by which every person comes into the world in a justified state. That justification is unto life that is, results in salvation unless forfeited by sin.
Says Dr. Wilbur Fisk on this verse: “Guilt is not imputed until, by a voluntary rejection of the Gospel, man makes the depravity of his nature the object of his own choice. Hence, although, abstractly considered, this depravity is destructive to the possessors, yet through the grace of the Gospel all are born free from condemnation.”
‘So then as through one trespass (the judgment came) unto all men to punishment following sentence; even so through one act of righteousness (the free gift came) unto all men to justification of life.’
The words in brackets are not in the Greek, but the sense is clear. The one trespass began the process which resulted in the condemnation of all men. In contrast the ‘one act of righteousness’ resulted in the declaration of righteousness on all who truly believe.
The ‘one act of righteousness’ may either see His whole life as one act resulting from His act of coming into the world (Php 2:5-11), or may specifically indicate His obedience unto death (Php 3:8). Either way it contrasts with the one trespass. Alternatively we might translate dikaioma as ‘the one declaration of righteousness’, which resulted in the offer of the free gift of His righteousness, which came to ‘all men’. But the ‘one act of righteousness’ provides a better parallel to the ‘one trespass’.
‘All men’ may signify ‘came to all types of men’, thus including both Jew and Gentile, or it may mean ‘came to all men as an offer’. Once accepted it brings about their acceptance before God, through Christ’s righteousness (their ‘justification’), on their believing in Him, an acceptance which results in ‘life’, both now (Joh 5:24) and in eternity (Joh 5:28-29).
A summary of the argument:
v. 18. Therefore, as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
v. 19. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.
v. 20. Moreover, the Law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound,
v. 21. that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Paul now takes up the thread of the argument which he introduced in v. 12. He introduces the inference from the whole discussion with “wherefore. ” As by the trespass of one the result for all men was condemnation, so through the righteousness of One the result for all men is justification of life. When Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, it was a single act of disobedience; but as the consequence of that one trespass the sentence of condemnation has been passed upon all men. On the other hand, the righteousness of Christ, His fulfilling all the demands of the righteousness of the Law, has resulted in the fact that all men are declared to be righteous, the judgment of life being pronounced upon them. And in close connection herewith are two other facts: For just as through the disobedience of the one man many, all men, were presented before God as sinners, so also through the obedience of One all men are presented as just and righteous. First the disobedience of Adam was imputed to all men: God looked upon them as disobedient on account of the sin of Adam; but then came Christ with His perfect obedience for all men, with His complete fulfillment of the Law, and through this vicarious obedience the many, all men, are placed in the rank, in the category of just and righteous people. In this way Christ earned righteousness for all men; the objective justification concerns the whole world: every person without exception belongs to the number of those for whom the benefit of Christ’s work has been obtained. Of the fact that this objective justification actually becomes the property of the individual person by faith, Paul speaks elsewhere: but here we have the full comfort of the assurance that the righteousness of Christ was sufficient to place all men in the class of those for whom the obstacles of their salvation have been removed and full righteousness obtained. Thus the comparison between Adam and Christ is closed. But the apostle had above, v. 13, referred to the Law and to Moses. The question might therefore arise what connection these have with the present discussion, since they stand midway between Adam and Christ in history St. Paul states: The Law entered in addition, as an accessory or subordinate thing; it did not have the decisive significance and influence which sin had in its coming. It came only for the purpose that the trespass of Adam might be increased or augmented by actual transgressions of a fixed, written Law. For now that there was a definite norm of the will of God, the number of sins which could be shown as existing was increased enormously. But by that very fact the gracious intention of God toward men received an opportunity to reveal itself. Where, however, sin abounded, grace superabounded; it was dispensed in richest measure and in the very same sphere. And thus the Law did not frustrate, but furthered the gracious end contemplated in the work of Christ. For the dominion of sin, which was emphasized by the Law, had to yield to the dominion of grace: in order that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Death, spiritual as well as temporal, was the sphere or province in which the power or triumph of sin was exercised and manifested. But the goal, the end, of grace is eternal life. The unmerited love of God in Christ Jesus is abundantly and effectively shown in securing eternal life. This glorious effect is secured by means of righteousness, the full and complete righteousness which is through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And so the blessed results of the redemption of Jesus Christ, which are imparted to men by faith, find their glorious realization in that life of everlasting bliss which is the end of justification.
Summary
The apostle describes the blessed consequences of justification as they are guaranteed to us by the love of God and the death of Christ; he shows that, as the sin of Adam has resulted in the condemnation of all men, so the righteousness of Christ resulted in the justification of all men, whose end, for the believers, is eternal life.
Rom 5:18-19. Therefore, as by the offence of one Therefore as through one offence all men fell under condemnation; even so through one righteousness all men are restored unto justification of life. , therefore, always denotes the grand point the Apostle is aiming at, and which, after having given reasons, distinctions, or explications, he at last lays down as fully cleared or established. See ch. Rom 7:3; Rom 7:25 Rom 8:12 Rom 9:16; Rom 9:18 Rom 14:12; Rom 14:19. And so in this and the following verse he closes his argument, and finishes the comparison which he left incomplete in the 12th verse. It seems as if the comparison in these two verses should be understood onlyso far as the consequences of Christ’s obedience are of the same extent with the consequences of Adam’s disobedience. The very form of the sentence leads us to this opinion; and this exact comparison is the just and true ground of the Apostle’s argument, taken from Adam’s offence, for the conviction of the Jew. The stress of the argument evidently lies upon the phrase, all men;and to fix a conviction upon the Jew the restoration of all men to life,which he owned, and which he must own was the effect of grace,was the most proper topic to be insisted on. It may be objected, that justification of life, and being made righteous, seem too strong terms for expressing the general resurrection: but consider, first, the Apostle uses law or forensic terms in his two foregoing arguments, and therefore no wonder if he uses them in his third and last argument. Secondly, Justification of life is opposed to condemnation; and being made righteous, is opposed to being made sinners. Now if our common mortality is signified by condemnation, and made sinners, what impropriety is there, in supposing that the resurrection which stands opposed to that mortality is signified by justification of life, and being made righteous? Thirdly, Justificationbeing justified or made righteous, are terms applicable to any instance of deliverance from suffering. See Jdg 5:11. Psa 4:1; Psa 22:31; Psa 31:1. Fourthly, In the two fore-going arguments faith is insisted on as, on our part, the condition of justification; but here St. Paul mentions no condition at all. He does not say, justification of life by faith,many shall be made righteous by faith;and consequentlythus directs our thoughts to some unconditional discharge. But, after all, as the sense of Rom 5:15-17 is intended and understood in Rom 5:18-19 and as the drift of the Apostle’s conclusion is to shew that the gift, in its utmost extent, is free to all mankind; if any one shall judge that justification of life, and shall be made righteous, do directly denote not only the resurrection, but the free gift in its full latitude, as free to all mankind who receive and improve the grace of God; and that the many shall be made righteous, is to be understood as the grace of God, and the gift hath abounded unto many, Rom 5:15 there is certainly no need to contend; for the difference is not very material, the Apostle’s argument being the same either way. See Doddridge and Calmet.
