Romans 5: Romans 5:19-The Contrast Between the Issue Involved with Adam s Act and Christ s Act

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1 Romans 5:19-21 Romans 5:19-The Contrast Between the Issue Involved with Adam s Act and Christ s Act Romans 5:19 presents the contrast between the issues involved with Adam s act and Christ s act. The former disobeyed God whereas the latter, Christ obeyed the Father. Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. For is the explanatory use of the post-positive conjunction gar (gavr), which introduces a statement that explains Paul s statement in Romans 5:18. Romans 5:18, Therefore, as previously stated, just as through the one who committed the transgression resulted in condemnation affecting each and every member of the human race without exception in the same way also through the One who committed the righteous act resulted in the basis for the offer of justification, which produces (eternal) life, affecting each and every member of the human race without exception. In the protasis of Romans 5:18, Paul teaches that Adam s transgression resulted every member of the human race being condemned by God. In the apodasis of this passage, he also teaches that in the same way, Christ s righteous act of obedience resulted in the basis for the offer of justification, which produces eternal life, being affecting each and every member of the human race. In Romans 5:19, Paul feels the need to offer an explanation for his statement in Romans 5:18 since it could be inferred from it that men were condemned only through Adam s disobedience and without committing any sin on their own part. Therefore, he clearly affirms in verse 19 that every member of the human race is a sinner by nature and practice. Every person is a sinner by nature as a result of the imputation of Adam s sin in the Garden of Eden. Therefore, since every person has a sin nature, then it follows that all practice sin. We will translate the word, for you see. Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. As is the adverb of manner hosper (w%sper) (hoce-per), which is used in the protasis of a comparison meaning that to which the main idea is being compared. The adverb is employed with the adverb of manner houtos, so in order to form a comparative clause that compares not only the results of Adam s act and Christ s act but also the issue involved in Adam s act and Christ s act, namely, 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 1

2 disobedience and obedience, respectively. The word functions as a particle of comparison introducing Adam s act of disobedience as the model to be compared with Christ s act of obedience. It introduces the protasis of a comparative clause. The protasis: Romans 5:19a, As through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners. The apodasis: Romans 5:19b, Even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The comparison emphasizes that just as the entire human race were constituted sinners by nature through Adam s act of disobedience so those who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior will be constituted righteous through Jesus Christ s act of obedience to the Father s will. By making this comparison between Christ and Adam, Paul intends to demonstrate that what God accomplished through Christ s act of obedience is as universal in its scope and consequences as was the act of disobedience by Adam. If you belong to Adam and are under his federal headship because of his act of disobedience in the Garden of Eden, you are thus enslaved to his nature and the practice of sin. Therefore, you are under the sentence of real spiritual death and eternal condemnation. If you belong to Christ and are under his federal headship because of His act of obedience at the Cross, you are justified and reconciled with God and have the eternal life of Christ. The act of Christ s obedience is superior to Adam s act of disobedience in that the former overcame the results of the latter. We will translate hosper, just as. Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. Through the one man s disobedience is composed of the preposition dia (diav) (dee-ah), through and the articular genitive masculine singular form of the cardinal number heis (ei!$), the one, which is modifying the genitive masculine singular form of the noun anthropos (a*nqrwpo$) (anth-ro-pos), man s and then lastly, the articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun parakoe (parakohv) (par-ak-o-ay), disobedience. The preposition dia is employed with the cardinal number heis and the noun anthropos as a marker of means. This indicates that Adam s disobedience was the means by which God the Father rendered the entire human race as sinners. The noun anthropos signifies a member of the human race without reference to sex or racial background and is equivalent to a person. The cardinal number heis functions as an adjective modifying the noun anthropos, thus the word is describing a particular human being William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 2

