Romans 5:19

Disobedience. Greek parakoe, literally, “a hearing amiss.” The word occurs only twice elsewhere in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 10:6; Hebrews 2:2). The verb “to disobey” (parakouo), occurs in Matthew 18:17 and is translated “neglect to hear.” The suggestion of carelessness implied in this word may point out the first step in Adam’s fall.

Many. Literally, “the many” (see on verse 15).

Were made. Greek kathistemi. In Titus 1:5 kathistemi is used in the sense of “to appoint,” that is, to an office or position (KJV, “ordain”). This is the most common usage in the New Testament (see Matthew 24:45; Acts 6:3; 7:10; Hebrews 5:1). The basic meaning is “to set down,” and the word is used in classical Greek with the meaning, “to bring to,” such as a ship to land or a person to another person or to some place. This is its meaning in Acts 17:15. From this comes the meaning “to set down as,” “to make to be,” “to constitute.”

In what sense were men constituted sinners by Adam’s disobedience? The parallelism suggests that they were constituted sinners by Adam’s transgression in a way similar to which they are constituted righteous by the obedience of Christ. Since the emphasis in this context is on justification rather than sanctification (Romans 5:16, 18), Paul’s primary emphasis seems to be that men are constituted righteous by the results of Christ’s redeeming act apart from their own personal efforts (see on chapter 3:28). Likewise, as a result of Adam’s disobedience they became sinners (see on Romans 5:12-14).

However, this thought cannot be separated from the fact that just as Adam’s disobedience resulted in his descendants living lives of transgression (verse 16), so the obedience of Christ results in lives of obedience on the part of all those who live in union with Him by faith. This is Paul’s emphasis in chapter 6.

Obedience. Greek hupakoe. The idea of this word is “submission to what one hears.” Contrast the word for “disobedience” (parakoe), “a neglecting to hear,” or “a refusing to hear” (see above under “disobedience”). For the obedience of Christ see on verse 18.