Vincent Word Studies - Romans 6:6 - 6:6

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Vincent Word Studies - Romans 6:6 - 6:6


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Old man (ὁ παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος)

Only in Paul, and only three times; here, Eph 4:22; Col 3:9. Compare Joh 3:3; Tit 3:5. The old, unrenewed self. Paul views the Christian before his union with Christ, as, figuratively, another person. Somewhat in the same way he regards himself in ch. 7.

The body of sin (τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας)

Σῶμα in earlier classical usage signifies a corpse. So always in Homer and often in later Greek. So in the New Testament, Mat 6:25; Mar 5:29; Mar 14:8; Mar 15:43. It is used of men as slaves, Rev 18:13. Also in classical Greek of the sum-total. So Plato: τὸ τοῦ κόσμου σῶμα the sum-total of the world (“Timaeus,” 31).

The meaning is tinged in some cases by the fact of the vital union of the body with the immaterial nature, as being animated by the ψυξή soul, the principle of individual life. Thus Mat 6:25, where the two are conceived as forming one organism, so that the material ministries which are predicated of the one are predicated of the other, and the meanings of the two merge into one another.

In Paul it can scarcely be said to be used of a dead body, except in a figurative sense, as Rom 8:10, or by inference, 2Co 5:8. Commonly of a living body. It occurs with ψυχή soul, only 1Th 5:23, and there its distinction from ψυχή rather than its union with it is implied. So in Mat 10:28, though even there the distinction includes the two as one personality. It is used by Paul:

1. Of the living human body, Rom 4:19; 1Co 6:13; 1Co 9:27; 1Co 12:12-26.

2. Of the Church as the body of Christ, Rom 12:5; 1Co 12:27; Eph 1:23; Col 1:18, etc. Σάρξ flesh, never in this sense.

3. Of plants and heavenly bodies, 1Co 15:37, 1Co 15:40.

4. Of the glorified body of Christ, Phi 3:21.

5. Of the spiritual body of risen believers, 1Co 15:44.

It is distinguished from σάρξ flesh, as not being limited to the organism of an earthly, living body, 1Co 15:37, 1Co 15:38. It is the material organism apart from any definite matter. It is however sometimes used as practically synonymous with σάρξ, 1Co 7:16, 1Co 7:17; Eph 5:28, Eph 5:31; 2Co 4:10, 2Co 4:11. Compare 1Co 5:3 with Col 2:5. An ethical conception attaches to it. It is alternated with μέλη members, and the two are associated with sin (Rom 1:24; Rom 6:6; Rom 7:5, Rom 7:24; Rom 8:13; Col 3:5), and with sanctification (Rom 12:1; 1Co 6:19 sq.; compare 1Th 4:4; 1Th 5:23). It is represented as mortal, Rom 8:11; 2Co 10:10; and as capable of life, 1Co 13:3; 2Co 4:10.

In common with μέλη members, it is the instrument of feeling and willing rather than σάρξ, because the object in such cases is to designate the body not definitely as earthly, but generally as organic, Rom 6:12, Rom 6:13, Rom 6:19; 2Co 5:10. Hence, wherever it is viewed with reference to sin or sanctification, it is the outward organ for the execution of the good or bad resolves of the will.

The phrase body of sin denotes the body belonging to, or ruled by, the power of sin, in which the members are instruments of unrighteousness (Rom 6:13). Not the body as containing the principle of evil in our humanity, since Paul does not regard sin as inherent in, and inseparable from, the body (see Rom 6:13; 2Co 4:10-12; 2Co 7:1. Compare Mat 15:19), nor as precisely identical with the old man, an organism or system of evil dispositions, which does not harmonize with Rom 6:12, Rom 6:13, where Paul uses body in the strict sense. “Sin is conceived as the master, to whom the body as slave belongs and is obedient to execute its will. As the slave must perform his definite functions, not because he in himself can perform no others, but because of His actually subsistent relationship of service he may perform no others, while of himself he might belong as well to another master and render other services; so the earthly σῶμα body belongs not of itself to the ἁμαρτία sin, but may just as well belong to the Lord (1Co 6:13), and doubtless it is de facto enslaved to sin, so long as a redemption from this state has not set in by virtue of the divine Spirit” (Rom 7:24 : Dickson).

Destroyed

See on Rom 3:3.

He that is dead (ὁ ἀποθανὼν)

Rev., literally, he that hath died. In a physical sense. Death and its consequences are used as the general illustration of the spiritual truth. It is a habit of Paul to throw in such general illustrations. See Rom 7:2.