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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Romans 5:1 - 5:1
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Being therefore justified by faith (dikaiōthentes oun ek pisteōs). First aorist passive participle of dikaioō, to set right and expressing antecedent action to the verb echōmen. The oun refers to the preceding conclusive argument (chapters 1 to 4) that this is done by faith.
Let us have peace with God (eirēnēn echōmen pros ton theon). This is the correct text beyond a doubt, the present active subjunctive, not echomen (present active indicative) of the Textus Receptus which even the American Standard Bible accepts. It is curious how perverse many real scholars have been on this word and phrase here. Godet, for instance. Vincent says that “it is difficult if not impossible to explain it.” One has only to observe the force of the tense to see Paul’s meaning clearly. The mode is the volitive subjunctive and the present tense expresses linear action and so does not mean “make peace” as the ingressive aorist subjunctive eirēnēn schōmen would mean. A good example of schōmen occurs in Mat 21:38 (schōmen tēn klēronomian autou) where it means: “Let us get hold of his inheritance.” Here eirēnēn echōmen can only mean: “Let us enjoy peace with God” or “Let us retain peace with God.” We have in Act 9:31 eichen eirēnēn (imperfect and so linear), the church “enjoyed peace,” not “made peace.” The preceding justification (dikaiōthentes) “made peace with God.” Observe pros (face to face) with ton theon and dia (intermediate agent) with tou kuriou.