John Calvin Commentary Romans 5:14

"Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam`s transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come." — Romans 5:14 (ASV)

Even over them, etc. Though this passage is commonly understood as referring to infants, who, being guilty of no actual sin, die through original sin, I still prefer to regard it as referring to all those who sinned without the law. This is because this verse is to be connected with the preceding clause, which states that those who were without the law did not impute sin to themselves.

Consequently, they did not sin according to the likeness of Adam’s transgression. They, unlike Adam, did not have the will of God revealed to them by a specific oracle. For the Lord had forbidden Adam to touch the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; but to them, He had given no command other than the testimony of conscience.

The Apostle, therefore, intended to imply that it was not because of the difference between Adam and his posterity that they were exempt from condemnation. Infants are, at the same time, included in their number.

Who is a type of him who was to come. This sentence is used instead of a second clause, for we see that only one part of the comparison is expressed while the other is omitted—an instance of what is called anacoluthon. You are then to understand the meaning as if it were said, “as by one man sin entered into the whole world, and death through sin, so by one man righteousness returned, and life through righteousness.” But in saying that Adam resembled Christ, there is nothing incongruous, for some likeness often appears in things wholly contrary.

Just as we are all lost through Adam’s sin, so we are restored through Christ’s righteousness; hence He calls Adam, not inappropriately, the type of Christ. But observe that Adam is not said to be the type of sin, nor Christ the type of righteousness, as if they led the way only by their example; rather, the one is contrasted with the other.

Observe this, so that you do not foolishly go astray with Origen and be involved in a pernicious error. For he reasoned philosophically and profanely on the corruption of mankind, and not only diminished the grace of Christ but nearly obliterated it altogether. No less excusable is Erasmus, who labors greatly in palliating a notion so grossly delirious.