Theme: The "living death" of sin

Exegetical note
Paul's juridical paralleling of Adam and Jesus is one of contrasts: the former's trespass (disobedience) brought condemnation and death to all under the Law; the latter's righteousness (obedience) brought them acquittal and life under grace. The point here is neither to blame Adam for death (see the "because" clause in v. 15) nor to treat physical death as a punishment, but to underscore the "living death" of being estranged from God that everyone's sin (like Adam's) causes.

Call to …