Jesus was dying to absorb the wrath of god

JESUS WAS DYING TO ABSORB THE WRATH OF GOD
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Romans 5:9 9Since we have now been justifiedby his
blood, how much more shall we be savedfrom God's
wrath through him!
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The Assurance Of Redemption
Romans 5:9-11
T.F. Lockyer
But what an argument of assurance is such a love! If the love itself works
hope, how does this assuredlove work an assuredhope! It is an a fortiori of
the strongestkind.
I. THE RECONCILIATION.
1. We were enemies. God was opposedto us; we were opposedto God.
Something terribly realin this twofold opposition. We know its reality on our
side; conscience, nature, revelationtestify to its reality on God's side. The
wrath of God.
2. Christ died for us. Justifying us by his blood, reconciling us to God through
his death. The greatdemonstration of righteousness;the Divine concessionto

its claims. Also a great demonstrationof love; the Divine provision for its
claims. Yes; God sacrificing himself for man.
3. We are reconciled. God's love has free course now through Christ; our love
is won for Godin Christ. So then peace, amity, mutual love; identification in
Christ! "Behold, what manner of love," etc. (1 John 3:1).
II. THE REJOICING.A reversion to argument with which chapter opened,
and which is more or less maintained through all these verses. We look
forward and fear. Nay, says the apostle, look to the past; think how great
things God hath done for you; think of the conditions under which all that
deliverance was wrought. And now contrast: see conditions of present
salvation, and be glad as you look to the future, assuredthat your salvation
shall be unto the uttermost. Follow the a fortiori.
1. Notenemies, but friends. What we were!But he loved us then, laid down his
life for us then. What we are! how much more shall he save us now! "Thouart
mine!"
2. Nothis death, but his life. Two sides of Christ's saving work. Think of the
suffering and death: that did so much! Think of the exaltation and life: how
much shall not that do!
3. Notonly reconciled, but rejoicing. The new-found love; the living Friend.
Let us take this Divine "much more" into all our life. The dark backgroundof
rebellion and death; the present love and life: much more! The overcoming of
the greatevil once for all; the overcoming of our temptations now: much
more! The gift of the Son; and now the gift of all grace through him: much
more! And so, "savedfrom wrath through him." - T.F.L.

Biblical Illustrator
For scarcelyfor a righteous man will one die...but God commendeth His love.
Romans 5:7, 8
Human and Divine love contrasted
A. Thomson, D. D.
I. THE LOVE OF MAN TO HIS FELLOW CREATURES (ver. 7). You may
find in history generosityand gratitude manifestedby the greatestofall
sacrifices — that of life. But such instances are rare. We read of dangers
encountered, sufferings endured, for the purpose of rescuing others from
destruction; but seldom of devotion to death, in order to deliver a fellow
mortal from the heaviestcalamity, or to procure for him the most precious
privilege. When such an instance has occurred it has been uniformly a tribute
paid to distinguished excellence,oran acknowledgmentofobligations too
strong and sacredto be fulfilled by a less noble or costlyrecompense.
1. Suppose an individual distinguished for honour and integrity, who had
exerted himself on all occasions to maintain the rights, and redress the wrongs
of others, whose righteous deportment, fidelity, and defence of truth had
rendered him the objectof profound and universal veneration; suppose that
such a person, by the decree of despotism, were doomed to expiate an
imaginary crime on an ignominious scaffold, would you step forward to save
his life by the sacrifice ofyour own? No;nor can we imagine anyone doing it.
2. But, supposing that to righteousness we add benevolence — all that is
melting in tenderness, winning in compassion, god-like in beneficence, would
there be any among those to whom such characters are dearest, orany, even
of those who had shared his kindness, that would agree to be his substitute?

Yes; you may conceive suchcasesto occur. Still, however, the apostle speaks
correctly;it is only "some" who would thus die for a goodman — that, even
for this act of chivalry "daring" would be required — and that after all, the
fact must be qualified with a "peradventure." To the statement of the apostle
we may add that of our Lord, that "greaterlove hath no man than this, that a
man lay down his life for his friends:" This is the utmost limit to which human
affectioncan go. And this may be still more readily admitted, if we consider
friendship as comprehending those relationships which, binding husband and
wife, parent and child, brother and sister, by a thousand endearments,
instinctively prompt to efforts and endurances, from whose ample range even
the terrors of death are not excluded.
3. But supposing a person iniquitous and hostile, condemned to die for his
iniquity and rebellion, and under his sentence, cherishedas bitter an enmity
againsthis benefactoras he had ever done before, would that benefactor
consentto suffer his judicial fate, in order to send him back againto the life
and liberty he had so justly forfeited? Ah! no; that is a height of love which
humanity has never reached, and of which humanity is utterly incapable. And
were it ever to occur, we should be compelledto rank it amongst the greatest
miracles.
II. THE LOVE OF GOD TO MAN is illustrated by two circumstances.
1. "Christ died for us." The apostle could not speak ofGod dying for us, for
death cannot possibly be predicted of Him who "alone hath immortality." We
must remember, therefore, who Christ was, as wellas what He did. But in
viewing His death as a manifestation of Divine love, we must recollectthe
connectionwhich God had with it. The scheme, of which it formed the leading
feature and the essentialprinciple, was altogetherof His appointment (John
3:16). And while God was thus so gracious, it becomes us to think of the
relation in which Christ stoodto Him. Christ was not the creature, nor the

mere servant of God, but "His only begottenand well beloved Son, the
brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person." Yet God did
"not spare Him."
2. But the principal evidence of God's love is that Christ died for us, "while we
were yet sinners." Had man been such as that the eye of God could have
lookedon him with complacency, orhaving fallen, had the feelings of
penitence pervaded his heart, and made him willing to return, we should not
have been amazed at God's condescending love. But the marvel lies in this,
that there was no goodwhatever to attractthe regards of a holy being, and to
invite a willing interposition of His benevolence. On the contrary, there was
worthlessnessandguilt to such a degree as to provoke a just indignation, to
warrant an utter exclusion from happiness and hope. We were "yet sinners"
when Christ died for us. There are resources in the eternal mind which are
equally beyond our reach and our comprehension. There is a power, a
magnitude, and a richness in the love of God towards those upon whom it is
setwhich, to the experience of the creature, presents a theme of wondering
gratitude and praise. Man loves his fellows;but he never did, and never can
love them like God. Had He only loved us as man loves, there would have been
no salvation, no heaven, no glad tidings to cheerour hearts. But behold! God
is love itself. Guilt, which forbids and represses man's love, awakens, and
kindles, and secures God's. Deathfor the guilty is too wide a gulf for man's
love to pass over. God's love to the guilty is infinitely "strongerthan death."
God forgives, where man would condemn and punish. God saves, where man
would destroy. "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways
My ways." "Hereinis love," etc.
(A. Thomson, D. D.)
Christ and the martyrs
J. Logan.

It was a principle in the breastof every Roman that he owedhis life to his
country. This being the spirit of the people, gave birth to many illustrious and
heroic actions. The spirit of patriotism glowedamong the people for many
ages ofthe republic; one hero sprung from the ashes ofanother, and great
men arose from age to age who devotedthemselves to death for the public
good. These being the most celebratedactions in the history of mankind, the
apostle here compares them with the death of Jesus Christ.
I. Those who devoted themselves to death for their friends or their country,
submitted to a fate which THEY MUST ONE DAY HAVE SUFFERED;but
Jesus Christ, who is the true God, and POSSESSETHETERNALLIFE,
submitted to death for our redemption.
II. Those among the sons of men who devoted themselves to death for the good
of others, MADE THE SACRIFICE FOR THEIR FRIENDS,forthose by
whom they were beloved; BUT JESUS DIED FOR HIS ENEMIES.
III. He who dies a martyr for the public good, DEPARTSWITH HONOUR;
BUT JESUS MADE HIS DEPARTURE WITH IGNOMINYAND SHAME.
(J. Logan.)
The love of God the motive to man's salvation
Bp. Mant.
I. THE SUPREME DIGNITYOF HIM WHO UNDERTOOKTHE WORK
OF OUR SALVATION.
II. THE STATE OF HUMILIATION TO WHICH HE CONSENTED TO BE
DEGRADED IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISHOUR REDEMPTION.

III. THE RELATION BORNE TO HIM BY THOSE FOR WHOM THIS
AMAZING TESTIMONYOF LOVING KINDNESS WAS ENTERPRISED
AND PERFECTED. Inasmuchas we are by nature sinners, we are also by
nature enemies of God. If it be the act of an enemy to slight, resist, and
renounce the authority of our lawful sovereign;if it be the act of an enemy to
range ourselves under the banners of a potentate in open hostility to our own;
we who are "by nature the children of disobedience," in subjectionto "the
powers of darkness," "alienatedfrom the life of God," and the ministers and
slaves of sin, are by an obvious inference the natural enemies of God. And
standing in this relation to God, as rebels, it evidently appears how
inefficacious anything in us could have been towards meriting our redemption
and influencing Him to redeem us. There was in us, indeed, that which well
deservedthe wrath of God, and might well have left us exposedto the severity
of His displeasure.Conclusion:
1. The contemplation of this surprising love of God towards us ought to warm
and expand our hearts and fill them with the most earnest love towards Him
in return, and with the most zealous determination to obey Him.
2. The contemplation of the love of God, as having alreadyinterposed to save
us by the sending of His Son, should fill us with a devout confidence in Him;
persuaded that He who has conferredupon us of His free grace the greatestof
all blessings will not withhold from us others which He may know to be for
our good.
3. A third inference to be drawn from a contemplation of the love of God
exemplified in the work of our salvation, is a further "confidence"that He
will not leave it imperfect; but that if we love Him and keepHis
commandments, "He which hath begun a goodwork in us will perform it
until the day of Jesus Christ."

4. The contemplation of the love of God employed for our redemption, and the
persuasionthat our salvation is "the gift of God," connectedwith the belief
that "we all had sinned and come short of His glory," etc.
5. But, then, whilst we renounce all hopes of salvationas merited by our
works, we must be cautious not to disregardthem as if they were not
necessaryto our salvation.
(Bp. Mant.)
Unparalleled love
D. Thomas, D. D.
The grand doctrine of the Bible is that God loves apostate man. Nowhere else
do we learn this. Nature teaches that God loves His creatures, but the volume
of nature was written before the Fall, and it says nothing as to His affection
towards man as a sinner. In every conceivable form the Bible impresses us
with the factthat God loves man though a sinner. Note —
I. THAT MAN HAS, CONSTITUTIONALLY, A KIND AFFECTION FOR
HIS SPECIES.The apostle is speaking here of men generally, and he says that
in some cases the generous instincts of human nature would prompt to the
utmost self-sacrifice. Thatman has this socialkindness I maintain in the face
of all the oppressionand cruelty that make up a large portion of history.
Notwithstanding the Pharaohs, Herods, Neros, Napoleons,there is a spring of
kindness in human nature.
1. The tendency of sin is to destroy this element. Had sin not entered into the
world, this element would have united all races in the bonds of a loving
brotherhood.