3 These two words are an obvious reference to the first man, Adam, since according to Genesis 3:1-14, the first sin in the human race was committed by him and this is confirmed by Romans 5: These two words function as a subjective genitive meaning that they function semantically as the subject of the verbal idea implicit in the head noun parakoe, disobedience. This emphasizes Adam s disobedience as the means by which God rendered the entire human race as sinners. The definite article preceding the cardinal number heis, the one is anaphoric meaning that Adam was previously mentioned in Romans 5:18. Also, the article emphasizes that Adam is in a class by himself since he is the progenitor of the human race who committed the first sin committed in the human race that is the reason why every one in the human race is a sinner by nature. The noun parakoe is a compound word composed of the preposition para, aside, amiss and the verb akouo, to hear, thus the word literally means, to hear alongside, to hear amiss. The noun parakoe means, to refuse to listen to, to overhear, to hear imperfectly, to fail to hear. The word appears in classical Greek since the fourth century B.C. The cause for such imperfect hearing could be a physical hearing defect or a volitional unwillingness to hear so as to obey. Parakoe does not appear in the Septuagint and occurs only three times in the Greek New Testament (Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 10:6; Hebrews 2:2). In the New Testament, it is always used of volitional unwillingness to hear or to hear but yet be unwilling to obey. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains defines parakoe, to refuse to listen to and hence to disobey to refuse to listen, to refuse to obey, disobedience (volume 2, page 469). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised lists the following lists the following meanings for parakoe, an erroneous or imperfect hearing; disobedience; a deviation from obedience (page 304). The New Thayer s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following meanings: (1) a hearing amiss (2) unwillingness to hear i.e. disobedience (page 484). A Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature defines parakoe, unwillingness to hear, disobedience (page 618). Vine writes, Parakoe, primarily, hearing amiss (para, aside, akouo, to hear ), hence signifies a refusal to hear ; hence, an act of disobedience, Rom 5:19; 2 Cor 10:6; Heb 2:2. It is broadly to be distinguished from apeitheia, as an act from a condition, though parakoe itself is the effect, in transgression, of the condition of failing or refusing to hear. Carelessness in attitude is the precursor of actual disobedience. In the OT disobedience is frequently described as a 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 3

4 refusing to hear, e. g., Jer 11:10; 35:17; cf. Acts 7:57 (Vine s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers). Trench makes the following comment regarding the word, Parakoe is in its strictest sense a failing to hear or a hearing amiss, the notion of active disobedience which follows on this inattentive or careless hearing, being superinduced upon the word; or it may be, the sin being regarded as already committed in the failing to listen when God is speaking. In Romans 5:19, the noun parakoe denotes a person hearing a command but yet unwilling to obey. Therefore, the word refers to the active disobedience of Adam since the word is used in contrast to the noun hupakoe, which is used of Christ s active obedience or submission to authority, i.e. the Father s will. Further indicating that parakoe refers to the active disobedience of Adam is that Genesis 2:16-17 and 3:1-7 clearly teach that Adam understood the prohibition to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He knew full well the consequences and yet deliberately disobeyed. Genesis 2:16-17, The LORD God commanded the man, saying, From any tree of the garden you may eat freely but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die. Genesis 3:1-7, Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, Indeed, has God said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden? The woman said to the serpent, From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die. The serpent said to the woman, You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. We can see that Adam heard the Lord s prohibition to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil perfectly but he chose not to obey it. Therefore, parakoe in Romans 5:19 when used of Adam s sin in the Garden of Eden denotes that Adam heard the Lord s prohibition and yet chose to deliberately and intentionally disobey it. The fact that parakoe refers to the active disobedience of Adam is also indicated by Paul s statements in 1 Timothy 2:12-15, which clearly teach that 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 4

5 Adam understood the prohibition to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and knew full well the consequences and yet deliberately disobeyed. 1 Timothy 2:12-15, But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint. Adam knowingly ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because he chose his relationship with his wife over his relationship with God, which is illustrated by the fact that he listened to his wife rather than obeying God. Also, Paul s use of paraptoma in Romans 5:15, 17, and 18 clearly teach that Adam understood the prohibition to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and knew full well the consequences and yet deliberately disobeyed. The noun paraptoma denotes that Adam s disobedience to the Lord s prohibition to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was intentional and deliberate and done in full awareness of the consequences of his action since the Lord told him that he would die if he disobeyed. Therefore, in Romans 5:19, the noun parakoe denotes that Adam heard and understood the Lord s prohibition to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and yet he was unwilling to obey it. The definite article preceding the noun is kataphoric meaning that the article is pointing to the genitive expression that follows it, tou henos anthropou, through the one man, which identifies the noun parakoe. So the article points to the fact that the genitive expression tou henos, anthropou, through the one man is identifying whose disobedience is in view. The noun parakoe functions as a genitive of means indicating that Adam s disobedience was the means by which God the Father rendered the entire human race as sinners. Therefore, we will translate the prepositional phrase dia tes parakoes tou henos anthropou, through the one man s disobedience. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 5:19: For you see, just as through the one man s disobedience Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The many is the articular nominative masculine plural form of the adjective polus (poluv$) (pol-oos), which refers to the entire human race with the exception of course, of the God-Man, the Lord Jesus Christ since He did not have a human father to pass down the sin nature to Him since the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, nor, did He commit any sin William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 5

