Romans 5:6

For when, &c. From this ver. to Romans 5:11 St Paul expands the words "the love of God." He explains this love, as "poured out" by the Spirit, to be specially redeeming and justifying love.

without strength Impotent to deliver ourselves from sin and judgment. The words are in contrast to the might of the Deliverer.

in due time That of the Eternal Purpose; "the fulness of the time;" Galatians 4:4. See Mark 1:15.

Christ In the Gr. this word has a slight emphasis, pointing to the wonder of sucha Deliverer's appearance.

died Also emphatic by position. His death is both the supreme proof of Divine love and the supreme requirement of the Divine Law.

the ungodly Better, us the ungodly. Same word as Romans 4:5, q. v. Here probably this intense word is used of allsinners as such; in view of the contrasted holiness of the Substitute, and also to suggest that the "impotence" of Romans 5:6 is not merely negative, but is the refusal (due to moral evil) truly to love the true God. See on Romans 8:7.

" For" = for the sake of. The special bearing of the Gr. preposition here used depends on the context. In itselfit does not necessarily indicate "substitution in the place of," "vicariousness." But the illustration in Romans 5:7 at once suggests that idea; and the preposition neither compels nor excludes it.