Rom 5:18 f. Summary recapitulation of the whole parallel treated of from Rom 5:12 onwards, so that the elements of likeness and unlikeness contained in it are now comprehended in one utterance. , Theodore of Mopsuestia. The emergence of the now ushering in the conclusion, as well as the corresponding relation of the contents of Rom 5:18 f. to the indication given by in Rom 5:14 , carries us back to Rom 5:12 ; not merely to Rom 5:16 f. (de Wette, Fritzsche); or merely to Rom 5:15-17 (Hofmann, Dietzsch). The right view is taken by Philippi, Ewald, Holsten.
] conclusive: accordingly then , [1335] in very frequent use by the Apostle (Rom 7:3 ; Rom 7:25 , Rom 8:12 , Rom 9:16 ; Rom 9:18 , Rom 14:12 ; Rom 14:19 ; Gal 6:10 ; Eph 2:19 et al [1336] ), and that, contrary to the classical usage (Herm. a [1337] Antig. 628, a [1338] Viger. p. 823), at the beginning of the sentence. For the necessary (contrary to Mehring’s view) completion of the two sentences, which are in the sharpest and briefest manner compressed as it were into a mere exclamation (Ewald), it is sufficient simply to supply: res cessit, it has come , (Winer, p. 546 [E. T. 734]), or (Grotius). See Buttmann’s neut. Gr. p. 338. As it therefore has come to a sentence of condemnation for all men through One trespass, so also it has come to justification of life (which has for its consequence the possession of the future Messianic life, comp Rom 5:21 ; Joh 5:28-29 ) for all men through One justifying judgment . The supplying of to the first, and to the second half (so Fritzsche and Rckert), considering the opposite sense of the two subjects, renders the very compressed discourse somewhat singular.
.] through one judicial verdict (see on Rom 5:16 ; Rom 5:19 ), namely, that which was pronounced by God on account of the obedience of Christ rendered through His death. In strict logic indeed the , which is properly the antithesis of (as in Rom 5:16 ), should not be opposed to ; but this incongruity of a lively interchange of conceptions is not un-Pauline (comp Rom 5:15 ). And it is thoroughly unwarranted to assign to here also, as in Rom 5:16 , significations which it has not; such as actual status of being righteous (Hofmann, Stlting), fulfilment of right (Philippi, Mangold), making amends (Rothe), righteous deed (Holsten), righteous life-condition of Christ (Dietzsch), with which a new humanity begins, act of justification (Tholuck), virtuousness (Baumgarten-Crusius), obedience (de Wette), and the like definitions, in which for the most part regard is had to the act of the death of Jesus partly with and partly without the addition of the obedientia activa (comp also Klpper), while Fritzsche explains it of the incarnation and humiliation of Christ (Phi 2:5 ; Phi 2:8 ) as His recte factum . Ewald interprets rightly: “through One righteous sentence;” so also van Hengel and Umbreit. This alone is permitted by Rom 5:16 . It is the One declaration of what is now of right, that is, the judicial verdict of the being reconciled, which took place on the part of God on the ground of Christ’s sacrificial death the consequence therefore, of His rendered in death and which so far may appear as the antithesis to the fall of Adam with the same right as in Rom 5:15 the grace and gift were adduced as the contrast to that fall. To take the as masculine (Vulgate, Theodoret, Theophylact, Erasmus, Luther, Calvin, and many others, including Tholuck, Fritzsche, Nielsen, Picard, Klpper, Philippi, and Hofmann), is, seeing that no article is annexed, unwarranted according to the analogy of the immediate context, vv 17, 19; or Paul would have only expressed himself in a way liable to be misunderstood (how differently in ver 16!). Equally unwarranted is it to conceive the verb to be supplied in the apodosis as in the future (Philippi, Dietzsch). The judicial verdict is given and has redounded once and for ever to justification of eternal life for all; that is the great historical fact of salvation, which Paul has in view and sets forth as a concrete event (not under the point of view of a timeless abstraction, as Rothe thought) without considering how far it is now or in the future appropriated through faith by the subjects.
In both halves of the verse is simply all men , as in Rom 5:12 . At the same time it must be noted that in the second half the relation is conceived in its objectivity . On the part of God it has come to justification for all; thus the case stands objectively; the subjective attainment of this universal justification, the realisation of it for the individuals , depends upon whether the latter believingly apprehend the for their own subjective , or unbelievingly reject it. This dependence on a subjective condition, however, did not belong to the scope of our passage, in which the only object was to set forth the all-embracing blessed objective consequence of the , in contrast to the all-destructive objective consequence of the . Hence just as little can anything be deduced from our passage as from Rom 11:32 in favour of a final . The distinction imported by Hofmann and Lechler: that means all without distinction , and , on the other hand, all without exception , the sum total of mankind, is purely fanciful; means omnes, nemine excepto , alike whether the substantive belonging to it, in accordance with the connection, has or has not the article (“articulus, cum sensus fert additus vel omissus, discrimen sententiae non facit,” Ellendt, Lex. Soph. II. p. 519). Only when the article stands before (consequently .) does the distinction emerge, that we have to think of “ cunctos sive universos , i. e. singulos in unum corpus colligatos ” (Ellendt, p. 521); comp Krger, 50, 11, 12; Khner, II. 1, p. 545.
