SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:29
¶ Porque a los que antes conoci, tambin les seal desde antes el camino para que fuesen hechos conformes a la imagen de su Hijo, para que l sea el Primognito entre muchos hermanos;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 8:29
Verse 29. For whom he did foreknow, &c.] "In this and the following verse the apostle shows how our calling is an argument that all things work together to advance our eternal happiness, by showing the several steps which the wisdom and goodness of God have settled, in order to complete our salvation. In order to this he first gives us, in this verse, the foundation and finishing, or the beginning and end, of the scheme of our redemption: For whom God did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. To foreknow, here signifies to design before, or at the first forming of the scheme; to bestow the favour and privilege of being God's people upon any set of men, Romans xi. 2. This is the foundation or first step of our salvation; namely, the purpose and grace of God, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began, 2 Tim. i. 9. Then, he knew or favoured us; for in this sense the word to know is taken in a great variety of places, both in the Old and New Testaments. And as he knew the GENTILES then, when the scheme was laid, and before any part of it was executed, consequently, in reference to the execution of this scheme, he foreknew us. This is the first step of our salvation, and the end or finishing of it is our conformity to the Son of God in eternal glory, ver. 17, which includes and supposes our moral conformity to him.
When God knew us, at the forming of the Gospel scheme; or, when he intended to bestow on us the privilege of being his people; he then destinated or designed us to be conformed to the image of his Son; and, as he destinated or determined us then to this very high honour and happiness, he pre- destinated, fore-ordained, or pre-determined us to it. Thus we are to understand the foundation and finishing of the scheme of our salvation.
The foundation is the foreknowledge, or gracious purpose of God; the finishing is our being joint heirs with Christ. Now, our calling or invitation (see on ver. 28) stands in connection with both these. 1. It stands in connection with God's foreknowledge; and so it is a true and valid calling: for we are called, invited, or chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, who may bestow his blessings upon any people, as may seem good in his sight, 1 Pet. i. 2; consequently, we have a good title to the blessings of the Gospel to which we are called or invited. And this was to be proved, that the Jew, to whom the apostle particularly wrote, might see that the Gentiles being now called into the Church of God was not an accidental thing, but a matter which God had determined when he conceived the Gospel scheme. Thus our calling is connected with God's foreknowledge. 2. It stands also in connection with our being conformed to the image of his Son; for we are invited by the Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thess. ii. 14. And therefore, supposing, what the apostle supposes, that we love God, it is certain, from our being called, that we shall be glorified with the sons of God; and so our calling proves the point, that all things should work together for our good in our present state, because it proves that we are intended for eternal glory; as he shows in the next verse. For we must understand his foreknowing, predestinating, calling, and justifying, in relation to his glorifying; and that none are finally glorified, but those who, according to his purpose, are conformed to the image of his Son." Taylor.
The first-born among many brethren.] That he might be the chief or head of all the redeemed; for HIS human nature is the first fruits of the resurrection from the dead; and He is the first human being that, after having passed through death, was raised to eternal glory. See Dr. Taylor.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 29. For whom he did foreknow , etc..] The foreknowledge of God here, does not intend his prescience of all things future; by which he foreknows and foretells things to come, and which distinguishes him from all other gods; and is so called, not with respect to himself, with whom all things are present, but with respect to us, and which is eternal, universal, certain, and infallible; for in this sense he foreknows all men, and if this was the meaning here, then all men would be predestinated, conformed to the image of Christ, called by grace, justified and glorified; whereas they are a special people, whom God has foreknown: nor is this foreknowledge to be understood of any provision or foresight of the good works, holiness, faith, and perseverance of men therein, upon which God predestinates them to happiness; since this would make something out of God, and not his good pleasure, the cause of predestination; which was done before, and without any consideration of good or evil, and is entirely owing to the free grace of God, and is the ground and foundation of good works, faith, holiness, and perseverance in them: but this regards the everlasting love of God to his own people, his delight in them, and approbation of them; in this sense he knew them, he foreknew them from everlasting, affectionately loved them, and took infinite delight and pleasure in them; and this is the foundation of their predestination and election, of their conformity to Christ, of their calling, justification, and glorification: for these he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son ; having perfect, distinct, special knowledge of them, joined with love to them, he predetermined, or fore-appointed them in his eternal mind, in his everlasting and unchangeable purposes and decrees to this end, conformity to the image of Christ; which is not to be understood of the Spirit of Christ: God's elect indeed are chosen