1G2228 Know ye notG50, brethrenG80, forG1063 I speakG2980 to them that knowG1097 the lawG3551, how thatG3754 the lawG3551 hath dominion overG2961 a manG444 as long asG1909 G3745 G5550 he livethG2198 ? 2ForG1063 the womanG1135 which hath an husbandG5220 is boundG1210 by the lawG3551 to her husbandG435 so long as he livethG2198 ; butG1161 ifG1437 the husbandG435 be deadG599, she is loosedG2673 fromG575 the lawG3551 of her husbandG435. 3So thenG686 G3767 ifG1437, while her husbandG435 livethG2198, she be marriedG1096 to anotherG2087 manG435, she shall be calledG5537 an adulteressG3428: butG1161 ifG1437 her husbandG435 be deadG599, she isG2076 freeG1658 fromG575 that lawG3551; so that sheG846 isG1511 noG3361 adulteressG3428, though she be marriedG1096 to anotherG2087 manG435. 4WhereforeG5620, myG3450 brethrenG80, yeG5210 alsoG2532 are become deadG2289 to the lawG3551 byG1223 the bodyG4983 of ChristG5547; thatG1519 yeG5209 should be marriedG1096 to anotherG2087, even to him who is raisedG1453 fromG1537 the deadG3498, thatG2443 we should bring forth fruitG2592 unto GodG2316. 5ForG1063 whenG3753 we wereG2258 inG1722 the fleshG4561, the motionsG3804 of sinsG266, whichG3588 were byG1223 the lawG3551, did workG1754 inG1722 ourG2257 membersG3196 to bringG1519 forth fruitG2592 unto deathG2288. 6ButG1161 nowG3570 we are deliveredG2673 fromG575 the lawG3551, that being deadG599 G599 whereinG1722 G3739 we were heldG2722 ; thatG5620 weG2248 should serveG1398 inG1722 newnessG2538 of spiritG4151, andG2532 notG3756 in the oldnessG3821 of the letterG1121. 7WhatG5101 shall we sayG2046 thenG3767? Is the lawG3551 sinG266? God forbidG3361 G1096 . NayG235, I hadG1097 notG3756 knownG1097 sinG266, butG1508 byG1223 the lawG3551: forG1063 G5037 I hadG1492 notG3756 knownG1492 lustG1939, exceptG1508 the lawG3551 had saidG3004, Thou shaltG1937 notG3756 covetG1937 . 8ButG1161 sinG266, takingG2983 occasionG874 byG1223 the commandmentG1785, wroughtG2716 inG1722 meG1698 all manner ofG3956 concupiscenceG1939. ForG1063 withoutG5565 the lawG3551 sinG266 was deadG3498. 9ForG1161 IG1473 was aliveG2198 withoutG5565 the lawG3551 onceG4218: butG1161 when the commandmentG1785 cameG2064, sinG266 revivedG326, andG1161 IG1473 diedG599 . 10AndG2532 the commandmentG1785, whichG3588 was ordained toG1519 lifeG2222, IG3427 foundG2147 G3778 to be untoG1519 deathG2288. 11ForG1063 sinG266, takingG2983 occasionG874 byG1223 the commandmentG1785, deceivedG1818 meG3165, andG2532 byG1223 itG846 slewG615 me. 12WhereforeG5620 G3303 the lawG3551 is holyG40, andG2532 the commandmentG1785 holyG40, andG2532 justG1342, andG2532 goodG18. 13Was thenG3767 that which is goodG18 madeG1096 deathG2288 unto meG1698? God forbidG3361 G1096 . ButG235 sinG266, thatG2443 it might appearG5316 sinG266, workingG2716 deathG2288 in meG3427 byG1223 that which is goodG18; thatG2443 sinG266 byG1223 the commandmentG1785 might becomeG1096 exceedingG2596 G5236 sinfulG268. 14ForG1063 we knowG1492 thatG3754 the lawG3551 isG2076 spiritualG4152: butG1161 IG1473 amG1510 carnalG4559, soldG4097 underG5259 sinG266. 15ForG1063 that whichG3739 I doG2716 I allowG1097 notG3756: forG1063 whatG3739 I wouldG2309, thatG5124 do IG4238 notG3756; butG235 whatG3739 I hateG3404, thatG5124 do IG4160 . 16IfG1487 thenG1161 I doG4160 thatG5124 whichG3739 I wouldG2309 notG3756, I consentG4852 unto the lawG3551 thatG3754 it is goodG2570. 17NowG3570 thenG1161 it is no moreG3765 IG1473 that doG2716 itG846, butG235 sinG266 that dwellethG3611 inG1722 meG1698. 18ForG1063 I knowG1492 thatG3754 inG1722 meG1698 that isG5123, inG1722 myG3450 fleshG4561, dwellethG3611 noG3756 good thingG18: forG1063 to willG2309 is presentG3873 with meG3427; butG1161 how to performG2716 that which is goodG2570 I findG2147 notG3756. 19ForG1063 G3739 the goodG18 that I wouldG2309 I doG4160 notG3756: butG235 the evilG2556 whichG3739 I wouldG2309 notG3756, thatG5124 I doG4238 . 20NowG1161 ifG1487 G3739 I doG4160 thatG5124 IG1473 wouldG2309 notG3756, it is no moreG2089 G3765 IG1473 that doG2716 itG846, butG235 sinG266 that dwellethG3611 inG1722 meG1698. 21I findG2147 thenG686 a lawG3551, thatG3754, when IG1698 wouldG2309 doG4160 goodG2570, evilG2556 is presentG3873 with meG1698. 22ForG1063 I delightG4913 in the lawG3551 of GodG2316 afterG2596 the inwardG2080 manG444: 23ButG1161 I seeG991 anotherG2087 lawG3551 inG1722 myG3450 membersG3196, warring againstG497 the lawG3551 of myG3450 mindG3563, andG2532 bringingG163 meG3165 into captivityG163 to the lawG3551 of sinG266 whichG3588 isG5607 inG1722 myG3450 membersG3196. 24O wretchedG5005 manG444 that I amG1473! whoG5101 shall deliverG4506 meG3165 fromG1537 the bodyG4983 of thisG5127 deathG2288? 25I thankG2168 GodG2316 throughG1223 JesusG2424 ChristG5547 ourG2257 LordG2962. So thenG686 G3767 with the mindG3563 IG1473 myselfG846 serveG3303 G1398 the lawG3551 of GodG2316; butG1161 with the fleshG4561 the lawG3551 of sinG266.
