Romans 8:1
Οὐδὲν ἄρα νῦν κατάκριμα τοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ·
There is no condemnation, therefore, to those who are in Christ Jesus.
Paraphrase: Let me circle back through some of this again. First, I’ve already said that we are dead to the law. (Romans 7:4) We’ve stood in God’s courtroom and heard the verdict pronounced. We expected to hear guilty! but instead, we heard the sentence of justification Not Guilty!. Because of our union with Christ, our legal status has changed; the law has no charge to make against us. We are as righteous as Jesus Christ Himself is righteous.
Comments:
κρίμα is the word for a judge’s verdict; κατακρίμα is a guilty verdict; see the entry for condemnation here.
For τοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, see principle 15.
Romans 8:2
ὁ γὰρ νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠλευθέρωσέν σε ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has liberated you from the law of sin and death.
Paraphrase: Yes, this union with Christ has made all the difference. It’s as if the two of you are bound together and what belongs to one, belongs to the other. Consider what you were before you came into union with Christ; you were under the rigor of the law. The law demanded absolutely perfect obedience from you, a standard you could never hope to meet. All your best efforts fell short, and the law highlighted each failure with relentless and pitiless accuracy. It never missed a thing. Furthermore, the law even stirred up sin within you. (Romans 7:8) When the law forbad certain things, those were the very things you desired to do. Had you continued under this law, you surely would have been cast away from the presence of God forever and ever. Now, however, everything has changed. By your union with Christ, you have come under another “law” so to speak. You have been liberated from that terrible bondage and brought into an entirely new relationship with God. The old law, which drew you to sin, has been replaced by a new law which draws you to righteousness. This new motivating force is the Holy Spirit Himself. The old law led you to death; the Holy Spirit leads you to a new life. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your soul as soon as you are joined to Jesus Christ.
Comments:
Here you see the word νομος used both as a kind of force and power in the life of a person and as a written code. The two meanings blend together here.
Note the genitives here, νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς. I would suggest that πνεύματος is a genitive of apposition, the law which is the Spirit… ζωῆς is a genitive of source.
Romans 8:3
τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου, ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός, ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί,
for the powerlessness of the law… in which it was weak through the flesh; God, sending the Son of Himself in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sins, condemned sin in the flesh.
Paraphrase: But what about the law? Why is it so powerless? Why can’t we find life and favor with God by obeying its commands? Isn’t God’s law enough to lead us out of the tyranny and oppression of sin? Can’t we just read the commands we are given there, obey them, and thus find favor with God? The answer is simple; there is nothing wrong with the law and everything wrong with us. (Romans 7:13) Human beings don’t just commit sin; humans are sinners. This means that there is a love for sin ingrained very deep within us which prevents us from obeying God’s law as we ought. We turn to sin the way a pig turns to the mud; and the truth is, every single human person who was ever born into this world proves this to be the case. (Psalm 14:3) There are no exceptions; sin controls every human person, and the law does nothing to help. On the contrary, it highlights our failures for all to see. But now let us turn from the law and its failure to see what God has done. The truth is clear; where the law failed, God succeeded, and Jesus is the proof of it. God sent His Son to this earth as a real, human person, and what did we see? We saw a real human person who was not under the control of sin! This Man rebuffed sin every time it tried to lead Him away from God. (Matthew 4:1-11) He lived a perfectly holy life. (Hebrews 4:15) Sin tried hard to control Him as it does every other human, but Jesus stood His ground. He never gave in to the least temptation, and the law never had any charge to bring against him. What was the result? He conquered sin and showed it to be a loser. You might well say that Jesus damned sin to hell just as the law was ready to do to each one of us.
Comments:
I understand σαρκός here to be our sin nature as Paul has raised this issue in Romans 7:17.
τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου is a nominative absolute. It has no grammatical connection to anything in the rest of the sentence but certainly introduces the subject of the entire following thought.
The expression κατέκρινε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί is difficult to understand. Hendriksen says, “Here the verb κατακρίνω clearly has the double meaning: to condemn and to punish; to sentence and to carry out that sentence. So also in 1 Corinthians 11:32; 2 Peter 2:6.” cf Dunn’s commentary as well.
