Romans 7:7-25 Meaning

Romans 7:12 Direct teaching

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

...have shown that patience and fear belong to the good man. For if, as those allege who disparage the law, "by the law is the knowledge of sin," Romans 3:20, and "till the law sin was in the world," Romans 5:13, yet "without the law sin was dead," Romans 7:6, we oppose them. For when you take away the cause of fear, sin, you have taken away fear. And much more, punishment, when you have taken away that which gives rise to lust. For "the law is not made for the just man," 1 Timothy 1:9, says the Scripture. Well then, says Heraclitus, "They would not have known the name of Justice if these things had not been." And Socrates says that the law was not made for the sake of the good. But the cavillers did not know even this, as the apostle says, that he who loves his brother works no evil. For this, "You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal"; and if there is any other commandment, it is comprehended in the word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Romans 13:8-10. So also it is said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27. And if he that loves his neighbor works no evil, and if

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

and, Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

...n that needs to be given of that way of speaking. But again, why the law is called "the strength of sin," we will now explain briefly as best we can. Now it is written that "the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners." In those times, then, before Moses, there was no written law for transgressors. So Pharaoh, not knowing the strength of sin, sinned by oppressing the children of Israel with unjust burdens, and he despised the Godhead, not only himself, but also all who were with him. But, so that I do not explain it in a roundabout way, I will state the matter briefly like this. There were certain people of the Egyptian race mixed in with the people of Moses when that people was under his rule in the wilderness. And when Moses had gone up the mountain to receive the law, the impatient people, I do not mean those who were the true Israel, but those who had been mixed with the Egyptians, set up a calf as their god, according to their old custom of worshiping idols. They did this with the idea that by such means they might save themselves from ever having to pay the proper penalties for their sins. In this way they w

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

...nt that Abraham has glory, but not before God, and that through the law comes only the knowledge of sin. He brought in many other things also, with the purpose of taking away from the honor of the law, on the ground that the law itself is sin. By these statements the simpler people were somewhat influenced, because he kept putting them forward. In agreement with all this, he also used the saying that the law and the prophets were until John. He declared, however, that John preached the true kingdom of heaven. For truly he believed that by the cutting off of John's head it was shown that all who came before him, and who had precedence over him, were to be cut off, and that only what came after him was to remain. Therefore, concerning all these matters, O most godly Archelaus, send us back a short written reply. For I have heard that you have studied these subjects to no ordinary degree, and that the ability you have is God's gift, since God gives these gifts to those who are worthy of them, who are His friends, and who show themselves united with Him in purpose and life. For our part is to prepare ourselves and to draw near to the gracious and generous mind, and then we immediate

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

... whom all should worship, and serve Him alone? It is, without any doubt, that God who also gave the law. For these things were predicted in the law, and through the words of the law, the Lord showed that the law does indeed declare the Word of God from the Father; and the rebellious angel of God is exposed by its words, revealing his true nature, and is defeated by the Son of man who keeps the commandment of God. For as in the beginning he lured man to disobey his Maker’s law, thus bringing him under his control; his power lies in disobedience and rebellion, and with these, he bound man to himself. However, it was necessary that through man himself, the rebellious angel should be conquered and bound with the same chains with which he had bound man, so that man, being freed, might return to his Lord, leaving behind the chains by which he had been bound, which is sin. For when Satan is bound, man is set free; as “no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man.” The Lord, therefore, exposes Satan as speaking against the word of the God who made all things and defeats him through the commandment. The law is God’s commandment. The Man

Romans 7:14 Direct teaching

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.

Romans 7:20 Direct teaching

Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Romans 7:23 Direct teaching

but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

Romans 7:18 Direct teaching

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

Romans 7:21 Direct teaching

I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.

Methodius, From the Discourse on the Resurrection Direct teaching

But I am carnal, sold under sin; Romans 7:14 which means: But I being carnal, and being placed between good and evil as a voluntary agent, am so that I may have it in my power to choose what I will.

Peter of Alexandria, The Genuine Acts of Peter Supporting witness

But I am carnal, sold under sin; Romans 7:14 which means: But I being carnal, and being placed between good and evil as a voluntary agent, am so that I may have it in my power to choose what I will.

Methodius, From the Discourse on the Resurrection Direct teaching

...nt, that I do not do; but what I hate, that I do. If then I do what I do not want, I agree with the law that it is good. Now then it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me—that is, in my flesh—dwells no good thing" in Romans 7:15-18. And this is rightly said. For remember how it has already been shown that from the time when man went astray and disobeyed the law, sin then, receiving its birth from his disobedience, dwelt in him. In this way an upheaval was stirred up, and we were filled with disturbances and foreign imaginations, emptied of the divine inspiration and filled with fleshly desire, which the cunning serpent poured into us. Therefore God devised death for our sake, so that He might destroy sin, lest, rising up in us as immortals, as I said, it should become immortal. When the apostle says, "For I know that in me—that is, in my flesh—dwells no good thing," by these words he means to show that sin dwells in us from the transgression, through lust. Out of this, like young shoots, thoughts of pleasure spring up all around us. For there are two kinds of thoughts in us. One arises from the lust that lies in the body, which, as I said, c