6 The word identifies the totality of mankind, i.e. the entire human race without exception or distinction, which is indicated by Paul s statements in Romans 5:12, 15 and 18. Romans 5:12, Therefore, based on this (principle), just as, through one man, the sin nature entered into the human race so that spiritual death entered through this sin nature. Thus, in this manner, spiritual death spread to each and every member of the human race without exception because each and every member of the human race sinned (the moment Adam sinned). Romans 5:15, However, on the other hand, absolutely not like this transgression is, as an eternal spiritual truth, also, in the same way, the gracious act. For if and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that by means of this transgression committed by the one, the entire human race died. Of course, we know this is true. How much more then has the grace originating from God and the gracious gift on the basis of grace, which is specifically, on the basis of the obedience of the one Man, who is Jesus, who is the Christ been generously and graciously offered to the entire human race. Romans 5:18, Therefore, as previously stated, just as through the one who committed the transgression resulted in condemnation affecting each and every member of the human race without exception in the same way also through the One who committed the righteous act resulted in the basis for the offer of justification, which produces (eternal) life, affecting each and every member of the human race without exception. The definite article preceding the adjective polus functions as a substantiver meaning that it converts the adjective into a substantive. The article also identifies the adjective polus as the nominative subject meaning that it is performing the action of the verb kathistemi, were made. This indicates that by means of Adam s disobedience, the entire human race acquired the sinful nature of Adam. We will translate the articular nominative form of the adjective polus, the entire human race. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 5:19: For you see, just as through the one man s disobedience, the entire human race Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. Were made is the third person plural aorist passive indicative form of the verb kathistemi (kaqivsthmi) (kath-is-tay-mee), which is a compound word composed of the preposition kata, down and the verb histemi, to cause to stand, thus the word literally means, to set down and so to set, place or put. In classical Greek, the primary meaning of this verb is to set down or to bring down. It was used of bringing something to a place, such as a ship to land William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 6

7 The word was used also of setting someone or something before a magistrate. As time went on, the word came to mean, to declare, to constitute, to make to be. This eventually included the idea of appointing or ordaining to an office. In the Septuagint, kathistemi had a broad semantic range as well where it could mean brought (Joshua 6:23), set (Genesis 41:41), appoint (Numbers 3:10) and made (Daniel 2:48). The verb appears twenty-two times in the Greek New Testament where it had the meanings of appointing, putting in charge, ordain (Matthew 24:45, 47; Luke 12:14, 42, 44; Acts 6:3; 7:10, 27, 35; Hebrews 5:1; 7:28; 8:3), to make in the sense of causing someone to be something (James 3:6; 4:4; 2 Peter 1:8). Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament lists the following meanings for the verb, conduct; install, bring about (Volume 2, page 225). A Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature lists the following meanings for the verb kathistemi: (1) bring, conduct, take someone somewhere (2) appoint, put in charge; authorize, appoint (3) make, cause (someone to become something) (page 390). The New Thayer s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following meanings, to set down, put down, set, place, put; to appoint one to administer an office; to set down as, constitute; to render, make, cause to be; to conduct or bring to a certain place; to show or exhibit one s self; come forward as (page 314). The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised lists the following lists the following meanings for kathistemi, to place; to set, constitute, appoint; to set down in a place, conduct; to make, render or cause to be, passively, to be rendered (page 207). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains defines the word, to assign to someone a position of authority over others to put in charge of, to appoint, to designate (volume 2, page 484). Wuest commenting on the verb s usage in Romans 5:19, writes, The Greek word for make is poieo, which refers to a mechanical operation such as that of making a spear out of wood and iron. It refers to the act of changing a certain material object so at to fit it for a certain purpose. Kathistemi has in it more than that. By the one act of Adam in disobeying God, the human race was constituted sinful, and this is by the judicial act of God. Likewise, by the one act of obedience of the Lord Jesus, all who believe are constituted righteous, and this by the judicial act of God. (Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, volume 1, Romans in the Greek New Testament, page 88). Commenting on the use of kathistemi, the Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, writes, In Romans 5:19, Paul refers to the eschatological judicial act of installation in the realm of righteousness or of sin: In Christ s all-encompassing obedience, which determines all destiny, God establishes his eschatological 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 7

