Was Jesus Raised "because Of" Our Justification? Romans 4:25

Paul in Romans 4:25 claims regarding Jesus that he “was delivered over because of our transgressions [4:25a], and was raised because of our justification [4:25b]” (NASB: italics mine). Another version states that it was the Lord Jesus “who was handed over for our trespasses (4:25a] and was raised for our justification [4:25b]” (NRSVue: italics mine).

These two translations represent the typical ways Bible versions often translate this verse. The readers of these translations normally do not have a problem understanding the first part of the verse (Rom 4:25a). They could understand that God surrendered Jesus over to be crucified “for” or “because” of our sins.

These words (“for” and “because”) normally are translated from the preposition dia (διά) when joined with the accusative case,* as in this verse. The translation aids the meaning that humanity’s transgressions are the reason Jesus went to the cross. Jesus’s sacrificial and atoning death forgives human sins and saves people from divine punishment. This probably alludes to Isaiah 53:5: “but he was wounded for our acts of lawlessness, and he was weakened for our sins; the chastisement of our peace was on him; by his wound we were healed” (LXX). Isaiah 53 refers to the Suffering Servant, which early Christians interpreted as predicting Jesus’s suffering.

A problem, however, comes up when the same readers read the second half of the verse in Rom 4:25b. How is it that Jesus was raised again from the dead “because of” human justification? In what sense is his resurrection “for” their justification? Here again dia (διά) plus the accusative case is used, and so “because of” or “for” are normal translations.

It hardly makes any sense to adduce from this verse that our justification was the cause of Jesus rising from the dead! Or differently, does this text mean that our justification rests on Christ’s resurrection rather than Christ’s death? But if Christ’s death brings about atonement for sin so that sin is remitted as a result, then isn’t justification (the acquittal of guilt; being reckoned righteous before God) related to Christ’s death rather than his resurrection? What does Rom 4:25b mean?

Raised “for the sake of” our justification

I prefer instead to translate the preposition dia + accusative in Rom 4:25b as “for the sake of.” In other words, Christ was handed over for (on account of) our transgressions, and raised for the sake of our justification. This is another proper way to translate the preposition. We receive the advantage or benefit of justification.

Notice that contextually dia + accusative is translated “for the sake of” in Romans 4:23–24. It stands to reason that Paul’s auditors in this letter might naturally interpret the same preposition this way in 4:25: “for the sake of.”

This means that in 4:25b Jesus’s resurrection ensures that our justification (= vindication) will take place at our own resurrection at his second coming. Jesus’s own vindication took place during his resurrection, when God’s Spirit raised him from the dead (see 1 Tim 3:16; cf. Rom 1:4; 8:11). As Jesus was justified (i.e., vindicated) by God via his resurrection, so believers in Christ will also be justified by being raised from the dead.

Justification now and not yet

It is important to note in Rom 4:25b that justification/righteousness (the same word in Greek: dikaiosune/ δικαιοσύνη) is not merely associated with initial faith in Christ. Justification is both now and not yet. We are first reckoned righteous (= justified) by faith when we turn to Christ, but the full realization of that righteousness does not take place until we are raised from the dead and acquitted at final judgment (cf. 2 Cor 5:10).

There is a futuristic culmination to justification that takes place at the second coming of Christ when believers are raised from the dead. That is what Paul means by claiming that we believers eagerly await the futuristic “hope of righteousness/justification” in Galatians 5:5. Likewise, Galatians 2:17 contextually refers to Paul and Peter—already believers in Christ—still seeking to be justified. This justification is future-oriented.

There may also be an assumption here that Christ’s atoning death needed to be ratified by his resurrection. The resurrection was the proof that God vindicated him of any wrongdoing in relation to why he was crucified. In this sense resurrection made the atonement a done deal.

In relation to my interpretation, the Lexham English Bible comes close to this: “who was handed over on account of our trespasses, and was raised up in the interest of our justification” (Rom 4:25).

Also the NET Bible is spot on when it comes to Rom 4:25b (italics mine): “He was given over because of our transgressions and was raised for the sake of our justification.”