to be holy, and through sanctification of the Spirit, but are never said to be conformed, made like to the Spirit, nor is the Spirit ever called the image of Christ; but this designs either likeness to Christ as the Son of God, or conformity to him in his human nature. There is indeed a great disparity between the sonship of Christ, and of the saints; he is the eternal and natural Son of God, he is the one and only begotten Son, they are adopted ones, yet in some things there is a likeness; as he is the Son of God, so are they the sons of God, though not in the same sense; as he is a beloved Son, so are they; as he is the firstborn with respect them, they are the firstborn with respect to angels; as he has an inheritance, so have they; moreover, he has a very great concern in their sonship; the predestination of them to it is by him; the blessing itself is founded on union to him, on their conjugal relation to him, and his assumption of their nature; it comes to them through his redemption, and is actually bestowed on them by him; and this conformity to Christ as sons, will mere fully appear hereafter, when they shall be like him, and see him as he is: or this may be understood of the saints' conformity to Christ in his human nature, both here and hereafter: here in holiness; the image of God was in in his first creation, this is defaced by sin; and in regeneration, the image of Christ is stamped, his grace is wrought in them, his Spirit is put into them, to enable them to walk in him, and after him: this will be complete hereafter, and will consist in perfect holiness, being freed from the very being, as well as the power and guilt of sin; in perfect knowledge of everything that will tend to their happiness; and in glory like to Christ, both in soul and body: that he might be the firstborn among many brethren ; the persons among whom Christ is the firstborn are described by their relation, brethren; to one another, being related to the same Father, regenerated by the same grace, taken into the same family, and heirs of the same glory; and to Christ, which relation, as brethren to him, is not merely founded on his incarnation, but in their adoption; and which is evidenced by their regeneration, and doing the will of his Father; an which relation he owns, and is not ashamed of: they are also described by their number, many; for though they are but few, when compared with the world; yet they are many, a large number, considered by themselves; and among these, Christ is the firstborn; he is the firstborn of God, the begotten of the Father, he is the first begotten, and as such he is the only begotten; he is the firstborn of Mary, she had none before him, and he is the only one that ever was born in the manner he was; he is the first begotten from the dead, his resurrection is called a begetting, and he was the first in time that rose from the dead by his own power, and to an immortal life, and the first in causality and dignity. Christ is the firstborn with respect to all creatures in general; he was begotten of the Father before all creatures were; he is the first cause of them all, the governor, basis, and support of them: and he is the firstborn with respect to the saints; who are of the same nature with him, are made partakers of the divine nature, are sons in the same family, though not in the same class of sonship: moreover, this character may regard not so much birth as privilege which belongs to Christ as Mediator; who, as the firstborn had, has the blessing, the government, the priesthood, and the inheritance; all which is owing to, and is one end of divine predestination. The Cabalistic writers among the Jews give the name of firstborn to the second Sephira, number, or person, Wisdom, which answers to the Son of God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 28-31 - That is good for the saints which does their souls good. Ever providence tends to the spiritual good of those that love God; i breaking them off from sin, bringing them nearer to God, weaning the from the world, and fitting them for heaven. When the saints act out of character, corrections will be employed to bring them back again. An here is the order of the causes of our salvation, a golden chain, on which cannot be broken. 1. Whom he did foreknow, he also di predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. All that God designed for glory and happiness as the end, he decreed to grace an holiness as the way. The whole human race deserved destruction; but for reasons not perfectly known to us, God determined to recover some by regeneration and the power of his grace. He predestinated, or befor decreed, that they should be conformed to the image of his Son. In thi life they are in part renewed, and walk in his steps. 2. Whom he di predestinate, them he also called. It is an effectual call, from sel and earth to God, and Christ, and heaven, as our end; from sin an vanity to grace and holiness, as our way. This is the gospel call. The love of God, ruling in the hearts of those who once were enemies to him, proves that they have been called according to his purpose. 3 Whom he called, them he also justified. None are thus justified but those that are effectually called. Those who stand out against the gospel call, abide under guilt and wrath. 4. Whom he justified, them he also glorified. The power of corruption being broken in effectua calling, and the guilt of sin removed in justification, nothing can come between that soul and glory. This encourages our faith and hope for, as for God, his way, his work, is perfect. The apostle speaks a one amazed, and swallowed up in admiration, wondering at the height an depth, and length and breadth, of the love of Christ, which passet knowledge. The more we know of other things, the less we wonder; but the further we are led into gospel mysteries, the more we are affecte by them. While God is for us, and we keep in his love, we may with holy boldness defy all the powers of darkness.
