Romans 7:8

Sin. Personified.

Occasion [α φ ο ρ μ η ν]. Emphatic, expressing the relation of the law to sin. The law is not sin, but sin found occasion in the law. Used only by Paul. See 2 Corinthians 5:12; Galatians 5:13; 1 Timothy 5:14. The verb ajformaw means to make a start from a place. Aformh is therefore primarily a starting - point, a base of operations. The Lacedaemonians agreed that Peloponnesus would be ajformhn iJkanhn a good base of operations (Thucydides, 1, 90). Thus, the origin, cause, occasion, or pretext of a thing; the means with which one begins. Generally, resources, as means of war, capital in business. Here the law is represented as furnishing sin with the material or ground of assault, "the fulcrum for the energy of the evil principle." Sin took the law as a base of operations. Wrought [κ α τ ε ι ρ γ α σ α τ ο]. The compound verb with kata down through always signifies the bringing to pass or accomplishment. See ch. Romans 2:9; 1 Corinthians 5:3; 2 Corinthians 7:10. It is used both of evil and good. See especially vers. 15, 17, 18, 20. "To man everything forbidden appears as a desirable blessing; but yet, as it is forbidden, he feels that his freedom is limited, and now his lust rages more violently, like the waves against the dyke" (Tholuck).

Dead. Not active.