2. The tendency of Christianity is to develop this element. Christianity
recognisesit, appeals to it, strengthens it. Blessedbe God, bad as the world is,
there is a fountain of love in its heart.
II. THAT SOME CHARACTERS HAVE A GREATER POWER TO
EXCITE THIS AFFECTION THAN OTHERS.
1. The righteous man is not likely to excite it. "Scarcely." Who is a righteous
man? He is one who conforms rigorouslyto the outward forms of morality: he
pays all that is demanded of him, and he will be paid to the utmost fraction of
his due. He is what the cold mercantile world would calla "respectable"man.
He has no generous impulses, no heart, and therefore cannot awakenlove in
others. The just man is not a very popular character.
2. The "good" man has powerto excite it — the kind man — the man of
warm sympathies, who canweep with those who weep. Such a man evokes the
sympathies of others. He has often done so. Jobopening, by his kindness, the
heart of his age;Pythias enduring the punishment for Damon; and Jonathan
and David, are cases in point.
III. THAT THE SACRIFICE OF LIFE IS THE HIGHEST EXPRESSION
OF AFFECTION.There is nothing man values so much as life. Friends,
property, health, reputation, all are held cheap in comparisonwith life. To
give life, therefore, is to give that which he feels to be of all the dearestthings
most dear. A man may express his affectionby language, toil, gifts, but such
expressions are weak comparedwith the sacrifice oflife, which demonstrates
powerfully both the intensity and the sincerity of that affection.

IV. THAT CHRIST'S DEATH IS THE MIGHTIEST DEMONSTRATION
OF AFFECTION.This will appearif you consider —
1. The characters for whom He died — "sinners."
2. The circumstances under which He died. Not amid the gratitude of those He
loved, but amid their imprecations.
3. The freedom with which He died. He was not compelled.
4. The preciousness ofthe life He sacrificed.Conclusion:Learn —
1. The moral grandeur of Christianity. There is no such manifestation of love
in the universe.
2. The moral powerof Christianity. The motive it employs to break the heart
of the world is this wonderful love.
(D. Thomas, D. D.)
Self-sacrificing love for friends
Damon was sentencedto die on a certain day, and sought permissionof
Dionysius of Syracuse to visit his family in the interim. It was grantedon
condition of securing a hostage forhimself. Pythias heard of it, and
volunteered to stand in his friend's place. The king visited him in prison, and

conversedwith him about the motive of his conduct; affirming his disbelief in
the influence of friendship. Pythias expressedhis wish to die that his friend's
honour might be vindicated. He prayed the gods to delay the return of Damon
till after his own executionin his stead. The fatal day arrived. Dionysius sat on
a moving throne drawn by six white horses, Pythias mounted the scaffold, and
calmly addressedthe spectators:"Myprayer is heard; the gods are
propitious, for the winds have been contrary till yesterday. Damoncould not
come;he could not conquer impossibilities; he will be here tomorrow, and the
blood which is shed today shall have ransomed the life of my friend. Oh! could
I erase from your bosoms every mean suspicion of the honour of Damon, I
should go to my death as I would to my bridal. My friend will be found noble,
his truth unimpeachable; he will speedily prove it; he is now on his way,
accusing himself, the adverse elements, and the gods;but I haste to prevent
his speed. Executioner, do your office." As he closed, a voice in the distance
cried, "Stopthe execution!" which was repeatedby the whole assembly. A
man rode up at full speed, mounted the scaffold, and embraced Pythias,
crying, "You are safe, my beloved friend! I now have nothing but death to
suffer, and am delivered from reproaches forhaving endangereda life so
much dearer than my own." Damon replied, "Fatalhaste, cruel impatience!
What envious powers have wrought impossibilities in your favour? But I will
not be wholly disappointed. Since I cannotdie to save, I will not survive you."
The king heard, and was moved to tears. Ascending the scaffold, he cried,
"Live, live, ye incomparable pair! Ye have borne unquestionable testimony to
the existence ofvirtue; and that virtue equally evinces the existence ofa God
to reward it. Live happy, live renowned, and oh! form me by your precepts, as
ye have invited me by your example, to be worthy of the participation of so
sacreda friendship."
Self- sacrificing love for a father
While Octavius was at Samos, afterthe battle of Actium, which made him
master of the universe, he held a council to examine the prisoners who had
been engagedin Antony's party. Among the rest there was brought before
him an old man, Metellus, oppressedwith years and infirmities, disfigured
with a long beard, a neglectedheadof hair, and tattered clothes. The son of
this Metellus was one of the judges; but it was with greatdifficulty he knew

his father in the deplorable condition in which he saw him. At last, however,
having recollectedhis features, insteadof being ashamedto own him, he ran
to embrace him. Then turning towards the tribunal, he said, "Caesar, my
father has been your enemy, and I your officer; he deservedto be punished,
and I to be rewarded. One favour I desire of you; it is, either to save him on
my account, ororder me to be put to death with him." All the judges were
touched with compassionatthis affecting scene;Octavius himself relented,
and granted to old Metellus his life and liberty.
Divine love
H. F. Burder, D. D.
There are three gradations in which the love of God is here exhibited —
I. THE LOVE OF INFINITE COMPASSION. Contemplate —
1. The aspectunder which man appearedto the most holy God. Paul tells us
that men were —
(1)Sinners.
(2)Ungodly, i.e., living without God.
(3)Enemies.
(4)Objects of the Divine wrath.
2. The aspectunder which the blessedGod ought to be viewed by sinful man.
Shall any hard thought of God be alloweda dwelling place in your hearts?

Will you callin question His clemency? Is it possible for you to imagine that
He takes delight in the death of a sinner? "Herein is love," etc.
II. THE LOVE DISPLAYED IN THE EXERCISE OF THAT MERCY
WHICH SECURES FROM THE DANGER OF FUTURE
CONDEMNATION (ver. 9). Consider —
1. The extent of privilege actually attained by every believer in the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is justified by the blood of Christ — that is, God, in the capacityof
a righteous lawgiver and judge, pronounces him righteous.
2. The security from final condemnation arising out of the state already
attained. "Muchmore...we shallbe savedfrom wrath through Him."
III. THE LOVE DISPLAYED IN COMPLACENCYTOWARD THOSE
WHO ARE IN A STATE OF RECONCILIATION (ver. 10). The life of Christ
in heaven secures to the believer all needful resourcesduring his progress
towards the enjoyment of consummated salvationif you consider —
1. That His presence in heavensecures His continual and prevailing
intercessiononbehalf of His people.
2. The perpetual communications of His grace as securedto us by His life in
glory. "All things are delivered unto Him by the Father" — that is, for the use
of His people. "It hath pleasedthe Father that in Him shall all fulness dwell";
therefore it pleasedthe Fatherthat from His fulness should every needy
disciple receive an abundant supply; so that of His fulness we, who have
believed, do receive even grace forgrace.

3. The interposition promised and pledged for the coming hour of our greatest
emergency. The death and the life of Christ gives to the believer indeed no
security againstdeath, but full security in death and after death.
(H. F. Burder, D. D.)
Divine love for sinners
D. Thomas, D. D.
We infer —
I. That God HAS LOVE. He is not sheerintellect: He has a heart, and that
heart is not malign but benevolent. He has love, not merely as an attribute,
but in essence. Love is not a mere element in His nature; it is His nature. The
moral code by which He governs the universe is but love speaking in the
imperative mood. His wrath is but love uprooting and consuming whatever
obstructs the happiness of His creation.
II. That God has love FOR SINNERS. Then—
1. This is not a love that is revealedin nature. It is exclusively the doctrine of
the Bible.
2. This is not the love of moral esteem. The Holy One cannot love the corrupt
character;it is the love of compassion — compassiondeep, tender, boundless.

III. That God's love for sinners is DEMONSTRATED IN THE DEATH OF
CHRIST. This demonstration is —
1. The mightiest. The strength of love is proved by the sacrifice it makes.
"Godgave His only begottenSon."
2. The most indispensable. The only wayto consume enmity is to carry
conviction that he whom I have hated loves me. This convictionwill turn my
enmity into love. God knows the human soul, knows how to break its corrupt
heart; hence He has given the demonstration of His love in the death of Christ.
(D. Thomas, D. D.)
God's unparalleled love
J. Lyth, D. D.
1. Sacrifice is the true test of love.
2. Life is the greatestsacrificeman can make.
3. Such a sacrifice is possible, but exceedinglyrare.
4. Supposes strong inducements.
5. But Christ died for His enemies.

6. He thus commends the love of God — because He is God — and is the gift
of God.
(J. Lyth, D. D.)
The love of God commended
Ibid.
I. By its OBJECTS — without strength — ungodly — sinners — enemies.
II. By its DISPLAY — Christ died — for us.
III. By its PURPOSE — OUR justification — reconciliationwith God — final
salvation.
IV. By its EFFECT — JOY in God.
(Ibid.)
Self-sacrificing love
Ellen Wonnacott.
That young sailorwho, when the last place in the lifeboat was offeredhim,
drew back, saying, "Save my mate here, for he has a wife and children," and
went down himself with the sinking ship; that brave soldierwho, in the
moment of deadly peril, threw himself in front of his old master's son and fell
dead with a smile upon his lips, the fatal bullet in his heart; that poor outcast
woman, out in the wild winter night, who wrapped her baby in her own scanty

dress and shawl, and patiently lay down in the snow to die, saving her child's
life at the costof her own; the pilot dying at his post on the burning steamer;
the Russianservantcasting himself among the wolves to save his master; the
poor child dying in a New York garretwith the pathetic words, "I'm glad I
am going to die, because now my brothers and sisters will have enough to eat"
— these, and hundreds of true hearts like these, proclaim with the clearness of
a voice from heaven, "'The hand that made us is Divine'; and in our Father's
heart are higher heights of love, deeperdepths of pity and self-sacrifice."
(Ellen Wonnacott.)
Disinterestedfriendship
Edwin, one of the best and greatestofthe Anglo-Saxonkings, flourished in the
beginning of the seventh century. He was in imminent dangerof perishing by
the hand of an assassin, who had gainedaccessto him under the guise of an
ambassador. In the midst of his address the villain pulled out a daggerand
aimed a violent blow at the king. But Edwin was preservedfrom danger by
the generous and heroic conduct of Tilla, one of his courtiers, who intercepted
the blow with his own body, and fell down dead on the spot. Thus did he
cheerfully resignhis own life to preserve that of his sovereign, whomhe loved.
But this instance of disinterestedfriendship loses allits charms, and sinks into
insignificance when contrastedwith the love wherewith Christ hath loved us.
For "Godcommendeth His love to us in that while we were yet sinners Christ
died for us."
Nature does not reveal God's love
Nature does not reveal God's love. We find His powerthere, undeviating
cause and effect, irresistible force, iron law. But no love. The ocean, grandas
it is, and beautiful even, will crush the egg shell you call your ship; the
lightning kills; the torrent engulfs; the beautiful twilight air chills you; the
lovely flower concealspoisonunder its gorgeous petals;a weak spotin a
girder of iron precipitates a hundred people to an awful death; the sun strikes
with deadly sickness;and who can stand before God's cold? Careless or

