For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
For as by [`the'] one man's disobedience [`the'] many were made, х katestatheesan (G2525)] - 'constituted? or 'held to be,' Sinners; so by the obedience of [`the'] one shall [`the'] many be made, [ katastatheesontai (G2525 )] righteous, х parakoee (G3876) ... hupakoee (G5218). The latter word doubtless here suggested the use of the former-here only in this section-to contrast with it.] On this great verse observe, first, that by the "obedience" of Christ here is plainly meant more than what divines calls His active obedience, as distinguished from His sufferings and death; it is the entire work of Christ in its obediential character. Our Lord Himself represents even His death as His great act of obedience to the Father: "This commandment (i:e., to lay down and resume His life) have I received of my Father" (John 10:18).
Second, The significant word х kathisteemi (G2525)] twice here rendered "made," does not signify to 'work a change upon' a person or thing, but to 'establish,' 'constitute,' or 'ordain,' as will be seen from all the places where it is used. Here, accordingly, it is intended to express that judicial act which holds men, in virtue of their connection with Adam, as sinners; and in connection with Christ, as righteous.
Third, The change of tense from the past to the future-`as through Adam we were made sinners, so through Christ we shall be made righteous'-delightfully expresses the enduring character of the act, and of the economy to which such acts belong, in contrast with the ruin, forever past, of believers in Adam. (See the note at Romans 6:5.)
Fourth, The "all men" of Romans 5:18, and the "many" of Romans 5:19, are the same party, though under a slightly different aspect. In the latter case the contrast is between the one representative (Adam-Christ) and the many whom he represented; in the former case, it is between the one head (Adam-Christ) and the race, affected for death and life respectively by the actings of that one. Only in this latter case (as Meyer here clearly recognizes) it is the redeemed family of man that is alone in view; it is Humanity as actually lost, but also as actually saved-as ruined and recovered. Such as refuse to fall in with the high purpose of God to constitute His Son a 'second Adam,' the Head of a new race-and so, as impenitent and unbelieving, finally perish-have no place in this section of the Epistle, whose sole object is to show how God repairs in the Second Adam the evil done by the First.
Thus the doctrine of universal restoration has no place here. Thus, too, the forced interpretation (of a great many expositors, as Alford) by which the 'justification of all' is made to mean a justification merely in possibility and offer to all, and the 'justification of the many' to mean the actual justification of as many as believe, is completely avoided. And thus, finally, the harshness of comparing a whole fallen family with a recovered part is gotten rid of. However true it be in fact that part of mankind are not saved, this is not the aspect in which the subject is here presented. It is totals that are compared and contrasted; and it is the same total in two successive conditions-namely, the human race as ruined in Adam and recovered in Christ.
Fifth: But if the whole purposes of God toward men center in Adam and Christ, where does the Law come in, and what was its use? It was given to reveal more fully the Ruin that came by the one and the Recovery brought in by the other (Romans 5:20-21)