 My original commentary on Romans 7 can be found here. I was recently reading it over and thought it needed some editing for better understanding. I hope you like it.
Here we go. Let's break down the whole chapter and part of chapter 8 to boot.
Romans 7King James Version (KJV)
7 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
St. Paul is talking about the Law of Moses.
Don’t you know, brothers, and I’m speaking to the Jews, because they know the Law, that the Law has power over a man, as long as that man lives?
2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the Law of her husband.
Let’s look at it this way. A man is married to the Law as a woman is married to a man. As long as the man lives, she is bound to him. But when he dies, she is loosed from him.
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
While he lives, she may not marry anyone else, or she commits sin. But if he dies, she is free to marry anyone else without committing sin.
So, as long as the Law was in force, the Jew was bound to it. He could not belong to another Faith or Religion. But when the Law passed away, the Jew was no longer bound to it.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Now then, my Jewish brothers, you are dead to the law through the Body of Christ.
Ok, what does that mean? Remember, the Jews were married to the law. But Christ fulfilled the law, in His Body, when He was sacrificed for their sins. (We’re talking about the Jews, right now. Christ died for all men’s sins. But lets focus on the Jews.)
When Christ fulfilled the law, the law passed away. It was no longer in force. So, the law had died. The Jew is now free to be bound to another Law. The Law of Christ.
So, why does St. Paul say that the Jew had died to the Law? Because, in order to become a Christian, we must be baptized. And being baptized, we die with Christ in order to be reborn in His image.
5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Remember that St. Paul is speaking to former Jews. And he is also a former Jew. That is why he says, “we”.
Let’s break it down:
When we were in the flesh - meaning, before dying with Christ in Baptism.
The motions of sin - Concupiscence, temptations.
Which were by the law - according to the Law or which were revealed in the Law.
Did work in our members to bring for fruit unto death - were moving us to commit sin and thus to destroy our souls.
So, in other words, “Before we were Christians, while we were still under the Law, we were tempted to violate the Commandments of God. These temptations of the flesh, if we acted upon them, would cause us to sin and thus to lose our salvation.
6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
But now we are delivered from the law - For us, the Law is no longer valid.
that being dead wherein we were held; - when we were in the flesh, we were dead to the Spirit.
that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. - But now, we are alive in the Spirit because by the grace of God, we have overcome sin.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Am I saying that the Law of Moses was sinful? By God, I would never say such a thing. Because without the Law, I would never have known that I was committing sins. Unless the Law had told me that coveting a woman was a sin, I would not know that lust was sinful.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
A man does not commit sins if he does not know that they are sins. But after I learned what was sin by the Commandments, I was still tempted to sin.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
When I was young, I did not know about the Law and I committed no sin. But when I learned the Commandments, I was no longer free to do all that I wanted.
He is speaking here, of the age of reason. Let me give you an example. My Father in Law, God rest his soul, was a wonderful man, but when he lived with us, he cussed all the time. My daughter’s first words were some of his choicest selections. And everyone thought it was cute.
But, if she had continued speaking like that when she was older, she would have had her mouth washed with soap.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
Therefore, although the Commandments were intended for my freedom, I felt constrained.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
Because sin tempted me and lured me and I could not resist.
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
So, the Commandment is good and holy and intended for our good.
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
So, then, did the Commandment cause me to sin? No! But, although the Commandment identified the sins and forbid them, I could not resist.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Because the Law is of God, but I am a man, a son of Adam, with original sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
The result is that I do things which I don’t want to do because they are sinful. And when I want to do good, I don’t. I wind up doing what I don’t want to do.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
And that is evidence that the Law is good. Because I want to keep the Law, but I can’t.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
So, when I sin, I don’t do it intentionally.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
But concupiscence and temptations dwell in my flesh and I don’t know how to overcome them.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
And therefore, I find myself committing sins, unintentionally.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
So, if I commit unintentional sins, it is because of my fallen nature.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
So, there is another law that is in my flesh, which prevents me from obeying God’s Law.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Because in my heart, I love God’s Law.
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
But the law of Original Sin keeps me captive to the temptations of my flesh.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
O poor me! How shall I be saved from these temptations to sin?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. - This is possibly a word-play reference to the Eucharist. Eucharist means “thanksgiving” and is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. When one consumes the Eucharist in a worthy manner, he gives thanks to God through the Body of Christ.
So, even though I do my best to do good, I find myself committing unintended sins.
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Good stuff De Maria. There are some noticeable differences between your first and second exegisis', and I can't decide which I like better. I think I will need to study them both further.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I was reading the original recently and had trouble understanding what I had said. So, I figgered I needed to rewrite the confusing parts.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel bad De Maria...
DeleteI can't even understand half the stuff I write :-(
Thanks Mark, I feel so much better now! :っ)
Delete