Peter of Alexandria, The Genuine Acts of Peter Supporting witness

...do, that I do not do; but what I hate, that I do. If then I do what I do not want, I agree with the law that it is good. But now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me—that is, in my flesh—dwells no good thing,” Romans 7:15-18. And this is rightly said. For remember how it has already been shown that, from the time man went astray and disobeyed the law, sin then, receiving its beginning from his disobedience, dwelt in him. For in this way an upheaval was stirred up, and we were filled with disturbances and foreign imaginations, being emptied of the divine inspiration and filled with fleshly desire, which the crafty serpent poured into us. And therefore God brought in death for our sake, so that He might destroy sin, lest, rising up in us as immortals, as I said, it should be immortal. When the apostle says, “For I know that in me—that is, in my flesh—dwells no good thing,” by these words he means to show that sin dwells in us from the transgression, through lust. Out of this, like young shoots, thoughts of pleasure spring up around us. For there are two kinds of thoughts in us. One arises from the lust that lies in the body, which, as I sai

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

...ssage, one may also use an example like that of Paul. In one place, Romans 7:14, he says that he is carnal, sold under sin, and so was not able to judge anything. But in another place, he is the spiritual man who is able to judge all things and is himself judged by no man. The words of the carnal man are these: "Not what I would, that do I practice; but what I hate, that do I." And the one who was caught up to the third heaven and heard unspeakable words is a different Paul from the one who says, "Of such a one I will glory, but of myself I will not glory." If he becomes, in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22, to the Jews as a Jew so that he may gain the Jews, and to those under the law as under the law so that he may gain those under the law, and to those without law as without law, not being without law to God but under law to Christ, so that he may gain those without law, and if to the weak he becomes weak so that he may gain the weak, it is clear that these statements must be examined one by one. He becomes a Jew. Sometimes he is under the law, and at another time without law. Sometimes he is weak. Where, for example, he says something by way of permission, 1 Corinthians 7:6, and not by

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

On the same passage one may also make use of such an example as that of Paul, who at one place Romans 7:14 says that he is carnal, sold under sin, and thus was not able to judge anything, while in another place he is the spiritual man who is able to judge all things and himself to be judged by no man.

Peter of Alexandria, The Genuine Acts of Peter Supporting witness

Romans 7:22-24 By which he does not mean that the body is death, but the law of sin which is in his members, lying hidden in us through the transgression, and ever deluding the soul to the death of unrighteousness.

Romans 7:7 Direct teaching

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

Romans 7:13 Direct teaching

Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

Romans 7:8 Direct teaching

But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.

Proverbs 6:23 Background

For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,

Romans 6:19 Background

I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

Romans 7:10 Direct teaching

And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

Romans 7:11 Direct teaching

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Supporting witness

...rought to light! It was not the law, therefore, that led me astray, but sin, taking occasion by the commandment. Romans 7:8 Why then do you, Marcion, charge against the God of the law what His apostle does not dare to charge even against the law itself? No, he adds a climax: "The law is holy, and its commandment just and good." Romans 7:13 Now if he thus reverences the Creator's law, I do not know how he can destroy the Creator Himself. Who can draw a distinction and say that there are two gods, one just and the other good, when He whose commandment is both just and good ought to be believed to be both one and the other? Then again, when affirming the law to be spiritual, Romans 7:14, he thereby implies that it is prophetic, and that it is figurative. Now even from this fact I am bound to conclude that Christ was predicted by the law, but figuratively, so that indeed He could not be recognized by all the Jews.

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

...eing through the Reason that was from the beginning. The Apostle says in Romans 7:8-9, "Without the law sin was dead," and he adds, "But when the commandment came, sin revived." In this way he teaches generally about sin, that it has no power before the law and the commandment. But the Word is, in a sense, law and commandment. And there would be no sin if there were no law, for Romans 5:13 says, "Sin is not counted where there is no law." Again, there would be no sin apart from the Word, for Christ says in John 15:22, "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin." For every excuse is taken away from the person who wants to excuse his sin, if, though the Word is in him and shows him what he ought to do, he does not obey it. It seems, then, that all things, including even the worse things, were made by the Word, and without Him, taking the word "nothing" here in its simpler sense, nothing was made. Nor should we blame the Word if all things were made by Him, and without Him nothing was made, any more than we blame a teacher who has shown a student his duty, when the teaching has been such that, if the student sins, he has no excuse and no room to say that he

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

The Apostle says: Romans 7:8-9 Without the law sin was dead, and adds, But when the commandment came sin revived, and so teaches generally about sin that it has no power before the law and the commandment (but the Logos is, in a sense, law and commandment), and there would be no sin were there no law, for, Romans 5:13 sin is not imputed where there is no law.

