<p>5:15&nbsp;<i>But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift</i>- This begins an extended comparison and contrast between the results of Adam&rsquo;s sin and disobedience, and the grace s.w. &ldquo;free gift&rdquo; given as a result of Christ&rsquo;s obedience. This is all in demonstration of the comment in 5:14 that Adam- or more specifically, &ldquo;Adam&rsquo;s transgression&rdquo;- was a type of the Lord Jesus. The type works not only by similarity but by inverse contrasts. By doing so, we see how God rejoices in showing grace, almost playing intellectual games to demonstrate how much greater and more abundant is His grace than the power of sin. And this is done in order to persuade us, the doubting readership, of the simple reality- that His grace is for real, and we really will be and are saved and secure in Christ.</p><p><i>For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ</i>- The point of similarity here is that just one person can affect many. We may doubt that the obedience of one man, the Lord Jesus, 2000 years ago, can really have much to do with you and me today. That it all happened, I don&rsquo;t think we seriously doubt any more than we doubt standard historical facts. But a man hanging on a stake of wood on a Friday afternoon, on a day in April, just outside a Middle Eastern city&hellip; can He really do anything for all of us here today? We may never articulate it, say it in so many words. But that is at least our unspoken, unverbalized, unformulated, under the bedcovers nagging doubt, the bane of our deepest spiritual psychology, the fear of our soul, the cloud that comes betwixt as we look up at the steely silence of the skies, or gaze at the ceiling rose as we lay upon our bed. Paul tackles that doubt (and Romans 1-8 is really a tackling of human doubts about God&rsquo;s grace) by quoting the example of Adam. Through &lsquo;just&rsquo; one, death and suffering affected many. If Adam is proof enough of &lsquo;the power of one&rsquo;- then how much more is Jesus?</p><p><i>Abound to the many</i>- The Greek means to superabound, to be lavished, to be poured out in over abundance.&nbsp; The &ldquo;gift&rdquo; which so abounds is surely a reference to the language of Mt. 25:29, where at the final judgment, he that has shall be given to yet more, &ldquo;in abundance&rdquo; s.w.. Yet our receipt of that grace in this life is a foretaste of that superabundance we are yet to receive. Superabundant generosity characterizes God. We note that when the Lord multiplied the loaves and fishes, there superabounded 12 full baskets and then seven full baskets (Mt. 14:20; 15:37). Why the apparent over creation of food? For what purpose was there such waste? Why is the same strange word for superabundance used both times? And why is it used in&nbsp;<i>three of the four Gospels&nbsp;</i>when this incident is recorded (Lk. 9:17; Jn. 6:12,13; Mt. 14:20; 15:37)? Surely to give us the impression of the lavishing of God&rsquo;s gift, His grace, when He provides for His children. We have experienced the same from Him, and should be like this towards others. Paul often uses the word in 2 Corinthians in appealing for generosity to poorer brethren; he speaks of how God&rsquo;s grace has superabounded, and how we also ought to superabound in kindness and generosity to others (2 Cor. 9:8). We will eternally know the truth and reality of all this, because we will not only be given eternal life, but life &ldquo;more abundantly&rdquo; (Jn. 10:10). We must ask ourselves to what extent we show that same quality of super abundant grace to others.</p>