Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans John Calvin
John Calvin consider to be that, when Christ first began to be manifested to the world, and they think that those are called weak, who were like children under the tuition of the law. I apply the expression to every one of us, and I regard that time to be meant, which precedes the reconciliation of each one with God. For as we are all born the children of wrath, so we are kept under that curse until we become partakers of Christ. And he calls those weak, who have nothing in themselves but what is sinful; for he calls the same immediately afterwards ungodly. And it is nothing new, that weakness should be taken in this sense. He calls, in 1 Corinthians 12:22, the covered parts of the body weak; and, in 2 Corinthians 10:10, he designates his own bodily presence weak, because it had no dignity. And this meaning will soon again occur. When, therefore, we were weak, that is, when we were in no way worthy or fit that God should look on us, at this very time Christ died for the ungodly: for the beginning of religion is faith, from which they were all alienated, for whom Christ died. And this also is true as to the ancient fathers, who obtained righteousness before he died; for they derived this benefit from his future death. 159
7. For a just man, etc. The meaning of the passage has constrained me to render the particle {γὰρ} as an affirmative or declarative rather than as a causative. The import of the sentence is this, "Most rare, indeed, is such an example to be found among men, that one dies for a just man, though this may sometimes happen: but let this be granted, yet for an ungodly man none will be found willing to die: this is what Christ has done." 160 Thus it is an illustration, derived from a comparison; for such an example of kindness, as Christ has exhibited towards us, does not exist among men.
to be in some other passages); but it is fundamentally connected with the very nature of the argument." — Ed.
159Others, as well as Calvin, such as Chrysostom and Erasmus, have connected {κατὰ} {καιρὸν} with the preceding, and not with the following words. Pareus, who inclined to the same view, gives this explanation, — "He distinguishes the former from the present state, as though he said, 'We who are now justified by faith were formerly ungodly.' " Chrysostom refers to the time of the law, and considers the weakness here to be that of man under the law. This gives an emphatic meaning to "weak," which otherwise it seems not to have, and is countenanced by what is said in Romans 8:3, where the law is said to be weak, but weak on account of the weakness of the flesh. At the same time it must be observed, that most commentators, like Beza, connect these words, {κατὰ} {καιρὸν}, with the death of Christ, as having taken place "in due time," appointed by God, and pre-signified by the prophets, according to what is said in Galatians 4:4. — Ed.
160Calvin has omitted what is said of the "good" man; for whom, it is said, one would perhaps even dare to die. The "just," {δίκαιος}, is he who acts according to what justice requires, and according to what the Rabbins say, "What is mine is mine, and what is thine is thine," {{}ושלך{ }שלי{ שלי }שלך{:but the "good," }ἀγαθὸς}, is the kind, the benevolent, the beneficient, called {{טובin Hebrew; who is described by Cicero as one who does good to those to whom he can, (vir bonus est is, qui prodest quibus potest.) There is here an evident contrast between these words and those employed in Romans 5:6 and ,8 to designate the character of those for whom Christ died. The just, }δίκαιος}, is the opposite of the "ungodly," {ἀσέβης}; who, by not worshipping and honoring God, is guilty of injustice of the highest kind, and in this sense of being unjust it is found in Romans 4:5, where God is said to "justify the ungodly," that is, him who is unjust by withholding from God the homage which rightly belongs to him. Phavorinus gives {ἀθέμιτος}, unlawful, unjust, as one of its meanings. — What forms a contrast with "good" is sinner, {ἁμαρτωλός}, which often means wicked, mischievous, one given to vice and the doing of evil. Suidas describes {ἁμαρτωλοί} as those who determine to live in transgression, {οἱ} {παρανομίᾳ} {συζὢν} {προαιρούμενοι}; and Schleusner gives "scelestus — wicked," "flagitiosus — full of mischief," as being sometimes its meaning. But the description goes farther, for in Romans 5:10 the word "enemies {ἐχθροὶ}," is introduced in order to complete the character of those for whom Christ died. They were not only "ungodly," and therefore unjust towards God, and "wicked," given to all evils; but also "enemies," entertaining hatred to God, and carrying on war, as it were, against him. — Ed.