ignorant of her laws, man is a leafunderfoot, or a bubble on the wave. You
may searchocean, air, and desert; you may traverse the whole universe of
matter, and know all the secrets ofscience, andyou can find no Christ. There
is no hint of mercy, or love, or pardon, in the whole realm of nature. God's
might and majesty are there; but the "love of God was manifestedin this, that
He sent His Son into the world that we might live through Him."
The love of God's unspeakable gift
W. Arnot.
A crew of explorers penetrate far within the Arctic circles in searchof other
expeditions that had gone before them — gone and never returned. Failing to
find the missing men, and yet unwilling to abandon hope, they leave supplies
of food, carefully coveredwith stones, onsome prominent headlands, with the
necessaryintimations graven for safetyon plates of brass. If the original
adventurers survive, and, on their homeward journey, faint yet pursuing, fall
in with these treasures, at once hidden and revealed, the food, when found,
will seemto those famished men the smaller blessing. The proof which the
food supplies that their country cares forthem is sweeterthanthe food. So the
proof that God cares for us is placed beyond a doubt; the "unspeakable gift"
of His Son to be our Saviour should melt any dark suspicion to the contrary
from our hearts.
(W. Arnot.)
H. Melvill, B. D.
The manifestations of God's love are many and various. If I look forth upon
our glorious world I cannot but feel that God displays His love in the dwelling
place which He hath given to the children of men. If I contemplate the
successionofseasons, andobserve how the sunbeam and the showerunite in
the production of sustenance,I recognise love in the workings of God's
providence. Thus also, if I think upon man, the creature of mighty capacity,

but of mightier destiny, I am necessarilyconsciousthat infinite love presided
originally over his formation. And, if I yet further remember that man, whose
creationhad thus been dictated by love, returned despite for benevolence, I
might marvel, if I did not know that love rose superior to outrage, and, in
place of forsaking the alien, suggestedredemption. Note: —
I. HOW CHRIST'S SUFFERINGSWERE AGGRAVATED BY THE
SINFULNESS OF THOSE AMONGST WHOM HE SUFFERED.
1. He possessedinfinite perceptions of the nature of sin. He saw it without any
of the varnish which it draws from human passionor sophistry; and He
discernedthat the leastacting of impurity struck so vehemently againstthe
bosses ofthe Almighty's attributes, that it rebounded in vengeance, which
must eternally crush the transgressor.
2. Now to this capacityof estimating sin, add(1) The love which He bore to the
Father. It would have accordedwellwith the longings of His heart, that He
should succeedin bringing back the earth into obedience, so that the Almighty
might draw His full revenue of honour. But when, from the contradictionof
sinners againstHimself, it became palpable that generations wouldyet do
despite to His heavenly Father, this must inexpressibly have laceratedHis
soul.(2)But vast also was His love to mankind; and here again His
apprehensions of sin come into the account. It would be idle to enlarge on the
greatness ofthat benevolence which had prompted the Mediatorto undertake
our rescue. The simple exhibition of Christ appearing as the surety of
mankind remains ever the overwhelming and immeasurable prodigy. Yet
when He beheld the beings, for every one of whom He was contentto endure
ignominy and death, pursuing obstinately the courses ofunrighteousness,
throwing from them the proffered boon of deliverance, it must have entered
like a poisonedarrow into His pure and affectionate heart, and lacerating and
cauterising whereverit touched, have made an inlet for sorrow where there
never could be found admission for sin.

3. If an artist study to setforth the Christ's sufferings, he has recourse to the
outward paraphernalia of woe. Yet there is more in the simple expressionthat
Christ died for us "whilst we were yet sinners," than in all that the crayon
ever produced, when the genius of a Raphaelguided its strokes.We look in at
the soulof the Redeemer — we are admitted as spectators ofthe solemn and
tremendous workings of His spirit.
4. We attempt not to examine too nicely into the awful matter of the
Mediator's sufferings, suffice it that there is not one amongstus who was not a
direct contributor to that weight of sorrow which seemedfor a time to
confound Him and to crush Him.
II. HOW COMPLETELYTHESE SUFFERINGSWERE IRRESPECTIVE
OF ALL CLAIM ON THE PART OF THOSE FOR WHOM THEY WERE
ENDURED. In the commencementof His dealings with our race, God had
proceededaccording to the strictestbenevolence. He had appointed that
Adam should stand as a federalhead or representative of all men; had Adam
obeyed, all men would have obeyed in him — just as when Adam disobeyed,
all men disobeyed in him. We were not, in the strictestsense, parties to this
transaction, but I hold that if we had had the powerof electing we should have
electedAdam, and that there would have been a wisdom in such procedure,
which is vainly lookedfor in any other. And if this appointment cannot be
arraigned, then it must be idle to speak ofany claims which the fallen have
upon the Creator;and whatsoeveris done on their behalf must be in the
largestsense gratuitous. If the arrangementwere one into which the love
which prompted the creationof man gatheredand condensedits fulness, and
its tenderness, then we lay it down that the compassions ofthe MostHigh
towards our race might have closedthemselves up, and, nevertheless, the
inscription, "God is love" would have been gravenupon our archives, and the
lying tongue of blasphemy alone would have dared to throw doubt on its
accuracy. But the love of God was a love which could not be content with

having just done enough — it was a love which must commend itself — which
must triumph over everything which could quench love. We were sinners, but,
nevertheless, Godloved us in our degradation, in our ruin. We were unworthy
the leastmercy, we had no claim to it — the minutest benefit, we had no right
to it — but God commended His love towards us
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
B. Beddome, M. A.
Severalconsiderations tend to enhance the greatness ofthe love of God
towards us —
I. THE DIGNITYOF THE SAVIOUR. He was no other than the eternal Son
of God, coequalwith the Father, infinitely endearedto Him by an ineffable
union, and a full participation in all the attributes of the Divine nature. Hence
when the death of Christ is mentioned greatstress is laid on the dignity of His
character, as that which gives worth and efficacyto His sufferings (Hebrews
1:3; 1 Peter1:19; 1 John 1:7).
II. THE DIVINE AGENCY EMPLOYED IN CHRIST'S DEATH. God did
not spare His ownSon, but freely delivered Him up as a victim in our stead,
and calledupon justice to make Him a sacrifice for us. Nor was the Divine
agencyemployed merely in this part of our Saviour's sufferings; it was also
engagedin their actual infliction. Men crucified His body, but it was the Lord
who "made His soul an offering for sin"; or it pleased"the Lord to bruise
Him, and put Him to grief"; and herein is expressedthe most astonishing
wrath, and the most astonishing love.

III. THE CHARACTER OF THOSE FOR WHOM CHRIST DIED. While as
yet no change was wroughtin us, no goodperformed by us; while inveterate
enemies to God, then it was that Christ died for us. It was also "while we were
yet without strength," either to do the will of God, or to deliver ourselves out
of the hands of infinite justice. The patriot dies for his country; but Christ
died for His enemies.
IV. THE VOLUNTARY NATURE OF CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS.His death
was foreordained, and He had receiveda commandment of the Fatherthat He
should lay down His life for the sheep;yet He had powerto lay down His life,
and powerto take it up again, and no one could take it from Him.
V. IF WE COMPARE THIS MANIFESTATION WITHEVERY OTHER
WE SHALL HERE FIND ITS HIGHEST COMMENDATION. The blessings
of Providence are incessantand innumerable; but of all His gifts, none is to be
compared with the gift of Christ. This is the unspeakable gift.
VI. THE CONSTANT EFFICACYOF THE DEATH OF CHRIST
AFFORDS ADDITIONALEVIDENCE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE
GIFT AND OF THE LOVE OF GOD IN ITS BESTOWMENT.His
righteousness foreveravails for our justification; His sacrifice retains its
cleansing virtue for our sanctification;and in the discharge of all His
mediatorial offices He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hence He is
able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by Him, and to do for
us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask orthink. The gift of Christ
includes every other gift; for He that spared not His own Son, but delivered
Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.
Improvement:

1. This subjectaffords encouragementto serious inquirers. The gospelis the
religion of sinners, the only one that canafford relief to the troubled
conscience.
2. The gospel, notwithstanding, affords no ground of hope or encouragement
to those who continue to live in sin. Though Christ died for sinners, it was that
they might repent, believe, and be saved.
3. To all true believers, the gospelbecomes a source ofabundant joy.
(B. Beddome, M. A.)
J. W. Burn.
God's manifestations of Himself invariably carry with them the
commendation of some distinguishing perfection. He is manifested —
1. In the universe, and "the heavens declare the glory" of His wisdom and
power.
2. In conscience, whichcommends His righteousness.
3. In the Bible, which commends His truth.
4. In history, which commends His sovereignty.

5. In Christ, who by His life and death, but especiallyin the latter, commends
His love. It is the glory of Christianity to give love to this commendation.
Other religions profess to reveal God in this or that aspectof His character,
but none as "love." Note —
I. THE TIME WHEN this commendation was made (ver. 6). "In due time."
The time was most appropriate. No other period would have done so well.
This will be seenif we consider that then —
1. The world most needed it. Readchap. 1, and what contemporary writers
said about the sinfulness, misery, and hopelessness ofmankind.
2. The world had exhaustedall its resources in the vain hope of working out
its own salvation. Philosophers had taught, priests had sacrificed, governors
had ruled with a view to this; but the world's wisdom, religion, and policy had
all failed.
3. The world was now as it had never been before prepared for the wide
diffusion of this commendation. The dispersionof the Jews who carried their
Messianic hopes with them; the conquests ofAlexander which disseminated a
language in which this commendation might be couched; the universal
supremacy of Roman powerand civilisation, which provided ample means for
the widespreadcommendationof the gospel, combined to prepare "a way for
the Lord."
II. THE PERSONSTO WHOM IT WAS MADE. "Sinners." That God should
commend His love to angels, to unfallen Adam, or to conspicuous saints,
would be but natural, and that that love in a generalway should be displayed
in nature is not to be wondered at, for the fountain of love must overflow;but

that God should commend His love to sinners as such is wonderful indeed.
The wonder heightens as we follow the apostle's analysis. Menwere —
1. Without strength. Once they were strong, but lured by the devil they fell
from the breezy heights of righteousness, andwere maimed and paralysedby
the fall. None could have complained if God had left them in that condition,
but pitying their inability to rise He "laid help on One who was mighty," who
was able to restore them to moral soundness and a righteous status.
2. Ungodly. Men had severedtheir connectionwith the source of righteousness
and bliss, and so were plunged in sin and misery. God did not withdraw from
man, but man from God. No blame could have attachedto God had He made
the separationeternal. But He commends His love in the gift of the Mediator,
God-man, who could lay His hand on both and bring both togetheragain.
3. Sinners. Men who had missedthe mark. "Man's chief end is to glorify God
and enjoy Him forever." Man's blessednessis to aim at this, and in reaching it
to find his true rest. But men failed to even aim at this. Their aspirations were
after inferior objects, and they missed even them. So the earth is strewnwith
moral wrecks. Godcommendeth His love in that He gave His Sonto save these
wrecks, andto enable man to aspire after and to reachthe true end of life.
4. Enemies. In one sense men were moral failures to be pitied; in another
moral antagonists to Godand goodness, hence the objects of God's wrath. But
instead of commending His angerHe commends His love through Christ, who
saves from wrath and reconciles to God.
III. THE MANNER OF this commendation.

