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10.But if Christ be in us, etc. What he had before said of the Spirit he says now of Christ, in order that the mode of Christ’ dwelling in us might be intimated; for as by the Spirit he consecrates us as temples to himself, so by the same he dwells in us. But what we have before referred to, he now explains more fully — that the children of God are counted spiritual, not on the ground of a full and complete perfection, but only on account of the newness of life that is begun in them. And he anticipates here an occasion of doubt, which might have otherwise disturbed us; for though the Spirit possesses a part of us, we yet see another part still under the power of death. He then gives this answer — that the power of quickening is in the Spirit of Christ, which will be effectual in swallowing up our mortality. He hence concludes that we must patiently wait until the relics of sin be entirely abolished.
Readers have been already reminded, that by the word Spirit they are not to understand the soul, but the Spirit of regeneration; and Paul calls the Spirit life, not only because he lives and reigns in us, but also because he quickens us by his power, until at length, having destroyed the mortal fesh, he perfectly renews us. So, on the other hand, the word body signifies that gross mass which is not yet purified by the Spirit of God from earthly dregs, which delight in nothing but what is gross; for it would be otherwise absurd to ascribe to the body the fault of sin: besides the soul is so far from being life that it does not of itself live. The meaning of Paul then is — that although sin adjudges us to death as far as the corruption of our first nature remains in us, yet that the Spirit of God is its conqueror: nor is it any hindrance, that we are only favored with the first-fruits, for even one spark of the Spirit is the seed of life. (249)
(249) There are mainly two explanations of this verse and the following, with some shades of difference. The one is given here; according to which “ body,” and “” are taken figuratively for nature corrupted by sin; the “” as it is flesh, or corrupted, is “” is crucified, or doomed to die “ account of sin;” and this “” or these “” which are mortal, and especially so as to their corruption, are to be quickened, revived, and made subservient to the will of God. It appears that this is essentially the view taken by [Chrysostom ], and also by [Erasmus ], [Locke ], [Marckius ], and by [Stuart ] and [Barnes ]. It is said that νέκρον and θνητα have the same meaning with “” and “” in Rom_6:6, and “” in Rom_6:7, and “” in Rom_6:11, and “” in Rom_6:12. And as to the meaning of ζωοποίησει is “ quicken,” reference is made to Col_2:12; Eph_1:19; Eph_2:5. It is also added, that the words “ the deeds of the body,” in Rom_8:13, confirm this view.
The other explanation, adopted by [Augustine ], and also by [Pareus ], [Vitringa ], [Turrettin ], [Doddridge ], [Scott ], [Chalmers ], [Haldane ], and [Hodge ], is the following, — The “” and “” are to be taken literally, and the spirit, in the 10th verse, is the renewed man, or the renewed soul, which has or possesses “” through the righteousness of Christ, or is made to enjoy life through the righteousness implanted by the Spirit. The meaning then is this, “ body is dead through sin, is doomed to die because of sin; but the spirit is life through righteousness, the soul renewed has life through Christ’ righteousness: but the dying body, now tabernacled by the Spirit, shall also be quickened and made immortal through the mighty power of the divine Spirit.” Thus salvation shall be complete when the “ of the body” shall come. See Rom_8:23.
While the two views are theologically correct, the latter is that which is the most consonant with the usual phraseology of Scripture, though the former seems the most suitable to the context. The subject evidently is the work of the Spirit in mortifying sin, and in bestowing and sustaining spiritual life. The inference in the next verse seems favorable to this view. — Ed.