JVho was a figure of him that was to covie. The word translated figure means properly a print., or impression of any thing, John 20 : 25, where it is used of the print of the nails ; then more generally an image, model, likeness, type. The simple meaning, is that Adam was like Christ. Him that luas to come, i. e. the Messiah, who is called the second Adam, 1 Cor. 15 : 45 ; and from the fact that he had been long expected, "He that was to come," Matt. 11 : 3. The point of resem- blance between Adam and Christ is to be gathered from the context. It is this : each stood as the head and representative of all connected with them. By the offence of the one all connected with him are subject to death ; and by the righteousness of the other all connected with him are justified and saved.
As Paul commenced this section with the design of instituting this comparison between Christ and Adam, and interrupted himself to prove, in vs. 13, 14, that Adam was really the representative of his race, or that all men are subject to death for his offence ; and having, at the close of V. 14, announced the fact of this resemblance, by calling Adam a type of Christ, he again stops to limit and explain this declaration, by point- ing out the real nature of the analogy. This he does principally by showing, in verses 15, 16, 17, the particulars in which the comparison does not hold. And in vs. 18, 19, which are a resumption of the senti- ment of V. 12, he states the grand point of their agreement.
(15) £ut not as the offence, so also is the free gift. The cases, al- though parallel, are not precisely alike. In the first place, it is far more consistent with our views of the character of God that many should be benefited by the merit of one man, than that they should suffer for the sin of one. If the latter has happened, much more may we expect the former to occur. The attentive reader of this passage will perceive con- stantly increasing evidence that the design of the apostle is, not to show that the blessings procured by Christ are greater than the evils caused by Adam ; but to illustrate and confirm the prominent doctrine of the epistle, that we are justified on the ground of the righteousness of Christ. This is obvious from the sentiment of this verse, ' If we die for the sin of Adam, much more may we live through the righteousness of Christ.'
The expression but not as the offence, so also is the free gift, is sin- gularly concise and by itself obscure. But viewed in the light of the context, it is sufficiently plain. The offence includes not only the idea of the sin, but of the punishment of Adam; and they-ee gift is not only the righteousness of Christ, considered as a gracious gift of God, but also its reward. The former, therefore, is equivalent to the word fail ,- and the latter to its opposite, gracious restoration. The context shows this to be the full meaning of the words. As, however, the sin is the most prominent idea in the one phrase, and the righteousness in the other, these alone seem to be intended in the next clause, their consequences being left out of view.
For if through the offence of one many be dead, that is, if on account