_NO LAW HATH POWER OVER A MAN LONGER THAN HE LIVETH. THE LAW IS NOT SIN, BUT HOLY, JUST, AND GOOD._ _Anno Domini 58._ THE Apostle, having in the preceding chapter confuted the slanderous report mentioned chap. Romans 3:8 that he and his brethren taught their disciples to sin, that grace might abou... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOW YE NOT, &C.— In the foregoing chapter, the Apostle shews the converted Christians the obligations that they were under to a life of holiness, and the advantages which they enjoyed for that purpose, now that they were taken into the kingdom of God. From this verse to chap. Romans 8:11 he address... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE WOMAN, &C.— St. Paul goes on to explain his meaning by a familiar instance. He chooses to set the Jew in a more honourable light while under the law, than he does the Gentiles while under their heathen state. The _Gentiles_ are compared to _slaves,_ in a state of the lowest and vilest servit... [ Continue Reading ]
IF—SHE BE MARRIED TO ANOTHER MAN— _If—she become the property of another;_ or _become another man's._ The Apostle here speaks in the general, not entering exactly into every excepted case which might be imagined. To infer therefore, contrary to our Lord's express decision elsewhere, that adultery is... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE, MY BRETHREN— The original word Ωστε, rendered _wherefore,_ is used in comparison for _ut, sic,—as, so.—You are become dead to the law,_ means, "because the law is become dead to you;" an _hypallage,_ like that of _date classibus austros,_ "give the winds to the fleet." By this manner of e... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHEN WE WERE IN THE FLESH, &C.— The design of this chapter is, to convince the Jews how unfavourable the law, in its rigour, is to the recovery and sanctification of a sinner; as it affords neither hope of pardon, nor power to conquer sin. And in this verse St. Paul gives a general description o... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW WE ARE DELIVERED, &C.— _But now,_—that is, under the Gospel. _Now_ is frequently used in this sense;—which should be well observed, as it may prove a key to many texts. However, here, as the Apostle had given in the foregoing verse a summary account of the state of the sinner under the law,... [ Continue Reading ]
IS THE LAW SIN?— _Unrighteousness?—_as giving any allowance, or contributing any thing to sin. See Romans 7:12. The skill which St. Paul uses in dexterously avoiding, as much as possible, the giving offence to the Jews, is very visible in the word _I,_ in this verse. In the beginning of the chapter,... [ Continue Reading ]
SIN, TAKING OCCASION, &C.— _Taking advantage._ This is the proper signification of the Greek word 'Αφορμη. Observe, that in this and the three following verses, the Apostle comments upon, or at least explains those words, 1 Corinthians 15:56. _The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is th... [ Continue Reading ]
ORDAINED TO LIFE— _Intended for life._ The law, which was just, and such as it ought to be, in having the penalty of death annexed to every transgression of it, (Galatians 3:10.) came to produce death, by not being able to remove the depravity of human nature, and subdue carnal appetites, and keep m... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR SIN, TAKING OCCASION— "Sin, taking the opportunity of my being under the law, slew me." See the note on Romans 7:5. Instead of _deceived me,_ Mr. Locke reads, _inveigled me;_ and observes, that St. Paul here seems to allude to what Eve said in a like case, Genesis 3:13.; and he uses the word ren... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE THE LAW IS HOLY— In Romans 7:7 the Apostle laid down this position, _"that the law was not sin."_ In Romans 7:8 he proves it, by shewing that the law was very strict in forbidding of sin, so far as to reach the very mind, and the internal acts of concupiscence; and that it was _sin_ remain... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS THEN THAT WHICH IS GOOD, &C.— This is an exact translation of the text, according to the order of the words in the Greek. It may be thus paraphrased: Jew.—"And yet you say, we were made subject to death by the commandment.—Could that which is good be made deadly to us?" Apostle.—"No, take me rig... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I AM CARNAL— The Apostle is here demonstrating the insufficiency of the law, in opposition to the Gospel; but if by _I_ he meant himself, or any other person whohad embraced the Gospel, then his argument would prove the insufficiency of the Gospel, as well as of the law. The verse may be paraphr... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WHICH I DO, I ALLOW NOT, &C.— From Romans 7:7 to the present, the Apostle denotes the _Jew in the flesh_ by a single _I._ Here he divides that _I_ into two _I's,_ or figurative persons, representing two different and opposite principles which were in him. The one _I,_ or principle, _assents to... [ Continue Reading ]
SIN THAT DWELLETH IN ME— That is, _reigneth in me._ So God is said to _dwell_ among the Israelites, as their king and governor; Exodus 25:8; Exodus 29:45.Numbers 35:34. _Dwell,_ here and Romans 7:20 has the same sense in the language of the Jew, as _reign_ or _have dominion over,_ in the language of... [ Continue Reading ]
I WOULD NOT— _I,_ in the Greek, is very emphatical, and denotes the man in that part, which is chiefly to be countedhimself; and therefore with the like emphasis, Romans 7:15 it is called αυτος εγω, _I myself;_ "I, the man, with all my full resolution of mind." The two words αυτος and εγω might have... [ Continue Reading ]
ANOTHER LAW IN MY MEMBERS— St. Paul having in the foregoing verse spoken of the _law of God,_ he here speaks of natural inclination as of a law;—as of _a law in the members,_ and _a law of sin in the members;_ to shew that it is a principle of operation in men even under the law, as steady and const... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO SHALL DELIVER ME? &C.— It has been thought by some, that in this phrase there is an allusion to a cruelty, which is said to have been practised by some tyrants, on miserable captives who fell into their hands; and whom they compelled to drag along with them, wherever they went, _a dead carcase_... [ Continue Reading ]
I THANK GOD, &C.— The Clermont and other Greek MSS. which are followed by the Vulgate, read, _The grace,_ or _favour of God._ Thus stands the argument—the law cannot deliver from the body of death; that is, from those carnal appetites, which produce sin, and so bring death; but the grace of God, thr... [ Continue Reading ]