- Gratias ago Deo per Iesum Christum
Dominum nostrum: itaque idem ego mente servio
Legi Dei,carne autem legi peccati. - I thank God through Jesus Christ our
Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the
law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
24.Miserable, etc. He closes his argument with a vehement exclamation, by which he teaches
us that we are not only to struggle with our flesh, but also with continual groaning to bewail within
ourselves and before God our unhappy condition. But he asks not by whom he was to be delivered,
as one in doubt, like unbelievers, who understand not that there is but one real deliverer: but it is
the voice of one panting and almost fainting, because he does not find immediate help,^232 as he
longs for. And he mentions the word rescue,^233 in order that he might show, that for his liberation
no ordinary exercise of divine power was necessary.
By the body of death he means the whole mass of sin, or those ingredients of which the whole
man is composed; except that in him there remained only relics, by the captive bonds of which he
was held. The pronoun τούτουthis, which I apply, as Erasmus does, to the body, may also be fitly
referred to death, and almost in the same sense; for Paul meant to teach us, that the eyes of God’s
children are opened, so that through the law of God they wisely discern the corruption of their
nature and the death which from it proceeds. But the word body means the same as the external
man and members; for Paul points out this as the origin of evil, that man has departed from the law
of his creation, and has become thus carnal and earthly. For though he still excels brute beasts, yet
his true excellency has departed from him, and what remains in him is full of numberless corruptions
so that his soul, being degenerated, may be justly said to have passed into a body. So God says by
Moses,
“No more shall my Spirit contend with man, for he is even flesh,” (Genesis 6:3:)
thus stripping man of his spiritual excellency, he compares him, by way of reproach, to the
brute creation.^234
This passage is indeed remarkably fitted for the purpose of beating down all the glory of the
flesh; for Paul teaches us, that the most perfect, as long as they dwell in the flesh, are exposed to
misery, for they are subject to death; nay, when they thoroughly examine themselves, they find in
their own nature nothing but misery. And further, lest they should indulge their torpor, Paul, by his
own example, stimulates them to anxious groanings, and bids them, as long as they sojourn on
earth, to desire death, as the only true remedy to their evils; and this is the right object in desiring
death. Despair does indeed drive the profane often to such a wish; but they strangely desire death,
because they are weary of the present life, and not because they loathe their iniquity. But it must
be added, that though the faithful level at the true mark, they are not yet carried away by an unbridled
desire in wishing for death, but submit themselves to the will of God, to whom it behoves us both
to live and to die: hence they clamor not with displeasure against God, but humbly deposit their
(^232) , miser, ærumnosus; “it denotes,” says Schleusner, “one who is broken down and wearied with the most grievous
toils.” It is used by the Septuagint for the word , wasted, spoiled, desolated. See Psalm 137:8; Isaiah 33:1. — Ed.
(^233) “Eripere“ — pluck out, rescue, take away by force; — shall draw, rescue or extricate; it means a forcible act, effected
by power. — Ed.
(^234) “This body of death” is an evident Hebraism, meaning “this deadly or mortiferous body;” which is not the material body,
but the body of “the old man,” Romans 7:6; called the “body of sin,” when its character is described, and the “body of death,”
when the issue to which it leads is intended: it conducts to death, condemnation, and misery. — Ed.