Matthew Henry - Concise Commentary 1 So long as a man continues under the law as a covenant, and seeks justification by his own obedience, he continues the slave of sin in some form. Nothing but the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, can make any sinner free from the law of sin and death. Believers are delivered from that power of the law, which condemns for the sins committed by them. And they are delivered from that power of the law which stirs up and provokes the sin that dwells in them. Understand this not of the law as a rule, but as a covenant of works. In profession and privilege, we are under a covenant of grace, and not under a covenant of works; under the gospel of Christ, not under the law of Moses. The difference is spoken of under the similitude or figure of being married to a new husband. The second marriage is to Christ. By death we are freed from obligation to the law as a covenant, as the wife is from her vows to her husband. In our believing powerfully and effectually, we are dead to the law, and have no more to do with it than the dead servant, who is freed from his master, has to do with his master's yoke. The day of our believing, is the day of being united to the Lord Jesus. We enter upon a life of dependence on him, and duty to him. Good works are from union with Christ; as the fruitfulness of the vine is the product of its being united to its roots; there is no fruit to God, till we are united to Christ. The law, and the greatest efforts of one under the law, still in the flesh, under the power of corrupt principles, cannot set the heart right with regard to the love of God, overcome worldly lusts, or give truth and sincerity in the inward parts, or any thing that comes by the special sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit. Nothing more than a formal obedience to the outward letter of any precept, can be performed by us, without the renewing, new-creating grace of the new covenant.
7 There is no way of coming to that knowledge of sin, which is necessary to repentance, and therefore to peace and pardon, but by trying our hearts and lives by the law. In his own case the apostle would not have known the sinfulness of his thoughts, motives, and actions, but by the law. That perfect standard showed how wrong his heart and life were, proving his sins to be more numerous than he had before thought, but it did not contain any provision of mercy or grace for his relief. He is ignorant of human nature and the perverseness of his own heart, who does not perceive in himself a readiness to fancy there is something desirable in what is out of reach. We may perceive this in our children, though self-love makes us blind to it in ourselves. The more humble and spiritual any Christian is, the more clearly will he perceive that the apostle describes the true believer, from his first convictions of sin to his greatest progress in grace, during this present imperfect state. St. Paul was once a Pharisee, ignorant of the spirituality of the law, having some correctness of character, without knowing his inward depravity. When the commandment came to his conscience by the convictions of the Holy Spirit, and he saw what it demanded, he found his sinful mind rise against it. He felt at the same time the evil of sin, his own sinful state, that he was unable to fulfil the law, and was like a criminal when condemned. But though the evil principle in the human heart produces sinful motions, and the more by taking occasion of the commandment; yet the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good. It is not favourable to sin, which it pursues into the heart, and discovers and reproves in the inward motions thereof. Nothing is so good but a corrupt and vicious nature will pervert it. The same heat that softens wax, hardens clay. Food or medicine when taken wrong, may cause death, though its nature is to nourish or to heal. The law may cause death through man's depravity, but sin is the poison that brings death. Not the law, but sin discovered by the law, was made death to the apostle. The ruinous nature of sin, and the sinfulness of the human heart, are here clearly shown.
