The best way I have heard this put is as follows. If Billy Graham were walking down the street and you saw he was about to be shot, you might take the bullet for him but most likely you would have to think about it first. Also if you saw just an average guy in the same situation, you might take the bullet for him but it would be a hard decision and not something you would do very willingly. Now to put what God has done in perspective, think if you were on the street and a drunk walks up and mugs you, spits flem in your face, rubs your nose in the gutter and begins to walk away. As he is walking you see that he is about to be gunned down. How likely is it that you would die for him by taking his bullet. Romans 5:7-8 show how incredible it is that Jesus died for us. We know as humans that it would be a rare thing to offer our lives in place of someone we see as good or even righteous. God however loved us so much that even though we were His enemy, he gave His life while we were vile and nasty so that we could have eternal life in peace with him. It is a contrasting picture to show how much God loves us. 

Hi Yara,

For me 'righteousness' means right standing with God. Jesus became our righteousness. We may be good but yet not have right standing with God.

I found this in JFB commentary relating to this verse in particular. Maybe this helps:

For scarcely for a righteous man--a man of simply unexceptionable character.
will one--"any one"
die: yet peradventure for a good man--a man who, besides being unexceptionable, is distinguished for goodness, a benefactor to society.
some--"some one."
would--rather, "doth."
even dare to die--"Scarce an instance occurs of self-sacrifice for one merely upright; though for one who makes himself a blessing to society there may be found an example of such noble surrender of life" (So BENGEL, OLSHAUSEN, THOLUCK, ALFORD, PHILIPPI). (To make the "righteous" and the "good" man here to mean the same person, and the whole sense to be that "though rare, the case may occur, of one making a sacrifice of life for a worthy character" (as CALVIN, BEZA, FRITZSCHE, JOWETT), is extremely flat.) 

changed on Monday, October 29, 2001 4:34:10 PM