Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 5:18

"So then as through one trespass [the judgment came] unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness [the free gift came] unto all men to justification of life." — Romans 5:18 (ASV)

Therefore. (Greek: ara oun). This properly signifies a summing up, a recapitulation of what had been stated in the previous verses. The apostle resumes the statement or proposition made in Romans 5:12. After the intermediate explanation in the parenthesis (Romans 5:13–17), he, in this verse and the following, sums up the whole subject. The explanation of the previous verses is therefore designed to convey the real meaning of Romans 5:18-19.

As by the offense of one. This means admitting an undisputed and universally apparent fact—one that no one can question.

Judgment came. This phrase is not in the Greek but is evidently implied and is stated in Romans 5:16. The meaning is that all people have been brought under the reign of death by one man.

Upon all men. This refers to the whole human race. This explains what is meant by “the many” in Romans 5:15.

To condemnation. .

Even so. This means in the manner explained in the previous verses, with the same certainty and to the same extent. The apostle does not explain the mode in which it was done but simply states the fact.

By the righteousness of one. This stands opposed to the one offense of Adam and must therefore mean the holiness, obedience, and purity of the Redeemer. The sin of one man involved humanity in ruin; the obedience unto death of the other (Philippians 2:8) restored them to the favor of God.

Came upon all men. (Greek: eis pantas anthrōpous). This means it was with reference to all people, had a bearing upon all people, and was originally adapted to the human race.

Just as Adam’s sin, given his representative position, was of such a nature as to affect the entire human race, so also Christ’s work, given His representative position, was adapted to the entire human race. As the tendency of the one was to involve the human race in condemnation, so the tendency of the other was to restore them to acceptance with God.

There was an original applicability in Christ’s work to all people—a richness and fullness in the atonement fitted to meet the sins of the entire world and restore the human race to favor.

Unto justification of life. This refers to the justification connected with eternal life.

That is, His work is adapted to produce acceptance with God to the same extent that Adam’s crime has affected the human race by involving them in sin and misery.

The apostle does not affirm that, in fact, as many will be affected by the one as by the other. Instead, he states that Christ’s work is fitted to meet all the consequences of the fall, to be as widespread in its effects, and to be as beneficial as Adam’s transgression was ruinous.

This is all that the argument requires. Perhaps a more striking declaration could not be found anywhere that Christ’s work had an original applicability to all people, or that it is, in its own nature, fitted to save all. The course of argument here leads inevitably to this, nor is it possible to avoid it without doing violence to the obvious and fair course of the discussion.

It does not prove that all will in fact be saved, but that the plan is fitted to meet all the evils of the fall. A certain kind of medicine may have an original applicability to heal all persons with the same disease; it may be abundant and certain, and yet in fact be applied to few.

The sun is fitted to give light to all, yet many may be blind or may voluntarily close their eyes. Water is adapted to the wants of all people, and the supply may be ample for the human family; yet, in fact, from various causes, many may be deprived of it.

The same is true of the provisions of the plan of redemption. They are adapted to all; they are ample, and yet, in fact, for reasons not explained here, the benefits—like those of medicine, water, science, etc.—may never be enjoyed by the entire human race. Calvin concurs in this interpretation, thus showing that it is one which commends itself even to the most strenuous advocates of the system called by his name.

He says, “He [the apostle] makes the grace common to all, because it is offered to all, not because it is in fact applied to all. For although Christ suffered for the sins of THE WHOLE WORLD (Latin: nam etsi passus est Christus pro peccatis totius mundi), and it is offered to all without distinction (Latin: indifferenter), yet all do not embrace it.” (See Calvin’s Commentary on this passage).