Content of the fifth chapter: The Apostle shows the power of faith as it proves itself in the justification of believers; for from Adam to Christ death exercised its destructive power. St. Paul speaks in this chapter with great joy and exceeding exultation. In the whole Bible there is hardly another chapter which can equal this triumphant text. The Apostle here most clearly describes God's grace and mercy and shows of what nature it is and how abundantly it has been poured out upon us.
The Abundant Blessings of Justification by Faith Therefore heing justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord ]esus Christ: hy whom also we have access hy faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, hut we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned (5:1-12).
We have peace (5:1). Since God now has justified us by faith, and not by works, we have peace with Him both in heart Commentary on Romans 89 and conscience, though not with man and with the flesh, nor with the world and the Devil. Believers rather have all the more trials.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ (5:1). That is, through our Mediator, and not through ourselves, we are justified by faith.
Through Christ as our Mediator we also have access to God, as also by faith we love Him, know Him and take delight in Him.
Without faith there is no access through Christ to God's gracious remission of sin and justification. In this we now stand through our firm profession of faith.
With "peace" the Apostle here means that peace of which all prophets speak, namely, spiritual peace, as he indicates this by the phrase "peace with God." This peace consists properly in an appeased conscience and in confidence in God, just as conversely the lack of peace means spiritual anxiety, a disturbed conscience and mistrust over against God. Because of this peace Christ is called the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6). In Ephesians 2:14 we are told:
"He is our peace, who hath made both one"; and again in Ephesians 2: 17: "(He) came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh." So this expression must not be interpreted as signifying earthly peace, for Christ says in Matthew
10:34: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." In John 16:33 Jesus says:
"In me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation."
Therefore the words in Psalm 72:7: "In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth," must not be explained as signifying such earthly peace as the world enjoyed under Caesar Augustus, as many believe, but "peace with God," or spiritual peace.
In these words the Apostle sets forth a most apt antithesis (in four ways): first, he who is justified by faith has peace with God, but tribulation in the world, because his life is spiritual. Secondly, the unrighteous have peace with the world, but anguish and tribulation with God, because their life is carnal. Thirdly, as God the Holy Spirit is eternal, so also the peace of the righteous and the tribulation of the unrighteous will be everlasting. Lastly, as the flesh is temporal, so also the tribulation of the righteous and the peace of the unrighteous will be temporary.
By whom also we have access hy faith (5:2). Very instructively 90 Commentary on Romans the Apostle here connects "through our Lord Jesus Christ" and "by faith." He first directs himself against the arrogance of those who believe that they have access to God without Christ, just as though their mere believing would suffice for salvation. They want to have access to God by faith, yet not through Christ, but past
Christ, just as though they had no need of Christ. Their desire to have access to God without Christ, by their bare faith, means to reject the salvation of Christ. Such a faith is not true, but counterfeit. By their sham faith they do not have access to God, but they rather depart from God.
Again, the Apostle directs himself against those who are secure through Christ, but without faith, just as though they could be saved through Christ, yet without faith. Both must be together:
"by faith" and "through our Lord Jesus Christ," so that by faith in Christ we accomplish and endure all things. Yet despite all this we should acknowledge ourselves unprofitable servants and should be sure that we have access to God solely through Christ. In all works of faith our main concern must be that we become worthy of Christ and His favor which gives us His righteousness.
We glory in tribulations also (5:3). From this verse appears the distinction between a twofold wrath of God, a twofold divine mercy and a twofold tribulation; for there is a tribulation which comes to us from severity (divine wrath), and another which comes from divine goodness. The tribulation which comes from divine love can work only that which is good (for us) as it is here described, even though it accidentally results in something else. This is the fault not of the tribulation, but of the weakness of him who endures the tribulation. In that case he fails to understand the nature, power and operation (purpose) of tribulation and judges it only according to its outward appearance. He thinks wrongly about it, though it should be reverenced as the very Cross of Christ.
Knowing that tribulation worketh patience (5:3). He who has faith indeed has all the excellent things (which are mentioned in the text), but in a hidden way. Through tribulation they are tried and purified to the highest degree. Whatever (virtues) tribulation finds in us, it develops more fully. If anyone is carnal, weak, blind, wicked, irascible, haughty, and so forth, tribulation will make him more carnal, weak, blind, wicked and irritable. On the other hand,
Commentary on Romans 91 if one is spiritual, strong, wise, pious, gentle and humble, he will become more spiritual, powerful, wise, pious, gentle and humble, as the Psalmist says in Psalm 4:1: "Thou hast enlarged me when
Those speak foolishly who ascribe their anger or their impatience to such as offend them or to tribulation. Tribulation does not make people impatient, but proves that they are impatient. So everyone may learn from tribulation how his heart is constituted.
