5. γὰρ. Explains how walking after spirit leads to the fulfilment of the claim of law, by a series of contrasted clauses.

οἱ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ὄντες. Those who take flesh for their standard of reference and line of action.

τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς φρονοῦσιν. φρονεῖν τά τινος = to adopt a man’s interests as your own, to side with him, be of his party: so here, not = have fleshly thoughts (σαρκικὰ φρονοῦντες), but side with the flesh, make its aims, characteristics and interests their own; cf. Matthew 16:23 |[152] Mark 8:33 only. It is just this giving flesh its wrong place in the mutual relation of the elements of man’s nature which makes it the instrument of sin.

[152] | parallel to

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Old Testament