Peace with God, access into grace, and the hope that does not disappoint (Romans 5:1–5)

Uncertain The text of 5:1. This commentary keeps SBLGNT's ἔχομεν, "we have peace," at low confidence (var.Rom.5.1.echomen). The external evidence favors ἔχωμεν, "let us have peace": ℵ* A B* C D, the early versions, and most Fathers. The indicative is kept on internal grounds: the perfects of 5:2 and the reconciliation received in 5:10–11 describe a present standing, and the two vowels were easily confused. On either reading the peace rests on being justified (note.language.Rom.5.1-Rom.5.5.echomen-kauchometha-agape).

Says Through Christ "we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God" (5:2, BSB). ἐσχήκαμεν and ἑστήκαμεν are perfects: access gained and a standing held (lex.G4318; lex.G1515). The verdict is ἐκ πίστεως; faith as the means, not the ground, is treated in note.language.Rom.4.2-Rom.4.5.logizomai-misthos.

Uncertain The mood of καυχώμεθα in 5:2–3, whose indicative and subjunctive forms are the same. This commentary follows the Greek note's lean to the indicative, "we rejoice" (BSB), which matches the participle of 5:11; the alternative is "let us rejoice," matching ἔχωμεν (lex.G2744). The rejoicing in hope stands against the boasting excluded in 3:27 (note.exegetical.Rom.3.27-Rom.3.31.boasting-excluded).

Says Believers "also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope" (5:3–4, BSB). The chain runs θλῖψις, ὑπομονή, δοκιμή, ἐλπίς (lex.G2347; lex.G5281; lex.G1382; lex.G1680), and "hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us" (5:5, BSB). On a possible echo of Ps 22:5 in οὐ καταισχύνει, see xref.Rom.5.5.Ps.22.5.heb.

Uncertain ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ in 5:5. This commentary follows the Greek note's lean to God's love for us: 5:8 restates it as τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην εἰς ἡμᾶς, 8:39 uses the phrase of God's love, and the hope rests on what God gives (lex.G26). The alternative is our love for God, poured into our hearts by the Spirit, as Augustine read it (src.npnf1-augustine-spirit-letter), on the grounds of "in our hearts" and 8:28.