Big Idea: Paul presents another new-covenant blessing: Christians are part of the new humanity created by Christ, the last Adam. Sin and death, instigated by the old-covenant law, began with the fall of the first Adam. This is the curse of the covenant. But Christ has undone the consequences of Adam’s sin by obeying God and thereby creating the new humanity.

Understanding the Text

Romans 5:12–21 continues the theme begun in 5:1–11: the blessings of the new covenant have replaced the ineffective old covenant. The blessings specified in 5:1–11 are peace, hope, and love. Here in 5:12–21 the new-covenant blessing is the new humanity in Christ, the last Adam. Romans 5:12–21 divides into two units: verses 12–14 and verses 15–21. Verses 12–14 relate how it is that the world became the enemy of …