[1335] , “ad internam potius causam spectat,” , “magis ad externam,” Klotz, ad Devar. p. 717. Comp. p. 173. The serves specifically for dialectic accuracy; Baeumlein, p. 35; comp. Khner, II. p. 857.
[1336] t al. and others; and other passages; and other editions.
[1337] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.
[1338] d refers to the note of the commentator or editor named on the particular passage.
DISCOURSE: 1843 Rom 5:18-19. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
THE more we investigate the Gospel of Christ, the more mysterious it appears in all its parts. To a superficial observer it seems that the way of salvation through a crucified Redeemer is plain and simple: but it is surely an astonishing mystery, that those who have destroyed themselves should be redeemed by the blood of Gods only dear Son, and be saved by a righteousness that was wrought out by him. Yet that is but a small part of the mystery revealed to us in the Gospel. There we learn, that at the instant of our birth we are under a sentence of condemnation for the sin of our first parent; and that, as we are lost in him, so we are to be recovered by the Lord Jesus Christ, inheriting righteousness and life from him, the second Adam, as we inherit sin and death from the first Adam. This is the subject of which the Apostle treats in the passage before us. He had throughout the preceding part of this epistle declared the way of salvation through Christ: but now he traces up sin and death to Adam as our federal head or representative, and righteousness and life to Christ as our federal head or representative under the new covenant. This opens to us a new view of the Gospel, and leads us farther into the great mystery of redemption than the preceding statements had enabled us to penetrate. I.
Consider the comparison here instituted
It is here assumed as an acknowledged truth, that by the sin of Adam we all were brought under guilt and condemnation With this is compared our justification to life by the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ First, we are placed in a safer state than that which we lost in Adam. Adam was placed in a state of probation, to stand or fall by his own obedience; and, notwithstanding all his advantages, he fell, and ruined both himself and all his posterity. But we, when justified in Christs righteousness, are given to him, that we may be kept by his power unto everlasting salvation: and he has expressly declared, that none shall ever pluck us out of his hands.
Next, we are made to possess a better righteousness than any which we could ever have inherited from Adam: for if he had stood, and we had stood in him, and partaken of his righteousness for ever, we should still have had only the righteousness of a creature: but now we have, and shall have to all eternity, the righteousness of the Creator: yes, Jehovah himself is our righteousness: and whereas, with a creatures righteousness, we could have claimed nothing, being only unprofitable servants, with the Creators righteousness we may claim on the footing of justice as well as of mercy, all the glory of heaven.
Once more: Our happiness is infinitely enhanced beyond any thing it could ever have been, if we had stood in Adam. The felicity of heaven would doubtless have been inconceivably great under any circumstances: but who can conceive what an addition it will receive from the consideration of its being the purchase of the Redeemers blood, and the fruit of those eternal counsels by which the whole work of redemption was both planned and executed?
Thus then is the comparison between the first and second Adam shewn to be strictly just; except indeed that the scale preponderates beyond all expression or conception in favour of the Lord Jesus, who has done much more for us than ever we lost in Adam; or than Adam, though he had continued sinless, ever could have done, either for himself or us.] II.
Suggest one or two reflections upon it
It is much to be regretted, that the great mysteries of religion are but too often made the subjects of mere speculation. But every doctrine of Christianity should be practically improved, and especially a doctrine of such vital importance as that before us.
From the doctrine of our fall in Adam and our recovery in Christ, we cannot but observe, How deep and unsearchable are the ways of God!
[That ever our first parent should be constituted a federal head to his posterity, so that they should stand or fall in him, is in itself a stupendous mystery. And it may appear to have been an arbitrary appointment, injurious to the whole race of mankind. But we do not hesitate to say, that if the whole race of mankind had been created at once in precisely the same state and circumstances as Adam was, they would have been as willing to stand or fall in Adam, as to have their lot depend upon themselves; because they would have felt, that, whilst he possessed every advantage that they did, he had a strong inducement to steadfastness which they could not have felt, namely, the dependence of all his posterity upon his fidelity to God: and consequently, that their happiness would be more secure in his hands than in their own. But if it could now be put to every human being to determine for himself this point; if the question were asked of every individual, Whether do you think it better that your happiness should depend on Adam, formed as he was in the full possession of all his faculties; subjected to one only temptation, and that in fact so small a temptation as scarcely to deserve the name; perfect in himself, and his only companion being perfect also, and no such thing as sin existing in the whole creation; whether would you prefer, I say, to depend on him, or on yourself, born into a world that lieth in wickedness, surrounded with temptations innumerable, and having all your faculties only in a state of infantine weakness, so as to be scarcely capable of exercising with propriety either judgment or volition: Would any one doubt a moment? Would not every person to whom such an option was given, account it an unspeakable mercy to have such a representative as Adam was, and to have his happiness depend on him, rather than on his own feeble capacity and power? There can be no doubt on this subject: for if Adam, in his more favourable circumstances, fell, much more should we in circumstances where it was scarcely possible to stand. Still however, though we acknowledge it to be a gracious and merciful appointment, we must nevertheless regard it as a stupendous mystery.
But what shall we say of the appointment of the Lord Jesus Christ to be a second Covenant-Head, to deliver us by his obedience from the fatal effects of Adams disobedience? Here we are perfectly lost in wonder and amazement. For consider, Who Jesus was? He was the co-equal, co-eternal Son of God Consider, What he undertook to do? He undertook to suffer in our place and stead all that was due to us, and to confer on us his righteousness with all the glory that was due to him Consider farther, On what terms he confers this blessing upon us? He requires only, that we believe in him: Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth Consider yet farther, What provision he has made for the final happiness of those who thus believe in him? He does not restore them to the state of trial in which Adam was originally placed, but to a state of comparative security, inasmuch as he himself undertakes to perfect that which concerned! them, and to be the Finisher of faith to those in whom he has been the Author of it [Note: Heb 12:2.]. What an inscrutable mystery is here! that such a person should be given; and such a righteousness be wrought out by him! that an interest in this righteousness should be conferred on such easy terms! and lastly, that such security should be provided for all his believing people! Well might the Apostle say, Great is the mystery of godliness: and well may all the angels in heaven occupy themselves, as they do continually, in searching into it with the profoundest adoration [Note: 1Ti 3:16.]. Let us then contemplate these wonders with holy awe. Let us not make them a theme for disputation, but a subject of incessant admiration, gratitude, and praise [Note: With respect to children, we believe that, as they die in Adam, before they have incurred any personal guilt, so they will be saved in Christ, though they have not personally believed in him, or obeyed his commandments. And we think that this is strongly implied in ver. 1517. But it is not necessary to enter into that part of the subject.].]
