Romans 5:15,16 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

But not as the offence, &c. The apostle now describes the difference between Adam and Christ, and that much more directly and expressly than the agreement between them. Now, the fall and the free gift differ, 1st, In amplitude, Romans 5:15; Romans 2 d, He, from whom sin came, and He from whom the free gift came, (termed also the gift of righteousness,) differ in power, Romans 5:16; Romans 3 d, The reason of both is subjoined, Romans 5:17; Romans 4 th, This premised, the offence and the free gift are compared with regard to their effect, Romans 5:18. And with regard to their cause, Romans 5:19. Not as the offence The sin of Adam, and the misery that follows upon it; so also is the free gift The benefit that arises to us from the obedience of Christ; that is, there is not a perfect equality and proportion between the evil that comes through Adam, and the benefit that comes by Christ: they are not equal in their influence and efficacy. For if through the offence of one many be dead If the transgression of one mere man was effectual to bring down death, condemnation, and wrath upon all his posterity, or natural seed; much more the grace of God His love and favour; and the gift The salvation; by grace, which is by one man Who, however, is God as well as man; even Jesus Christ The divinely-commissioned and anointed Saviour; hath abounded unto many Is more abundantly efficacious to procure reconciliation, pardon, righteousness, and life, for all that will accept them, and become his spiritual seed. The apostle's design here is to compare Adam's sin and Christ's obedience, in respect of their virtue and efficacy, and to show that the efficacy of Christ's obedience must needs be much more abundant than that of Adam's sin. And not, &c. As there is a difference in respect of the persons from whom these effects are derived, and the advantage is on the side of Christ; so there is a difference also in respect of the extent of the efficacy of their acts: thus, one sin brought condemnation; the mischief arose from one offence: here not only that one sin, but also many sins, yea, all the sins of believers, are pardoned, and their nature is renewed: so that the benefit exceeds the mischief. For the judgment The guilt which exposed to judgment; was by one Namely, by one offence; to Adam's condemnation Occasioning the sentence of death to be passed upon him, which, by consequence, overwhelmed his posterity: but the free gift To χαρισμα, the gift of grace, is of many offences Extends to the pardon not only of that original sin, but of all other personal and actual sins; unto justification Unto the purchasing of it for all men, notwithstanding their many offences, and the conferring of it upon all the truly penitent that believe in Christ.