Romans 7:4

ἐθανατώθητε, you were put to death, i.e. your former nature was slain but you yourselves survived to enter upon a new life, free from that law which bound the old nature, but with its own characteristic obligation. ἐθαν. corresponds to κατήργηται of Romans 7:2. See Romans 6:8 n.

διὰ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ χριστοῦ. Cf. Hebrews 10:10; Colossians 1:22; 1 Peter 2:24, and perhaps 1 Corinthians 10:16, apparently the only passages outside Evv. where the pre-resurrection Body is spoken of thus. Both Col. and 1 Pet. are parallel: and 1 Pet. so close that it must depend on this passage. Infra Romans 12:5 = 1 Corinthians 12:27, we have the sense of the Body as the form of the Church, developed in Ephesians 1:23 et passim. In Col. the words τῆς σαρκός are expressly added to mark the distinction.

διὰ τ. ς. Cf. Romans 6:3; Romans 6:8. The thought is that as they were baptised into Christ, they shared the effects of His Death in the Body as well as those of His risen life. N. τοῦ χριστοῦ: the article marks the reference to the historic action.

εἰς τὸ γεν. So that you came to be wedded to another, i.e. than that old nature which was slain.

ἵνα. Closely with ἐγερθέντι.

καρποφορήσωμεν. Sc. under the influence of the new life imparted by the Risen Lord, constituting in each individual a ‘new man’ or character.