1. "Christ died." Godcommended His love, indeed, in Christ's incarnation,
life, teaching, deeds, example. ForGod to visit, abide in, and do goodto the
inhabitants of His revolted province, was a singular display of affection.
Reasonasks, whynot come with legions of angels to destroy? But all this
regard would have fallen short of what was needed; so love was displayed in
an unstinted manner. "God sparednot His ownSon." Spared Him nothing
that was necessaryto save a lost world; i.e., Godgave all He could to
commend His love. The riches of the Divine mercy were practicallyexhausted
on the Cross (Romans 8:32).
2. "Forus."(1)In our room and stead. He bore our sins with their curse and
punishment on the tree.(2)For our benefit. To remove our condemnation
were much; but Christ's death for us involves much more — justification,
sonship, holiness, heaven.
(J. W. Burn.)
God's love commended
T. Robinson, D. D.
I.To our CONSIDERATION.
II.To our ADMIRATION.
III.To our ESTEEM.
IV.To our GRATITUDE.
V.To our IMITATION.

(T. Robinson, D. D.)
W. Hay Aitken, M. A.
Some years ago a young Englishlady, moving in the highestcircles of fashion
in Paris, happened one day to be slightly indisposed and lying upon her bed,
when her sisters came into the room in a state of great merriment, and said to
her, "There is a mad fellow come over here from England — a revival
preacher. They say it is the greatestjoke in the world; he goes ranting awayin
English, and one of the French pastors does his best to interpret what he says
into French. All the world is going, and we are going too," and off they went.
They had no soonergone than this girl, as she lay in her bed, felt an
indescribable desire to hear him too. She rang the bell for her maid, and said,
"I want to hear this revival preacher;dress me and order a carriage." Her
servant expostulatedwith her: "You really should not think of it, ma'am; I
am sure you are not fit to go." But she would not be put off. So she went, and
was shownto a seatin front of the platform and there satdirectly in front of
the preacher. By the time the hymn was sung and the prayer over I suppose
she beganto feel somewhatsolemnised. Thencame the sermon, and the
preacherstepped right to the front of the platform, and lookedher full in the
face with a keen, searching glance,and said, "Poorsinner, God loves you!" "I
do not know what other words he may have spoken," she afterwards said. "I
dare say he said a greatdeal, for he preached a long time; but all I know is
that I satthere before him with my head buried in my hands, sobbing,
sobbing as if my heart would break. My whole life passedin review before me.
I thought how I had lost it and wastedit, and all my life had turned my back
upon God, to live for sin, and worldliness, and folly. I had spurned His
entreaty and rejectedHis call; and yet, O my God, is it true, is it true, that all
the while Thou hast been loving me? These words kept re-echoing over and
over againthrough my mind, Poorsinner, God loves thee! I do not know how
I found my way home. The next thing I remember is that I was lying prostrate

upon my face before God, the tears still streaming from my eyes, as I lifted up
my heart to God, and said, 'It is true, it is true. Thou hast been loving me all
the time, and now Thy love hath triumphed. O mighty Love, Thou hast won
my poor heart! GreatGod, from this moment forward I am Thine.'"
(W. Hay Aitken, M. A.)
Love's commendation
C. H. Spurgeon.
God's commendation of His love is not in words, but in deeds. "God
commendeth His love not in an eloquent oration," but by an act. If thou
wouldst commend thyself to thy fellows, go and do — not go and say; and if
before God thou wouldst show that thy faith and love are real, remember, it is
no fawning words, uttered either in prayer or praise, but it is the pious deed,
the holy act, which is the justification of thy faith. Paul gives us a double
commendation of God's love.
I. CHRIST DIED FOR US. Note —
1. That it was Christ who died.
2. That Christ died for us. It was much love when Christ stripped Himself of
the glories ofHis Godheadto become an infant in the manger of Bethlehem;
when He lived a holy and a suffering life for us; when He gave us a perfect
example by His spotless life; but the commendation of love lieth here — that
Christ died for us. All that death could mean Christ endured. Consider the
circumstances whichattended His death. It was no common death; it was a
death of ignominy; it was a death of unutterable pain; it was a tong protracted
death.

II. CHRIST DIED FOR US WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS.
1. Considerwhat sort of sinners many of us have been, and then we shall see
the marvellous grace of Christ. Consider —(1) I levy many of us have been
continual sinners. Have not sinned once, but ten thousand times.(2) That our
sins were aggravated. Whenyou sin you do not sin so cheapas others: when
you sin againstthe convictions of your consciences, againstthe warnings of
your friends, againstthe enlightenment of the times, and againstthe solemn
monitions of your pastors, you sin more grosslythan others do. The Hottentot
sinneth not as the Briton doth.(3) That we were sinners againstthe very
Personwho died for us. If a man should be injured in the street, if a
punishment should be demanded of the personwho attackedhim, it would be
passing strange if the injured man should for love's sake bearthe penalty, that
the other might go free; but 'twas even so with Christ.(4) That we were
sinners who for a long time heard this goodnews, and yet despisedit.
2. Inasmuch as Christ died for sinners, it is a specialcommendation of His
love for —(1) God did not considerman's merit when Christ died; in fact, no
merit could have deserved the death of Jesus. Thoughwe had been holy as
Adam, we could never have deserveda sacrifice like that of Jesus. But
inasmuch as it says, "He died for sinners," we are thereby taught that God
consideredour sin, and not our righteousness.(2)Godhad no interest to serve
by sending His Son to die. If God had pleased, He might have crushed this
nest of rebels, and have made another world all holy.(3) Christ died for us
unasked. If He had died for me as an awakenedheir of heaven, then I could
have prayed for Him to die; but Christ died for me when I had no powernor
will to pray. Where did ye ever hear that man was first in mercy? Nay, rather,
it is the other way: "Return unto Me, backsliding children, and I will have
mercy upon you."
(C. H. Spurgeon.)

Love commended
W. Hay Aitken, M. A.
I. HOW SHALL MAN BE CONVINCED OF GOD'S LOVE TOWARDS
HIM?
1. He is indisposed to believe in it, and is disposedto doubt it. Many do not
think of God's love at all; and others cannotbring themselves to believe that it
is a personalaffection. But all are exposedto the fatal influence of that arch-
deceiverwho poisons our mind by suggesting that God's commands are
grievous, and His government unjust.
2. Then we have to considerthe nature of our condition down here. God has
been pleasedto put us into a world where we do not see Him; we are not in a
position to enter into direct communication with Him.
3. Perhaps it will suggestitselfthat God has only to revealHimself to us,
leaving us no longer in any degree of uncertainty about His relations with us.
But in order to make such a revelationof Himself, God would first of all have
to contravene the fundamental principles of His government. From that time
forth we should be walking by sight, no longer by faith, and thus our
probation would be ended.
4. But it. may be replied that we see that God loves us in that He supplies our
outward wants, and those pleasures which make life tolerable. This at first
sounds plausible, but —(1) These effects appearto come to us in the ordinary
course of nature, and it is only natural to conclude that, if there be a God at
all, His laws will be wise, and such as to render the condition of those
creatures whom He has calledinto existence not wholly intolerable. If God
were to create beings without a supply for their natural wants, it would be

such an exhibition of folly as would casta reflectionupon His own character
and glory.(2)On the other hand, there are circumstances ofsorrow which
sometimes produce an opposite impression.
5. Perhaps it may be asked, Is it necessarythat man should be convinced of
God's love? If God really loves him, is not that enough? By no means. The
love of God, if it be real love, should have a certain practicaleffect. Many a
man may prate about the value of love, and yet be a totalstranger to anything
like the real affection. It is necessarythat God's love should be made so
manifest to me as to produce in me a similar moral attitude towards Him.
True love always yearns for reciprocity.
II. IN THE FULNESS OF TIME GOD GIVES AN ANSWER TO THIS
QUESTION;and it is such an answeras no imagination or genius of man
could ever have suggested. Itmight have been emblazoned upon the starry
skies so that all might read it, "Godis love!" These wondrous words might
have been uttered by prophet or philosopher, wherever they went, they might
have been the watchwordof humanity, the battle cry of man in his conflict
with all the powers of evil, and yet I apprehend that so strong is the latent
suspicionsown in the heart of man by the greatenemy, that we should still
have remained indisposed to yield it full credence. Godis not contentto
commit this truth to mere testimony; it is true St. John wrote these words, but
he would never have written them if Christ had not first of all written them in
His own life, and sealedthe recordby His wondrous death. The truth that
God is love was only knownto Him, can only be known to us, because Christ
has demonstratedit in His own person upon the Cross.
1. Here is God's own confutation of that ancient doubt of the Divine character
and purpose, sowedby the father of lies in the human heart. It is no longer
possible that God canbe carelessofour well-being or indifferent to our
happiness, when to secure these He gave His own Son to die.