2.
How obvious and urgent is the duty of man!
[Here we are in the situation of fellow-creatures, wholly incapable of saving ourselves, and shut up to the way of salvation provided for us in the Gospel. God does not consult us, or ask our approbation of his plans. He calls us, not to give our opinion, but to accept his proffered mercy. To dispute, or sit in judgment on his dispensations, is vain. We are like shipwrecked persons, ready to perish in the great deep. When the ship is just on the point of sinking, it is no time to complain, that our lives, by the laws of navigation, were made to depend on the skill of the captain; or that the management of the vessel had not been committed to ourselves; or that God, when he formed the world, placed a rock in that particular situation, notwithstanding he foresaw, from all eternity, that our ship would be wrecked upon it: all such thoughts at that time would be vain: our only consideration under such circumstances should be, how shall I be saved from perishing? And if we saw a ship hastening towards us for our preservation, we should be wholly occupied in contriving how we might secure the proffered aid. This, I say, is precisely our case: we are lost in Adam: but that God, who foresaw that we should be wrecked in him, provided his only dear Son to be a Saviour to us; and has sent him to save all who feel their need of mercy, and are willing to enter into this ark of God. Behold then, brethren, what your duty is: it is to flee for refuge to the hope that is set before you. If you feel a rebellious thought arise, why did God make me thus? let it be answered in the way prescribed by the Apostle, Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God [Note: Rom 9:20.]? If you were not consulted about your dependence on Adam, were you consulted about the appointment of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the way of recovery by him? No: this was the unsolicited gift of God, who determined thus to glorify himself in blessing and exalting you. Embrace then, with all thankfulness, the salvation offered you in the Gospel. Lay hold on Christ: rely upon him: place all your hope in his obedience unto death; seek for justification solely through his blood and righteousness: and expect to receive from him all, yea exceeding abundantly above all that ye can either ask or think. [Note: The corruption that we derive from Adam, is a totally distinct subject from that treated of in the text; and on that account is left unnoticed here.]]
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Ver. 18. By the offence of one ] We were all in Adam, as the whole country in a parliamentman. And although we chose not, God chose for us.
18 .] Recapitulation and co-statement of the parallel and distinctions . Therefore ( , see reff., is placed by Paul at the beginning of a sentence, contrary to classical usage) as by means of one trespass (not, ‘ the transgression of one ,’ as Erasm., Luth., Calv., Koppe, Fritz., Thol. [similarly E. V.], which is contrary to usage, and to Rom 5:17 , where that meaning is expressed by . In this summing up, the Apostle puts the antithetical elements as strongly and nakedly as possible in contrast ; and therefore abridges the ‘trespass of one’ and ‘the righteous act of one’ into ‘one trespass’ and ‘one righteous act’) it came upon ( , indefinite, being supplied) all men unto condemnation, so also by means of one righteous act (the Death of Christ viewed as the acme of His Obedience, see Phi 2:8 = below; not as in Rom 5:16 , nor Righteousness , as Thol., which would not contrast with ., a single act ) it came upon all men (in extent of grace, in posse , not in esse as the other) unto justification of (conferring, leading to) life.
Rom 5:18 . With ( cf. Rom 7:3 ; Rom 7:25 , and often in Paul) the conclusion of the argument is introduced. It is simplest to take in both clauses as neuter. “As through one offence the result for all men was condemnation, so also through one righteous act the result for all men is justification of life.” The result in both cases is mediated; in the former, by men’s actual sin; in the latter, by their faith in Christ. It has been questioned whether can mean a “righteous act,” that which Christ achieved in His death, conceived as one thing commanding the approval of God. This sense seems to be required by the contrast with , but Meyer and others argue that, as in Rom 5:16 , the meaning must be “a sentence of justification”. “Through one justifying sentence (pronounced over the world because of Christ’s death) the result for all men is justification of life.” But this justifying sentence in vacuo is alien to the realism of Paul’s thinking, and no strain is put upon (especially when we observe its correspondence with ) in making it signify Christ’s work as a thing in which righteousness is, so to speak, embodied. Lightfoot ( Notes on Epistles of St. Paul , p. 292) adopts this meaning, “a righteous deed,” and quotes Arist., Rhet. , i., 13, , and Etk. Nic. , v., 7 (10): : . This sense of an act by which an injustice is rectified is exactly suitable here. Through this the result for all men is : for the genitive, see Winer, p. 235. Simcox, Language of the N.T. , 85. When God justifies the sinner, he enters into and inherits life. But Lightfoot makes it gen appos.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rom 5:18-21
18So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 5:18
NASB”even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men”
NKJV”even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men”
NRSV”so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all”
TEV”in the same way the one righteous act set all men free and gives them life”
NJB”so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified”
This is not saying that everyone will be saved (universalism). This verse can not be interpreted apart from the message of the book of Romans and the immediate context. This is referring to the potential salvation of all humans through Jesus’ life/death/resurrection. Mankind must respond to the gospel offer by repentance and faith (cf. Mar 1:15; Act 3:16; Act 3:19; Act 20:21). God always takes the initiative (cf. Joh 6:44; Joh 6:65), but He has chosen that each individual must respond personally (cf. Mat 11:28-29; Joh 1:12; Joh 3:16; and Rom 10:9-13). His offer is universal (cf. 1Ti 2:4; 1Ti 2:6; 2Pe 3:9; 1Jn 2:2), but the mystery of iniquity is that many say “no.”
