ACC ~ Romans 5 v17

WHERE DEATH REIGNED, ABUNDANT GRACE REIGNS. ORIGEN: Not only will death cease to reign in those who receive the abundance of grace, but two additional benefits will be given to them. First, Christ will reign in them by his life, and second, they will reign along with Christ. … It must be noted that Paul speaks of the abundance of grace, because it is not possible for someone who has received only one grace, i.e., who has pleased God in only one thing, to enter the kingdom of heaven. … Grace is multiplied and abounds if our conversation is always seasoned with salt and our work is done with the grace of humility and simplicity, and if all that we do is done to the glory of God.COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

HOW MUCH MORE WILL GRACE REIGN. AMBROSIASTER: Paul says that death reigned, not that it is now reigning. Those who understand the limits of the law—what the future judgment of God will be—have been delivered from its control. Death reigned, because without the revelation of the law there was no fear of God on earth. But the higher meaning is that, since death reigned from Adam to Moses over those who sinned according to the transgression of Adam, how much more will grace reign by the abundance of God’s gift of life through the one Jesus Christ. For if death reigned, why should grace not reign even more, since it has justified far more people than the number over whom death reigned? COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

NO TRACE OF DEATH. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul speaks of an abundance of grace to show that what we have received is not just a medicine sufficient to heal the wound of sin, but also health and beauty and honor, and glory and dignity far transcending our natural state. Each of these in itself would have been enough to do away with death, but when they are all put together in one there is not a trace of death left, nor can any shadow of it be seen, so entirely has it been done away with. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 10.

GRACE RECEIVED IN PART, AWAITING FULLNESS. THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: Paul shows just how superior grace is to sin, because while death, which came into the world by the sin of Adam, held full sway, the enjoyment of the gift of grace through Christ has been given to us, through which we shall be raised from the dead and in righteousness cease to sin. But we have not yet received it fully; it does not yet hold full sway. We are still waiting for the life to come, even though we now enjoy it in part. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

AUGUSTINE: “Much more will those reign” pertains to eternal life; “those who receive the abundance of grace” pertains to the forgiveness of many sins. AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 29.

PELAGIUS: Righteousness is given through baptism and is not gained by merit. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

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