2. By this we are able to form some conceptionof the extent and intensity of
God's love. So far as it can be measured, the Cross ofChrist is the measure of
the love of God.(1)What sacrifice is there that you would not willingly make
for the benefit of your fellow man rather than such a sacrifice as we have
here? If the inhabitants of this town were to be savedby some act of heroic
self-sacrifice onyour part, what is there — you that are a mother — that you
would not propose to give up before your own dearly loved child? Yet such a
sacrifice did God willingly make for us, and by such a sacrifice does He
commend His love to us.(2) But even this is not all. Why should God require a
satisfactionbefore He lets is goodnesstake its course? It may well be replied,
How much easierwould it have been for God to actas His critics would have
desired Him! How vast a sacrifice might He have escaped, whatsorrow and
suffering might the Son of His love have been spared, if He had contented
Himself with the exercise of His prerogative of mercy! Was it a sign of greater
or of less love that He adopted a more costlymeans of bringing the desired
result about? There is a distinction betweenlove and mercy. Mercymay be
exercisedwithout love. The Queen may extend mercy to a condemned felon,
but would you saythat this proved her love for the felon? You give a copper
to a beggarand thereby show mercy, but this is no sign that you love him,
perhaps the reverse. But if you put yourself to much trouble in order to make
your mercy a real benefit, you are showing yourself to be animated by true
feelings of philanthropy. Would the mere exercise ofmercy, that costs God
nothing, have impressedmy mind with such a sense ofDivine love as does the
Cross of Calvary? Here I see that love has provided not merely for my pardon
— mercy might have done that; but for my regeneration — for a change so
complete and radical as to constitute me a new creature.(3)But even this is
not all. What if it should be found that in one sense all this amazing self-
sacrifice was notabsolutely necessary? Mightnot an Almighty God have
guarded againstany such necessity, by modifying the conditions of human
existence, and placing man, as angels would seemto be placed, beyond the
reachof temptation? Probably; but by so doing He would have rendered it
impossible for man to rise to that specialdestiny of glory which is to be his.
Was man to lose his true glory, or was the Sonof God to die?(4)But we shall

not feelthe full force of these considerations until we turn from the race to the
individual. He loved me, and gave Himself for me. It is quite true that God's
love is as wide as the world for "Godso loved the world"; but it is equally true
that it is as narrow as the individual. What art thou that He should love thee
so? How hast thou dealt with Him?
(W. Hay Aitken, M. A.)
The Cross, the witness of love
W. H. Hatchings, M. A.
1. A right knowledge ofthe true God lies at the rootof true religion(John
17:3). On the other hand, either belief in a false God, or a false view of the
true God, is the source of all superstition. Of this we have an illustration in
Romans 1:21-23. Menneeded a new revelation to recallthem from the
worship of the works oftheir ownhands. The tendency to invent a god, where
the knowledge ofthe true God is blotted out, reappears under a modified
form amongstthose who have the light of Divine revelation. Human hopes and
fears have led the intellect into two opposite extremes concerning the moral
characterof God. In the one case, Godis regarded as a Being whose only
attribute is benevolence:in the other, God is invested with the characterof
implacability. By the first, the sanctity of God is obscured; by the second, He
is viewed as "an almighty Tyrant," whom it must be our only endeavour to
propitiate.
2. The Cross was a manifestationto meet false views of God as to His sanctity
and love. Whilst on the one hand it was the measure of sin marking God's
hatred of evil; on the other it was the witness of love. It harmonised Divine
mercy and justice — attributes which seemedbefore to pursue opposite roads.
Let us regard the Cross as witnessing to —

I. THE LOVE OF GOD. Our happiness depends on knowing and realising
this Love. There are three ways of contemplating God.
1. You may regard Him only as a Being, and occupy your thoughts with the
conditions of the Divine life — its infinity, immensity, immutability, and
eternity.
2. You may dwell on His absolute perfections without respectto creatures —
His power, wisdom, sanctity, perfection, form an augustobject of
contemplation, but do not inflame the affections. To know Godonly as the
great"I Am" will prevent me from falling down to an idol; but the revelation
of the bush must be followedby that of Sinai, and that of Calvary must
complete both.
3. Concerning God, the greatanxiety is to know His relative perfections. The
greatnecessityin a fallen world is that His love may shine in upon it, and that
the creatures who fearedHis holiness may be convinced of His benignity. Love
begets love.
II. THE PRE-EXISTENTLOVE OF GOD. It is necessaryto notice this,
because language is sometimes usedwhich would seemto imply that the Cross
was creative of Divine love. But the conditions and perfections of the Divine
life are not varying moods such as creatures are capable of feeling, but
fixtures (Malachi3:6). ForGod to view the human race with wrath until
Calvary, with love after Calvary — would be for God to change. ForGod to
love once is for God to love always (Jeremiah 31:3). Ancientness clothes love
with a peculiar tenderness. Early friendships and associations cling to us in
after life, and have something in them which new ties cannot supply. Love is
heightened by the thought that it was poured upon us when we were
unconscious, and entirely dependent upon its unrequited lavishness. Oh,

wondrous love of the Parent of my soul, "the God of my life," bending over
the thought of my being! (Psalm139:16). The Cross then witnessedto this pre-
existent love. It revealedit anew when the blight upon creationand the heavy
penalties of sin had darkenedhuman life. God's thoughts had been "thoughts
of peace and not of evil" all along, but they needed to be shown in acts. Angels
needed no such witness. Creationsufficed when the first estate was preserved.
But with the world as we know it — who is there who has not at some time felt
the need of a foundation for his tottering faith. When the tempter suggests the
thought, "whence this suffering? is thy God a God of love?" there is but one
vision that can sustain the soul — it is the Cross of Christ, for that Cross
dispels all doubt as to the goodness ofGod.
III. THE FATHER'S LOVE. All are accustomedto see in the Cross the love of
our blessedLord, yet many fail to discoverthe Father's love. The secrecyof
the personof the Father, unbegotten and unsent, may tend to produce
forgetfulness of the first spring of redeeming love; and cause us to stop short
at the love of Jesus. A defectin recognising love is a little evil compared with
the sin of substituting anger in its stead. A certain system of theologyhas this
latter error at its base:it portrays the Fatheras Wrath, the Sonas Mercy;
and the Son as striving to appease the angerof the enragedand implacable
Parent. Hence "the love of the Father" becomes impossible. The question is —
"how is the First Personof the BlessedTrinity describedin reference to man's
salvation? How is He portrayed by our Lord?" Does notHis description of
Him correspondwith His name — a name ever associatedwith tender love?
(Luke 6:36; Matthew 5:44). In the parables how does the love of the Father
Himself shine forth in the patience of the householderwith the wicked
husbandmen; in the repeated invitations of the king who made a marriage for
his son;in the yearnings of the father over the returning prodigal; in the
mission to the most unworthy, that they may share in the blessings ofthe
gospel!Then note how He is spokenof by the apostles (2 Corinthians 1:3;
Colossians 1:12;1 Peter 1:3; Romans 15:5; Ephesians 1:17; 1 John 3:1; Titus
3:4). If we trace redemption to its source, it is the love of the Father which is
reachedthrough the Cross. OfHim it is written, that He "so loved the world
that He gave His only-begotten Son" to save it.

IV. THE GREATNESSOF DIVINE LOVE. Love is estimated by sacrifice,
and heightened by the unworthiness of those for whom the outlay is made.
Conclusion:We have regardedthe Cross as the witness of the love of God; let
us see now what should be the effect of this love on the beholder. This love of
God, when realised, has a transforming poweron the soul. Love begets love.
Love drew God down from heaven to the manger, to the Cross;but it also
draws man up to God (Hosea 11:4).
(W. H. Hatchings, M. A.)
The Cross a revelation
G. McHardy, M. A.
There have been many momentous events in history which have
revolutionised society, and opened new paths of effort. But the death of Christ
holds a unique position, and has an importance more vital to the well-being of
the world than all these events put together. Its value and powerlie in the
appeal it makes to the higher thoughts of men, in the conceptionof life it sets
before men, in the vision it gives men of loftier hopes, purer sources of
satisfaction, granderobjects ofambition. For the Cross is a revelation of the
things that are highest and best for mankind. It reveals —
I. THE PLACE WE HAVE IN THE HEART OF GOD. There are times when
we feel the want of a perfect love. The heart yearns for something more than
things — aches for anotherheart that can beat in unison with itself. Yes; and
that other heart must not be limited in its affection. We all prize human love,
but we spoil our enjoyment of it by exacting more than it can give us. This is
the immortal spirit within crying out for God. There are influences abroad
which seemto baffle this deep yearning. The discoveries ofscience have
brought to view the overwhelming vastness ofthe material creation; and in
presence ofit all we are apt to be overpowered by a feeling of our

insignificance. Our little lives seembut as motes dancing in the sunbeam. On
what ground can we hope that the infinite Ruler of all will have towards us
any specialinterestor affection? The grand corrective to this is the sacrifice of
Christ. For that sacrifice makes us feelthat we are not so insignificant as we
thought; there is an Infinite One who cares for us, and in the Cross is the
measure of His care. There is one heart beating for us with tireless love, and
that is the heart of God.
II. THE IMPORTANCE GOD ATTACHES TO OUR RESCUE. FROM SIN.
It has always beendifficult to getpeople's minds rightly arousedto the danger
and evil of sin. Not a few settle themselves down to the impression that evil
tendencies are inevitable, and must be submitted to in the best way possible,
without being allowedtoo much to disquiet the mind. The shallowness ofsuch
ideas is seenin the light which the sacrifice ofChrist flashes upon them. It is
impossible for anyone to see the Great Sufferer without being touched with a
sense ofthe infinite peril of all things evil. The Cross was the Divine testimony
againstthe balefulness of sin. But more, it displayed the solemn fact that God
was willing to make greatsacrifice to win men from sin. It is impossible now
to doubt the Divine purpose to free the soul from the thraldom of evil.
III. THE EXPLANATION OF MANY OF THE THINGS THAT BAFFLE US
IN THE PROVIDENCESOF LIFE. When the infirmities of our character
bring us into trouble, when our selfishness defeatsitself, when our ambitious
successes leave us unsatisfied or load us with heavier cares, it is God seeking
to weanus from the pride that constitutes the bane of life. He is striving to
effectthis grand work of deliverance now. For the Cross makes it clearthat
God wants an immediate deliverance. He knows — what we only find out by
bitter experience — that every wrong thing limits our capacityfor present
enjoyment, lowers and spoils the quality of our enjoyment, and breeds more
evil. He therefore seeks to win men from sin at once, that the corruption of
evil may not have time or opportunity to weave itselfinto their nature, and so
poison and degrade them ere they enter into eternity. Some people imagine

that they shall undergo a magicaltransformation the moment they pass into
eternity. If anyone is to begin eternity as a spiritual prince, he must have the
princely elements of characterin him ere he closeshis life on earth. And if
anyone closeshis life on earth as a spiritual beggar, then as a spiritual beggar
must he start on his eternal career. Now that is a considerationof tremendous
solemnity; and when we ponder it we can surely see the force of that appeal
which God made to us in the Cross, to wake up with instant decisionto battle
againstevil, that our charactermay be rescuedwhile there is time yet to get it
purged and sanctifiedand trained in the elements of goodnessby those
hallowing influences which the Divine Spirit brings to bear upon us.
IV. THE VASTNESS OF THE BENEFIT WHICH GOD HAS IN STORE
FOR US. We may take what God has actually done as the standard of the love
He will always show towards us. When you get the keynote you know the
strain that must follow. So in the sacrifice ofChrist we have the exact pitch of
all God's dealings with us. We can be certain that no act of God's towards us
shall ever fall below the note struck in the sacrifice ofCalvary. Everything
will harmonise with that. Thus the sublimest note emanates from the Cross.
We see there the scale onwhich God means to bless us.
V. THE HEIGHT OF SPIRITUAL NOBLENESSTO WHICH GOD SEERS
TO RAISE OUR CHARACTER — that spirit of self-sacrifice whichthe death
of Christ exhibits so completely. This, alas!is just the offence of the Cross;but
if we stumble at it, our life cannever be crownedwith the imperishable glory.
The crowning joys of life are the outcome of deeds of unselfishness. Your
heart throbbed in unison with the heart of Christ then. And it is in that spirit
of unselfishness that Godis seeking to train us all. It is the greatestblessing
He can confer upon us.
(G. McHardy, M. A.)

