Romans 7:8

Sin, taking occasion, &c.— Taking advantage. This is the proper signification of the Greek word 'Αφορμη. Observe, that in this and the three following verses, the Apostle comments upon, or at least explains those words, 1 Corinthians 15:56. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; and those also of this Epistle, chap. Romans 5:13. Sin is not imputed when there is no law. Death, in a figurative way of speaking, is represented as armed with a dreadful sting; that sting is sin; but death would have no power to thrust that sting into the sinner's heart, were it not for the law of God condemning him to death: for did not the law, or constitution of the lawgiver, condemn him to death, he might, notwithstanding his sin, live for ever, because his sin might from time to time be passed over. Therefore the law is the force, bywhich the terrible sting is plunged into the sinner's vitals: for without the law, sin, the sting of death, is itself dead, and quite unable to slay the sinner. Hence it is that the Jew (Romans 7:9.) was alive without law once; χωρις νομου, when law was set aside; namely, before the giving of thelaw from mount Sinai; for before the giving of the law, or the Sinai covenant, he was for the space of 430 years under the Abrahamic covenant, or the covenant of grace by itself (Galatians 3:16.) without having the law subsisting at the same time: for from the time Adam sinned and broke the law, the law was not re-enacted till it was given by Moses, as appears from chap. Romans 5:13. The Jew was then alive, because he was not under the law subjecting him to death for every transgression; but when the commandment came, with the penalty of death annexed, sin revived, and the Jew died. Then the sting of death acquired life, and the Jew, upon the first transgression, was dead in law. Thus sin, the sting of death, received force or advantage to destroy by the commandment, (Romans 7:8; Romans 7:11.); and whereas sin works concupiscence in all men, and deceives all men, it wrought concupiscence in the Jew, and deceived him under this singular and extraordinary circumstance of having received a destructive power from the law, and so rendered him a dead man in law; which was not the case of the rest of mankind, who then were, as they had always been from the time of the promise (Genesis 3:15.), under the general covenant of grace, given first to Adam, and afterwards to Noah. The reader will observe, that the stress of the Apostle's affirmation lies in these words, having received force, because he adds, for without law sin is dead, which is manifestlygiving the reason of sin's receiving a destructive force by the commandment of the law. In me, is emphatical: "In me distinguished from other men who were not under the law." See Doddridge, and Dunlop's Sermons, vol. 2: p. 46.