Romans 5:2

Paul here reminds us that the Jesus who henceforth makes our salvation sure (by his life), is no other Mediator than the Jesus who has already purchased our justification (by his death). Thus is explained the δἰ οὖ καί, “by whom also. ” The blessing of reconciliation by His death, explained above, was the foundation of the new grace he had in view throughout the whole piece. Comp. a similar return to a past development intended to serve as the starting-point of a new one, Romans 3:23. Before passing to the new grace he is concerned to recall the former, to impress the conviction that we owe all, absolutely all, to this Jesus only. The perfect ἐσχήκαμεν expresses an act of taking possession already past, though the possession continues. The term προσαγωγή, which we have translated by the word access, sometimes signifies the act of bringing or introducing; it may, for example, designate the manoeuvre by which engines of war are brought close to the walls of a besieged city (comp. Meyer). It might be understood in this sense: “by whom we have obtained introduction into this grace. ” But the word has also sometimes an intransitive meaning: the right of entering, access. The other substantives compounded from the same verb have often an analogous meaning; thus ἀναγωγή, setting out to sea; περιαγωγή, circular motion. And certainly this intransitive meaning is preferable here. The first would be suitable if the matter in question were introduction to an individual, a sovereign for example; but with an impersonal regimen, such as grace, the meaning of access to is more natural. It is in this sense also that the word is taken Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:12, if we are not mistaken. The words τῇ πίστει, by faith, are wanting in the Vat. and the Greco-Latins. If they are authentic, they simply remind us of the part previously ascribed to faith in justification. But it is improper, with some commentators, to make the clause: to this grace, dependent on it. Such a form of speech: πίστις εἰς χάριν, would be without example in the New Testament. The words: to this grace, complete the notion of access to: “At the time when we believed (τῇ πίστει) we had access to this grace in which we are now established.” The perfect ἑστηκα signifies: I have been placed in this state, and I am in it. This word, which has the meaning of a present, recalls us to the ἔχομεν, we have henceforth, of Romans 5:1, and forms the transition to the following idea: “and (in this state) we glory.” This last proposition (Romans 5:2) might be made dependent on the relative pronoun in which. The meaning would be: “this grace in which we henceforth stand and glory.” But this construction is somewhat awkward. Romans 5:2 being already a sort of parenthesis, in the form of an incidental proposition, it is unnatural to prolong the appendix still further. We therefore connect the words: and we triumph, with the principal idea of Romans 5:1: we have peace. It is a climax: “not only do we no longer dread any evil at the hand of God, but we have even when we think of Him the joyful hope of all blessing.” It is the feeling of security raised to the anticipated joy of triumph. These last words confirm our explanation of the ἔχομεν, “we have henceforth,” Romans 5:1. For they express more obviously still the conviction of the justified man in relation to his future. In reality, the object of this triumphant conviction is the certain hope of glory. The phrase: the glory of God, denotes the glorious state which God Himself possesses, and into which He will admit the faithful; see on Romans 3:23. The καυχασθαι, to triumph, is the blessed conviction and energetic (but humble, 1 Corinthians 1:31) profession of assurance in God. But some one will ask the apostle: And what of the tribulations of life? Do you count them nothing? Do they not threaten to make you lower your tone? Not at all; for they will only serve to feed and revive the hope which is the ground of this glorying. This reply is contained and justified in the following verses.