The best thing
D. Brotchie.
I. THE BEST THING COMMENDED.NotGod's wisdom, power, holiness, or
wealth, but His love, unsolicited, unmerited, free, unparalleled, towards us,
the most undeserving of His creatures.
II. The best thing commended BY THE BEST JUDGE. "God.""Godonly
knows the love of God." A man may know the love of man, an angelmay
know the love of an angel, but only the Infinite can gauge the Infinite.
III. The best thing commended by the best Judge IN THE BEST POSSIBLE
WAY. "In that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." While we were
at the worstHe did the best for us.
IV. The best thing commended by the best Judge in the best possible way for
THE BEST PURPOSE.Thatwe might be "justified by His blood"; "saved
from wrath"; "reconciledto God by the death of His Son," and "savedby His
life"; yea, "joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ"; in a word, have
everlasting life.
(D. Brotchie.)
Christ died for us.
The death of Christ
D. Clarkson, B. D.
I. ITS CHARACTER.
1. Real.

2. Violent.
3. Cruel.
4. The same death that was due to us.
II. ITS DESIGN. It was —
1. The punishment of our sin.
2. The price of our redemption.
3. A sacrifice forsin.
III. ITS EFFECTS.
1. Our sins by it are expiated and atoned for.
2. The wrath of God is averted from us.
3. We are freed from all guilt.

IV. APPLICATION. For Christ's greatlove to us in dying for us, we should
love Him —
1. Ardently.
2. Transcendently.
3. Effectually.
(D. Clarkson, B. D.)
The death of Christ is
J. Lyth, D. D.
I. THE PLEDGE OF GOD'S LOVE TO US — He died for us — while yet
enemies.
II. THE PLEDGE OF SALVATION — it justifies and reconciles us to God.
Much more shall we be saved from final wrath and share in the blessednessof
life.
III. THE PLEDGE OF UNSPEAKABLE HAPPINESS IN GOD. Joy in God is
the only true happiness — is securedin the reconciliationeffectedby the
atonement.
(J. Lyth, D. D.)

The death of Christ, substitutionary
Websterand Wilkinson.
The original meaning is over or above (Lat. super). As if a bird, hovering over
her young, warded off a blow from them and bare it herself; if by this act she
rescuedthem from destruction at the sacrifice ofher own life, we see how the
thought of dying over them is mergedin the greater, of dying instead of them.
Thus a shield suggests the thought of being over that which it protects, and of
receiving the blow instead of that which it defends. The sacrificialrelationof
Christ to His people involves the fall notion of deliverance and satisfactionby
substitution (2 Corinthians 5:15).
(Websterand Wilkinson.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(9) From wrath.—Fromthe wrath, the divine wrath, or the wrath to come.
BensonCommentary
Romans 5:9-11. Much more then — Since, therefore, it hath pleasedthe
blessedGod to give us such an unexampled display of his love as this, how
high may our expectations rise, and how confidently may we conclude, that
much more, being now justified by his blood — Shed for us: that is, by his
death, which is the meritorious cause of our justification, while faith in that
blood is the instrumental cause;we shall be savedfrom wrath — From future
punishment, from the vengeance ofeternal fire; through him — If he so loved
us as to give his Son to die for us, when we were mere guilty sinners, we may
assure ourselves that, having now constituted us righteous, and acceptedus as
such, pardoning all our sins for the sake ofthe sacrifice ofChrist’s blood, he
will certainly save us from eternal damnation; us who continue in the faith,
grounded and settled, and are not moved awayfrom the hope of the gospel.

For if when we were enemies — Through the perversenessofour minds, and
the rebellion of our lives, (see Colossians 1:21;) we were reconciledto God by
the death of his Son— Which expiated our sins, and rendered God
reconcileable,and which procured for us the Holy Spirit, to remove the
enmity from our minds, giving us, at the same time, such a display of the love
of God to us, as won our affections over to him; much more, being thus
reconciled, we shall be saved — Sanctifiedand glorified; by his life —
Restoredin order to our being thus saved:that is, by his ever living to make
intercession, and his thereby receiving for us, and communicating to us,
continual supplies of grace. He that has done the greaterthing, which is, of
enemies to make us friends, will certainly do the lesser, whichis, when we are
friends to treat us as such, and be kind and gracious to us. But the opposition
is not only betweenreconciling enemies, and preserving friends, the latter
being less difficult than the former, but also betweenChrist’s death and life;
his life here spokenof, being not his life in the flesh, but his life in heaven, that
life which ensued after his death. See Romans 14:9. Now if his death, when he
was crucified in weakness, performedthe harder work, that is, reconciledhis
enemies, shall not his life, which is stronger, (for he liveth by his divine power
as the Prince of life, that could not be held in death,) effectthe easierwork,
and preserve and save to the uttermost, those that are already made his
friends? For, we are reconciledby Christ humbled, and finally savedby
Christ exalted, it being in consequence ofhis exaltation to the right hand of
God, and his being invested with all powerin heaven and on earth, and made
head over all things to his church, that he completes and consummates our
salvation. And not only so — Namely, that we should be reconciledand saved;
but we also joy, Greek, καυχωμενοι, glory, in God — In the relation in which
he stands to us as our God, and in all his glorious and boundless perfections,
which we see are engagedfor us; through our Lord Jesus Christ — By whom
we are introduced into this happy state, who is our peace, and hath made God
and us one; by whom we have now — That we are believers;receivedthe
atonement — Greek, τηνκαταλλαγην, the reconciliation. So the word
signifies, and in all other passages where it occurs is so translated, being
derived from the verb καταλλασσω, which is twice rendered reconcile in the
preceding verse, and to which it has so apparent a reference, that it is
surprising it should have been here rendered by so different a word as

atonement, especiallyas it is quite improper to speak of our receiving an
atonement which God receives as made for our sins. But, when we are made
true believers in Christ, we receive the reconciliation, and that not only averts
the terrors of God’s wrath, but opens upon us all the blessings of his perpetual
friendship and love; so that the Father and the Son come unto us, and make
their abode with us, John 14:23;and we know and believe the love that he
hath to us, and in consequence thereofdwellin love, and therefore dwell in
God, and God in us. The whole paragraphfrom Romans 5:3-11 may be taken
togetherthus: We not only rejoice in hope of the glory of God, but also in the
midst of tribulations, we glory in God himself through our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom we have receivedthe reconciliation.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
5:6-11 Christ died for sinners; not only such as were useless, but such as were
guilty and hateful; such that their everlasting destruction would be to the
glory of God's justice. Christ died to save us, not in our sins, but from our
sins; and we were yet sinners when he died for us. Nay, the carnalmind is not
only an enemy to God, but enmity itself, chap. 8:7; Col 1:21. But God
designedto deliver from sin, and to work a greatchange. While the sinful
state continues, God loathes the sinner, and the sinner loathes God, Zec 11:8.
And that for such as these Christ should die, is a mystery; no other such an
instance of love is known, so that it may wellbe the employment of eternity to
adore and wonder at it. Again; what idea had the apostle when he supposed
the case ofsome one dying for a righteous man? And yet he only put it as a
thing that might be. Was it not the undergoing this suffering, that the person
intended to be benefitted might be releasedtherefrom? But from what are
believers in Christ releasedby his death? Not from bodily death; for that they
all do and must endure. The evil, from which the deliverance could be effected
only in this astonishing manner, must be more dreadful than natural death.
There is no evil, to which the argument can be applied, except that which the
apostle actually affirms, sin, and wrath, the punishment of sin, determined by
the unerring justice of God. And if, by Divine grace, they were thus brought to
repent, and to believe in Christ, and thus were justified by the price of his
bloodshedding, and by faith in that atonement, much more through Him who
died for them and rose again, would they be kept from falling under the

powerof sin and Satan, or departing finally from him. The living Lord of all,
will complete the purpose of his dying love, by saving all true believers to the
uttermost. Having such a pledge of salvationin the love of God through
Christ, the apostle declaredthat believers not only rejoicedin the hope of
heaven, and even in their tribulations for Christ's sake, but they gloried in
God also, as their unchangeable Friend and all-sufficient Portion, through
Christ only.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Much more, then - It is much more reasonable to expectit. There are fewer
obstacles inthe way. If, when we were enemies, he overcame all that was in
the wayof our salvation; much more have we reasonto expect that he will
afford us protectionnow that we are his friends. This is one ground of the
hope expressedin Romans 5:5.
Being now justified - Pardoned; acceptedas his friends.
By his blood - By his death; Note, Romans 3:25. The factthat we are
purchased by his blood, and sanctified by it, renders us sacredin the eye of
God; bestows a value on us proportionate to the worth of the price of our
redemption; and is a pledge that he will keepwhat has been so dearly bought.
Savedfrom wrath - From hell; from the punishment due to sin; Note, Romans
2:8.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
9, 10. Much more then, being—"having been"
now justified by his blood, we shall be savedfrom wrath through him.
Matthew Poole's Commentary

The apostle’s arguing is cogent, for it is more to justify and reconcile sinners,
than to save them being justified; Christ therefore having done the former, he
will much more do the latter.
By his blood; i.e. by faith in his blood or sufferings.
From wrath; the Greek reads it with an article, from that wrath, whereby is
meant the wrath to come, or eternalpunishment.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Much more then being now justified by his blood,.... The apostle here argues
from justification by Christ to salvation by him, there being a certain and
inseparable connectionbetweenthese two; whoeveris justified shall be saved;
and speaks ofjustification "as being now by his blood". Justificationin God's
mind from eternity proceededupon the suretyship engagements ofChrist to
be performed in time; the Old Testamentsaints were justified of God with a
view to the blood of the Lamb which was to be shed; this blood was "now"
shed, and an application of justification by it was "now" made to the persons
spokenof; which is the reasonof this way of speaking. The blood of Christ
intends his death, as appears from the context, and shows it to be a violent
death; death by the effusion of blood. There is an emphasis upon it, "his
blood"; not the blood of bulls and goats, nor of a mere innocent creature, but
of Christ the Son of God; which is therefore efficacious to all the purposes for
which it was shed, and particularly justification. This being ascribedto it,
shows the concernChrist had in it, his blood is here put for the whole matter
of justification; the shedding of that being the finishing part of it; and that our
justification before God proceeds upon the foot of a satisfactionmade to the
law and justice of God: hence such as are interestedin it,
shall be saved from wrath through him: not from wrath, as a corruption in
their own hearts, which oftentimes breaks forth; nor as appearing among the
people of God one towards another, which is sometimes very bitter; or as in
their avowedenemies, the effects of which they often feel; nor from the wrath

of devils, which is as the roaring of a lion; but from the wrath of God, from a
sense and apprehension of it in their own consciences, whichthe law works;
from which justification by the blood of Christ frees them; though under first
awakeningsthey feel it, and sometimes, under afflictive dispensations of
Providence, are ready to fearit: and also from the infliction of vindictive
wrath or punishment for sin; for though they are as deserving of it as others,
yet as they are not appointed to it, so they are entirely delivered from it,
through Christ's sustaining it in their room and stead:wherefore they are
secure from it both in this life, and in the world to come.
Geneva Study Bible
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be savedfrom {k}
wrath through him.
(k) From affliction and destruction.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Romans 5:9. To prove that hope maketh not ashamed (Romans 5:5), Paul had
laid stress onthe possessionofthe divine love in the heart (Romans 5:5); then
he had proved and characterisedthis divine love itself from the death of
Christ (Romans 5:6-8); and he now again infers, from this divine display of
love, from the death of Christ, that the hoped-for eternalsalvation is all the
more assuredto us.
πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον] The conclusiondoes not proceeda minori ad majus
(Estius and many, including Mehring), but, since the point now turns on the
carrying out of the divine actof atonement, a majori (Romans 5:6-8) ad minus
(Romans 5:9).

