The Active Obedience of Christ

Rom. 5, 18. 19 is a second passage which proves that the active obedience of Christ is on integral part of His vicarious satisfaction. The question here to be decided is whether the righteousness of Christ, His obedience, are terms describing that one righteous act, that one set of obedience by which Christ submitted to death according to the will of God, or whether they describe His entire obedience, His righteous life in general, His universal compliance with the Law. They would have to bear the former meaning if the proposition is true that salvation was accomplished exclusively by the death of Christ. But the words of the apostle refuse to bear such an interpretation. He is using the term righteousness, rectitude of behavior, compliance with law, without any limitations. There is no doubt what righteousness means Rev. 19, 8. Nobody would think of restricting it to the patience of the saints in suffering. So also here (Rom. 5, 1&\u27. 19) the words are used in their absolute sense. Nothing in the test justifies Thayer to interpret ένόζ διχαιωμα: the righteous act of One (Christ) in His giving Himself up to death. Surely, Christ thereby proved Himself obedient. But by what right is the obedience, the righteousness of Christ in general, excluded? Righteousness means conformity with the Law. And thus the exactness of the parallel between Adam, the type, and Christ, the Antitype, is preserved. The offense, the transgression of the Law on the part of Adam, brought ruin; the righteousness, the fulfilment of the Law on the part of Christ, brought salvation