Romans 5:2-7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:2

By whom also - We are not only indebted to our Lord Jesus Christ for the free and full pardon which we have received, but our continuance in a justified state depends upon his gracious influence in our hearts, and his intercession before the throne of God. We have access - προσαγωγην εσχηκαμεν , We have received this access. It was only through Christ that we could at first approach God; and it is only through him that the privilege is continued to us. And this access to God, or... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:3

And not only so - We are not only happy from being in this state of communion with our God, and the prospect of being eternally with him; But we glory in tribulations also - All the sufferings we endure for the testimony of our Lord are so sanctified to us by his grace, that they become powerful instruments of increasing our happiness. Tribulation worketh patience - Ὑπομονην , Endurance under trials, without sustaining loss or deterioration. It is a metaphor taken from refining... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:4

And patience, experience - Δὀκιμεν , Full proof, by trial, of the truth of our religion, the solidity of our Christian state, and the faithfulness of our God. In such cases we have the opportunity of putting our religion to the test; and, by every such test, it receives the deeper sterling stamp. The apostle uses here also a metaphor taken from the purifying, refining, and testing of silver and gold. Experience, hope - For we thus calculate, that he who has supported us in the past... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:5

And hope maketh not ashamed - A hope that is not rationally founded will have its expectation cut off; and then shame and confusion will be the portion of its possessor. But our hope is of a different kind; it is founded on the goodness and truth of God; and our religious experience shows us that we have not misapplied it; nor exercised it on wrong or improper objects. Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts - We have the most solid and convincing testimony of God's love to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:6

For when we were yet without strength - The apostle, having pointed out the glorious state of the believing Gentiles, takes occasion to contrast this with their former state; and the means by which they were redeemed from it. Their former state he points out in four particulars; which may be applied to men in general. I. They were ασθενεις , without strength; in a weak, dying state: neither able to resist sin, nor do any good: utterly devoid of power to extricate themselves from the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:7

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die - The Jews divide men, as to their moral character, into four classes: First class, Those who say, "what is mine, is my own; and what is thine, is thy own." These may be considered the just, who render to every man his due; or rather, they who neither give nor take. The second class is made up of those who say, "what is mine, is thine; and what is thine, is mine." These are they who accommodate each other, who borrow and lend. The third... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:2

Verse 2 2.Through whom we have access, (153) etc. Our reconciliation with God depends only on Christ; for he only is the beloved Son, and we are all by nature the children of wrath. But this favor is communicated to us by the gospel; for the gospel is the ministry of reconciliation, by the means of which we are in a manner brought into the kingdom of God. Rightly then does Paul set before our eyes in Christ a sure pledge of God’s favor, that he might more easily draw us away from every... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:3

Verse 3 3.Not only so, etc. That no one might scoffingly object and say, that Christians, with all their glorying, are yet strangely harassed and distressed in this life, which condition is far from being a happy one, — he meets this objection, and declares, not only that the godly are prevented by these calamities from being blessed, but also that their glorying is thereby promoted. To prove this he takes his argument from the effects, and adopts a remarkable gradation, and at last concludes,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:4

Verse 4 4.Patience, probation, etc. James, adopting a similar gradation, seems to follow a different order; for he says, that patience proceeds from probation: but the different meaning of the word is what will reconcile both. Paul takes probation for the experience which the faithful have of the sure protection of God, when by relying on his aid they overcome all difficulties, even when they experience, whilst in patiently enduring they stand firm, how much avails the power of the Lord, which... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:5

Verse 5 5.Hope maketh not ashamed, etc.; (156) that is, it regards salvation as most certain. It hence appears, that the Lord tries us by adversities for this end, — that our salvation may thereby be gradually advanced. Those evils then cannot render us miserable, which do in a manner promote our happiness. And thus is proved what he had said, that the godly have reasons for glorying in the midst of their afflictions. For the love of God, etc. I do not refer this only to the last sentence, but... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:2

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:4

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 5:5

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