πολλῷ μᾶλλον] expresses the enhancement of certainty, as in Romans 5:15-17
: much less therefore can it be doubted that, etc.;νῦν stands in reference to ἔτι
ἁμαρτωλῶνὅντωνἡμῶν in Romans 5:8.
σωθησόμεθα ἀπὸ τ. ὀργῆς]we shall be rescuedfrom the divine wrath (1
Thessalonians 1:10;comp Matthew 3:7), so that the latter, which issues forth
at the lastjudgment (Romans 2:5, Romans 3:5), does not affect us. Comp
Winer, p. 577 [E. T. 743]; Acts 2:40. This negative expressionfor the
attainment of the hoped-for δόξα renders the inference more obvious and
convincing. For the positive expressionsee 2 Timothy 4:18.
ΔΙʼ ΑὐΤΟῦ] i.e. through the operationof the exalted Christ, ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ,
Romans 5:10Faith, as the ΛΗΠΤΙΚΌΝ of justification, is understoodas a
matter of course (Romans 5:1), but is not mentioned here, because only what
has been accomplishedby God through Christ is taken into consideration. If
faith were in the judgment of Godthe anticipation of moral perfection(but
see note on Romans 1:17), leastof all could it have been left unmentioned.
Observe also how Paul has justification in view as a unity, without different
degrees orstages.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Romans 5:9 f. πολλῷ οὖν μᾶλλον: The argument is from the greaterto the
less. The supreme difficulty to be overcome in the relations of man and God is
the initial one: How can Goddemonstrate His love to the sinner, and bestow
on him a Divine righteousness?In comparisonwith this, everything else is
easy. Now the Apostle has alreadyshown (Romans 3:21-30)how the Gospel
meets this difficulty: we obtain the righteousness required by believing in
Jesus, whomGod has setforth as a propitiation through faith in His blood. If
such grace was shownus then, when we were in sin, much more, justified as
we have now been by His blood, shall we be saved from wrath through Him.
ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς: the wrath to come:see note on Romans 1:18. This deliverance
from wrath does not exhaust Paul’s conceptionof the future (see Romans 5:2),

but it is an important aspectof it, and implies the rest. Romans 5:10 rather
repeats, than grounds anew, the argument of Romans 5:9. εἰ γὰρ ἐχθροὶ ὄντες:
this is practically equivalent to ἔτι ἁμαρτωλῶνὄντωνἡμῶν. The state of sin
was that in which we were ἐχθροί, and the whole connectionof ideas in the
passagerequires us to give ἐχθροί the passive meaning which it undoubtedly
has in Romans 11:28, where it is opposed to ἀγαπητοί. We were in a real sense
objects of the Divine hostility. As sinners, we lay under the condemnation of
God, and His wrath hung overus. This was the situation which had to be
faced:Was there love in Godequal to it? Yes, when we were enemies we were
reconciledto God by the death of His Son.κατηλλάγημενis a real passive:
“we” are the objects, not the subjects, of the reconciliation:the subject, is
God, 2 Corinthians 5:19-21. Compare Romans 5:11 : τὴν καταλλαγὴν
ἐλάβομεν. To represent κατηλλάγημενby an active form, e.g., “we laid aside
our hostility to God,” or by what is virtually one, e.g., “we were wonto lay
aside our hostility,” is to miss the point of the whole passage. Paulis
demonstrating the love of God, and he can only do it by pointing to what God
has done, not to what we have done. That we on our part are hostile to God
before the reconciliation, and that we afterwards lay aside our enmity, is no
doubt true; but here it is entirely irrelevant. The Apostle’s thought is simply
this: “if, when we lay under the Divine condemnation, the work of our
reconciliationto God was achievedby Him through the death of His Son,
much more shall the love which wrought so incredibly for us in our extremity
carry out our salvationto the end”. The subjective side of the truth is here
completely, and intentionally, left out of sight; the laying aside of our hostility
adds nothing to God’s love, throws no light upon it; hence in an expositionof
the love of God it canbe ignored. To saythat the reconciliationis “mutual,” is
true in point of fact;it is true, also, to all the suggestions ofthe Englishword;
but it is not true to the meaning of κατηλλάγημεν, nor to the argument of this
passage, whichdoes not prove anything about the Christian, but exhibits the
love of God at its height in the Cross, and argues from that to what are
comparatively smaller demonstrations of that love. ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ:the ἐν is
instrumental: cf. Romans 5:9 ἐν τῷ αἵματι αὐτοῦ. The Living Lord, in virtue
of His life, will save us to the uttermost. Cf. John 14:19.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges

9. Much more] i.e. as to our apprehension. After this amazing first step of
unmerited love we can, with less surprise, rely on its gracious continuance.
now] “As the case stands.”
by his blood] Lit. in His blood. If “in” is to be pressed, the idea may be that of
washing, (Revelation1:5,) though this would not be strictly germane. It is
most difficult to pronounce on such uses of “in” in N. T. Greek, in which “in”
certainly often = “by.” See on ch. Romans 1:9.
saved] i.e. “keptsafe,” till the final preservationat the last day. See 1
Thessalonians 1:10, where lit. “Jesus,who rescues us (or, is our rescuer)from
the wrath to come.” Notonly did He once die as our Propitiation, but, as the
sure sequel, He lives, now and ever, to be, every moment, our accepted
Representative and Intercessor;a Saviour in permanence. See Romans 8:34.
wrath] Lit. the wrath; the wrath of final doom. The justified shall be
preservedby their Lord unto, and through, even that crisis. Cp. John 5:24; 1
John 2:28.
Bengel's Gnomen
Romans 5:9. Δικαιωθέντες, Being justified) The antithesis to sinners, Romans
5:8.—νῦν, now) The remembrance of Jesus Christ’s death was at that time
fresh among believers.—ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς, from wrath) which otherwise does not
cease:wrath abides upon those who do not attain to grace.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 9, 10. - Much more then, being now justified by (literally, in) his blood,
we shall be savedfrom the wrath through him. Forif, when we were enemies,
we were reconciledto God through the death of his Son, much more, being

reconciled, we shall be savedby (literally, in) his life. In these verses, the
secondbeing an amplification of the first, our relations to God are setforth, as
before, by the analogyof such as may subsist betweenman and man. Men do
not usually die for their enemies, but they do seek the good of their friends. If,
then, God's superhuman love reconciledus to himself through the death of his
Son when we were still his enemies, whatassurance may we not now feel,
being no longerat enmity, of being savedfrom the wrath (τῆς ὀργῆς, ver. 9) to
which, as sinners and enemies, we were exposed!There is also a significance
(ver. 10)in the words "death" and "life." Christ's death was for atonement,
and in it we are conceivedas having died with him to our former state of
alienation from God. His resurrectionwas the inauguration of a new life to
God, in which with him we live (cf. Romans 6:3, et seqq.). The words
"enemies" (ἀχθροὶ)and"reconciled" (καταλλάγημεν, καταλλαγέντες)invite
attention. Does the former word imply mutual enmity, or only that we were
God's enemies? We may answerthat, though we cannotattribute enmity in its
proper human sense to God, or properly speak ofhim as under any
circumstances the enemy of man, yet the expressionmight perhaps be used
with regard to him in the way of accommodationto human ideas, as are
anger, jealousy, and the like. There seems, however, to be no necessityfor this
conceptionhere, the idea being rather that of man's alienation from God, and
from peace with him, through sin; as in Colossians 1:21, "And you, that were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wickedworks." So
Theoderetinterprets: Οἱ ἐχθροὶ δὴ τῶν ἐντολῶν αῖς μηδὲ ὑποκηκόασι
γενόμενοι ὥσπερ φίλοι οἱ ὑπακηκοότες. So too, Clem. Alex., 'Strom.,' 1. 3.:
Καὶ μή τε καθὰπεο ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐδενὶ μὲν ἀντικεισθαι, λέγομεντὸν Θεὸν
οὐδε ἐχθρὸν εῖναι τινός πάντων γὰρ κτίστης καὶ οὐδενἐστι τῶν ὑποστάντων
ο{ μὴ θέλει. Φαμὲν δὲ αὐτῷ ἐχθροὺς εϊναι τοὺς ἀπειθεῖς καὶ μὴ κατὰ τὰς
ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ πορευομένους. With regardto reconciled," itmay be first
observedthat, howeverorthodox and capable of a true sense it may be to
speak of Godbeing reconciledto man through Christ (as in Art. 2, "to
reconcile his Fatherto us"), the expressionis not scriptural. It is always man
who is said to be reconciledto God; and it is God who, in Christ, reconciles
the world unto himself (2 Corinthians 5:19; cf. also Ephesians 2:16;
Colossians 1:20, 21). Still, mere is evidently implied than that God reconciles
men to himself by changing their hearts and converting them from sin by the

manifestation of his love in Christ. The reconciliationis spokenof as effected
once for all for all mankind in the atonement, independently of, and
previously to, the conversionof believers. Faith only appropriates, and
obedience testifies, the appropriation of an accomplishedreconciliation
available for all mankind. That such is the view in the passagebefore us is
distinctly evident from all that follows after ver. 12.
Vincent's Word Studies
Wrath (τῆς ὀργῆς)
Rev., better, "the wrath of God." the article specifying. See on Romans 12:19.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCEHURT MD
Romans 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall
be saved from the wrath of God through Him (NASB: Lockman)
Greek:pollo oun mallon dikaiothentes (APPMPN)nun en to haimati autou
sothesometha (1PFPI)di' autou apo tes orges.
Amplified: Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, and brought into
right relationship with God) by Christ’s blood, how much more [certain is it
that] we shall be savedby Him from the indignation and wrath of God.
(Amplified Bible - Lockman)

