Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus
Besides having the same spirit of faith, mentioned in the
preceding verse as a support under tribulation, the apostle
proceeds in this, and some following verses, to take notice of
other things which gave them relief under their pressures; such
as the resurrection from the dead, all their afflictions being
for the good of the churches and glory of God, the inward and
comfortable experiences of the love and grace of God in the midst
of them, and the end and issue of them, eternal glory. The former
of these is observed here; "knowing", being firmly persuaded, and
fully assured, that he "which raised up the Lord Jesus"; by whom
God the Father is more especially designed, though not to the
exclusion of the Son and Spirit, who were jointly concerned in
raising the dead body of our Lord: shall raise us up also by
Jesus; which may regard the resurrection of all the saints by
Christ, not as a mere instrument, but as a co-efficient cause
with the Father and Spirit: this the apostle concludes from the
power of God in raising up Christ from the dead; he that is able
to do the one, is certainly of power to effect the other; and
also from that union there is between Christ and his people; he
is the head, they are his members; and because the head is
raised, the members shall be likewise. Christ's resurrection is
not only the pattern, but the pledge of the resurrection of the
saints. Now this doctrine, as it was fully known, and firmly
believed by the apostles, was of great use to bear them up under
their outward troubles; for though they were so afflicted and
persecuted, death was visibly working in them, and they might
expect in a short time to be laid in the grave; yet this was
their consolation, that they should be raised again immortal and
glorious by Christ; some copies read, "with Jesus", and so the
Vulgate Latin version: "he shall present us with you"; that is,
he will present us ministers, together with you the saints, and
the rest of the elect of God; first, (hytwl) , "to himself", as the Syriac version
adds, and then to his Father, in their full number, completely
righteous and holy. These words indeed may be understood of a
deliverance from temporal affliction, from that death they were
labouring under, and exposed unto, and the sense be this; we
firmly believe that he that raised up Christ from the dead, will
deliver us from the present death of affliction, which will be a
sort of resurrection from the dead, and will make us to stand by
you, or in your presence; or, in other words, being thus
delivered, we shall have an opportunity of visiting you, we have
so long desired, and you have expected, which will be to your
edification and comfort.