성경 주석서

롬 8:1-39. 전체 논증의 결론--그리스도 예수 안에 있는 자들의 영광스러운 완전성. 이 탁월한 장에서 앞선 논증의 여러 흐름은 하나로 만나 "하나님과 어린양의 보좌로부터 흘러나오는 수정같이 맑은 생명수의 강"이 되어, 마침내 복된 영원의 대양 속으로 사라지는 듯하다. 첫째: 신자들의 성화(롬 8:1-13). 1. 그러므로 이제, 등--이는 바로 앞 문맥을 가리킨다[OLSHAUSEN, PHILIPPI, MEYER, ALFORD 등]. 7장이 끝날 때의 주제가 아직 계속되고 있다. 롬 8:1-4의 목적은 "죄와 사망의 법"이 어떻게 신자들을 다시 종으로 끌어들일 힘을 잃는지, 그리고 하나님의 거룩한 법이 그들 안에서 살아 있는 순종의 경의를 어떻게 받는지를 보이는 데 있다[CALVIN, FRASER, PHILIPPI, MEYER, ALFORD 등]. 그리스도 예수 안에 있는 자에게는 결코 정죄함이 없나니--"죄를 알지도 못하신" 그리스도께서 법적으로 "우리를 대신하여 죄"가 되신 것처럼, 그분을 믿는 우리는 법적으로 "그 안에서 하나님의 의"가 되었다(고후 5:21). 그러므로 하나님의 계산에서 그분과 하나가 된 자에게는 "정죄함이 없다"(요 3:18; 5:24; 롬 5:18, 19 비교). 그러나 이것은 단순한 법적 조치가 아니다. 그것은 생명 안에서의 연합이다. 신자들은 그리스도의 영이 그들 안에 거하심으로, 머리와 같은 몸의 지체들이 한 생명을 갖듯 참으로 그분과 한 생명을 가진다. 육신을 좇지 않고 성령을 좇아 행하는 자--사본 증거는 이 절의 이 구절이 원문에 없었고, 앞부분은 일찍이, 뒷부분은 나중에 롬 8:4에서 들어온 것으로 보이게 한다. 아마 설명적 주석으로, 또 롬 8:2로의 전환을 쉽게 하려는 것이었을 것이다.

그러므로 이제는 - 이것은 로마서 7장의 마지막 절들과 연결된다. 사도는 거기서 율법이 죄에서의 구원을 이룰 수 없고, 그런 구원은 오직 복음에만 돌려져야 함을 보였다. 로마서 7:23-25. 여기에는 율법 아래 정죄가 있었고, 복음의 개입이 없었다면 여전히 그러했을 것이라는 점이 암시되어 있다.

정죄함이 없나니 - 이것은 믿는 자들 안의 죄가 다른 어디에서보다 덜 정죄되어야 한다는 뜻이 아니다. 성경은 어디서나 그 반대를 가르치기 때문이다. 그 뜻은 다음과 같다.

(1) 복음은 율법처럼 정죄를 선고하지 않는다. 복음의 기능은 용서하는 것이고, 율법의 기능은 정죄하는 것이다. 하나는 결코 구원을 제공하지 않고 언제나 정죄한다. 다른 하나의 목적은 정죄에서 자유롭게 하고 영혼을 자유롭게 하는 것이다.

(2) 복음 아래에는 최종적인 정죄가 없다. 복음의 기능과 목적과 경향은 율법의 정죄 선고에서 자유롭게 하는 것이다. 이것이 복음의 첫 번째이자 영광스러운 선포, 곧 잃어버리고 파멸한 사람들을 가장 두렵고 무서운 정죄에서 자유롭게 한다는 선포이다.

(이 장의 첫 절은 앞선 전체 논의에서 나온 추론인 듯하다. 사도는 칭의의 교리를 확립하고, 그것에 대해 보통 제기되는 반론들에 답한 뒤, 이제 그의 승리의 결론을 선언한다. “그러므로 이제는...” 곧 Christ의 의로 말미암은 믿는 자의 칭의와, 언약으로서의 율법에서의 그의 완전한 해방에 관해 말한 모든 것에서, 그에게는 정죄가 있을 수 없다는 결론이 따른다는 것이다. Paul의 목적은 율법과 복음의 서로 다른 기능을 주장하는 데 있다기보다, 단순히 특정 부류, 곧 Christ 안에 있는 자들의 상태에 관한 사실을 진술하는 데 있다. 그들에게는 어떤 정죄도 없다. 최종적인 정죄만 없는 것이 아니라, Christ와 연합하고 율법의 저주에서 해방된 순간부터 지금 정죄가 없다. 그 이유는 이렇다. Christ께서 그들을 대신하여 형벌을 견디셨고, 율법의 명령에 순종하셨기 때문이다.