8 righteousness as a judicial verdict that will restore for the polloi-the believers, the members of Christ-the relationship to this righteousness. In retrospect, according to Paul, it becomes apparent-with the acceptance of the corporate anthropos doctrinethat Adam s disobedience has established the unrighteousness of humankind. This judicial act of kathistemi, which eschatologically determines and divides history, has a Christological basis in that the person and deity Christ are both comprehended in the eschatological kathistemi of God (Volume 2, page 225). C.K. Barrett commenting on the verb s use in Romans 5:19, writes, Adam s disobedience did not mean that all men necessarily and without their consent committed particular acts of sin; it meant that they were born into a race which had separated itself from God. Similarly, Christ s obedience did not mean that henceforth men did nothing but righteous acts, but that in Christ they were related to God as Christ Himself was related to His Father (The Epistle to the Romans, page 109; Hendrickson Publishers). Douglas Moo commenting on the use of kathistemi in Romans 5:19, writes, People can be made sinners in the sense that God considers them to be such by regarding Adam s act as, at the same time, their act. It seems fair, then, to speak of imputation here. (LaFont [Romans 5, 15-21, p. 493] suggests a reference both to sin in Adam and personal sinning). This particular understanding of the word is in keeping with the legal connotations that the term often has and it alone matches the second use of the verb in the verse. For, while some suggest that, as people are made righteous by believing, so they are made sinners by sinning, the substitution of a different term in the second member- believing -destroys the analogy. To maintain strict parallelism, we would have to argue rather that, as people are made sinners by sinning, they are made righteous by being righteous or doing righteous things. Yet this interpretation is obviously impossible; people are made righteous only by the righteousness of Christ and their faith in Christ, not by being righteous. (The Epistle to the Romans, page 345; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge, U.K.) William Sanday and Arthur Headlam commenting on the word s use in Romans 5:19, write, It (kathistemi) covers on the one hand the whole result of Adam s Fall for his descendants prior to and independently of their own deliberate act of sin; and it covers on the other hand the whole result of the redeeming act of Christ so far as that too is accomplished objectively and apart from active concurrence on the part of the Christian. (A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, page 142; Originally published T. & T. Clark Publishers 1980). In Romans 5:19, when the verb kathistemi is used in relation to Adam s disobedience, it refers to a judicial act of God whereby He imputed Adam s original sin in the Garden of Eden to Adam s posterity, i.e. every member of the 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 8

9 human race. This imputation results in every member of the human possessing the sinful nature of Adam. In relation to Adam s disobedience, this word denotes that each and every member of the human race became a sinner by nature at the moment of physical birth without committing on their own part, an act of sin. When it is used of Christ s obedience, the word is used of the imputation of divine righteousness to the sinner, which the sinner receives the moment he exercises faith in Jesus Christ as his or her Savior (cf. Romans 3:21-26; 4; Ephesians 2:8-9). In relation to Christ s obedience, the word denotes that the sinner became righteous through the imputation of divine righteousness the moment they made the non-meritorious decision to trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior. When the word is used in relation to Christ s obedience, the word indicates that the sinner became righteous based on the merits of Christ and His obedience rather than any act of righteousness on their own part. Therefore, the verb kathistemi denotes the concept of imputation as indicated in by the parallel between human beings being sinners by nature apart from any action on their own part and sinners becoming righteous apart from their own actions but rather through faith in Christ. The word indicates that human beings are sinners by nature apart from their own actions and based upon Adam s disobedience whereas sinners become righteous apart from their own actions and based upon the merits of Christ s obedience. Romans 5:12, Therefore, based on this (principle), just as, through one man, the sin nature entered into the human race so that spiritual death entered through this sin nature. Thus, in this manner, spiritual death spread to each and every member of the human race without exception because each and every member of the human race sinned (the moment Adam sinned). In Romans 5:19, the verb kathistemi is in the passive meaning, to be rendered. To render in this context is to cause to be or become. In our context, God is doing the rendering. Therefore, Paul is saying that the entire human race was rendered (by God) as sinners by nature through Adam s disobedience and the sinner is rendered (by God) as righteous through Christ s act of obedience. So this verb refers to the judicial act of God in rendering a particular status to members of the human race. God rendered the human race the status of sinners through Adam s disobedience whereas He rendered sinners the status of being righteous through Christ s obedience. The aorist tense of the verb kathistemi is constative aorist is describing in summary fashion the judicial act of God in rendering the entire human race the legal status of being sinners by nature the moment Adam committed his act of disobedience in the Garden of Eden William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 9