The “act of righteousness” is either
1. Jesus’ entire life of obedience and teaching fully revealed the Father
2. specifically His death on sinful mankind’s behalf
As one man’s life affected all (Jewish corporality, cf. Joshua 7), so too, one innocent life affected all (Leviticus 1-7, 16). These two acts are parallel, but not equal. All are affected by Adam’s sin but all are only potentially affected by Jesus’ life, only believers who receive the gift of justification. Jesus’ act also affects all human sin, for those who believe and receive, past, present, and future!
Rom 5:18-19 “condemnation to all men. . .justification of life to all men. . .the many were made sinners. . .the many will be made righteous” These are parallel phrases which show that the term “many” is not restrictive but inclusive. This same parallelism is found in Isa 53:6 “all” and Isa 53:11-12 “many.” The term “many” cannot be used in a restrictive sense to limit God’s offer of salvation to all mankind (Calvin’s elect versus non-elect).
Notice the passive voice of the two verbs. They refer to the activity of God. Humans sin in relationship to God’s character (a standard violated) and they are justified in relation to His character (a gift of His grace).
Rom 5:19 “one man’s disobedience. . .the obedience of the One” Paul was using the theological concept of Old Testament corporality. One person’s acts affected the whole community (cf. Achan in Joshua 7). Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought about the judgment of God on all creation (cf. Genesis 3). All creation has been affected by the consequences of Adam’s rebellion (cf. Rom 8:18-25). The world is not the same. Humans are not the same. Death became the end of all earthly life (cf. Genesis 5). This is not the world that God intended it to be!
In this same corporate sense Jesus’ one act of obedience, Calvary, resulted in (1) a new age, (2) a new people, and (3) a new covenant. This representative theology is called “the Adam-Christ typology” (cf. Php 2:6). Jesus is the second Adam. He is the new beginning for the fallen human race.
“made righteous” See Special Topic at Rom 1:17.
Rom 5:20
NASB”And the Law came in that the transgression might increase”
NKJV”Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound”
NRSV”But law came in, with the result and the trespass multiplied”
TEV”Law was introduced in order to increase wrongdoing”
NJB”When law came, it was to multiply the opportunities of falling”
The purpose of the Law was never to save mankind but to show fallen mankind’s need and helplessness (cf. Eph 2:1-3) and thereby bring them to Christ (cf. Rom 3:20; Rom 4:15; Rom 7:5; Gal 3:19; Gal 3:23-26). The Law is good, but mankind is sinful (cf. Romans 7)!
“grace abounded all the more” This was Paul’s main thrust in this section. Sin is horrible and pervasive, but grace abounds and exceeds its deadly influence! This was a way to encourage the first century fledgling church. They were overcomers in Christ (cf. Rom 5:9-11; Rom 8:31-39; 1Jn 5:4). This is not a license to sin more! See Special Topic: Paul’s Use of Huper Compounds at Rom 1:30.
See the Special Topic on a related word (abound) used in Rom 5:15 at Rom 15:13.
Rom 5:21 Both “sin” and “grace” are personified as kings. Sin reigned by the power of universal death (Rom 5:14; Rom 5:17). Grace reigns through the power of imputed righteousness through the finished work of Jesus Christ and believers’ personal faith and repentant response to the gospel.
As God’s new people, as Christ’s body, Christians also reign with Christ (cf. Rom 5:17; 2Ti 2:12; Rev 22:5). This can be seen as an earthly or millennial reign (cf. Rev 5:9-10; Revelation 20). The Bible also speaks of the same truth by asserting that the Kingdom has been given to the saints (cf. Mat 5:3; Mat 5:10; Luk 12:32; Eph 2:5-6). See Special Topic: Reigning in the Kingdom of God at Rom 5:17-18.
Therefore, &c. = So then as by means of one (act of) transgression (sentence came) upon all men unto condemnation, even so by means of one righteous act also (the free gift came) upon all men to justification of life.
righteousness of one = one righteous act. Greek. dikaioma. App-191., as Rom 5:16. Add “also”.
justification. Greek. dikaiosis. App-191.
of = issuing in. App-17.
18.] Recapitulation and co-statement of the parallel and distinctions. Therefore ( , see reff., is placed by Paul at the beginning of a sentence, contrary to classical usage) as by means of one trespass (not, the transgression of one, as Erasm., Luth., Calv., Koppe, Fritz., Thol. [similarly E. V.], which is contrary to usage, and to Rom 5:17, where that meaning is expressed by . In this summing up, the Apostle puts the antithetical elements as strongly and nakedly as possible in contrast; and therefore abridges the trespass of one and the righteous act of one into one trespass and one righteous act) it came upon (, indefinite, being supplied) all men unto condemnation,-so also by means of one righteous act (the Death of Christ viewed as the acme of His Obedience, see Php 2:8 = below; not as in Rom 5:16,-nor Righteousness, as Thol., which would not contrast with ., a single act) it came upon all men (in extent of grace,-in posse, not in esse as the other) unto justification of (conferring, leading to) life.
Rom 5:18. ) draws the inference, syllogistically: concludes, almost rhetorically: for this subject is not farther discussed than in this and the following verse.–, of one-of one) In the masculine; as is manifest from the antithesis, all. The word one, generally put without the addition, man, designates with the greatest force, one, either of the two.–) is, so to speak, the material substratum, the foundation for , justification; obedience, righteousness fulfilled. It may be called justificament (justificamentum) The ground and material of justification, as denotes a firmament [or means of making firm]; , vestment; , additament [or the thing wherewith addition is made]; , defilement; , muniment; , the means of purgation; , the thing scraped of; , a tegument or the thing wherewith a covering is made; , firmament; , a thing wherewith the foot is covered, a shoe; , sentiment [the material of ] French sentiment. Aristot. Eth. Book v. c. 10, has put and in opposition to each other, and defines the latter to be the correction of injustice [ ] the putting right what is wrong; which is tantamount to satisfaction [or atonement], a term undeservedly hateful to the Socinians.
The following scheme exhibits the exquisite propriety of the terms:-
A. B. C. D.
Rom 5:16. , , , ,
judgment. condemnation. free gift. righteousness.
Rom 5:18. , , , ,
Offence. condemnation. righteousness. justification of life.