Those are ignorant, childish and indeed hypocritical who outwardly venerate the relics of the holy Cross, yet flee and detest tribulation and affliction. Holy Scripture calls tribulation the cross of Christ in a special sense, as in Matthew 10:38: "He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."
Let everyone be sure that he is no Christian but a Turk and an enemy of Christ who refuses to bear this cross; for here the Apostle speaks of all (believers') when he says: "We glory in tribulations."
And in Acts 14:22 we read: "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." "Must" does not mean that tribulation comes by chance, or that it is a matter of choice for us, or that we may take it or leave it. In many Scripture passages our
Lord is called a "Saviour" and a "Helper in need," and this means that all who do not desire to endure tribulation, rob Him of his titles and names of honor. To such people our Lord will never become a Saviour, because they do not admit that they are under condemnation. To them God is never mighty, wise and gracious, because they do not desire to honor Him as creatures that are weak, foolish and subject to punishment.
Experience (worketh) hope (5:4). Experience must here be understood in a good sense as the object of tribulation, or the good which tribulation is to effect. God accepts no one as righteous whom He has not first tried. But He tries us through the fire of affliction, as we read in Psalm 11:5: "The Lord trieth the righteous."
God tries us in this way, in order that we may know whether we really love God for His own sake. We thus read in Psalm 139:23, 24: "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." If God would not try us by tribulation, it would be impossible for us to be saved.
92 Commentary on Romans Hope maketh not ashamed (5:5). Tribulation takes from man everything (in which he trusts) and leaves him naked and destitute.
It also prevents him from seeking help and salvation in his own temporal and spiritual good works. Finally, it causes him to despair of every creature, to look away from himself, and, apart from himself and everything else, to seek help alone from God (the Creator), as the Psalmist says in Psalm 3:3: "But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head." That is what "hope" means, and through the experience (of tribulation) such hope is confirmed in us. On the other hand, the wicked, who trust in their virtues and do not endure tribulation with patience, and so do not allow themselves to be tried by it, never discover that we must put our trust alone in God. Therefore when the last trial (affliction) will come and all their virtues and merits will disappear, then, when they sink into a hopeless eternity, they will cry out to the mountains: "Fall on us" (Luke 23:30).
Their assumed hope was no hope at all, but only a perverse, arrogant trust in their own works and righteousness.
Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts 5:5. Hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God, that is, the love which is of God and works in us an unshakable adherence to Him, is shed abroad in our hearts. This love we receive by grace and not on account of our merits; and it makes us willing to endure tribulation. If men are unwilling and of an unstable mind, they do not endure it by the Holy Ghost. St. Augustine remarks on this passage: "Step by step he, (the Apostle), leads us toward love, which, as he says, we have as a gift from the Holy Spirit. He shows us thereby that we must ascribe all that we might claim for ourselves to God who by grace grants us His Holy Spirit."
We must understand these words as an added motivation or instruction of the Holy Spirit, showing why we can glory in tribulation, though this is impossible by our own strength. It is not the effect of our own power, but it comes from the divine love which is given us by the Holy Ghost.
Let us note: 1. It is shed abroad, hence not born in us or originated by us. 2. It is by the Holy Ghost, therefore it is not acquired by our virtuous efforts as we may acquire good habits which lie on a merely moral plane. 3. In our hearts, that is, it is in Commentary on Romans 93 the innermost core of our being, not merely on the surface, as foam is swimming on the top of the water. Such (superficial) love is that of the hypocrites who imagine and pretend to love. 4. Which is given unto us, that is, which is not merited, for we deserve the very opposite. 5. It is called love (caritas) in contradistinction to the inert and lower form of love with which we love creatures.
It is a precious and worthy love, by which we most highly esteem that which we love, as we esteem God above all things, or as we love Him with highest esteem. He who loves God merely for the sake of His gifts or the sake of any advantage, loves Him with the lowest form of love, that is, with sinful desire. Such {earthly) love means to use God, but not to delight in God. 6. Of God, because only God is so loved. The neighbor is loved for God's sake, that is, because God wills this.
In due time Christ died for the ungodly 5:6. He died at that time when we were still weak, that is, when we were neither righteous nor sanctified, but helpless and lost, (that is, ungodly, v. 6).
