Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Romans 5:2

Romans 5:2. Through whom. The Personal Redeemer is kept in the foreground.

We have also had; have obtained as our own. ‘Also' is misplaced in the E. V., since it should be joined with the verb.

Access; ‘the access,' something well-known. (Some prefer to render it ‘introduction.') This access is the result of justification and the ground of peace. We have peace, because at the time of our justification we obtained as our possession this access into this grace.

By faith. Some important manuscripts omit this, but the probabilities favor its genuineness. Paul constantly presents the personal Redeemer, but is ever reminding his readers that by faith we appropriate what He has done for us.

Into this grace, i.e., the state of justification, which is preeminently a position of ‘grace,' wherein we stand, have our permanent position, as accepted of God.

And let us rejoice. The form here (and in Romans 5:3) may be either imperative or indicative; but, as the sentence corresponds with the beginning of Romans 5:1, we must translate in accordance with the reading there. (The E. V. gives the impression that ‘stand' and ‘rejoice' are closely connected.) The word itself means to glory, boast, triumph, rejoice, exult. The first is the usual rendering, but is infelicitous here, where ‘glory' (another word in the Greek) immediately follows. So Romans 5:3 in E. V.)

In the hope of the glory of God. The ground of rejoicing is the hope of sharing in that glory which belongs to God; comp. John 7:22; 1Th 2:12; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 21:11. That God will give this glory is implied, rather than expressed. The Roman Catholic doctrine of the uncertainty of salvation is opposed to this triumphant assurance of faith. We may, how ever, distinguish between assurance of a present state of grace, which is implied in true faith, personally apprehending Christ as a Saviour, and assurance of future redemption, which is an article of ‘hope,' to be accompanied by constant watchfulness.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Romans 5:2

Old Testament

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