v.1-6
Overview
(NET) Paul’s example of the married woman and the law of the marriage illustrates that death frees a person from obligation to the law. Thus, in spiritual terms, a person who has died to what controlled us (v. 6) has been released from the law to serve God in the new life produced by the Spirit.
Structure:
v.1-3 the analogy to illustrate that death frees a person from the Law
v.4a Christians are free to the law, bc when Jesus died we died with Him on the Cross
v.4b the benefit of the freedom is now we can bear fruit to God
v.5-6 which is impossible when we are under the Law, bc when we are under the Law we can only bear fruit for death (this is further explain v.7-13) But now when we have been freed from the Law we are no longer under its control.
1. The repeated word: law
The main theme: we died to the Law through Jesus Christ v.4 and therefore we can bear fruit to God. And the implication is we can say no to the sinful desires arouse by the law v.5.
v.4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God
This is a passage not only for justification, but for sanctification.
2. For the Jews who read this passage, they should feel relived from the duty of the Law.
v.7-13
1. Difficulties:
#1
(NET) There has been an enormous debate over the significance of the first person singular pronouns (“I”) in this passage and how to understand their referent. Did Paul intend (1) a reference to himself and other Christians too; (2) a reference to his own pre-Christian experience as a Jew, struggling with the law and sin (and thus addressing his fellow countrymen as Jews); or (3) a reference to himself as a child of Adam, reflecting the experience of Adam that is shared by both Jews and Gentiles alike (i.e., all people everywhere)
(BECNT) Indeed, Paul’s own history mirrors the history of Adam and Israel. When Paul speaks of himself here, he is not reflecting on his pre-Christian estimate of himself. He examines his pre-Christian experience retrospectively; as a Christian he looks back on his experience with the law...The most significant objection lodged against an Adamic reference is that Paul specifically cites the tenth commandment from the Decalogue in verse 7 (cf. Kümmel 1974: 55–56, 87; Moo 1986: 124), and Adam can hardly be said to have received a commandment from the Decalogue
Conclusion: (BECNT)If one concedes that “life” and “death” here do not have their full theological meaning but instead are used in a relative or experiential sense, then it is likely that Paul describes his own experience
#2
v.7b Certainly, I would not have known sin except through the law
How about people before the Law? How did they know sin?
#3
9 And I was once alive apart from the law, but with the coming of the commandment sin became alive
The word, "became alive"=(BDAG) to function after being dormant, spring into life
Was it possible for Paul to be free from sinful desire and alive before the law?
9 And I was once alive apart from the law= (BKC) the apostle was speaking of his personal experience as a child and perhaps even a youth prior to his awareness and understanding of the full impact of God’s commandments
but with the coming of the commandment sin became alive=(BKC) but the dawning of the significance of the commandment (“Do not covet”) on Paul’s mind and heart before his conversion. The result was that the principle of sin within made its presence and power known (it sprang to life) in his violations of the commandment
2. (BECNT) The law and the commandments are good and a revelation of God’s will. But Paul’s point flies in the face of the defender of the Torah who teaches that the law is the antidote to human evil. The law itself does not supply any power to human beings; those who have the law but lack the Spirit cannot keep it and are destined for death.
3. Reflections: A desire to violate something just because it was prohibited is called rebellion. Not only the wayward son is rebellion, but we all are. Mankind has the same desire. Not only this is important to be aware of in parenting, but as a Christian. Do not feel safe for my own nature just because I know the Bible.
Shall I give prohibition in the classroom? Shall I put restraint in time in entertainment? Or set a limit for myself in spending? I know it is not reliable, but shall I even have some kind of planning?
v.14-25
1. R.W.:
sold into slavery to sin v.14
I don’t understand what I am doing v.15
I do not do what I want v.15, I do what I don’t want v.16, 19, 20
it is no longer me doing it v.17
For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it v.18
when I want to do good, evil is present with me v.21
I delight...in my inner being v.22, a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind v.23
making me captive v.23 Wretched man that I am v.24
rescue me v.24
Summary: Paul described a feeling of a slave, his mind do not control him, he did not understand, he did not have power, and this has become a principle that happens all his life. He was constantly knocked down and being trapped. He felt painful and needed rescue from this. This rescue then, will appear as another master (ch 8).
