Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans John Calvin (continued)
Commentary on Romans foundation being laid, Christians may very suitably be exhorted to strive to respond to their calling. Farther, it is not to the point to say, that this power is not apparent in all the baptized; for Paul, according to his usual manner, where he speaks of the faithful, connects the reality and the effect with the outward sign; for we know that whatever the Lord offers by the visible symbol is confirmed and ratified by their faith. In short, he teaches what is the real character of baptism when rightly received. So he testifies to the Galatians, that all who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:27.) Thus indeed must we speak, as long as the institution of the Lord and the faith of the godly unite together; for we never have naked and empty symbols, except when our ingratitude and wickedness hinder the working of divine beneficence. 185
By the glory of the Father, that is, by that illustrious power by which he exhibited himself as really glorious, and as it were manifested the greatness of his glory. Thus often is the power of God, which was exercised in the resurrection of Christ, set forth in Scripture in sublime terms, and not without reason; for it is of great importance, that by so explicit a record of the ineffable power of God, not only faith in the last resurrection, which far exceeds the perception of the flesh, but also as to other benefits which we receive from the resurrection of Christ, should be highly commended to us. 186
Romans 6:5-6
Romans 6:5-6
5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
5. Nam si insititii facti sumus similitudini mortis ejus, nimirum et resurrectionis participes erimus:
6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
6. Illud scientes, quod vetus noster homo simul cum ipso crucifixus est. ut aboleretur corpus peccati, ut non ultra serviamus peccato.
185That the mode of baptism, immersion, is intimated by "buried," has been thought by most, by Chrysostom, Augustine, Hammond, Pareus, Mede, Grotius, Doddridge, Chalmers, and others; while some, such as Scott, Stuart, and Hodge, do not consider this as necessarily intended, the word "buried" having been adopted to express more fully what is meant by being "dead," and there being another word, "planted," used to convey the same idea, which cannot be applied to the rite of baptism. "Buried with him," means buried like him, or in like manner; and so "crucified with him," in Romans 6:6, is the same: {συν} prefixed to verbs, has clearly this meaning. See Romans 8:17; Colossians 3:1; 2 Timothy 2:11. "Into death" is not to be connected with "planted," but with "baptism," it was "a baptism into death,' that is, which represented death, even death unto sin. — Ed.
186Beza takes {διὰ}, by, before "glory," in the sense of {εἰς}, to, "to the glory of the Father;" but this is unusual. It seems to be a metonymy, the effect for the cause: it was done by power which manifested and redounded to the glory of God. The word "glory, {δόξα}, is used for power in John 11:40. The Hebrew word, {{עוזstrength, power, is sometimes rendered }δόξα} by the Septuagint; see Psalm 68:34; Isaiah 12:2; 45:24. God's power is often expressly mentioned in connection with the resurrection; See 1 Corinthians 6:14, 2 Corinthians 13:4; Colossians 1:11. — Ed.