Mr. Haldane은 이 본문에 대해 말한다. “여기서 사도가 그들(믿는 자들) 안에 고발의 사유도 정죄의 원인도 없다고 말하지 않는다는 점이 자주 지적된다. 그러나 그가 말한 것 안에는 이 모든 것이 포함되어 있다. 그리고 후에 그는 명시적인 말로, 그들이 고발되거나 정죄될 수 없다고 부인한다. 만일 어느 쪽이든 근거가 있었다면 그들은 그렇게 될 수 있었을 것이다. 그들 안에서 정죄받을 만했던 모든 것, 곧 죄는, 셋째 절에서 보이는 것처럼 그들의 보증인 안에서 정죄되었다.”)

Christ Jesus 안에 있는 자 - Christ와 연합된 자들이다. 그 안에 있다는 것은 New Testament에서 드물지 않게 사용되는 표현으로, 가깝고 친밀한 연합을 나타낸다. 빌립보서 1:1; 빌립보서 3:9; 고린도후서 5:17; 로마서 16:7-11. Christ와 그의 백성 사이의 연합은 포도나무와 그 가지들 사이의 연합에 비유된다(요한복음 15:1-6). 그러므로 믿는 자들은 그에게서 자기들의 지지를 얻고, 감정과 목적과 운명에서 연합되어 있다는 비슷한 의미로 그 안에 있다고 말해진다. (로마서 8:10의 보충 주석을 보라.) 행하는. 처신하거나 살아가는 것을 뜻한다. 주석, 로마서 4:12. 육신을 따르지 아니하고. 육신의 부패한 욕망과 정욕을 만족시키기 위해 살지 않는 자들이다. 주석, 로마서 7:18. 이것은 그리스도인의 특징이다. 육신을 따라 행한다는 것이 무엇인지는 갈라디아서 5:19-21에서 볼 수 있다. 여기서 삶의 목적이 자기의 부패한 욕망들을 만족시키는 사람은 그리스도인일 수 없다는 결론이 따른다. 그가 자기 육신을 만족시키기 위해 살지 않는다면, 그는 경건의 증거를 가질 수 없다. 이것은 쉽게 적용될 수 있는 시험이다. 그리고 종교를 고백하는 모든 사람이 정직하다면, 실수의 위험은 없을 것이며, 그의 참된 성격에 대해 의심할 필요도 없을 것이다.

오직 Spirit을 따라 - Holy Spirit께서 이끄시거나 촉구하시는 대로라는 뜻이다. Spirit께서 낳으시는 것은 갈라디아서 5:22-23에서 볼 수 있다. 어떤 사람이 Spirit의 이 열매들을 가지고 있다면 그는 그리스도인이다. 그렇지 않다면, 그가 다른 무엇을 가지고 있든 그는 종교에 낯선 사람이다. 그리고 이 시험 역시 쉽게 적용된다.

그러므로 이제 정죄함이 없나니 - 바울의 논증을 공정하게 이해하려면, 이 장은 앞 장과 가장 밀접하게 연결해서 읽어야 한다. 거기서 우리는 깨어난 유대인의 무익한 몸부림을 보았다. 그는 자신이 범했음을 의식하는 그 율법에서 용서와 거룩함을 찾았으나, 그 율법 안에서는 용서를 위한 마련도, 거룩하게 할 능력도 찾을 수 없었다. 이 확신이 그를 절망의 바로 벼랑까지 몰고 갔고, 모든 소망을 포기하려는 지점에 이르게 했을 때, 그는 예수 그리스도로 말미암는 구속에 대해 듣고, 자신에게 열린 구원의 전망을 두고 하나님께 감사하며, 그것을 구하고 받는다. 그리고 이제 자신이 참여하게 된 말할 수 없는 선물로 인해 하나님을 찬양한다.