2. Even the best thing God gave us, the law, cannot save us because who we are. Paul and us are all hopeless.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual—but I am unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin.
After 3:20 this is another dark reality that we need to face. Our unspiritual nature is not limited to our pre-saved condition, but afterwards because it is something in our members, inside of us, present in us all the time.
Without realizing this point, we may not understand the 6:14 For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.
In other words, the way to be sanctified is not under the law, but under grace, which is, "consider...do not let sin reign...and present your members as instruments to God."
Therefore, ch 7 is for those who are not convinced of 6:14.
Reflection: Am I hesitate to present my members as instrument to God? To let God be my master? This chapter convinces me that there is no other way to escape from the old master unless I am rescued by the new master. The old master works with sin nature which lives inside of me and let me be unable to control myself. The choice of myself being the master is not there.
Green Olive:
Key word: 交戰 v.23
the relationship between a believer and his indwelling sin. In 7:14–25 Paul consistently used the present tense, Obviously he was describing his present conflict as a Christian with indwelling sin and its continuing efforts to control his daily life.
I. v.14 The reason why sin would produce death through the good Law: do not blame the law, I am sold to sin
What is the 2 description of "I" in v.14?
我是屬乎肉體的=being human, focus on being weak, sinful, unaided human nature.
7:14是已經賣給罪了= 6::13
羅馬書 6：6–7 (神版CUV)
6 因為知道我們的舊人和他同釘十字架，使罪身滅絕，叫我們不再作罪的奴僕，7 因為已死的人是脫離了罪。
羅馬書 6：12–14 (神版CUV)
12 所以，不要容罪在你們必死的身上作王，使你們順從身子的私慾。13 也不要將你們的肢體獻給罪作不義的器具；倒要像從死裡復活的人，將自己獻給神，並將肢體作義的器具獻給神。14 罪必不能作你們的主，因你們不在律法之下，乃在恩典之下。
II. v.15-20 The effect of the war: what it means to be sold under sin
When a person is sold to sin and under its authority, what is expression of this master of this slavery in v.15-20. e.g. v.15?
I dont understand/I dont desire=A person’s actions are at the dictate of someone or something besides himself, The slave does what he is told to do.
What does the master do in v.16-17? 16 我所做的，是我所不願意的, 17 就不是我做的，乃是住在我裡頭的罪做的, 18 就是我肉體之中，沒有良善, 19 我所不願意的惡，我倒去做, 20 若我去做所不願意做的，就不是我做的，乃是住在我裡頭的罪做的
( v.16b 我就應承律法是善的, bc he already said what he did was evil, and he did that bc of the sin in him v.15b+17, therefore, it was not the fault of the law, the problem is his slavery to sin)
III. The pain of the war: v.18
What is the location of the slavery? 住在我裡頭 17, 我肉體之中 18, 住在我裡頭 20,
my flesh=which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likew. present, and no good thing can live in it
When does the slavery work?
我願意為善的時候，便有惡與我同在 21
In other words, not that he cannot tell what is good or bad, even he knows that in his mind, he cannot carries it out
IV. The conclusion of the war: v.22-25
This person loves the Law (regenerated), is still a slave of sin (not a liberated/mature believer, the conflict is like the one said in Gal 5:17), and knows nothing of the HS (compared with Rom 8)…He describes what happens to anybody who tries to live according to the law instead of the gospel, according to the flesh instead of the Spirit…Not until Rom 8:9 will the apostle bear witness to the indwelling Spirit as alone able to subdue indwelling sin…the wretched man is typical of many Jewish Christians of Paul’s day, regenerated, but under the law, not under the Spirit.
Question:
1. I do not do what I want v.15, I do what I don’t want v.16, 19, 20
Gala 5:17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.
2. a can only do what sin wants (what he hates), not what he wants to do. b. he cannot do good or what he want to do in his mind. He was distressed and was captive.
3. Addiction, forgiving to others, obedient to authority
4. the law of God, the law of sin
5. a. a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin, b. through Jesus Christ our Lord, he will be rescued from this body of death
6. I need to chose Jesus who can rescue me.
7. I present myself to God every morning, but I do not do the "consider, and not let sin reign."
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