Charles Ellicott Commentary Romans 5:3

"And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness;" — Romans 5:3 (ASV)

But much more than this. The Christian’s glorying is not confined to the future; it embraces the present as well. It extends even to what would naturally be supposed to be the very opposite of a ground for glorying—to the persecutions that we have to undergo as Christians.

(Matthew 5:12, “Blessed are the persecuted; ” 2 Corinthians 11:30; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10, “glorying in infirmities; ”Acts 5:41, “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame; ” 1 Peter 4:12–13; “think not the fiery trial strange, but rejoice.”)

Attention has here been called to Bacon’s aphorism, “Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament, adversity of the New.” This is a very profound side of the Christian revelation.