“이제”라는 말을 복음 경륜만을 가리키도록 제한하는 사람들은 사도의 뜻 전체를 받아들이지 못한다. 사도는 일반적인 문제만 다룬 것이 아니라 개별적인 문제도 다루었다. 그는 모세 경륜과 그리스도인의 경륜이라는 두 경륜의 차이만을 지적한 것이 아니라, 전자 아래 있는 회개자의 상태와 후자 아래 있는 신자의 상태를 표시한다. 앞 장은 회개자의 깊은 고통에 대한 설명으로 끝났고, 이 장은 그의 구원에 대한 설명으로 시작한다. 그러므로 본문의 “이제”는 그리스도인의 경륜이 유대 제도를 대신한다는 것보다, 이 신자가 지금 누리는 어둠에서 빛으로, 정죄에서 용서로의 행복한 전환을 더 가리킨다.

육신을 좇지 않고 등 - 이 한 절에서 우리는 복음 계획의 능력과 효력을 본다. 복음은 용서하고 거룩하게 한다. 유대 율법은 둘 다 할 수 없었다. 우리 주 예수 그리스도를 믿음으로, 율법 아래 정죄받은 회개자는 용서받고, 자기 본성의 죄가 지닌 압도적 영향 아래 수고하던 육신적인 사람은 거룩하게 된다. 그는 먼저 값없이 의롭다 하심을 받는다. 그는 정죄를 느끼지 않는다. 그는 온전히 거룩하게 된다. 그는 육신을 좇지 않고 성령을 좇아 행한다.

이 마지막 절은 주요 사본들과 역본들과 교부들의 증언에는 빠져 있다. Griesbach는 그것을 본문에서 제외했고, White 박사는 “Certissime delenda”, 곧 반드시 삭제되어야 한다고 말한다. 그것이 없으면 본문은 이렇게 읽힌다. “그러므로 그리스도 예수 안에 있는 자에게는 정죄함이 없나니, 이는 생명의 성령의 법이…” 등이다. 그리스도 예수 안에 있는 자들, 곧 그의 이름을 믿고 그의 피 안에서 구속을 얻은 자들은 그의 성령에 참여하게 되고, 그리스도 안에 있던 마음을 자기 안에 가지며, 육신을 좇지 않고 성령을 좇아 행할 것이라는 점은 정당하게 전제될 수 있다. 그러므로 표현되든 표현되지 않든 그 사실 자체는 그리스도 안에 있음에 포함되어 있다. 그리고 아마도 어떤 필사자가 그 사실을 더 분명하게 하려고 이 설명 절을 더했을 것이다. 그것은 본문의 원래 일부였던 것으로 보이지 않으며, 넷째 절에서 이곳으로 삽입되었을 가능성이 가장 크다.

There is therefore now, no condemnation,.... The apostle having discoursed largely in the preceding chapter, concerning the struggle and combat believers feel within themselves, and opened the true causes and reasons of the saints' grievances and complaints, and what gives them the greatest uneasiness in this life, proceeds in this to take notice of the solid ground and foundation they have of spiritual peace and joy; which arise from their justification and adoption, the purposes and decrees of God, and particularly the everlasting and unchangeable love of God in Christ, the source, spring, and security, of all the blessings of grace. The chapter begins with a most comfortable account of the safety of believers in Christ; the apostle does not say there is nothing condemnable in them, for sin is in them and is condemnable, and condemned by them; and is hurtful to their spiritual joy and comfort, though it cannot bring them into condemnation, because of their being in Christ Jesus: he says there is , "not one condemnation" to them, or one sentence of condemnation against them; which must be understood not of illegal ones, for they are liable to many condemnations from their hearts, from the world and the devil; but of legal, justifiable ones, and there are none such, neither from God the Father, for he justifies; nor from the Son, for by his righteousness they are justified; nor from the Holy Spirit, who bears witness to their spirits, that they are in a state of justification: there is not one condemnation lies against them, with respect to their numerous sins, original and actual, though every sin deserves one; not one from the law of God, of which sin is a transgression, for though that is a condemning law, yet it is only so to them that are under it; not to them that are Christ's, whom he has redeemed from it: moreover, the apostle says, that there is no condemnation now to the saints; which "now" must not be considered, as if it supposes that there was formerly condemnation to them; it is true indeed they were under a sentence of condemnation, as considered in Adam, and under a covenant of works with him, and in their own apprehensions when convicted; but as considered in Christ, as the elect of God always were, and who was their surety, and so their security from all eternity, they never were in a state of condemnation: nor does this suppose, that there may be condemnation to them hereafter, though not now; for sin, the cause of condemnation, is removed; Christ has bore the condemnation their sins deserved in himself; their justification is from all sin, past, present, and to come; their union to Christ is indissoluble, and neither the love of Christ, nor the justice of God, will admit of their condemnation; for this "now", is not an "adverb" of time, but a "note of illation"; the apostle inferring this privilege, either from the grace of God, which issues in eternal life, Romans 6:23; or from that certain deliverance believers shall have from sin, for which he gives thanks, Romans 7:24; The privilege itself here mentioned is, "no condemnation": condemnation is sometimes put for the cause of it, which is sin, original and actual; now though God's elect are sinners, both by nature and practice, and after conversion have sin in them, their sanctification being imperfect, yet there is none in them with respect to justification; all is transferred to Christ, and he has removed all away; he has procured the pardon of all by his blood, he has abolished all by his sacrifice, he justifies from all by his righteousness, and saves his people from all their sins: condemnation may also be considered with respect to guilt; all mankind are guilty of Adam's sin, and are guilty creatures, as they are actual transgressors of the law; and when convinced by the Spirit of God, acknowledge themselves to be so; and upon the repetition of sin, contract fresh guilt on their consciences; but an heart sprinkled with the blood of Christ, is clear of guilt; for all the guilt of sin is removed to Christ, and he has took it away; hence there is no obligation to punishment on them, for whom Christ died: again, condemnation may design the sentence of it: now though the law's sentence passed upon all in Adam, and so upon God's elect, as considered in him; yet as this sentence has been executed on Christ, as their surety, in their room and stead, there is none lies against them: once more, condemnation may mean actual damnation, or eternal death, the wages of sin, which those who are in Christ shall never die; they are ordained to eternal life, and are redeemed from this death; they are made alive by Christ, and have eternal life secured to them in him, and which they shall certainly enjoy: the persons interested in this privilege are described, as such