In both verses A and B are of the same class, , [are co-ordinate] and likewise C and D; but A and C correspond in the opposite classes, ; so also B and D. In Rom 5:16 the transaction on the part of God is described; in Rom 5:18 on the part of Adam and of Christ; and that, with less variety of words in the case of the economy of sin, than in the case of the economy of grace. , justification of life, is that Divine declaration, by which the sinner, subject to death, has life awarded to him, and that too, with justice on his side.
Rom 5:18
Rom 5:18
So then-After saying in verse 12, Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned, Paul proceeds to state the case of the one man; also that of his sin, and how this brought universal death. The subject is profound and involves principles of justice and right to which it is difficult to reconcile the human mind, which he saw and
appreciated, and felt called upon to introduce at once the counterpart to the difficult view he had just stated-to Adam, to his sin, and to death-in other words, to introduce the ample remedy which God had provided in Christ, not only for all the evils that had befallen the human race in Adam, but also for our own personal sins. These topics are discussed in verses 12-17, in a closely connected chain of thought, every link of which is important and stands in its proper place. These matters crowded themselves upon his mind until a proper disposition had been made of them. Here we have the second member of the comparison begun in verse 12, repeated in the changed terms demanded by the intervening statements, and then the words “even so introduce what virtually completes the comparison there begun, the precise terms being changed to conform to the statement of the first member of the comparison in this verse.
as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation;-[That this is the judgment passed on Adam for his first sin cannot be questioned. It is the judgment that was provoked by “one trespass, and the “one trespass which brought death. Now, in the same words which God pronounced this judgment upon Adam, and for the same sin, he pronounced judgment upon his posterity. Adams posterity do not die because his sin was imputed to them, but because, being in him, in so far as they are human, they were acted for in his act. The doctrine of imputed sin, like that of imputed righteousness, has no sanction in reason or in revelation. No one has a right to impute to me anothers sin and deal with me for it as though it were mine. But it is according to the constitution of nature, and a thing which often occurs, that we are represented in and by others for good or evil, and why not in Adam? The condemnation on Adam was death. For one sin, God in condemning Adam condemned in him the whole of his posterity to death. It had no reference to any effect beyond the grave.]
even so through one act of righteousness-The one act of Christs dying on the cross.
the free gift came unto all men to justification of life.-[The gift of justification is the counterpart of the judgment unto condemnation, and the meaning of the latter determines the former. The judgment to condemnation means, as we have already seen, a sentence in which Adam and his posterity were condemned to temporal death. Now, justification means release from that sentence, and no more. It has no reference whatever to the remission of personal sins; but it means release from a sentence, and no more. It is release from immediate death, and, as such, amounts to a respite. In virtue of it Adam lived on after the sentence; and in virtue of it we all live the life we are now living. It signifies the universal resurrection of the dead. The phrase is “justification of life-justification so far as to be permitted to live and so far as to be restored to life after death.]
offence
Sin. (See Scofield “Rom 3:23”).
the offence: or, one offence
upon: Rom 5:12, Rom 5:15, Rom 5:19, Rom 3:19, Rom 3:20
the righteousness: or, one righteousness, Rom 3:21, Rom 3:22, 2Pe 1:1
all men: Joh 1:7, Joh 3:26, Joh 12:32, Act 13:39, 1Co 15:22, 1Ti 2:4-6, Heb 2:9, 1Jo 2:20
Reciprocal: Num 16:22 – one man sin Psa 24:5 – righteousness Isa 45:25 – the Lord Isa 53:11 – justify Joh 12:34 – the law Rom 4:6 – imputeth 2Ti 1:10 – and hath
Rom 5:18. So then (not, therefore). With this phrase, which means in consequence of all this, it follows that, Paul resumes the parallel, summing up all the previously stated points of resemblance and difference; the design being to show how the inheritance and imputation of sin confirms, renders more certain, the imputation of righteousness and the abounding reign of grace.
Through one fall, or, trespass. The E. V. is incorrect, since the acts, not the persons are here contrasted.
It came. Some verb of motion must be supplied here, as in Rom 5:16. The E. V. (borrowing from Rom 5:16) brings out the sense clearly enough, but it came is sufficient in both clauses.
Upon (lit, unto) all men unto condemnation. Here all men without exception.
So also, or, even so; but the former is preferable.
Through one righteous act, or, verdict; the same word rendered justification in Rom 5:16. Here Christs obedience, viewed as one act, as the ground of justification, seems to be meant, yet a reference to the justifying verdict gives a good sense.
Came, not, shall come, since the Apostle is speaking of the objective side.
All men unto justification of life. All men may be taken in a universal, but not in a Universalist sense. The righteous act which forms the meritorious ground of Gods justifying act is sufficient for all men without exception; and the Apostle speaks of it in this light. But the subjective application of it implies the receiving of it (Rom 5:17) by faith. See further on Rom 5:19, which contrasts the actual results as respects the many on the one side, and the many on the other. Justification is here the proper rendering. Of life, i.e., leading to life, in the fullest sense; the interpretation justification which is life confuses the Apostles thought.
Observe, here, How the apostle informs us of a truth, which all the writing of philosophers never acquainted us with; namely, the meritorious imputation of Adam’s sin to all his posterity; that all mankind sinned in Adam, and became obnoxious to death, and all other calamities and miseries, as a punishment for their sin.
Yea, the writings of Moses himself, though they declare to us the sin of Adam, and that his sin was punished with death; yet that, by his disobedience, all his race and posterity were involved, and became miserable, is a truth which we are peculiarly beholden to the gospel, and particularly to this text and context, for the more full discover of.
And the account of that matter seems to stand thus: The rebellion of the first man against the great Creator, was a sin of universal efficacy, that derives a guilt and stain to mankind in all ages of the world.
And the account which the scripture gives of it is grounded on the relation which we have to Adam, as the whole race of mankind was virtually in Adam’s loins, so it was presumed to give virtual consent to what he did: When he broke, all his posterity became bankrupts; there being a conspiracy of all the sons of Adam in that rebellion, and not one subject left in his obedience: Add to this, that principal of mankind.