10 The passive voice of the verb kathistemi means that the subject receives the action of the verb from either an expressed or unexpressed agency. The subject of the verb is the entire human race as indicated by the articular nominative masculine plural form of the adjective polus, the entire human race. The personal intermediate agency is expressed as being Adam by the prepositional phrase dia tes hupakoes tou henos, through the one man s disobedience. The ultimate agency is God the Father who is not expressed in the passage. Therefore, the passive voice of the verb indicates that entire human race as the subject through the personal intermediate agency of Adam is rendered as sinners by the ultimate agency of God the Father. The indicative mood is declarative presenting this assertion as an unqualified statement of historical fact and Bible doctrine. We will translate the verb kathistemi, has been rendered. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 5:19: For you see, just as through the one man s disobedience, the entire human race has been rendered Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. Sinners is the nominative masculine plural form of the adjective hamartolos (a(martwlov$) (ham-ar-tol-os), which is related to the verb hamartano, to miss the mark. In Romans chapter two and three, the verb hamartano meant, to miss the mark, and which mark is the absolute perfection of God s character, which is His holiness. Hamartolos was used by Homer to describe missing the mark in shooting. From Homer onwards, it expressed a moral sense of to miss the right, to go wrong, to sin. The adjective hamartolos appears frequently in classical literature and functions both as an adjective and as a noun. In secular writings of Aristophanes ( B.C.) the substantive appears as a barbarism and carries a disparaging and sarcastic nuance (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Colin Brown Editor, volume 3, page 577). In the Septuagint, hamartolos appears frequently and usually translates the Hebrew rasha`, wicked or criminal. The word in the Septuagint meant, missing the divinely appointed goal, or deviation from what is pleasing to God. Therefore, hamartolos describes a person who has missed the goal or the purpose for which God created mankind, namely to obey and thus experience fellowship with Him William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 10

11 The word translates other Hebrew terms, especially those, which describe someone has violated the terms of a covenant with God or someone who has sinned against the Mosaic Law. Later Judaism became very legalistic and ritualistic, which led to dissension regarding who were sinners? The Rabbis determined that a sinner was one who not only sinned against the Law of God but also rejected their traditions, which they put on a par with the inspired Old Testament text! These traditions were rejected by the Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in Mark 7. They became unbearable and a great burden to the Jewish people and many thought it impossible to live according to these often neurotic traditions. These traditions became barriers resulting in entire segments of the Jewish population being isolated and shunned and deprived of rights such as the shepherds whose trade was classified by the rabbis as unclean. The adjective hamartolos appears 47 times in the Greek New Testament. The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised lists the following lists the following meanings for the word, one who deviates from the path of virtue, a sinner; depraved; sinful, detestable (page 17). A Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature list the following meanings: (1) Adjective, sinful; a sinner (2) Substantive, the sinner, sinners; irreligious, unobservant people, of those who did not observe the Law in detail; of Gentile descent; a favorite term for the heathen; of the state of the man who is not yet reconciled (page 44). Vine commenting on the adjective, writes, Hamartolos, literally, one who misses the mark (a meaning not to be pressed), is an adjective, most frequently used as a noun; it is the most usual term to describe the fallen condition of men; it is applicable to all men, Rom 5:8,19. In the Synoptic Gospels the word is used not infrequently, by the Pharisees, of publicans (tax collectors) and women of ill repute, e. g., a woman which was in the city, a sinner, Luke 7:37; a man that is a sinner, 19:7. In Gal 2:15, in the clause not sinners of the Gentiles, the apostle is taking the Judaizers on their own ground, ironically reminding them of their claim to moral superiority over Gentiles; he proceeds to show that the Jews are equally sinners with Gentiles (Vine s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers). The New Thayer s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following meanings: (1) Devoted to sin, a sinner (a) Not free from sin (b) Pre-eminently sinful, especially wicked; specifically of men stained with certain definite vices or crimes (page 31). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains defines hamartolos: Pertaining to sinful behavior sinful, sinning (volume 2, page 774) (2) A person who customarily sins sinner, outcast (volume 2, page 774) William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 11

