John Calvin Commentary Romans 8:34

"who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." — Romans 8:34 (ASV)

Who is he that condemns? etc. As no one can prevail by accusing when the judge absolves, so no condemnation remains when satisfaction has been given to the laws and the penalty has already been paid. Now Christ is the one who, having once for all suffered the punishment due to us, thereby declared that He undertook our cause in order to deliver us. Therefore, whoever seeks to condemn us from now on must bring Christ Himself back to death again. But He has not only died but also emerged by a resurrection as the conqueror of death and triumphed over all its power.

He adds still more—that He now sits at the right hand of the Father. By this is meant that He possesses dominion over heaven and earth, and full power and rule over all things, according to what is said in Ephesians 1:20. He also teaches us that He sits in this way so that He may be a perpetual advocate and intercessor in securing our salvation. It therefore follows that when anyone seeks to condemn us, he not only seeks to render void the death of Christ but also contends with that unequaled power with which the Father has honored Him, and with which the Father also conferred supreme authority upon Him.

This great assurance, which dares to triumph over the devil, death, sin, and the gates of hell, ought to lodge deep in the hearts of all the godly. For our faith is nothing unless we feel assured that Christ is ours and that the Father is, in Him, favorable to us. Nothing then can be devised more destructive and ruinous than the scholastic dogma regarding the uncertainty of salvation.

Who intercedes, etc. It was necessary to add this expressly, lest the divine majesty of Christ should terrify us. Though from His elevated throne He holds all things in subjection under His feet, Paul nevertheless represents Him as a Mediator, whose presence it would be strange for us to dread, since He not only kindly invites us to Himself but also appears as an intercessor for us before the Father.

But we must not measure this intercession by our carnal judgment; for we must not suppose that He humbly supplicates the Father with bent knees and outstretched hands. Instead, as He continually appears as one who died and rose again, and as His death and resurrection stand in the place of eternal intercession and have the efficacy of a powerful prayer for reconciling the Father and making Him favorable to us, He is justly said to intercede for us.