Bible Commentaries

Romans 6:1.— The Apostle having now proved, by three distinct arguments, that both Gentiles and Jews can be pardoned, and made partakers of the privileges and blessings of the kingdom of God under the Messiah, no otherwise than by the grace of God, through faith alone; he next proceeds, in proper order, to shew the obligations that both Gentiles and Jews were under to a life of holiness in this their new state, and the means and advantages which they enjoyed for that purpose. This he does, not only to instruct the Christians, and to prevent their mistakes, but also to wipe away a calumny industriously spread, as if, in asserting justification by grace without works, he had taught that we are under no obligation to obedience, chap. Romans 3:8. Against this objection, mistake, or calumny, he puts in a caveat, chap. Rom 3:31 and handlesthe point at large. See the introductory notes to this chapter.

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Romans 6:4. Buried with him by baptism— As the ordinance of baptism seems plainly to be sometimes represented, by sprinkling or pouring water; as particularly when God is said to save us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour (Tit 3:5-6): so some have thought that it is here mentioned with an allusion to the laying of a body under water; and yet, according to this mode of reasoning, it more naturally alludes to the throwing of earth upon the dead corpse, in which the body is entirely passive, and not at all active in going down into the grave, than to plunging it into the earth or water. But, after all, I am very much of opinion with Mr. Henry, or his continuator,Dr.Evans,who, in the exposition of this passage, says, "Why this burying in baptism shouldso much as allude to any custom of dipping under water in baptism any more than our baptismal crucifixion and death should have any such reference, I confess I cannot see. It is plain, that it is not the sign, but the thing signified in baptism, that the Apostle here calls being buried with Christ; and the expression of burying alludes to Christ's burial. As Christ was buried, that he might rise to a new and more heavenly life; so we are in baptism buried, that is to say, cut off from the life of sin, that we may rise again to a new life in faith and love." Others have thought, that the reference is onlyto the benefits of spiritual baptism, and that nothing can be concluded about the external mode of baptism from this verse, more than from the next, which speaks of our being therein symbolically planted together in the likeness of Christ's death; or than from the figure of baptism saving us, as represented by the floating of Noah's ark, when the few that were in it were saved by water; 1 Peter 3:20-21. But no mode of baptism can be signified by either of these. As the church at Rome seems to have been planted about the year 43, and this Epistle was written in the year 58, that is, fifteen years after; and yet the Apostle speaks of the converted Romans in general as baptized; it must be supposed that baptism was administered to those whose parents had been Christians at the time of their birth. See Gale's Serm. vol. 2: p. 202.

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Romans 6:5. If we have been planted together— Planted does not completely express the Apostle's sentiment. The expression τα συμφυτα, means such plants as grow the one upon and in the other, deriving sap and nourishment from it; as mistletoe upon the oak, or the scion upon the stock intowhich it is grafted. Some commentators have translated the words thus: For if we have been made growers-together with Christ in the likeness of his death [or in that which is like his death], we shall be also growers-together with him in the likeness of [or in that which is like] his resurrection. It appears to be a metaphor, and a very beautiful one, taken from grafting, or making the scion grow together with the new stock. Homberg would render it, If we have been united with him by the image of his death, we shall, &c. See Wells, Beza, and Raphelius.

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Romans 6:6. Our old man— Our wicked and corrupt fleshly self, Galatians 5:24.Ephesians 4:22; Ephesians 4:22. Col 2:11. 1 Peter 4:1. The utter destruction of the body of sin in us, is certainly intended in the Gospel; but the particular import of the Greek word καταργηθη, is, to make void, debilitate, enervate, disannul, abolish, or depose. Compare chap. Rom 3:31 Romans 4:14. 1Co 2:6; 1 Corinthians 13:8; 1 Corinthians 15:24. Eph 2:15. 2 Timothy 1:10. It will conduce much to the understanding of St. Paul in this and the two following chapters, if it be observed that these phrases, to serve sin,—to be servants of sin,—sin reigning in our mortal bodies,—to obey sin in the lusts of our bodies,—to yield our members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, or servants of uncleanness,—and of iniquity unto iniquity,—to be free from righteousness,—to walk, live, or be after the flesh,—to be carnally-minded, all signify one and the same thing; namely, the giving ourselves up to the conduct of our carnal and sinful appetites; allowing any of them the command over us, and the conduct and prevalency in determining us. On the contrary, the walking after the spirit, or in newness of life,—the crucifixion of the old man,—the destruction of the body of sin, the deliverance from the body of death,—to be freed from sin,—to be dead to sin, and alive unto God,—to yield ourselves unto God, as those who are alive from the dead,—to yield our members servants of righteousness unto holiness, or instruments of righteousness unto God,—to be servants of obedience unto righteousness,— made free from sin,—servants of righteousness,—to be after the Spirit, to be spiritually-minded,—to mortify the deeds of the body,—do all signify a constant steady purpose and sincere endeavour to obey the law and will of God in every thing through grace; these several expressions being used in several places, as best serves the occasion, and illustrates the sense.

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Romans 6:7. He that is dead is freed from sin— St. Peter seems to paraphrase this verse, 1 Peter 4:1. He that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin; as if he had said, "The Christian who is so resolute, by the power of the Spirit of God, as to resist all temptation to sin, and chooses rather to suffer any temporal calamities than commit sin, or neglect his duty, is the only man who has done with sin;—who is effectually delivered from the power and condemnation of it." The Greek word δικαιουσθαι, frequently signifies in Scripture to be saved or delivered. See Isaiah 45:25. Jam 2:25 and on ch. Romans 5:16. Mr. Locke paraphrases this passage thus: "For he that is dead is set free from the vassalage of sin, as a slave is from the vassalage of his master." St. Paul makes it his business, in this chapter, not to tell the Jews what they certainly are; but to exhort them to be what they ought and are engaged to be, by becoming Christians; namely, that they ought by the power of grace to emancipate themselves from the vassalage of sin; not that they were so emancipated without any danger of return: for then he could not have said what he does, Romans 6:1; Rom 6:12-13 which supposes it in their power to continue in their obedience to sin, or return to that vassalage if they would.

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Romans 6:10. For in that he died, &c.— Dr. Doddridge translates and paraphrases the passage thus: "For whereas he died, he died once for all, as a sacrifice for sin, to atone the injured justice of God, and repair the honours of his violated law: and as he liveth he liveth to God for ever; his immortal life is entirely appropriated and devoted to his service; wherein we ought to make it our constant care to imitate his example." See chap. Romans 8:17. Galatians 2:20. 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Peter 4:1.

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Romans 6:11. Likewise, &c.— Thus then reckon ye yourselves, &c. See Colossians 3:3.

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Romans 6:12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body— Sin is here spoken of as a person; a prosopopoeia made use of throughout this and the following chapter; which must be observed if we will understand them right. See 1 Peter 4:1. Dr. Heylin renders this verse, Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, so as to obey it by indulging the appetites of the body. Mr. Locke observes, that the preposition εν, in the Apostle's writings, often signifies by; and as here, as well as in the following chapter, Romans 7:18; Rom 7:24 and elsewhere, he places the root of sin in the body, the sense seems to be, "Let not sin reign over you, by the lusts of your mortal body." The force of St. Paul's argument appears to be this: "By your baptism you are engaged to become conformable to Christ's death and resurrection: he once died for sin, so do you count yourselves dead to sin: he rose to life, wherein he lives wholly to God; so must your new life be under the vassalage of sin no more; but you must live entirely to the service of God, to whom you are devoted."

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