which are in Christ Jesus; not as mere professors are in Christ, who may be lost and damned: but this being in Christ, respects either that union and interest which the elect of God have in Christ, from everlasting: being loved by him with an everlasting love; betrothed to him in a conjugal relation; chosen in him before the foundation of the world; united to him as members to an head; considered in him in the covenant of grace, when he engaged for them as their surety; and so they were preserved in him, notwithstanding their fall in Adam; in time he took upon him their nature, and represented them in it; they were reckoned in him when he hung upon the cross, was buried, rose again, and sat down in heavenly places; in consequence of which union to Christ, and being in him, they are secure from all condemnation: or this may respect an open and manifestative being in Christ at conversion, when they become new creatures, pass from death to life, and so shall never enter into condemnation: hence they stand further described, as such

who walk not after the flesh; by which is meant, not the ceremonial law, but the corruption of nature, or the corrupt nature of man, called "flesh"; because propagated by carnal generation, has for its object fleshly things, discovers itself mostly in the flesh, and makes persons carnal and fleshly; the apostle does not say, there is no condemnation to them that have no flesh in them, for this regenerate persons have; nor to them that are in the flesh, that is, the body; but who walk not after the flesh, that is, corrupt nature; and it denotes such, who do not follow the dictates of it, do not make it their guide, or go on and persist in a continued series of sinning:

but after the spirit, by which is meant, not spiritual worship, in opposition to carnal ordinances; but rather, either a principle of grace, in opposition to corrupt nature, called "Spirit", from the author, subject, and nature of it; or the Holy Spirit of God, the efficient cause of all grace: to walk after him, is to make him our guide, to follow his dictates, influences, and directions; as such do, who walk by faith on Christ, and in imitation of him, in the ways of righteousness and holiness; and such persons walk pleasantly, cheerfully, and safely: now let it be observed, that this walk and conversation of the saints, is not the cause of there being no condemnation to them; but is descriptive of the persons interested in such a privilege; and is evidential of their right unto it, as well as of their being in Christ: and it may be further observed, that there must be union to Christ, or a being in him, before there can be walking after the Spirit. The phrase, "but after the Spirit", is left out in the Alexandrian copy, and in the Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions; and the whole description of the persons in some copies, and in the Ethiopic version.

Romans 8:1-4 Under the gospel we are free from condemnation, walking

after the Spirit.

Romans 8:5-8 The evil of being carnally minded, and the good of being

spiritually minded.

Romans 8:9-11 Christians have God’s Spirit to guide and assist them,

Romans 8:12,13 by which if they mortify the flesh, they shall live.

Romans 8:14-18 For they that are led by the Spirit are sons of God,

and heirs of glory,

Romans 8:19-22 whose manifestation the world hath long earnestly

looked for, hoping to be rescued thereby from the

bondage of corruption.

