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

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


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Rom 7:7. ὁ νόμος ἁμαρτία; is the law sin?) He, who has heard the same things predicated of the law and of sin, will perhaps make this objection: is, then, the law sin, or the sinful cause of sin? comp. Rom 7:13, note.-τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, sin) We must again observe the propriety of the terms, and the distinction between them:

ὁ νόμος· τὸ λέγειν τοῦ νόμου.

the law;



ἡ ἁμαρτία· ἡ ἐπιθυμία.

sin;

οὐκ ἔγνων , (from γινώσκω·) οὐκ ᾔδειν, (from οἶδα.) ἔγνων is the greater, οἶδα the less. Hence the latter, since even the less degree is denied, is expressive of increase.[69] Αμαρτία, sin, is as it were sinful matter, from which all manner of [The all taken from πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν, Rom 7:8] disease and paroxysm of concupiscence [Rom 7:8] originates.-οὐκ ἔγνων, I had not known) Paul often sets forth his discourse indefinitely in the first person, not only for the sake of perspicuity, but from the constant application of what is said to himself; see 1Co 5:12; 1Co 6:12. And so also in this passage.-τήν τε γὰρ ἐπιθυμίαν, for even lust) Ἡ ἁμαρτία, sin, is more deeply seated [inward] and recondite: ἡ ἐπιθυμία, lust, rather assails [rushes into] the sense, and at the same time betrays [the inwardly seated] sin, as smoke does fire. The particles τὲ γὰρ, for even indicate this διορισμός, this contra-distinction; and sin, that one indwelling evil, works out [produces] a variety of lust [all manner of concupiscence]: see what follows; and again lust brings forth sin consummated [finished], Jam 1:15. [Sin lies concealed in man, as heat in drink, which, if we were to judge by mere sensation, may possibly at the time be very cold, V. g.]-οὐκ ᾔδειν, I had not known) lust to be an evil; or rather, I had not known [even the existence of] lust itself; its motion at length [when the law came, then and not till then] met the eye.-ἔλεγεν, said) Moreover it said so, [first] by itself; then, [also] in my mind: comp. when the law came, Rom 7:9.lust.the fact of the law saying [Taken out of, “Except the law had said”].

[69] The increase in force is this; I had not full knowledge (ἔγνων) of sin, nay I had not even been at all sensible (ᾕδειν) of lust.-ED.