NIV: Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we
be saved from God's wrath through him! (NIV - IBS)
NLT: For since we were restoredto friendship with God by the death of his
Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal
punishment by his life. (NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: Moreover, if he did that for us while we were sinners, now that we
are men justified by the shedding of his blood, what reasonhave we to fear the
wrath of God? (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: Much more therefore, having been justified now by His blood, we
shall be saved through Him from the wrath.
Young's Literal: much more, then, having been declaredrighteous now in his
blood, we shall be savedthrough him from the wrath;
MUCH MORE THEN HAVING NOW BEEN JUSTIFIED BY(in) HIS
BLOOD:pollo oun mallon dikaiothentes (APPMPN)nun en to haimati autou:
Romans 5:1; 3:24, 25, 26; Eph 2:13; Heb 9:14,22;1Jn 1:7
ANOTHER "MUCH MORE"
If you are ready for an edifying, challenging and encouraging word on this
verse, I highly recommend listening to Dr John Piper's sermon Much More

Shall We Be Saved By His Life. In this message (note that you will miss much
of the impact of the message by only reading it...the transcription is not
verbatim, nor canyou sense the passionin Piper's presentation)Piper gives a
wonderful illustration you can use to explain the truth of this passageto your
children. Do you wrestle with the issue of eternal security? This sermon may
be just what the doctorordered!
EBC notes that "Whereas the preceding paragraphdealt with the depth of the
love of God as seenin the cross, the present sectionmoves on to declare the
height of that love, its refusal to stop short of effecting final and everlasting
salvationin which the enmity createdby sin has been completely overcome.
We are invited to take our stand on the fact of an achievedjustification (the
terminology is identical with that found in v. 1), then turn to face the far-
reaching effects of this justification on our future. Lest it be taken lightly, the
means of that justification is repeatedalso-"byhis [Christ's] blood."
(Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New
Testament. Zondervan Publishing)
Much more then - is used in the logicalsense:much more certainly, and not:
much more abundantly. This introduces Paul's argument which is what is
often referred to as from the greater(the justification in Christ’s blood - God
the Sondied for us when we were sinners, unlovely and unlovable, rebellious
againstHim, hating Him) to the lesser(the final future salvation from God's
wrath).
Leslie Allen - Since God has already done so much, He can be trusted to put
the finishing touches to His work (cf. Php 1:6-note). The past guarantees the
future. Acceptance through Christ’s death (cf. Ro 3:25-note)carries with it an
assurance thatHe will finally save from the wrath of the day of judgment
when sinners are punished (cf. Ro 2:5ff-noteff.; 1Th 5:9-note). (Bruce, F F, et
al: New International Bible Commentary).

The UBS Handbook - In typical Jewishfashion, Paul reasons from the greater
to the lesser. If Christ was willing to die in order to bring men into a right
relation with God (the greater), how much easierit will be for him to save us
from God’s wrath on the final day of judgment (the lesser). (The United Bible
Societies'New TestamentHandbook Series)
Cranfield adds that...The point made is that, since God has already done the
really difficult thing, that is, justified impious sinners, we may be absolutely
confident that He will do what is by comparisonvery easy, namely, save from
His wrath at the last those who are already righteous in His sight. (Cranfield,
C. E. B ExegeticalCommentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Vol 1: Ro 1-8.;
Volume 2: Romans 9-16)
Ironside explains it this way...Since now we are clearedof every charge by the
blood of the Son of God, we are foreverbeyond the reachof the divine
vengeance againstsin. (Romans 5 Commentary)
Leon Morris says that much more...introduces anargument from the greater
to the less:if Christ has done the greatwork of justifying sinners, dying for
God’s enemies, he will certainly perform the comparatively simple task of
keeping those who are now God’s friends. (Ibid)
Hodge explains that...Fromthe free nature and greatnessofGod’s love just
demonstrated, this and the following verse draw the obvious inference that
believers will be ultimately saved. It is an a fortiori argument. If the greater
benefit has been bestowed, the less will not be withheld. If Christ has died for
his enemies, he will surely save his friends. (Commentary on Romans)

James Denneywrites that...The argument is from the greatto the less. The
supreme difficulty to be overcome in the relations of man and God is the
initial one: How can God demonstrate His love to the sinner, and bestow on
Him a Divine righteousness? In comparisonwith this everything else is easy.
Now the Apostle has already show (Ro 3:21-30)how the Gospelmeets this
difficult: we obtain the righteousness requiredby believing in Jesus, Whom
God has setforth as a propitiation through faith in His blood. If such grace
was show us then, when we were in sin, much more, justified as we have now
been by His blood, shall we be savedfrom wrath through Him. (Expositor's
Greek Testament)
Much (4183)(polus) means many, much of number, quantity or amount. Paul
is fond of polus using it 82 times with 20 uses in Romans (Ro 3:2; 4:17, 18; 5:9,
10, 15, 16, 17, 19; 8:29; 9:22; 12:4, 5; 15:22, 23;16:2, 6, 12 - note some verses
have more than one use of polus)
More (3123)(mallon a comparative of mála = very, exceedingly)means very,
very much, exceedingly, as a higher point in the extent of something or to a
greaterdegree. Paulcombines it with polus on a number of occasions, but
four occurrencesofmallon in Romans 5 (Ro 5:9, 10, 15, 17, cp uses in Ro
8:34; 11:12, 24; 14:13 - translated"rather" in Ro 14:13). Mallon is obviously
important in the contrastbetweenAdam and Christ in Romans 5:12-21.
The form of these arguments goes like this: If God has done the greaterthing,
then certainly ("how much more") we can trust Him to do the lesserthing.
Paul uses this "much more" argument four other times in Romans (Ro 5:9,
10, 15, 17, 11:12, 24-see notes Ro 5:9; 10;15; 17;11:12; 11:24]
Having been justified - Pardoned;acceptedas his friends. The aoristtense
indicates this is a past tense, completed, once for all time act. Our justification

is an accomplishedfact. We will never be more justified then we were the
moment we believed in Christ Jesus our Lord. The NLT paraphrases it "we
were restoredto friendship with God by the death of his Son."
Justified (1344)(dikaioo from dike = right, expectedbehavior or conformity,
not according to one’s ownstandard, but according to an imposed standard
with prescribed punishment for nonconformity) (Click study of dikaioo)
means to secure a favorable verdict, acquit or vindicate. It must be clearly
understood that in the NT the verb dikaióo never means to make anyone
righteous or to do awaywith his violation of the law, by himself bearing the
condemnation and the imposed sentence.
Note that Paul uses the passive voice (have been justified), which is a so called
"divine passive" indicating that the subject is being actedupon by a source or
powerfrom without himself or herself. God of course is the Source exerting
the actionof justification. It is interesting to note that there are 4 other divine
passives in these two verses (Romans 5:9; Romans 5:10) -- having...been
justified, shall be saved, were reconciled, having been reconciled, we shall be
saved. It is all of God. To Him be the glory. Amen.
Dikaioo - 39x in the NT - justice(1), acquitted(1), freed (3), justified(24),
justifier(1),justifies(2), justify(4), vindicated(3). Matt. 11:19;12:37; Lk. 7:29,
35; 10:29;16:15;18:14; Acts 13:38f; Rom. 2:13; 3:4, 20, 24, 26, 28, 30;4:2, 5;
5:1, 9; 6:7; 8:30, 33;1 Co. 4:4; 6:11; Gal. 2:16f; 3:8, 11, 24; 5:4; 1 Tim. 3:16;
Tit. 3:7; Jas. 2:21, 24f.
Justificationis by grace (Ro 3:24-note), by faith (Ro 3:28 -note), and
connectedwith the resurrection(see note Romans 4:25). Justificationis in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ (1Co 6:11), in the Spirit (1Co 6:11), in Christ
(Gal 2:17), and here in Romans 5:it is by his blood.

In the NT, man in his fallen condition cannever do anything in order to pay
for his sinfulness and thus be liberated from the sentence of guilt that is upon
him as it happens in the mundane world; i.e., when a guilty personhas paid
the penalty of a crime, he is free from condemnation. In the NT, dikaióo
means to recognize as righteous, to declare righteous or to justify as a judicial
act. Justificationis not a process but an act, not something the sinner does, but
something God does for the sinner when he trusts Christ.
Blood(129)(haima) refers to blood as the basis of life or what constitutes the
life of an individual.
Jehovahexplained that...the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it
to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls;for it is the blood by
reasonof the life that makes atonement.'(Lev 17:11+) What a beautiful
picture or foreshadowing ofthe blood of the PerfectLamb of God spilt on the
ultimate "altar" of sacrifice, the old rugged Cross. Thank you Father, Son
and Spirit. Amen.
Bloodis the basic component of a living organism. The shedding of Christ's
blood (death) was the penalty price for sin. What was foreshadowed(shadow)
in the Levitical system was realized(substance)at the Cross when the Son of
God laid down His life in death and ransomed men from sin. His precious
blood paid the ransom price for our redemption (Cf 1 Pe 1:18+, 1Pe 1:19+; Re
5:9+, Ro 3:24+; Ro 3:25+)
Note that the blood of Christ means more that just the death of Christ. It
refers to a particular aspectof that death, as a sacrifice, a death having a
definite efficacy. The Old Testamentforeshadowedthis sacrifice in the blood
of the victims offeredunder the OT Law, not for redemption but for purposes

of purification and as a temporary covering of sins committed (looking
forward toward and awaiting the full atonement made possible by the
shedding of the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, Who takes awaycompletely
the sin of the world, a truth that becomes efficacious only for those who
believe upon Him).
By His blood - Is literally in (en) His blood (see Vine's explanation below)
Paul makes a parallelstatement in Romans 3 of Christ..."WhomGod
displayed publicly as a propitiation (Propitiation is not placating a vengeful
God but, rather, it is satisfying the righteousness ofa holy God, thereby
making it possible for Him to show mercy righteously) in His blood through
faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, becausein the forbearance
(means intentionally not regard)of God He passedover the sins previously
committed." (See note Romans 3:25)
Vine commenting on Romans 3:25 writes that...Faithis the means of making
the pardon ours; the blood is the means of its effect. The preposition en of the
original is instrumental. The phrase by His blood expresses the means of
propitiation. The blood of Christ stands not simply for the physical element,
nor merely for a life surrendered, but for His sacrificialdeath under the
judgment of God by means of the shedding of His blood. Since blood is
essentialto life (Lev 17:11), the shedding of blood involves the taking, or in
His case the giving up, of life in sacrifice. It is not merely that death takes
place, but it is the giving up of a life as a victim or sacrifice in expiation of sin.
This was the significance of the sacrifice ofvictims under the old covenant.
(Collectedwritings of W. E. Vine)
In Christ's own words "this is My blood of the covenant(the new covenant,
prophesied in the OT in Jer31:31, 32, 33+, Jer32:39, 40+ cp Ezek 11:19, 20+,

Jesus was dying to absorb the wrath of god

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