Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Romans 7:15

Romans 7:15. For that which I perform. In this passage there are three Greek words translated ‘do' in the A. V. We distinguish them thus: perform, practise, do; the first is usually rendered ‘work.'

I know not. This does not mean: ‘I do not approve,' but that like a slave he performs ignorantly the will of his master. But Lange rightly says: ‘thus one thing dawns upon him

that he acts in gloomy self-distraction, and in contradiction of a better but helpless desire and repugnance.' The rest of the verse indicates this: For not what I with, that I practise; but what I hate that do I. We change ‘would' to ‘wish' on account of the contrast with ‘hate,' though ‘will' would be more literal. The main question here is respecting these two contrasted verbs, ‘will' (or, ‘wish') and ‘hate.' Some strengthen the former into ‘love,' in the interest of an exclusive reference to the regenerate; others weaken the latter into ‘do not wish.' We prefer to regard ‘hate' as stronger than ‘wish,' while ‘practise' is stronger than ‘do.' This suggests that the desire for good is less strong than the hatred of evil. Passages from heathen writers express similar sentiments. It is asserted that no such ‘will' exists in the unregenerate man, but this is true only where the sense of ‘will' is unduly pressed. To admit that an unregenerate man can use the language of this verse, is perfectly consistent with a belief in the depravity of the human will.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Romans 7:15

Old Testament

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