12 In Romans 5:19, the adjective hamartolos is used in relation to the hoi polloi, the entire human and describes the entire human race as those who have missed the mark of the absolute perfection of God s character, which is His holiness. The word denotes that the entire human race are sinners by nature since the verb kathistemi denotes the concept of imputation and the legal status of being a sinner as a result of a judicial act by God. The Bible teaches that each and every member of the human race is a sinner by nature as well as by practice. Ecclesiastes 7:20, There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins. Galatians 3:21-22, But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. In Romans 5:19, the adjective hamartolos is used to describe the unbeliever or unregenerate person as one who has missed the mark of the absolute perfection of God s character, which is His holiness that was perfectly manifested in His Son Jesus Christ. In Romans 5:19, the word is in the plural and functions as a substantive and can be translated sinners. The adjective hamartolos, sinners functions as a predicate nominative and the articular nominative plural form of the adjective polus, the entire human race functions as the nominative subject since the subject will be indicated by the article and the nominative by an anarthrous construction. The adjective hamartolos, sinners functions as the predicate nominative indicating it is making an assertion about the subject. Therefore, as a predicate nominative, it is making an assertion about the entire human race. The assertion is that the entire human race through the disobedience of Adam has been rendered by God as sinners through His judicial act. We will translate hamartolos, sinners. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 5:19: For you see, just as through the one man s disobedience, the entire human race has been rendered sinners Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. So is the adverb of manner houtos (ou^tw$) (hoo-tos), which is employed with the relative adverb of manner hos, just as that appears in the protasis of the comparative clause in order to compare the issue involved between Adam s act and Christ s act. It is introducing the apodasis of the comparative clause. The adverb of manner houtos is drawing a comparison from Adam s disobedience with Christ s act of obedience. Through Adam s disobedience the 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 12

13 entire human race was rendered by God as sinners by nature and in the same way through Christ s obedience sinners are rendered by God as righteous. We will translate houtos, in the same way. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 5:19: For you see, just as through this one man s disobedience, the entire human race has been rendered sinners in the same way Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. Even is the adjunctive use of the conjunction kai (kaiv) introduces an additional statement about Adam s act of disobedience, which hold true with Christ s act of obedience. Namely, that apart from their own actions, the human race was rendered sinners and apart from their own actions sinners were rendered by God as righteous. We will translate kai, also. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 5:19: For you see, just as through the one man s disobedience, the entire human race has been rendered sinners in the same way also Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. Through the obedience of the One is composed of the preposition dia (diav) (dee-ah), through and articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun hupakoe (u(pakohv) (hoop-ak-o-ay), the obedience, which is followed by the articular genitive masculine singular form of the cardinal number heis (ei!$) (ice), of the One. The genitive form of the cardinal number heis refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. This indicated by the expression te tou henos anthropou Iesou Christou, specifically, on the basis of the obedience of the one Man, who is Jesus, who is the Christ that appears in Romans 5:15. It is also indicated by the prepositional phrase dia tou henos Iesou Christou, through the One, who is Jesus, who is the Christ that appears in Romans 5:17. This prepositional phrase dia tes hupakoes tou henos, through the One s obedience parallels the prepositional phrase dia tes parakoes tou henos anthropou, through the one man who produced disobedience that appears in the protasis. The latter emphasizes that the entire human race was rendered by God as sinners by nature through the personal intermediate agency of Adam whose disobedience caused God to render this judicial decision. In the apodasis, the preposition dia functions as a marker of personal intermediate agency and the cardinal number heis as a genitive of personal intermediate agency. This indicates that sinners are rendered by God as righteous 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 13

14 through the personal intermediate agency of Jesus Christ whose obedience to the Father s will in dying a substitutionary spiritual death for all of sinful mankind is the basis of the sinner s justification when they exercise faith in Jesus Christ. It indicates that Jesus Christ is the personal intermediate agent whose obedience is responsible for sinners being rendered by God as righteous when they exercise faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. The definite article preceding the cardinal number heis, the one is anaphoric meaning that Christ was previously mentioned in Romans 5:18. The force of the article in this case can be translated with the pronoun this. The articular construction of the cardinal number heis emphasizes that Christ is in a class by Himself since sinners can only be rendered righteous by God solely through Him. The noun hupakoe is a compound word composed of the preposition hupo (u(pov) (hoop-o), below, under and the noun akoe (a)kohv) (ak-o-ay), to hear. In classical Greek, this noun refers to the appropriate submissive obedience to an authority beyond oneself, whether human or divine. The word appears once in the Septuagint, in 2 Samuel 22:36 [LXX 2 Kings 22:36] where it refers to the answers to prayer, which God gives. Hupakoe appears only fifteen times in the Greek New Testament, eleven are found in Pauline literature and seven in the book of Romans alone. In the Greek New Testament, the word means, obedience. It is used in relation to obedience to the gospel message (Romans 1:5; 15:18; 16:26), obedience to the sin nature and God (Romans 6:16), the obedience of believers to the Word of God (Romans 16:19; 2 Corinthians 7:15; 2 Corinthians 10:5, 6; Philemon 21; 1 Peter 1:2, 14, 22), obedience of Christ (Hebrews 5:8). In Romans 5:19, the noun hupakoe is used of Christ s obedience to the Father s will in dying a substitutionary spiritual death for all of sinful humanity. In Philippians 2:8, the apostle Paul presents the Philippians with the ultimate example of humility in the Person of Jesus Christ who expressed His humility by His obedience to the Father s will in dying a substitutionary spiritual death on behalf of the entire human race. Philippians 2:5-11, Everyone continue thinking this (according to humility) within yourselves, which was also in (the mind of) Christ Jesus, Who although existing from eternity past in the essence of God, He never regarded existing equally in essence with God an exploitable asset. On the contrary, He denied Himself of the independent function of His divine attributes by having assumed the essence of a slave when He was born in the likeness of men. In fact, although He was discovered in outward appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by having entered into obedience to the point of spiritual death even death on a Cross. For this very reason in fact God the Father has 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 14

