Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Romans 8:23

"And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for [our] adoption, [to wit], the redemption of our body." — Romans 8:23 (ASV)

The parallel Paul has been drawing between the saints and the material creation is true in at least two respects—groaning (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:2) and eagerly awaiting the new age (Romans 8:23). Perhaps a third element of comparison is intended: “the redemption of our bodies,” answering to the transformation of the earth. But in one respect no parallel can be made. Only the people of God have “the firstfruits of the Spirit” (v.23).

The concept of “firstfruits” (GK 569) is prominent in the OT, where the Israelites were expected to bring the first ripened elements of grain, fruit, etc., to the Lord as an offering (Exodus 23:19; Nehemiah 10:35). By doing so the offerer acknowledged that all produce was the provision of God and was really his. Implicit also in the ritual was the assurance from the divine side that the general harvest to be enjoyed by the offerer would providentially follow. As applied to our passage, the concept seems somewhat out of place, for if the Spirit is truly a person, how can any more of him be given in the future than has been given at conversion? We should rather understand the gift of the Spirit to believers at the inception of Christian life as God’s pledge of the completion of the process of salvation, here stated as “adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” These bodies were earlier described by Paul as spiritual bodies (1 Corinthians 15:44). The future bodily resurrection of believers will be the full harvest of redemption.

In this connection we encounter “adoption” for the second time (see comment on vv.14–17). The saints who already have an adoption and are sealed by the Spirit for the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13–14; Ephesians 4:30) will receive their second and final adoption. Between the two events stretches the course of sanctification, and at the final adoption the children of God will be fully conformed to the likeness of God’s Son (v.29; cf. 1Jn 3:2). Their bodies will be like the body of him who has provided redemption from sin and death . This is the Spirit’s work of glorification.