Romans 4:25: "Resurrected for our Justification"

Why Romans 4:25?

Romans 4:25 associates Jesus' resurrection with our justification.  This is a remarkable assertion, since we tend to associate justification with Jesus' death.  Romans 4:24-25 reads as follows:

24 but for ours also.  It will be accounted to the ones who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 who was given over for [dia] our trespasses and was raised for [dia] our justification.

 Context

Romans 4:25 stands at the end of a whole section in Romans (1:18-4:25).  This section is the unveiling of the righteousness of God, which for Paul is what the gospel is all about: the gospel is the power of God for salvation (1:16).  It concerns Jesus who was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead (1:4).  The implication is that resurrection is part and parcel to salvation.  This is proven by what Paul says in 5:9-10 (we will be saved by his life).  Therefore, we should not be surprised that a major section ends with Jesus' resurrection.  One could argue that 4:25 also introduces the next section (chapters 5-8) where "life" is a major theme:

• 5:18  This is an interesting verse because it contains the word dikaiosis and the only other time that word is used is 4:25.  "So one man's righteous act leads to justification of life for all."
• 5:21 "So grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
• 8:11 "He who raised the Messiah from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies."

Justification is on par with eternal life (= salvation).  The trust Abraham demonstrated in God is on par with our trust in "he who raised Jesus from the dead" (4:24).  Abraham regarded his own body as good as dead and knew the deadness of Sarah's womb (4:19), but he trusted the God who "gives life to the dead" (4:17).

Meaning of "for" [dia] in "raised for our justification"

If our sin caused Jesus to die, then did our justification cause Jesus to resurrect?  The answer is probably "no" and that the second dia ought to mean "for the sake of", that is, Jesus resurrected in order to justify us.  The causal/final pairing using di' appears in 4:23-24, which is evidence that the same paring is meant in 4:25.

Is 4:25 merely rhetorical?

Even if 4:25 is merely rhetorical and that there is no real separation between the effects of Jesus' death and his resurrection, the fact that Paul stated the contrast shows the importance of the resurrection in the whole scheme of salvation (see 1 Cor. 15:17).