Romans 8:23 And even they who have the first fruits of the Spirit

do still long after it,

Romans 8:24,25 being hitherto saved by hope only,

Romans 8:26,27 the Spirit in the mean time aiding their infirmities

in prayer.

Romans 8:28-30 Nevertheless the final good of them that fear God is

all along pursued, being fore-ordained of God, and

brought about according to the course of his providence.

Romans 8:31-39 The ground and assurance of the Christian’s hope.

There is therefore now; seeing things are so as I have said, since believers do not allow themselves in sin, Romans 7:15, and are in part delivered from it, as Romans 8:25, therefore it follows as it is here.

No condemnation; or no one condemnation. He doth not say, there is no matter of condemnation, or nothing damnable in them that are in Christ, there is enough and enough of that; but he says, there is no actual condemnation to such: see John 3:18 5:24. There is a meiosis in the words, more is understood than is expressed; he means, that justification and eternal salvation is the portion of such. The positive is included in the negative; it is God’s condemnation only, from which such as are in Christ are exempted; they are nevertheless condemned and censured by men, and sometimes by their own consciences too.

To them which are in Christ Jesus; so we fill it up, but in the original it is only, to them in Christ Jesus. The phrase imports, that there is a mystical and spiritual union between Christ and believers. This is sometimes expressed by Christ’s being in them, Romans 8:10 2 Corinthians 13:5 Colossians 1:17; and here by their being in Christ: see 1 Corinthians 1:30 1Jo 5:20. Christ is in believers by his Spirit, and believers are in Christ by faith.

Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit: this clause describes the persons who are united to Christ, or who are exempted from condemnation; they are such as walk not, & c. By flesh understand the corrupt nature that is in man: see Romans 7:18,25 Joh 3:6 Galatians 5:17: to walk after it, is to be led and guided by the motions of it. That is, it is not their principle and guide, there is another nature or principle in them, by which they are guided and acted; and what that is the next words tell you.

By the Spirit some understand the person of the Spirit; others, the grace of the Spirit, the new or divine nature (as it is called) which is implanted in the soul in the work of regeneration: this is called the Spirit, Matthew 26:41 John 3:6 Galatians 5:17. To walk after the Spirit, is to be led and guided by the counsels and motions thereof. It is to regulate and order the whole conversation according to the rule of the new creature, or according to the line and square of God’s word and Spirit. You have the same phrase, Galatians 5:16,25. To walk after the Spirit, is not only now and then to have some good motions, or to do some good actions, but it is to persevere and go forward therein; walking is a continued and progressive motion. The connexion of these two shows that negative holiness is not enough; we must not only abstain from evil, but do good.

Verse 1. - There is then no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:2 Verse 2. - For a new law - the law of the Spirit of life - is introduced into their being, by virtue of which they are freed from their old state of bondage to the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:3 Verse 3. - And this because of what God himself did for mankind in his own Son, Christ, who, in our very flesh, and in behalf of mankind, did what man himself was powerless to do - triumphed over sin and condemned it.

Romans 8:4 Verse 4. - And in us too (united to him by faith, and having spiritually died and risen again with him) the requirement of the Law is fulfilled, so that it forfeits its claim to condemn us now; but only on this condition in ourselves, that we walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:5-8 Verses 5-8. - For there are two φρονήματα in us still, of the flesh as well as of the Spirit; the one tending to death and the other to life; and it is only those who give themselves to the latter that can share in the life to which it tends.

Romans 8:9 Verse 9. - And you can give yourselves to this, if you are true Christians; if the Spirit of Christ dwells in you, without which you are not his.

Romans 8:10 Verse 10. - So our condition is this: We have within us the Spirit, which is life; but we have the body clinging to us still, which is death-stricken because of sin.

Romans 8:11 Verse 11. - But if the Spirit of him who raised up Christ from the dead be in us, he will quicken our mortal bodies too, delivering us at last, through the same vivifying Spirit, from all lingering power of death over us.

Romans 8:12 Verse 12. - The conclusion is (as has been insisted on all along), that we are bound, as Christians, in our present lives, to live, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:13 Verse 13. - If we do not, then (notwithstanding our redemption) we must needs die - yea, die the death beyond the grave (whatever it may be), which is the doom of sin; but if we do, then we shall live - yea, live at last (as the sequel shows to be implied) in the eternal life of Christ with God.