Greek Textus Receptus
οτι 3754 CONJ ους 3739 R-APM προεγνω 4267 5656 V-AAI-3S και 2532 CONJ προωρισεν 4309 5656 V-AAI-3S συμμορφους 4832 A-APM της 3588 T-GSF εικονος 1504 N-GSF του 3588 T-GSM υιου 5207 N-GSM αυτου 846 P-GSM εις 1519 PREP το 3588 T-ASN ειναι 1511 5750 V-PXN αυτον 846 P-ASM πρωτοτοκον 4416 A-ASM εν 1722 PREP πολλοις 4183 A-DPM αδελφοις 80 N-DPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
29. Did foreknow (proegnw). Five times in the New Testament. In all cases it means foreknow. Acts. xxvi. 5; 1 Pet. i. 20; 2 Pet. iii. 17; Romans xi. 2. It does not mean foreordain. It signifies prescience, not preelection. "It is God's being aware in His plan, by means of which, before the subjects are destined by Him to salvation, He knows whom He has to destine thereto" (Meyer). 46 It is to be remarked: 1. That proegnw foreknew is used by the apostle as distinct and different from predestinated (prowrisen).
2. That, strictly speaking, it is coordinate with foreordained. "In God is no before." All the past, present, and future are simultaneously present to Him. In presenting the two phases, the operation of God's knowledge and of His decretory will, the succession of time is introduced, not as metaphysically true, but in concession to human limitations of thought. Hence the coordinating force of kai also.
3. That a predetermination of God is clearly stated as accompanying or (humanly speaking) succeeding, and grounded upon the foreknowledge.
4. That this predetermination is to the end of conformity to the image of the Son of God, and that this is the vital point of the passage.
5. That, therefore, the relation between foreknowledge and predestination is incidental, and is not contemplated as a special point of discussion. God's foreknowledge and His decree are alike aimed at holy character and final salvation.
"O thou predestination, how remote Thy root is from the aspect of all those Who the First Cause do not behold entire! And you, O mortals! hold yourselves restrained In judging; for ourselves, who look on God, We do not known as yet all the elect; And sweet to us is such a deprivation, Because our good in this good is made perfect, That whatsoe'er God wills, we also will" DANTE, "Paradiso," xx., 130-138.
To be conformed (summorfouv). With an inner and essential conformity. See on transfigured, Matt. xvii. 2.
To the image (thv eikonov). See on ch. i. 23. In all respects, sufferings and moral character no less than glory. Compare vers. 18, 28, 31, and see Philip. iii. 21; 1 Cor. xv. 49; 2 Cor. iii. 18; 1 John iii. 2, 3. "There is another kind of life of which science as yet has taken little cognizance. It obeys the same laws. It builds up an organism into its own form. It is the Christ-life. As the bird-life builds up a bird, the image of itself, so the Christ-life builds up a Christ, the image of Himself, in the inward nature of man.... According to the great law of conformity to type, this fashioning takes a specific form. It is that of the Artist who fashions. And all through life this wonderful, mystical, glorious, yet perfectly definite process goes on 'until Christ be formed' in it" (Drummond, "Natural Law in the Spiritual World").
First-born (prwtotokon). See on Apoc. i. 5. Compare Colossians i. 15, 18, note.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
8:29 {Foreknew} (proegn"). Second aorist active indicative of proginwskw, old verb as in #Ac 26:5. See #Ps 1:6 (LXX) and #Mt 7:23. this fore-knowledge and choice is placed in eternity in #Eph 1:4. {He foreordained} (prowrisen). First aorist active indicative of proorizw, late verb to appoint beforehand as in #Ac 4:28; 1Co 2:7. Another compound with pro- (for eternity). {Conformed to the image} (summorphous ts eikonos). Late adjective from sun and morfe and so an inward and not merely superficial conformity. eikwn is used of Christ as the very image of the Father (#2Co 4:4; Col 1:15). See #Php 2:6f. for morfe. Here we have both morfe and eikwn to express the gradual change in us till we acquire the likeness of Christ the Son of God so that we ourselves shall ultimately have the family likeness of sons of God. Glorious destiny. {That he might be} (eis to einai auton). Common idiom for purpose. {First born among many brethren} (pr"totokon en pollois adelphois). Christ is "first born" of all creation (#Col 1:15), but here he is "first born from the dead" (#Col 1:18), the Eldest Brother in this family of God's sons, though "Son" in a sense not true of us.
