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2.Through whom we have access, (153) etc. Our reconciliation with God depends only on Christ; for he only is the beloved Son, and we are all by nature the children of wrath. But this favor is communicated to us by the gospel; for the gospel is the ministry of reconciliation, by the means of which we are in a manner brought into the kingdom of God. Rightly then does Paul set before our eyes in Christ a sure pledge of God’ favor, that he might more easily draw us away from every confidence in works. And as he teaches us by the wordaccess, that salvation begins with Christ, he excludes those preparations by which foolish men imagine that they can anticipate God’ mercy; as though he said, “ comes not to you, nor helps you, on account of your merits.” He afterwards immediately subjoins, that it is through the continuance of the same favor that our salvation becomes certain and sure; by which he intimates, that perseverance is not founded on our power and diligence, but on Christ; though at the same time by saying, that we stand, he indicates that the gospel ought to strike deep roots into the hearts of the godly, so that being strengthened by its truth, they may stand firm against all the devices of Satan and of the flesh. And by the word stand, he means, that faith is not a changeable persuasion, only for one day; but that it is immutable, and that it sinks deep into the heart, so that it endures through life. It is then not he, who by a sudden impulse is led to believe, that has faith, and is to be reckoned among the faithful; but he who constantly, and, so to speak, with a firm and fixed foot, abides in that station appointed to him by God, so as to cleave always to Christ.
And glory in the hope, etc. The reason that the hope of a future life exists and dares to exult, is this, — because we rest on God’ favor as on a sure foundation: for Paul’ meaning is, that though the faithful are now pilgrims on the earth, they yet by hope scale the heavens, so that they quietly enjoy in their own bosoms their future inheritance. And hereby are subverted two of the most pestilent dogmas of the sophists. What they do in the first place is, they bid Christians to be satisfied with moral conjecture as to the perception of God’ favor towards them; and secondly, they teach that all are uncertain as to their final perseverance; but except there be at present sure knowledge, and a firm and undoubting persuasion as to the future, who would dare to glory? The hope of the glory of God has shone upon us through the gospel, which testifies that we shall be participators of the Divine nature; for when we shall see God face to face, we shall be like him. (2Pe_1:4; 1Jo_3:2.)
(153) Calvin leaves out καὶ “” [Griesbach ] retains it. The omission is only in one MS., and in the Syriac and Ethiopic versions: it is rendered νυν by [Theodoret ] But its meaning here seems not to be “” but “” or “” for this verse contains in part the same truth as the former. The style of Paul is often very like that of the Prophets, that is, the arrangement of his sentences is frequently on their model. In the Prophets, and also in the Psalms, we find often two distichs and sometimes two verses containing the same sentiment, only the latter distich states it differently, and adds something to it. See, for example, Psa_32:1. such is exactly the case here. “ by faith,” and “ grace in which we stand,” are the same. “ our Lord Jesus Christ” and “ whom we have access,” are identical in their import. The additional idea in the second verse is the last clause. That we may see how the whole corresponds with the Prophetic style, the two verses shall be presented in lines, —
1.Having then been justified by faith,
We have peace with God,
Through our Lord Jesus Christ;
2.Through whom we have had, yea, the access by faith
To this grace, in which we stand,
And exult in the hope of the glory of God.
The illative, then, is to be preferred to therefore, as it is an inference, not from a particular verse or a clause, but from what the Apostle had been teaching. By the phrase, “ glory of God,” is meant the glory which God bestows: it is, to use the words of Professor [Stuart ], “genitivus auctoris.”
The word “ ,” προσαγωγὴν has two meanings, — introduction (adductio) — and access (accessio.) The verb προσάγειν is used in 1Pe_3:18, in the sense of introducing, leading or bringing to. So Christ, as [Wolfius ] remarks, may be considered to be here represented as the introducer and reconciler, through whom believers come to God and hold intercourse with him. “” is the version of [Macknight ]; and [Doddridge ] has also adopted this idea. — Ed.