Romans 4:25Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Notice how the Apostle, after indicating the cause of His death, turns it into proof of the resurrection. Why was Christ crucified, you ask? Not for His own sin, as is clear from His resurrection. If He had been sinful, how would He have risen? But if He rose, it is clear that He was not sinful. And if He was not sinful, why was He crucified? For the sake of others. And if for others, then undoubtedly He also rose. Lest you object, “How can we be justified, being guilty of so many sins?” the Apostle pointed to Him who blotted out all sins. He did this to confirm his teaching on justification, both by Abraham's faith, through which he was justified, and by faith in the saving Passion, through which we were freed from sins. Speaking of Christ's death, he speaks also of the resurrection. Christ did not die in order to subject us to punishment and condemnation, but to benefit us. He both died and rose in order to make us righteous.

The Apostle said much in praise of Abraham, and someone might object: What is this to us? Therefore he states that this was written for us also. Faith will be accounted to us also as righteousness, if only we possess it, believing in Him who raised Jesus. If you doubt how you can be justified, then set before your soul Jesus, who blotted out all your sins. He died not for His own sin, but for the sin of the world. Since He died without having sin, He rightly rose. For how could He who had no sin be held in Hades? Therefore He died and rose for this purpose: to free us from sins and to make us righteous. As Abraham believed that his body, already deadened, would become fruitful, so you too must believe that Jesus died and rose. Then it will be accounted to you as righteousness, as it was to your forefather Abraham.

That the gift of justification in faith does not belong to Abraham alone, though the promise was given to him also, but extends as it were to all who have believed, wise Paul again confirms for us. To what I have just said he adds: “It was not written for his sake alone that it was accounted to him, but also for our sake. It will be accounted also to us who believe in Him who raised from the dead Jesus Christ our Lord, who was delivered up for our sins and raised for our justification.” Therefore the grace that justifies us through faith is a gift of heaven and mercy from above. Not only those descended from Abraham according to the flesh may be numbered among his children.

"And not only," he says, "for his sake was it written that it was accounted to him for righteousness, but also for" you, since it will be accounted to you for righteousness just as it was to him. For you have believed in Him "who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ, who was delivered up for our transgressions and raised for our justification."

Those baptized before the sufferings of Christ (cf. Mt 3:1-6; Mk 1:4-5; Lk 3:1-14; Jn 1:25) received only the forgiveness of their sins. But after the Resurrection, all who were baptized, both before and after, were justified through the establishment of faith in the Trinity, receiving the Holy Spirit. He is the sign for believers that they are sons of God (cf. Jn 20:21-22; Rom 8:14-16; Gal 4:6). By the Passion of the Savior, death, which had formerly reigned because of sin, was conquered. It will no longer dare to rule over those who have been justified.

For He endured suffering for our sins, in order to pay our debt and so that His resurrection might have as its consequence the universal resurrection of all. In Him we acquire the means of justification, and, being buried with Him in baptism, we receive forgiveness of sins. Thus, having shown the power of faith and revealed the gifts of grace, the Apostle turns his discourse to exhortation. He persuades us to care for active virtue. Since he had said that after the appearing of faith the law has no force, and had shown that the patriarch acquired righteousness from faith, he necessarily adds moral lessons. Otherwise those given over to sloth might turn this into a pretext for neglecting active virtue, since faith is sufficient for justification. He says, Rom 5:1: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Christ rose not for righteousness, but for our justification.

“But for us also.” The justification given to Abraham for faith must serve as a pattern for us. The history of Abraham, as father of believers, must be repeated in the history of believers. As he believed that God would give life to his deadened body, incapable of begetting children, so we must believe that God raised Jesus Christ in order to give Him a numerous offspring of believers. In both cases faith is founded on God's omnipotence. The Apostle everywhere presents the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the most important event of the New Testament. If He had not risen, He would not have communicated life-giving grace to us. Nor would He have become the new Adam, the founder of the new humanity.

The Apostle next sets forth, in the form of a dilemma, that Abraham could not have received the promise of being heir of the world except through the righteousness of faith. Indeed, this great promise could be received either by faith or by fulfilling the law. But “the law produces wrath, for where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith,” the Apostle concludes, “that it might be according to mercy” (Rom 4:15-16). By this very mercy the immutability of God's promise is secured for all “the descendants of Abraham according to faith, who is the father of us all” (Rom 4:16). Lest Abraham's faith seem to anyone a small feat, the Apostle reveals its whole greatness.

The Apostle's whole discourse about Abraham was given to show the meaning of faith in the salvation of all men. In Abraham's example of faith he found features that made him close to all believers. Thus, striking the arrogance of the Jews with their own weapon, the Apostle applies Abraham's beneficial example of faith to all Christians. He proclaims that all who believe in Christ will likewise receive justification through faith. Here the object of faith is more beneficial than there, for here men believe in Him who raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Jesus Christ died for our sins. Therefore His resurrection is clear proof of our salvation from sins. “Abraham believed in the power to give life to the deadness of his flesh, and that deadness came to life and bore fruit.

What was said before presents one outward likeness between us and Abraham. But we also have an inward likeness with him. He believed in Him who could bring to life the deadness of his flesh, and that deadness came to life and bore fruit. We too are dead in our sins. But we are united to the Lord by faith, and our deadness disappears. In its place true life is established. How is this accomplished? We believe in the crucified Lord, who nailed our sins to the Cross and by His wounds tore up the record of our iniquities, and we receive forgiveness of sins. We believe in Him who rose in the brightness and life-bearing power of divine-human life. We partake of His life, which illumines our sinful darkness with the brightness of righteousness and holiness.