John Bengel Commentary - Romans 7:6 - 7:6

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John Bengel Commentary - Romans 7:6 - 7:6


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Rom 7:6. Ἀποθανόντες, being dead) So Rom 7:4, ye became dead, said of that party, which corresponds to the wife: comp. Gal 2:19. I have shown in der Antwort wegen des N. T. p. 55. A. 1745, that Chrysostom also read ἀποθανόντες, not ἀποθανόντος.[68]-ᾡ) A plain construction in this sense: we have been set free by death from the law, which held us fast.-κατειχόμεθα) an expressive term; comp. συνέκλεισε, ch. Rom 11:32, ἐφρουρούμεθα, Gal 3:23.-ἐν καινότητι πνεύματος, καὶ οὐ παλαιότητι γράμματος, in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter) We have the same antithesis, ch. Rom 2:29; 2Co 3:6. The letter is not the law considered in itself, inasmuch as, thus considered, it is spiritual and living [instinct with life] Rom 7:14; Act 7:38 [the lively oracles], but in respect of the sinner, to whom it cannot give spirit and life, but leaves him to death, nay even it to a more profound extent hands him over to its power: although he may in the mean time aim at the performance of what the letter and its mere sound command to be done; so that the appearance and the name may still remain, just as a dead hand is still a hand. But the Spirit is given by the Gospel and by faith, and bestows life and newness, 2Co 3:6; comp. Joh 6:63. The words oldness and newness are used here by Paul in relation to the two testaments or covenants, although believers have now for a long time enjoyed the first fruits of the New Testament; and at the present day unbelievers retain the remnants, nay rather the whole substance, of the Old Testament. Observe too, the ἐν, in. is put once, not twice [The Engl. Vers. wrongly supplies in before the oldness. But Beng. That we should not serve the oldness, etc.] We have served oldness not God: comp. Gal 4:9, οἷς, to which [The beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage]; now we serve not newness, but [we serve] God in newness, ch. Rom 6:22.

[68] So also A (B?) C, both Syr. Versions, Memph. The first correction of the Amiatine MS. of Vulg. read ἀποθάνοντες. D (Λ) G fg Vulg. read τοῦ θανάτου [The law of death]. Rec. Text (and B?) ἀποθάνοντος.-ED.