Romans 8:14-17 Verses 14-17. - For the Spirit you received when you became Christians was one of sonship; our habitual earnest cry of "Abba, Father," expresses our feeling of it; the Spirit still witnesses with our spirit that we are God's children; and sonship implies heirship - heirship with Christ, through our union with whom we feel ourselves to be sons; and, if we have to share in his sufferings now, this only unites us the more to him, and fits us the more for our inheritance of eternal life with him.

Romans 8:18 Verse 18. - For what of all these present sufferings, these present drawbacks to the full triumph of the πνεῦμα in you, these present evidences that the σῶμα νεκρὸν still clings to you? They are nothing to the destined glory; they are not worth consideration in comparison with it.

Romans 8:19-22 Verses 19-22. - And, after all, these present drawbacks are but our inevitable share in the condition of imperfection under which all creation, as we see it now, is labouring. The whole world presents to us the picture of an ideal not realized, but ever yearned for. All we can say about it is that it has pleased God to subject it for a time to vanity and the bondage of corruption, but so as to leave hope alive.

Romans 8:23 Verse 23. - And we too, while in this mortal body, must needs share in this universal groaning; but, having already the firstfruits of the Spirit - the earnest already of a diviner life - we especially yearn all the more for deliverance, and expect it hopefully.

Romans 8:24-25 Verses 24, 25. - When we entered on our state of salvation as Christians, it was in hope; our essential condition became then one of hope, which is incompatible with present attainment of our hope; we must, therefore, needs endure and waif, bearing these present trials.

Romans 8:26-27 Verses 26, 27. - And if our trials are great, and we know not ourselves what relief to pray for, we have the comfort of believing that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us within ourselves by inspiring all these unutterable yearnings, which he that searcheth the heart knows the meaning of, and will answer according to the mind of the Spirit who inspired them.

Romans 8:28 Verse 28. - We know, too, that all things, even all these present trials, far from harming us, work together for good to them that love God, being called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:29-30 Verses 29, 30. - Yes, called according to his purpose; here is a further ground of hopeful assurance. For his having called us to be Christians at all, and justified us through faith, shows that it was his eternal purpose in so calling us, to conform us to the image of his Son, that he might be the Firstborn among many brethren; and that so we, being thus made his brethren, might inherit with him. In short, his having preordained us to our present state of salvation carries with it his preordaining us also to its end and purpose, which is glory.

Romans 8:31-34 Verses 31-34. - If God be thus for us, who can be against us? He who has already given up his own Son for us all will surely grant us all. And, if God has chosen us, who shall arraign us? God himself, who already justifies us? No. Christ, who died, rose again, ascended to the right hand of God, and now intercedes for us? No. And against them what other power can possibly prevail?

Romans 8:35-37 Verses 35-37. - Certainly not these present trials and calamities, however severe; though "we are killed all day long, and are appointed as sheep for the slaughter." Through Christ, who so loved us as to share them, we are conquerors all the more by means of them.

(1-11) A result is thus attained which the law of Moses could not accomplish, but which is accomplished in the gospel. The Christian is entirely freed from the law of sin and death, and from the condemnation that it entails. But he is so upon the condition that this freedom is for him a reality—that it really proceeds from the indwelling Spirit of Christ.

(1) Therefore.—The Apostle had already, at the end of the last chapter, “touched the confines” of that state of deliverance and of liberty which he is now going on to describe. The opening of this chapter is, therefore, connected in form with the close of the last. The intervention of Christ puts an end to the struggle waged within the soul. There is therefore no condemnation, &c.

Condemnation.—The condemnation which in the present and final judgment of God impends over the sinner, is removed by the intervention of Christ, and by the union of the believer with Him. By that union the power and empire of sin are thrown off and destroyed. (Comp. Romans 8:3.) There is a certain play on the word “condemn.” By “condemning” the law of sin, Christ removed “condemnation” from the sinner. He removed it objectively, or in the nature of things, and this removal is completed subjectively in the individual through that bond of mystical and moral attachment which makes what Christ has done his own act and deed.

To them which are in Christ Jesus.—Those “who live and move and have their (spiritual) being” in Christ. To “have the Spirit of Christ” is a converse expression for the same idea. In the one case the believer is regarded as reaching upwards, as it were, through faith, and so incorporating and uniting himself with the Spirit of Christ; in the other case, the Spirit of Christ reaches downwards and infuses itself into the believer. This is the peculiar mysticism of the Apostle.

Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.—These words are wanting in the foremost representatives of every group of authorities (except, perhaps, those which belong to the region of Syria), and must certainly be omitted. They have been brought in here from Romans 8:4.