15 promoted Him to the highest-ranking position and has awarded to Him the rank, which is superior to every rank. In order that in the sphere of this rank possessed by Jesus every person must bow, celestials and terrestrials and subterrestrials. Also, every person must publicly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord for the glory of God the Father. In Romans 5:19, the definite article preceding the noun is kataphoric meaning that the article is pointing to the genitive expression that follows it, tou henos, through the One, which identifies the noun hupakoe. So the article points to the fact that the genitive expression tou henos, through the One s is identifying whose obedience is in view. The noun hupakoe functions as a genitive of means indicating that Christ s obedience is the means by which God the Father renders sinners righteous. Therefore, we will translate the prepositional phrase dia tes hupakoes tou henos, through the One s obedience. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 5:19: For you see, just as through the one man s disobedience, the entire human race has been rendered sinners in the same way also through the One s obedience Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. The many is the articular nominative masculine plural form of the adjective polus (poluv$) (pol-oos), which refers exclusively to those sinners, i.e. Adam s posterity, that have exercised faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior. The word does not refer to the entire human race. Paul is not teaching that the entire human race is automatically rendered as righteous by God as a result of Christ s act of obedience to the Father s will in going to the Cross. Rather, he is teaching that Christ s death established the basis for God the Father rendering sinners righteous when they exercise faith alone in Christ alone. The fact that the sinner has to trust in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to receive the gift of God s righteousness resulting justification is clearly taught by Paul in Romans 3:21-5:1, Ephesians 2:8-9, Galatians 2:16 and John 3: The definite article preceding the adjective polus functions as a substantiver meaning that it converts the adjective into a substantive. The article also identifies the adjective polus as the nominative subject meaning that it is performing the action of the verb kathistemi, will be made. This indicates that through Christ s obedience, sinners are rendered by God as righteous. We will translate the articular nominative form of the adjective polus, many. Corrected translation thus far of Romans 5:19: For you see, just as through the one man s disobedience, the entire human race has been rendered sinners in the same way also through the One s obedience, many 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 15

16 Romans 5:19, For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. Will be made is the third person plural future passive indicative form of the verb kathistemi (kaqivsthmi) (kath-is-tay-mee), which as we noted earlier means, to be rendered. As we noted earlier in our study of the word, the verb kathistemi denotes the concept of imputation as indicated in by the parallel between human beings being sinners by nature apart from any action on their own part and sinners becoming became righteous apart from their own actions but rather through faith in Christ. The word indicates that human beings are sinners by nature apart from their own actions but based upon Adam s disobedience whereas sinners become righteous apart from their own actions but rather based upon the merits of Christ s obedience. In both instances in which the word is used in Romans 5:19, the verb kathistemi is in the passive voice means, to be rendered. To render in this context is to cause to be or become. In our context, God is doing the rendering. Therefore, Paul is saying that the entire human race was rendered (by God) as sinners by nature through Adam s disobedience and the sinner is rendered (by God) as righteous through Christ s act of obedience. So this verb refers to the judicial act of God in rendering a particular status to members of the human race. God rendered the human race the status of sinners through Adam s disobedience whereas He rendered sinners the status of being righteous through Christ s obedience. This verb when used in relation to Christ s obedience refers to the justification of the sinner through faith alone in Christ alone. By way of definition, justification is a judicial act of God whereby He declares a person to be righteous as a result of crediting or imputing to that person His righteousness the moment they exercised faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Consequently, God accepts that person and enters that person into a relationship with Himself since they now possess His righteousness. The mechanics of justification are as follows: (1) God condemns the sinner, which qualifies them to receive His grace. (2) The sinner believes in Jesus Christ as His Savior. (3) God imputes or credits Christ s righteousness to the believer. (4) God declares that person as righteous as a result of acknowledging His Son s righteousness in that person. Justification is God declaring a person to be righteous as a result of acknowledging or recognizing His righteousness in that person, and which righteousness He imputed to that person as a result of their faith in His Son, Jesus Christ William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 16