In the first covenant made betwixt God and him, Adam was considered, not as a single person but as a caput gentis; and contracted not for himself only, but for all his descendants, by ordinary generation: His person was the root and fountain of theirs, and his will the representative of theirs: From hence his numerous issue became a party in the covenant, and had a title to the benefits contained in it upon his obedience, and was liable to the curse upon the violation of it: Upon this ground it is, that the apostle here in this text and context, institutes a parallel betwixt Adam and Christ: That as by the disobedience of the former, many were made sinners: so by the obedience of the latter many were made righteous.
As Christ in his death did not suffer as a private person, but as a surety and sponsor representing the whole church: in like manner, Adam in his disobedience was esteemed a public person, representing the whole race of mankind: And by a just law it was not restrained to himself, but is the sin of the common nature.
But adored, forever adored, be the wisdom and goodness of Almighty God, in providing a remedy which bears proportion to the cause of our ruin, but as we fell in Adam our representative, so we are raised by Christ the head of our recovery, which two person are considered as causes of contrary effects!
The effects are sin and righteousness, condemnation, and justification. For as the disobedience of the first Adam is meritoriously imputed to all his natural posterity, and brings death upon all; so the righteousness of the second Adam is meritoriously imputed to all his spiritual progency, to obtain life for them. As the carnal Adam, having lost original righteousness, derives a corrupt nature to all that descend from him: so the spiritual Adam, having, by his obedience, purchased grace for us, conveys a vital efficacy unto us.
The same Spirit of holiness which annointed our Redeemer, doth quicken all his race, that as they have borne the image of the earthly, they may bear the image of the heavenly Adam.
Rom 5:18-19. Therefore, &c. Here the apostle compares Christ and Adam together again, as he began to do Rom 5:12, with which this verse seems to be connected, (all the intermediate verses coming in as a parenthesis,) and he makes the comparison full in both members; which there, by reason of intervening matter, was left off imperfect. As if he had said, On the whole you see, as I began to observe to you before, that as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation Or, the condemnatory sentence was passed upon all men; even so, by the righteousness of one The obedience of Christ, the free gift Or gift of grace; came upon all men Is provided for, and offered to, the whole human race, and is actually conferred on all the spiritual seed of the second Adam, on all true believers; unto justification of life Unto that justification by grace through faith, whereby we have a right and title to eternal life. Or, leaving out the words in Italics, which are not in the original, the verse may be paraphrased thus: As the consequence of one offence on the one hand extended to all men, to bring condemnation upon them; so also, on the other side, the consequence of one grand act of righteousness extended to all men, who receive and embrace it; securing to them that justification which will be crowned with the enjoyment of eternal life. For, as by one mans disobedience many That is, all men; were made, or constituted sinners Being then in the loins of their first parent, the common head and representative of them all, and became obnoxious to death; so by the obedience of one By his obedience unto death, by his dying for us; many Namely, all that believe with a faith working by love; shall be, or are, constituted righteous That is, pardoned, justified, and sanctified, and shall be treated as such in the day of Gods final account; though they have no perfect righteousness of their own to plead, in consequence of which they should stand before God and claim the reward. With respect to Dr. Taylors scheme of interpretation, it is justly observed here by Dr. Doddridge, that although to become liable to death for the offence of another is indeed being thereby constituted, or rather treated, as a sinner, since death is in its primary view to be considered as the wages of sin, or the animadversion of a righteous God upon it; yet, simply to be raised from the dead is not being made righteous, or treated as a righteous person; since it is a very supposable case, and will in fact be the case of millions, that a sinner may be raised in order to more condign and dreadful punishment. The whole interpretation, therefore, which Dr. Taylor has given of this text, in this view, appears to me destitute of a sufficient foundation.
Rom 5:20-21, Moreover the law entered Made a little entrance, as Dr. Doddridge translates ; the sense also given it by the Vulgate, sub intravit. Thus the partial and limited entrance of the law is distinguished from that universal entrance of sin which passed on all. Others, however, as LEnfant and Wesley, render it, The law intervened, or came between Adam and Christ, the offence and the free gift; that the offence might abound That is, the consequence (not the design) of the laws coming in, was not the taking away of sin, but the increase of it; yet where sin abounded, grace did much more abound Not only in the remission of that sin which Adam brought on us, but of all our own sins; not only in remission of sins, but infusion of holiness; not only in deliverance from death, but admission to everlasting life; a far more noble and excellent life than that which we lost by Adams fall. That as sin hath reigned unto death In the wide and universal destruction made of those whom it had brought under that fatal sentence; so grace might reign Which could not reign before the fall, before man had sinned; through righteousness Imputed, implanted, and practised; through the justification of mens persons, the renovation of their nature, and their practical obedience to Gods holy law; unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Here is pointed out, 1st, The source of all our blessings, the rich and free grace of God. 2d, The meritorious cause; not any works or righteousness of man, but the alone merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. 3d, The effect or end of all; not only pardon, but life, divine life, leading to glory.
Vv. 18, 19. So then as by one offence there was condemnation for all men; so also by one act of justification there was for all men justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience the many were constituted sinners; so by the obedience of one shall the many be constituted righteous.
The result on the side of righteousness is at least equal to that which history attests on the side of condemnation: the apostle could make this affirmation after the previous demonstration, and at length close the parallel opened at Rom 5:12.
The , in consequence, introduces this declaration as a conclusion from the argument which precedes, and the , therefore, takes up the thread of the sentence broken since Rom 5:12. These two particles combined thus exhaust the logical connection of this verse with all that prepared for it.
The first proposition is the summary reproduction of Rom 5:12. The understood verb is , issued, here taken in an impersonal sense (there came about, res cessit, Mey.). Philippi takes as a masculine pronoun: by one’s offence. But in that case we must take the of the second proposition in the same sense, which, as we shall see, is impossible.
The , sentence of condemnation, denotes the condemnation to death which has overtaken mankind, the: Thou art dust, and to dust shalt thou return. There is no reference here to eternal condemnation (the ).
