rwp - Romans:5:1-2

rwp@Romans:5:1 @{Being therefore justified by faith} (\dikaithentes oun ek pistes\). First aorist passive participle of \dikaio\, to set right and expressing antecedent action to the verb \echmen\. The \oun\ refers to the preceding conclusive argument (chapters 1 to 4) that this is done by faith. {Let us have peace with God} (\eirnn echmen pros ton theon\). This is the correct text beyond a doubt, the present active subjunctive, not \echomen\ (present active indicative) of the Textus Receptus which even the American Standard Bible accepts. It is curious how perverse many real scholars have been on this word and phrase here. Godet, for instance. Vincent says that "it is difficult if not impossible to explain it." One has only to observe the force of the _tense_ to see Paul's meaning clearly. The mode is the volitive subjunctive and the present tense expresses linear action and so does not mean "make peace" as the ingressive aorist subjunctive \eirnn schmen\ would mean. A good example of \schmen\ occurs in strkjv@Matthew:21:38| (\schmen tn klronomian autou\) where it means: "Let us get hold of his inheritance." Here \eirnn echmen\ can only mean: "Let us enjoy peace with God" or "Let us retain peace with God." We have in strkjv@Acts:9:31| \eichen eirnn\ (imperfect and so linear), the church "enjoyed peace," not "made peace." The preceding justification (\dikaithentes\) "made peace with God." Observe \pros\ (face to face) with \ton theon\ and \dia\ (intermediate agent) with \tou kuriou\.

rwp@Romans:5:2 @{We have had} (\eschkamen\). Perfect active indicative of \ech\ (same verb as \echmen\), still have it. {Our access} (\ten prosaggn\). Old word from \prosag\, to bring to, to introduce. Hence "introduction," "approach." Elsewhere in N.T. only strkjv@Ephesians:2:18; strkjv@3:12|. {Wherein we stand} (\en hi hestkamen\). Perfect active (intransitive) indicative of \histmi\. Grace is here present as a field into which we have been introduced and where we stand and we should enjoy all the privileges of this grace about us. {Let us rejoice} (\kauchmetha\). "Let us exult." Present middle subjunctive (volitive) because \echmen\ is accepted as correct. The exhortation is that we keep on enjoying peace with God and keep on exulting in hope of the glory of God.