17 Justification causes no one to be righteous but rather is the recognition and declaration by God that one is righteous as He is. To be justified by God through faith alone in Christ alone means that God can never condemn us for our sins. It means that a believer can never lose his salvation because of any sin since God, who is a perfect judge, rendered a perfect decision when he declared righteous the person, who exercised faith in His Son Jesus Christ! Thus, Paul declares the following in Romans 8:1: Romans 8:1, Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24 teaches that justification is a gift of God s grace and is made possible by the work of redemption that Jesus Christ accomplished with His voluntary, substitutionary spiritual death on the Cross. Romans 3:23-24, For each and every person has sinned consequently, they are always failing to measure up to the glory originating from God with the result that they might, as an eternal spiritual truth, be undeservedly justified based upon His grace by means of the redemption, which is by means of the spiritual death of Christ who is Jesus. No one in the human race is righteous before God since only the Lord Jesus Christ was sinless as manifested in that He was perfectly obedient to every aspect of the Mosaic Law. Since, the Lord Jesus Christ was impeccable. He was the only member of the human race who was truly righteous in the eyes of God and who truly loved God and His neighbor as Himself. Again, there is absolutely no one in the human race that is in right relation to both God and man since there is no one righteous because of sin and disobedience to the commands to love God with one s entire being and one s neighbor as oneself. Only the Lord Jesus Christ was perfectly obedient to the Word of God, which can be summarized by the commands to love God with one s entire being and one s neighbor as oneself. In Romans 2:13, Paul teaches that only the doers of the Law will be justified. Romans 2:13: For you see, the hearers of the Law are, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely never righteous before God but rather the doers of the Law will, as an eternal spiritual truth, be justified. No one in the human race is righteous before God and therefore justified before Him since no human being except Jesus Christ was ever perfectly obedient to the Law. The function of the volition in obeying the sin nature prevents any human being from keeping the Law perfectly. Also, in Romans 3:9-20, Paul teaches that there is absolutely no one in the human race who can ever be accepted by a holy God and enjoy a relationship with Him by obeying the Law, i.e. the Old Testament Scriptures. The reason is that they 2008 William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 17

18 can never be perfectly obedient because the entire human race is under the power of the old Adamic sin nature. Romans 3:9-19, What shall we conclude then? Are we (Christians) as an eternal spiritual truth, superior? By all means, absolutely not! Since, we have already previously indicted both Jew and Greek, with the result that each and every one is under the power of the sin nature. As it stands written for all of eternity, there is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none righteous, not even one. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none who, at any time, comprehends. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none, who, at any time, diligently seeks after God. Each and every one has deviated from the way (of righteousness). Together, they have become useless. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none, who at any time performs an act of kindness. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely none, so much as one. Their conversation is like an open grave. With their tongues they were always deceiving. Venom produced by poisonous snakes is always under their lips. Whose mouth is always full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are always swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery characterize their ways. Indeed, they totally refused to acknowledge the way, which is peace. There is, as an eternal spiritual truth, absolutely no reverence for God before their eyes. Now, we know for certain that whatever the Law says, it speaks for the benefit of those under the jurisdiction of the Law in order that each and every mouth may be silenced and in addition all the unsaved inhabitants of the cosmic system may be demonstrated as guilty in the judgment of God. Therefore, in order for man to be justified before God, God must treat him in grace and provide a way for him to be justified. Thus, justification is based upon God s grace. Titus 3:5-7, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The voluntary substitutionary spiritual death of the impeccable humanity of Christ in hypostatic union on the Cross is the basis for justification since His unique spiritual death propitiated or satisfied the demands of God s holiness, which required that sin be judged. This unique spiritual death also redeemed mankind out of the slave market of sin, fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law and reconciled the human race to God. The Scriptures teach that the only way that a member of the human race can ever be declared righteous by God is through receiving the gift of divine righteousness by grace through faith alone in Christ alone William E. Wenstrom, Jr. Bible Ministries 18