In 5: 10 the Apostle says: "When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God." (So also v. 8: ''While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.")
Much more, heing reconciled, we shall he saved hy his life (5:10). The resurrection and life of Jesus Christ is a cause, that is, an efficacious means of our spiritual resurrection and spiritual life; for it causes us to believe and to rise (from sin), as we read in 10:9: "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." In Christ's death we die unto spiritual life, as we read in 6:3,4: "So many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death (that) we also should walk in newness of life."
Wherefore, as hy one man sin entered into the world, and death hy sin (5:12). (Here the Apostle shows) that by one man righteousness has come into the world. But this he discusses after a digression which he interposes. The words "and death by sin" show clearly that he is speaking of original sin; for if death comes by sin, then also the little children have sinned who die. So this must not be understood in the sense of actual sin. That the Apostle
94 Commentary on Romans is here speaking not of actual sin, but of original sin, is proved also by the following:
1. He says: "By one man." Of this statement St. Augustine writes against the Pelagians in the first chapter of his book Concerning the Deserved Punishment of Sins and their Forgiveness: "So, then, the Apostle making mention of that sin and of death, which passed from one to all by propagation, represents him as the originator from whom the propagation of the human race had its beginning."
2. He says: "By one." Actual sin comes into the world through many, because through each person his own peculiar sin is put into the world.
3. He says: "Sin entered into the world." Actual sin really does not enter into the world, but the factual) sins of every person burden the head of the transgressor. The word "world" here does not signify heaven and earth, but the human beings that live in the world, as the Apostle says in Romans 3:6: "For then how shall God judge the world?" In 5:19 he explains the term by the words: "By one man's disobedience many were made sinners."
4. He says: "And death by sin." Certainly the death of men does not come merely from their personal sins, since also such die as have not committed actual sins. Therefore the Aposde here does not mean any special (actual) sins.
5. He says: "And so death passed upon all men." With regard to (a 'person's') own actual sin, this is true: If death follows it, it comes alone to him who commits the sin, as the Law says in Deuteronomy 24:16: "Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
6. The Apostle speaks of "sin," speaking of the one (original) sin in the singular. If he wanted this to be understood of actual sins, he would have had to speak in the plural as in 5:16: "Of many offences."
7. He says: "For that all have sinned." One's own (actual) sin is not that of another so that by it all men have sinned, but every person commits his own (actual) sins.
8. He says: "For until the law sin was in the world." That is to say, the punishment of (actual) sin was recognized, but not (original) sin. Actual sin existed also before Moses and was
Commentary on Romans 95 charged to the sinner, for it was punished. But original sin was unknown until Moses (by his haw') made it known.
9. He says. "(They) had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression." All who commit transgressions like that of Adam, sin by actual transgression and not by a similar, imitated sin as Pelagius explained this.
10. He says that through (original) sin Adam became the figure of Him that was to come, but that does not take place through every individual actual sin, for otherwise every sinner would be the figure of Him that was to come. But now only Adam is the figure of Christ, because this one sin of his has come upon all.
But what, then, is original sin? According to the Apostle it is not only the lack of a good quality in the will, nor merely the loss of man's righteousness and ability (to do good). It is rather the loss of all his powers of body and soul, of his whole outward and inward perfections. In addition to this, it is his inclination to all that is evil, his aversion against that which is good, his antipathy against (sfvcitnaV) light and wisdom, his love for error and darkness, his flight from and his loathing of good works, and his seeking after that which is sinful. Thus we read in Psalm 14:3: "They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one"; and in Genesis 8:21: "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." Actual sins essentially consist in this that they come from out of us, as the Lord says in Matthew
15:19: "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." But original enters into us; we do not commit it, but we suffer it. We are sinners because we are the sons of a sinner. A sinner can beget only a sinner, who is like him.
Adam's Imputed Transgression; Christ's Imputed Righteousness (For until the law sin was in the world: hut sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many he dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift hy grace, which is hy one man, Jesus
Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was hy one that sinned, 96 Commentary on Romans so is the gift; for the judgment was hy one to condemnation, hut the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if hy one man's offence death reigned hy one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life hy one, ]esus Christ.)
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so hy the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as hy one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound; that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord (5:13-21).
Until the law sin was in the world (5:13). St Augustine explains this in the tenth chapter of his book Concerning the Deserved
Punishment of Sins and their Forgiveness as follows: "Sin could not be taken away through the Law, neither through the natural nor the revealed Law; for no one could be justified by the works of the Law." In another book he refers the phrase "until the law" to the whole duration of the Law till its end, which is Christ.
