THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS - Chapter 8 - Verse 35

Verse 35. Who shall separate us. That is, finally or entirely separate us. This is a new argument of the apostle, showing his strong confidence in the safety of the Christian.

From the love of Christ. This expression is ambiguous; and may mean either our love to Christ, or his love to us. I understand it in the former sense, and suppose it means, "Who shall cause us to cease to love the Saviour?" In other words, the love which Christians have for their Redeemer is so strong, that it will surmount and survive all opposition and all trials. The reason for so understanding the expression is, that it is not conceivable how afflictions, etc., should have any tendency to alienate Christ's love from us; but the supposed tendency to alienate our love from him might be very strong. They are endured in his cause. They are caused, in a good degree, by professed attachment to him. The persecutions and trials to which Christians are exposed on account of their professed attachment to him, might be supposed to make them weary of a service that involved so many trials. But no, says the apostle. Our love for him is so strong that we are willing to bear all; and nothing that these foes of our peace can do, can alienate us from him and from his cause. The argument, therefore, is drawn from the strong love of a Christian to his Saviour; and from the assurance that nothing would be able to separate him from that love.

Shall tribulation. (yliqiv) See Barnes "Ro 2:9".

The word properly refers to pressure from without; affliction arising from external causes. It means however, not unfrequently, trial of any kind.

Or distress. (stenocwria). This word properly means, narrowness of place; and then, great anxiety and distress of mind, such as arises when a man does not know where to turn himself, or what to do for relief. It refers, therefore, to distress or anxiety of mind—such as the early Christians were often subject to from their trials and persecutions. 2 Co 7:5, "Without were fightings, within were fears." See Barnes "Ro 2:9.

Or persecution. See Barnes "Mt 5:11".

To these the early Christians were constantly exposed.

Or famine. To this they were also exposed as the natural result of being driven from home, and of being often compelled to wander amidst strangers, and in deserts and desolate places.

Or peril. Danger of any kind.

Or sword. The sword of persecution; the danger of their lives to which they were constantly exposed. As all these things happened to them in consequence of their professed attachment to Christ, it might be supposed that they would tend to alienate their minds from him. But the apostle was assured that they had not this power, but that their love to the Saviour was so strong as to overcome all, and to bind them unalterably to his cause in the midst of the deepest trials. The fact is, that the more painful the trials to which they are exposed on his account, the more strong and unwavering is their love to him, and their confidence in his ability to save.