Q. “E. Le P.” What authority is there for translating Romans 4:2525Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25), “Was delivered in consequence of our offenses, and raised again in consequence of our justification”?
A. None whatever. Some have tried to render the διὰ, ‘in consequence of,’ others, ‘because of,’ but equally erroneously. This is because of the desire to connect the justification of the believer with the resurrection of Christ, instead of the time when faith operated in his soul. Scripture never separates those things. The first verse of chap. 5 would thus be wrenched off from its true connection: “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God.” etc.
I add the words of another:
As regards δικαίωσις, διὰ is translated ‘for,’ as giving the sense, but in English. The point is not there but in δικαιωσις. Διὰ, with an accusative is just ‘on account of,’ but δικαίωσις is not the thing done, but the doing of it, and it is this on which it turns. If it had been ‘on account of our having been justified,’ it would have been διὰ τὸ δικαιωθῆναι ἡμας, and this is not the ease till faith comes in... The Greek rule is, that words derived from the perfect passive are the thing done, doing it, and the doer; κρίμα, the judgment; κρίσις, the judging: κριτὴς, the judge; though all are not always there. We have δικαίωμα: I am not aware of δικαίωσις.