Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 4:25

"who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification." — Romans 4:25 (ASV)

Having dealt with Abraham’s situation, the apostle turns finally to applying God’s dealings with the patriarch to the readers of this letter. This procedure accords with his observation that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (15:4). There are differences between Abraham’s case and the position of the readers. Yet the basic similarity in God’s dealings with both is unmistakable. Both believe in God as the one who acts in their behalf; both receive justification. Of course, the mention of the resurrected Jesus (v.24) is an element that could not belong to the OT as history, but the intended parallel with Abraham’s experience is fairly evident. The same God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead quickened the “dead” body of Abraham so as to make parenthood possible.

Death and resurrection were the portion of the Savior (v.25). One can hardly fail to notice the carefully balanced character of this final statement, relating as it does the death of Jesus to our sins and his resurrection to our justification. Beyond question, the statement owes much to Isa 53, where the Servant is pictured as delivered up on account of the sins of the many (v.12). Moreover, the resurrection, though not stated in so many words, is implied in 53:10, 12. Perhaps this statement is one that Paul has taken over from Christian tradition (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3–4). In any case, this passage shows the early tendency to phrase redemptive truth in brief, creedlike formulations.

The chief difficulty for interpretation lies in the preposition “for” that is common to both clauses. In itself our word “for” is ambiguous. It can mean “because of” or “with a view to.” In this case, however, “delivered over to death for our sins” is best seen to mean “because our sins were committed” and that on account of them Jesus had to die if salvation were to be procured. Similarly, “raised to life for our justification” means that Jesus was raised because our justification was accomplished in his death (cf. “justified by his blood,” 5:9). It may be helpful to recognize that justification, considered objectively and from the standpoint of God’s provision, was indeed accomplished in the death of Christ (5:9) and therefore did not require the resurrection to complete it.

Subjectively, however, the resurrection of Christ was essential for the exercise of faith, since his continuance under the power of death would create serious doubts about the efficacy of his sacrifice on the cross. To believe in a Christ who died for our sins is only half the Gospel (cf. 6:3–4). Furthermore, justification is not simply a forensic transaction, important as that aspect is, but involves also a living relationship with God through the living Jesus Christ (5:18).