The particles and , so and also, refer, the one to the moral analogy of the two facts, the other, simply to the repetition of the two similar facts. Many commentators apply the expression: by one act of righteousness, , to the holy life of Jesus, which was throughout, as it were, one great act of righteousness, or to His expiatory death, as the culminating point of that perfect life. The meaning of the Greek term, which Aristotle (Nicom. Rom 5:10) defines: , a reparation of injury, might suit either the one or the other of these senses. They are, however, both inadmissible for the following reasons: 1. It is not natural to depart from the meaning the word has in Rom 5:16; now there it forms (in a rigorously symmetrical proposition) the antithesis of , sentence of condemnation; this positively determines its meaning: sentence of justification. 2. If this term be applied to the holy life or expiatory death of Jesus Christ, there arises a complete tautology with the second proposition of Rom 5:19, where , obedience, has the very meaning which is here given to . And yet the for, which connects the two verses, implies a logical gradation from the one to the other. 3. In Paul’s terminology it is God and not Jesus Christ who is the justifier, Rom 8:33 ( ). By we must therefore understand a divine act. It is therefore the one collective sentence of justification, which in consequence of the death of Christ has been pronounced in favor of all sinners, of which, as we have seen, Rom 4:25, the resurrection of Jesus was at once the effect and proof. It is ever this same divine declaration which takes effect in the case of every sinner as he believes. If such is the meaning of the word , the is obviously an adjective and not a pronoun: by one act of justification.
The verb to be understood is neither in the present nor the future: there is, or there will be. For the matter in question is an accomplished fact. It is therefore the past: there was, as in the first member.
The sentence already passed is destined for all men with a view to their personal justification. It is this destination which is expressed by the , to justification of life, exactly like the , Rom 1:17, and the (for all), Rom 3:22. The apostle does not say that all shall be individually justified; but he declares that, in virtue of the one grand sentence which has been passed, all may be so, on condition of faith. The strongly active sense of the word (the act of justifying) fits it peculiarly to denote the individual sentence by which the collective justification is applied to each believer.
The genitive is the genitive of effect: the justification which produces life. By this word life Paul here denotes above all spiritual life (Rom 6:4; Rom 6:11; Rom 6:23), the re-establishing of holiness; then, in the end, the restoration and glorification of the body itself (Rom 8:11). The word thus hints beforehand the entire contents of the following part (chap. 6-8).
So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life. [So then, says the apostle, in conclusion, if one act of sin brought sentence of condemnation unto death upon all, because all were in sinful Adam as their forefather, thus sharing his act; so also one act of righteousness (the sacrifice of the cross) brought unto all justification (or release from Adam’s sentence of condemnation) unto life. Adam’s sin brought natural death upon the whole human family, but nothing more. The punishment which we incur through Adam terminates at death. If men are punished after death, it is not because of Adam’s, but because of their own individual sins.]
18. Then as by the offense of one it was unto all men to condemnation, so indeed by the righteousness of one it was unto all men unto the justification of life. This is perfectly clear on the universal ruin through Adam in the Fall, and the universal redemption through Christ in the Mediatorial Kingdom, the only trouble arising from the fact that we are all free and liable to sin and fall under condemnation at any time till our probation ends. The Adamic ruin is seminal; the redemption of Christ, personal.
5:18 {17} Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto {x} justification of life.
(17) Therefore, to be short, as by one man’s offence the guiltiness came on all men to make them subject to death, so on the opposite side, the righteousness of Christ, which by God’s mercy is imputed to all believers, justifies them, that they may become partakers of everlasting life.
(x) Not only because our sins are forgiven us, but also because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us.
This verse and the next summarize Paul’s point, as indicated by "So then" or "Consequently." They also complete the thought that Paul broke off at the end of Rom 5:12. Paul contrasted the extents of Adam’s act and Christ’s act: condemnation came upon all men, and justification came upon all men (who believe in Christ).
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
DEATH BY ADAM, AND LIFE BY CHRIST
That we may avail ourselves of the light which is thus afforded us, we shall,
[Adam was not a mere private individual, but the head and representative of all mankind. Hence what he did in eating the forbidden fruit, is imputed unto us, as though it had been done by us: and we are subjected to the punishment that was denounced against transgression, In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. This in the preceding context is repeatedly affirmed: By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned [Note: ver. 12.]. Again, Through the offence of one many be dead [Note: ver. 15.]: Again, The judgment was by one to condemnation [Note: ver. 16.]: And again, By one mans offence death reigned by one [Note: ver. 17.]. So also it is twice mentioned in our text. Nor is it merely asserted: it is proved also, and that too by an argument which all can easily understand. The death of infants demonstrates the truth in question: for, nothing is plainer than that God will not inflict punishment, where no guilt attaches: but he does inflict punishment, even death itself, on infants, who cannot possibly have committed sin in their own persons. For whose sin then is this punishment inflicted? Surely for the sin of Adam, our first parent; who was the head and representative of all mankind. The law which denounced death as the penalty of transgression, comprehended, not him only, but us also: and therefore, having transgressed it in him, we are considered as sinners, and are subjected to all the penalties of transgression. To account for the agonies and death of new-born infants on any other supposition than this, is impossible.]
[Christ is that person by whose obedience many are made righteous. He is given to us as a second Covenant-Head. There is however this difference between him and Adam: Adam was the head of all his natural seed; and Christ is the head of all his spiritual seed. They are included in him; and all that he did or suffered is put to their account, as though they had done or suffered it themselves: and his entire righteousness is imputed to them for justification, precisely as Adams disobedience is imputed to us for condemnation. The parallel indeed holds yet farther still: for as Adams guilt is imputed to us before we commit personal sin, so is Christs righteousness imputed to us before we perform any personal obedience. Nevertheless, our obedience is not therefore rendered either useless or uncertain; for, as from Adam we receive a corrupt nature, so from Christ we receive a holy and divine nature: and as all our personal disobedience aggravates the guilt and condemnation which we derived from Adam; so our personal obedience, after we have been justified in Christ Jesus, enhances the degrees of glory to which we are entitled at the instant of our justification. Now all this is plainly affirmed in our text: (Read the text:) nay, it is, in the verses preceding our text, affirmed, that we receive more from Christ than ever we lost in Adam: (Read ver. 1517.) And this is a striking, and very important, truth. For,
But that this subject may produce a suitable impression on our minds, we will,
1.
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)