Verse 24, 25. “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness.”See by how many proofs he makes good what was said. First, from the worthiness of the person, for it is not a man who doeth these things, that
He should be too weak for it, but God all-powerful. For it is to God, he
says, that the righteousness belongs. Again, from the Law and the
Prophets. For you need not be afraid at hearing the “without the Law,”
inasmuch as the Law itself approves this. Thirdly, from the sacrifices
under the old dispensation. For it was on this ground that he said, “In His
blood,” to call to their minds those sheep and calves. For if the sacrifices
of things without reason, he means, cleared from sin, much more would
this blood. And he does not say barely λυτρώσεως, but ἀπολυτρώσεως
entire redemption, to show that we should come no more into such
slavery. And for this same reason he calls it a propitiation, to show that if
the type had such force, much more would the reality display the same.
But to show again that it was no novel thing or recent, he says, “foreordained”
(Auth. Version marg.); and by saying God “fore-ordained,” and
showing that the good deed is the Father’s, he showeth it to be the Son’s
also. For the Father “fore-ordained,” but Christ in His own blood wrought
the whole aright.
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“To declare His righteousness.” What is declaring of righteousness? Like
the declaring of His riches, not only for Him to be rich Himself, but also to
make others rich, or of life, not only that He is Himself living, but also that
He makes the dead to live; and of His power, not only that He is Himself
powerful, but also that He makes the feeble powerful. So also is the
declaring of His righteousness not only that He is Himself righteous, but
that He doth also make them that are filled with the putrefying sores
(katasape>ntav) of sin suddenly righteous. And it is to explain this, viz.
what is “declaring,” that he has added, “That He might be just, and the
justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Doubt not then: for it is not of
works, but of faith: and shun not the righteousness of God, for it is a
blessing in two ways; because it is easy, and also open to all men. And be
not abashed and shamefaced. For if He Himself openly declareth
(ejndei>knutai) Himself to do so, and He, so to say, findeth a delight and a
pride therein, how comest thou to be dejected and to hide thy face at what
thy Master glorieth in?