Romans 6:6 Background

knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

Romans 8:7 Background

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh Supporting witness

...n-condemnation of sin subjects it to the law of sin and death. In the same way, he first called the carnal mind death, in Romans 8:6, and afterward enmity against God. But he never said this of the flesh itself. But to what then, you will say, must the carnal mind be ascribed, if not to the carnal substance itself? I will allow your objection, if you will prove to me that the flesh has any understanding of its own. If, however, it has no thought of anything without the soul, you must understand that the carnal mind must be referred to the soul, although it is sometimes ascribed to the flesh, on the ground that it is ministered to for the flesh and through the flesh. And therefore he says that sin dwells in the flesh, because the soul, by which sin is stirred up, has its temporary lodging in the flesh, which is indeed doomed to death, though not on its own account, but on account of sin. For he says in another passage also, "How is it that you conduct yourselves as if you were even now living in the world?" in Colossians 2:20. There he is not writing to dead persons, but to those who ought to have ceased to live after the ways of the world.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Background

...may become free in Christ and receive the reward due to his ministry. And again, speaking about the law and using an allegory, he says, “For the woman who is under a husband is bound by law to the living husband,” Romans 7:2, and what follows. And again: “A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to marry, only in the Lord. But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my judgment,” 1 Corinthians 7:39-40. But in the first part, when he says, “You were made dead to the law,” he does not mean to marriage, but to the law, “so that you may become another’s, of Him who was raised from the dead,” Romans 7:4, namely, the bride and the Church. And she must be chaste: from the thoughts stirred up within, which are contrary to the truth; and from those who tempt from outside, that is, from those who follow heresies and persuade you to commit fornication away from the one husband, namely Almighty God. “Lest, as the serpent deceived Eve,” 2 Corinthians 11:3, she who is called Life, so we too, led on by the crafty attractions of heresies, may transgress the commandments. But the second part establishes monogamy. For we must not think, as some have t

Methodius, From the Discourse on the Resurrection Supporting witness

...ruction, so that the righteousness of the law of nature, which draws us to good and agrees with the commandment, might be kindled and shown. For what the law of nature could not do, because it was weak and was overcome by the lust lying in the body, God gave power to accomplish by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Thus sin was condemned to its destruction, so that it would never again bear fruit in the flesh, and so that the righteousness of the law of nature might be fulfilled, overflowing in the obedience of those who walk not according to the lust of the flesh, but according to the desire and guidance of the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life, which is the Gospel, differs from the earlier laws. By its preaching it leads to obedience and the remission of sins, and it delivered us from the law of sin and death, having completely conquered sin that ruled over our flesh.

Peter of Alexandria, The Genuine Acts of Peter Supporting witness

...ruction, so that the righteousness of the law of nature, which draws us to good and agrees with the commandment, might be kindled and made known. For what the law of nature could not do, because it was weak and was overcome by the lust that lies in the body, God gave power to accomplish by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Thus sin was condemned to its destruction, so that it would never again bear fruit in the flesh, and so that the righteousness of the law of nature might be fulfilled, overflowing in the obedience of those who walk not according to the lust of the flesh, but according to the desire and guidance of the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life, which is the Gospel, is different from the earlier laws. By its preaching, it leads to obedience and the remission of sins, and it delivered us from the law of sin and death after completely conquering the sin that ruled over our flesh.

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

...use the Pharisees and Sadducees had left what is figuratively called man, the word of truth, or the law, and had been corrupted by falsehood and the law of sin. For if there are two laws, the law in our members warring against the law of the mind, and the law of the mind, Romans 7:23, we must say that the law of the mind, that is, the spiritual law, is man, to whom the soul was given by God as wife, that is, to the man who is law, according to what is written, "A wife is married to a man by God," Proverbs 19:14. But the other is a lover of the soul that is subject to it, and because of it the soul is also called an adulteress. Now Paul clearly shows in the Epistle to the Romans that the law is husband of the soul. He says, "The law has dominion over a man for as long a time as he lives; for the woman that has a husband is bound to the husband while he lives," to the husband who is law, and so on. For consider in these things that the law has dominion over the man so long a time as the law lives, as a husband over a wife. For the woman that has a husband, that is, the soul under the law, is bound to the husband while he lives, to the husband who is the law. But if the husband, th

Peter of Alexandria, The Genuine Acts of Peter Supporting witness

Romans 7:15-18 And this is rightly said. For remember how it has been already shown that, from the time when man went astray and disobeyed the law, thence sin, receiving its birth from his disobedience, dwelt in him.

Cyprian, Epistles Background

...Therefore mortify your members which are upon the earth, putting off fornication, uncleanness, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which are the service of idols; for which things' sake the wrath of God comes.” Colossians 3:5-6. For since our bodies are members of Christ, and each of us is a temple of God, whoever violates the temple of God by adultery violates God. And he who, in committing sins, does the will of the devil, serves demons and idols. For evil deeds do not come from the Holy Spirit, but from the prompting of the adversary. And lusts born of the unclean spirit constrain men to act against God and to obey the devil. Thus it happens that if they say that one is polluted by another's sin, and if they contend, by their own assertion, that the idolatry of the offender passes over to one who is not guilty according to their own word, they cannot be excused from the crime of idolatry, since from the apostolic proof it is clear that the adulterers and defrauders with whom they communicate are idolaters. But with us, according to our faith and the given rule of divine preaching, the principle of truth agrees: that each one is himself held fast in his own sin. Nor can one