Rom 3:24, 28, 5:1, 9 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 24. Being justified freely by his grace ] So far from being able to attain the glory of God by their obedience, they are all guilty: and, to be saved, must be freely pardoned by God's grace; which is shown to them who believe, through the redemption, απολυτρωσεως, the ransom price , which is in the sacrifice of Christ Jesus . The original is compounded of απο, from , and λυτροω, I redeem , and properly means the price laid down for the redemption of a captive . Comprehendit haec Christi απολυτρωσις, quicquid is docuit, fecit et passus est, eo consilio, ut homines malis liberati, praecipue peccato, malorum fonte immunes, veram felicitatem adipiscerentur.- Rosenmuller . This redemption of Christ comprehends whatsoever he taught, did , or suffered , in order to free men from evil; especially to free them from sin, the source of evils; that they might attain true felicity. And that it here means the liberation purchased by the blood-shedding of Christ, is evident from : We have REDEMPTION, απολυτρωσινδιατουαιματοςαυτου, THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace . See also , where the same words are found. λυτρα according to Suidas, is μισθοςηταπαρεχομεναυπερ ελευθεριαςεπιτωλυτρωσασθαιβαρβαρωνδουλειας. A reward; or the price given to be redeemed from the slavery of the barbarians . Schleusner , under the word απολυτρωσις, says, Negari quidem non potest, hanc vocem proprie notare redemptionem ejus, qui captivus detinetur, sive bello, sive alio captus sit modo, quae fit per pretti solutionem ; quo sensu verbum απολυτροω legitur haud raro in Scripp. Graecis. No man certainly can deny that this word properly means the redemption of a captive , (whether he may have been taken in war or in any other way,) which is procured by the payment of a price . That the word also means any deliverance , even where no price is paid down, nobody will dispute; but that it means redemption by a price laid down , and the redemption of the soul by the price of the death of Christ , the above scriptures sufficiently prove.

‏ Romans 3:24

Verse 24. Being justified freely by his grace] So far from being able to attain the glory of God by their obedience, they are all guilty: and, to be saved, must be freely pardoned by God's grace; which is shown to them who believe, through the redemption, απολυτρωσεως, the ransom price, which is in the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. The original is compounded of απο, from, and λυτροω, I redeem, and properly means the price laid down for the redemption of a captive. Comprehendit haec Christi απολυτρωσις, quicquid is docuit, fecit et passus est, eo consilio, ut homines malis liberati, praecipue peccato, malorum fonte immunes, veram felicitatem adipiscerentur.-Rosenmuller. This redemption of Christ comprehends whatsoever he taught, did, or suffered, in order to free men from evil; especially to free them from sin, the source of evils; that they might attain true felicity. And that it here means the liberation purchased by the blood-shedding of Christ, is evident from Eph 1:7: We have REDEMPTION, απολυτρωσινδιατουαιματοςαυτου, THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. See also Col 1:14, where the same words are found.

λυτρα according to Suidas, is μισθοςηταπαρεχομεναυπερ ελευθεριαςεπιτωλυτρωσασθαιβαρβαρωνδουλειας. A reward; or the price given to be redeemed from the slavery of the barbarians. Schleusner, under the word απολυτρωσις, says, Negari quidem non potest, hanc vocem proprie notare redemptionem ejus, qui captivus detinetur, sive bello, sive alio captus sit modo, quae fit per pretti solutionem; quo sensu verbum απολυτροω legitur haud raro in Scripp. Graecis. No man certainly can deny that this word properly means the redemption of a captive, (whether he may have been taken in war or in any other way,) which is procured by the payment of a price. That the word also means any deliverance, even where no price is paid down, nobody will dispute; but that it means redemption by a price laid down, and the redemption of the soul by the price of the death of Christ, the above scriptures sufficiently prove.

‏ Romans 3:28

Verse 28. Therefore we conclude, &c.] Seeing these things cannot be denied, viz., that all have sinned: that all are guilty, that all are helpless: that none can deliver his own soul, and that God, in his endless mercy, has opened a new and living way to the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Heb 10:19, 20, &c: therefore we, apostles and Christian teachers, conclude, λογιζομεθα, prove by fair, rational consequence, that a man-any man, is justified-has his sins blotted out, and is received into the Divine favour, by faith in Christ's blood, without the deeds of the law, which never could afford, either to Jew or Gentile, a ground for justification, because both have sinned against the law which God has given them, and, consequently, forfeited all right and title to the blessings which the obedient might claim.

‏ Romans 5:1

CHAPTER V.

The effects of justification by faith, peace with God, 1.

The joyous hope of eternal glory, 2.

Glorying in tribulations, 3.

And gaining thereby patience, experience, and hope, 4.

And having the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit, 5.

The state of the world when Christ died for it, 6-10.

Jesus Christ is an atonement, 11.

Sin and death entered into the world by Adam's transgression, and all became guilty before God, 12-14.

God's grace in sending Christ into the world to save fallen man,

15-19.

The law is brought in to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin,

20.

The grace of Christ is to be as extensive in its influences and reign, as sin has been in its enslaving and destructive nature,

21.

NOTES ON CHAP. V.

Is the former chapter, the apostle, having proved that the believing Gentiles are justified in the same way with Abraham, and are, in fact, his seed, included with him in the promise and covenant; he judged this a proper place, as the Jews built all their glorying upon the Abrahamic covenant, to produce some of the chief of those privileges and blessings in which the Christian Gentile can glory, in consequence of his justification by faith. And he produces three particulars which, above all others, were adapted to this purpose. 1. The hope of eternal life, in which the law, wherein the Jew gloried, Ro 2:17, was defective, Ro 5:2. 2. The persecutions and sufferings to which Christians were exposed, Ro 5:3, 4, and on account of which the Jews were greatly prejudiced against the Christian profession: but he shows that these had a happy tendency to establish the heart in the hope of the Gospel. 3. An interest in God, as our GOD and FATHER-a privilege upon which the Jews valued themselves highly above all nations, Ro 5:11.

These three are the singular privileges belonging to the Gospel state, wherein true Christians may glory, as really belonging to them, and greatly redounding, if duly understood and improved, to their honour and benefit.

Verse 1. Therefore being justified by faith] The apostle takes it for granted that he has proved that justification is by faith, and that the Gentiles have an equal title with the Jews to salvation by faith. And now he proceeds to show the effects produced in the hearts of the believing Gentiles by this doctrine. We are justified-have all our sins pardoned by faith, as the instrumental cause; for, being sinners, we have no works of righteousness that we can plead.

We have peace with God] Before, while sinners, we were in a state of enmity with God, which was sufficiently proved by our rebellion against his authority, and our transgression of his laws; but now, being reconciled, we have peace with God. Before, while under a sense of the guilt of sin, we had nothing but terror and dismay in our own consciences; now, having our sin forgiven, we have peace in our hearts, feeling that all our guilt is taken away. Peace is generally the first-fruits of our justification.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ] His passion and death being the sole cause of our reconciliation to God.

‏ Romans 5:9

Verse 9. Much more then, being now justified] If Jesus Christ, in his endless comparison towards us gave his life for ours, while we were yet enemies; being now justified by his blood-by his death on the cross, and thus reconciled to God, we shall be saved from wrath-from punishment for past transgression, through him-by what he has thus suffered for us.