14 Compared with the holy rule of conduct in the law of God, the apostle found himself so very far short of perfection, that he seemed to be carnal; like a man who is sold against his will to a hated master, from whom he cannot set himself at liberty. A real Christian unwillingly serves this hated master, yet cannot shake off the galling chain, till his powerful and gracious Friend above, rescues him. The remaining evil of his heart is a real and humbling hinderance to his serving God as angels do and the spirits of just made perfect. This strong language was the result of St. Paul's great advance in holiness, and the depth of his self-abasement and hatred of sin. If we do not understand this language, it is because we are so far beneath him in holiness, knowledge of the spirituality of God's law, and the evil of our own hearts, and hatred of moral evil. And many believers have adopted the apostle's language, showing that it is suitable to their deep feelings of abhorrence of sin, and self-abasement. The apostle enlarges on the conflict he daily maintained with the remainder of his original depravity. He was frequently led into tempers, words, or actions, which he did not approve or allow in his renewed judgement and affections. By distinguishing his real self, his spiritual part, from the self, or flesh, in which sin dwelt, and by observing that the evil actions were done, not by him, but by sin dwelling in him, the apostle did not mean that men are not accountable for their sins, but he teaches the evil of their sins, by showing that they are all done against reason and conscience. Sin dwelling in a man, does not prove its ruling, or having dominion over him. If a man dwells in a city, or in a country, still he may not rule there.
18 The more pure and holy the heart is, it will have the more quick feeling as to the sin that remains in it. The believer sees more of the beauty of holiness and the excellence of the law. His earnest desires to obey, increase as he grows in grace. But the whole good on which his will is fully bent, he does not do; sin ever springing up in him, through remaining corruption, he often does evil, though against the fixed determination of his will. The motions of sin within grieved the apostle. If by the striving of the flesh against the Spirit, was meant that he could not do or perform as the Spirit suggested, so also, by the effectual opposition of the Spirit, he could not do what the flesh prompted him to do. How different this case from that of those who make themselves easy with regard to the inward motions of the flesh prompting them to evil; who, against the light and warning of conscience, go on, even in outward practice, to do evil, and thus, with forethought, go on in the road to perdition! For as the believer is under grace, and his will is for the way of holiness, he sincerely delights in the law of God, and in the holiness which it demands, according to his inward man; that new man in him, which after God is created in true holiness.
23 This passage does not represent the apostle as one that walked after the flesh, but as one that had it greatly at heart, not to walk so. And if there are those who abuse this passage, as they also do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction, yet serious Christians find cause to bless God for having thus provided for their support and comfort. We are not, because of the abuse of such as are blinded by their own lusts, to find fault with the scripture, or any just and well warranted interpretation of it. And no man who is not engaged in this conflict, can clearly understand the meaning of these words, or rightly judge concerning this painful conflict, which led the apostle to bemoan himself as a wretched man, constrained to what he abhorred. He could not deliver himself; and this made him the more fervently thank God for the way of salvation revealed through Jesus Christ, which promised him, in the end, deliverance from this enemy. So then, says he, I myself, with my mind, my prevailing judgement, affections, and purposes, as a regenerate man, by Divine grace, serve and obey the law of God; but with the flesh, the carnal nature, the remains of depravity, I serve the law of sin, which wars against the law of my mind. Not serving it so as to live in it, or to allow it, but as unable to free himself from it, even in his very best state, and needing to look for help and deliverance out of himself. It is evident that he thanks God for Christ, as our deliverer, as our atonement and righteousness in himself, and not because of any holiness wrought in us. He knew of no such salvation, and disowned any such title to it. He was willing to act in all points agreeable to the law, in his mind and conscience, but was hindered by indwelling sin, and never attained the perfection the law requires. What can be deliverance for a man always sinful, but the free grace of God, as offered in Christ Jesus? The power of Divine grace, and of the Holy Spirit, could root out sin from our hearts even in this life, if Divine wisdom had not otherwise thought fit. But it is suffered, that Christians might constantly feel, and understand thoroughly, the wretched state from which Divine grace saves them; might be kept from trusting in themselves; and might ever hold all their consolation and hope, from the rich and free grace of God in Christ.