Romans 7:7

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Romans 7:7-13

To what he had said in the former paragraph, the apostle here raises an objection, which he answers very fully: What shall we say then? Isa. the law sin? When he had been speaking of the dominion of sin, he had said so much of the influence of the law as a covenant upon that dominion that it might easily be misinterpreted as a reflection upon the law, to prevent which he shows from his own experience the great excellency and usefulness of the law, not as a covenant, but as a guide; and further... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Romans 7:7-13

7:7-13 What then are we to infer? That the law is sin? God forbid! So far from that, I would never have known what sin meant except through the law. I would never have known desire if the law had not said, "You must not covet." For, when sin had, through the commandment, obtained a foothold, it produced every kind of desire in me; for, without law, sin is lifeless. Once I lived without the law; but, when the commandment came, sin sprang to life, and in that moment I knew that I had incurred... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Romans 7:7

What shall we say then? is the law sin ?.... The apostle having said, that "the motions of sins were by the law", Romans 7:5 , meets with an objection, or rather an ill natured cavil, "is the law sin?" if the motions sins are by it, then it instigates and prompts men to sin; it cherishes it in them; it leads them and impels them to the commission of it, and therefore must be the cause of sin; and if the cause of sin, then it must be sin, or sinful itself: "what shall we say then?" how... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 7:7

Is the law sin? - The apostle had said, Romans 7:6 ; : The motions of sins, which were by the law, did bring forth fruit unto death; and now he anticipates an objection, "Is therefore the law sin?" To which he answers, as usual, μη γενοιτο , by no means. Law is only the means of disclosing; this sinful propensity, not of producing it; as a bright beam of the sun introduced into a room shows; millions of motes which appear to be dancing in it in all directions; but these were not... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 7:7

Verse 7 7.What then shall we say? Since it has been said that we must be freed from the law, in order that we may serve God in newness of spirit, it seemed as though this evil belonged to the law, — that it leads us to sin. But as this would be above measure inconsistent, the Apostle rightly undertook to disprove it. Now when he adds, Is the law sin? what he means is, “Does it so produce sin that its guilt ought to be imputed to the law?” — But sin I knew not, except through the law; sin then... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 7:1-17

The position of the Law under the New Testament. The apostle is here continuing his discussion of the immoral suggestion to which he alluded in the previous chapter ( Romans 7:15 ), "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the Law, but under grace?" I. THE RELATION OF THE LAW TO THE CHRISTIAN . 1. he Christian's union with Christ involves his freedom from the Law. 2. But this union with Christ and freedom from the Law do not imply that he is free... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 7:7

What shall we say then? (St. Paul's usual phrase, with μὴ γένοιτο following, for meeting and rejecting a possible misunderstanding of his meaning; cf. Romans 6:1 .) Is the Law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known Bin, but through law . αλλὰ , translated "nay," being thus taken, as in the Authorized Version, adversatively to the supposition of the Law being sin, and so a continuation of what is expressed by μὴ γένοιτο . So far from the Law being sin, it exposes sin. Or it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 7:7

Knowledge of sin by the Law. Although the apostle aimed in this Epistle to show that the Law by itself was unable and unfitted to secure men's salvation, it is evident, both that he honoured the Law as an expression of the Divine character and will, and that he considered it, from a Christian point of view, to fulfil a most important purpose. Especially in this verse does he set forth the Law as awakening conscience of sin, and so preparing the way for the introduction of the gospel, both... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 7:7-11

Knowledge of sin through Law. The strong language in which the apostle exulted in the believer's discharge from the Law might easily be misunderstood, and give offence to Jewish readers. It seemed to throw the onus of man's bondage and death entirely upon the Sinaitic Law. To obviate misconception, he therefore enters into a detailed examination of the relationship of sin and Law. He insists on the Junction of Law as revealing sin —the secondary, not the primary cause of sin. I. THE... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Romans 7:7-13

Is the Law sin? "The sinful passions, which were through the Law" ( Romans 7:5 ). What does the Law bring forth such fruit? Is the LAW SIN ? Nay, that cannot be; on the contrary, we all acknowledge it, without dispute, as "holy," and every separate commandment which it gives as "holy, and righteous, and good." Nevertheless, even the holy Law has peculiar relations to the development of sin; and they are these: the Law reveals sin; the Law becomes, to a sinful man, an excitant to... read more

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