(Luther himself 'prefers this explanation.*) Sin was not recognized until the law came, which produced sin inasmuch as by the Law there came knowledge of sin.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses (5:14). That is to say, sin's punishment, namely death, was well known to all men by experience, but not the cause of death, namely, sin. We must not understand the words in such a way that death reigned only to Moses, for Moses also died, and all men continue to die till the end of the world. But to Moses death reigned in the sense that men did not know why death ruled so mightily.
That had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression (5:14). St. Augustine explains this statement as follows: (Death reigned over them) "that had not yet sinned through their own personal volition as he (Adam)" That is, all had sinned, not (merely) by actual sin, but because of the one and the same guilt
(of Adam). (Luther, in his exposition of the whole passage, stresses the fact that the Apostle here speaks of the imputation of Adam's guilt to all his descendants.)
Who is the figure of him that was to come (5:14). How is Adam a figure of Christ? As Adam became a cause of death to his
Commentary on Romans 97 descendants, though they did not eat of the forbidden tree, so Christ has become a Dispenser of righteousness to those who are of Him, though they have not earned any righteousness; for through the Cross He has secured (righteousness) for all men.
The figure of Adam's transgression is in us, for we die just as though we had sinned as he did. The figure of Christ is in us, for we live just as though we had fulfilled all righteousness as But not as the offence, so also is the free gift (5:15). Original sin is by Adam's transgression. This sin we bear as his children and we are guilty on account of it, for with his nature Adam also transfers his sin to all. As he himself became sinful and evil through that sin, so he begets only sinners and evildoers, namely, such as are inclined to all evil and resist that which is good.
Much more the grace of God, and the gift hy grace, which is by one man, ]esus Christ, hath abounded unto many (5:17). As is the sin of the one, so is the grace of the other. As the sin of the one becomes known through our condemnation without any actual sin of our own, so the grace of the other is made known by this that His righteousness is granted to us without our merit.
And not as it was hy one that sinned, so is the gift (5:17). The free gift (of justification) is granted not only against the one sin of the one sinner; in other words, the gift of grace frees us not only from that one condemnation, which is ours because of (Adams) one transgression.
For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they . . . shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ (5:17). The Apostle repeats the same thought in ever new and different words to magnify the abounding grace of God.
As by the offence of one judgment came ufon all men to condemnation (5:18). Here the Apostle says "all"; first, because as all who are begotten of Adam are born again through (faith in)
Christ; and secondly, because as there is no carnal begetting except through Adam, so also there is no spiritual begetting except through Christ.
As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous (5:19). Here
98 Commentary on Romans the Apostle speaks of "many" and not of "all," to show that in the preceding verse his emphasis is not on the number of the sinners or the righteous, but upon the power of sin and grace.
If sin proved itself so powerful that a single transgression has perverted many, or rather all, then divine grace is much more powerful; for the one act of grace, (Christ's atonement) can save many, indeed, all men, of many sins, if they only would desire it.
St. Chrysostom says with reference to this: "If a Jew should ask you, how it is possible that through the power of the one
Christ the world is saved, then ask him how it is possible that through the one disobedient Adam the whole world was damned."
In verse 15 the Apostle connects the "grace of God" with the "gift of grace" as though they were distinct from each other. He does this to stress the fact that we do not receive the grace of God by merit, but as a free gift which the Father has given to Christ, in order that He might impart it to men, according to Ephesians 4:8: "When he ascended on high . . . (he) gave gifts unto men." But really the "grace of God" and the "gift by grace" are one and the same thing, namely, the righteousness which God bestows upon us by grace through Christ.
The law entered, that the offence might abound (5:20). The statement "the law entered" shows that sin remained, indeed, that it was increased (hy the Law); for the Law followed sin, in order to make it abound by commanding the opposite of man's sinful desires, and by forbidding his (sinful) passions. The words "that the offence might abound" do not denote purpose, but result. The sense (of the verse) is: Through the transgression of the Law there came the knowledge of original sin. Thus St. Augustine in his Propositions from the Efistle to the Romans says: "With these words he shows clearly that the Jews did not understand for what purpose the Law was given; for it was not given to make sinners alive — it is (divine) grace alone which by faith makes alive — but to show with what strong chains of sin those are bound and held captive who arrogantly assert that the Law is to be kept by their own power." The human race therefore did not receive help and healing from the Law, but only an increase of its sickness (of sin).