Romans 8:4
ἵνα τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ νόμου πληρωθῇ ἐν ἡμῖν τοῖς μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα·
in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be realized in us, to those who are walking not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Paraphrase: Now, God has shown that He is able to set humans free from the bondage and tyranny of sin, and Jesus perfect life is the proof of it. Sin was not able to control Him. And what of us? Well if we are in Christ as we said before, then what belongs to Christ, belongs to us. Does Christ have a perfect life without even the smallest stain? He surely does; and now, we too participate in that perfect life. We too are declared Not Guilty! and all our crimes are struck from the record. (Colossians 2:14) Does God’s law demand from us perfect obedience? (Galatians 3:10) Don’t answer this question by asking whether you have met this demand; ask yourself whether Jesus has met this demand. Of course, we know He did; and therefore, we too can claim to have met this demand not in ourselves but only as a result of our union with Him. From this union, we also receive the Holy Spirit who enables us to overcome our inclinations to evil and to rise to a new and higher life. This is the new reality. Once we are in Christ, we not only receive a full forgiveness of all our past guilt, but we also receive a perfect record of obedience. Jesus’ perfect obedience to the law is reckoned to us as if we ourselves had done it. (Romans 5:18-19) It seems impossible to believe, but it really is true that our record is no longer a criminal record but is as perfect a record as that of Jesus is perfect. At this point, we may ask ourselves how we can know that we have entered into this new reality? This is an important question and to answer it, we must look at our lives. Does our lifestyle show that we are under the control of the Spirit of God? or that we are still under sin’s tyranny? Practically, this means that we will no longer live in bitterness and anger with our neighbors, or make trouble with others by gossip and slander. (Ephesians 4:31) On the contrary, we will live under the control of the Holy Spirit who works love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our souls.
Comments:
Abbot-Smith say (p117) about δικαίωμα, “a concrete expression of righteousness, the expression and result of the act of δικαίωσις.”
The preposition κατὰ here (with an accusative object) has the meaning of standard or in accordance with.
τοῖς μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα an articular participle and therefore adjectival. This one is attributive modifying ἡμῖν.
Romans 8:5
οἱ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ὄντες τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς φρονοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ κατὰ πνεῦμα τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος.
For those who are according to the flesh mind the things of the flesh, but those according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Paraphrase: Let me dig a little deeper into that last comment about people’s lifestyle. There are two groups of people in this world. There are those who are under the happy control of the Holy Spirit. These people find delight and satisfaction in the things of God. This is where they are the happiest. There are others, however, who grind out their lives in bondage to their own sinful desires. Their master is their own sin-nature. Recall what I said previously about this; some people are slaves to righteousness; others are slaves to sin (Romans 6:16).
Comments:
Lots of orphan articles here (see principle 15).
Romans 8:6
τὸ γὰρ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς θάνατος, τὸ δὲ φρόνημα τοῦ πνεύματος ζωὴ καὶ εἰρήνη·
For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.
Paraphrase: Consider the end result of both of these persons. When your mind is full of all kinds of sinful desires, the end is death. On the other hand, when your mind is full of the things of the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), then you enter into life. You are not just alive and breathing but you are alive and flourishing. This is the life which Jesus says is the abundant life. (John 10:10) It is a life marked by the shalom or flourishing that our people have always been seeking (Joel 2:19; Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10; 8:5).
Comments:
Abbott-Smith says (p474) that φρόνημα is the content of φρονεῖν (as in the previous verse).
Romans 8:7
διότι τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς ἔχθρα εἰς θεόν, τῷ γὰρ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐχ ὑποτάσσεται, οὐδὲ γὰρ δύναται·
Wherefore the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for to the law of God it is not subject, for neither is it able.
Paraphrase: But is it really that serious? Perhaps some of you might think I am overstating the case slightly. Well let me explain. The mind that is full of sinful desires is not just neutral toward God. On the contrary, anyone with such a mind hates God and is His enemy. Such a person does not approach God with an attitude of submission and respect but with hostility. Indeed, these persons do not even have it within themselves to change their attitude. Many of them do not even realize that they are completely helpless and paralyzed in this respect. That is why I say the situation is so serious. This is why God punishes them with spiritual death and finally with eternal death.
Comments:
The fact is stated in v6, the end of carnal persons is death. The reason διότι is given in this verse.
Romans 8:8
οἱ δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται.
Those who are in the flesh, are not able to please God.
Paraphrase: So we have come to this. Those who are not in a saving union with Christ may very well do things that the public regards as moral and even praiseworthy. The simple truth, however, is this. Nothing they do is motivated by glory for God; and therefore, nothing they do, in any way, pleases God or carries any weight with Him.
Comments:
ἀρέσαι is a complementary infinitive.
Calvin distinguishes (III.14.2) between the virtues of a Titus or Trajan and the vice of a Caligula, Nero, or Domitian. cf Turretin, Institutes, 1.669; Mastricht, Theology, 3.537; Hodge Q4 on p339.
Romans 8:9
Ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ἀλλὰ ἐν πνεύματι, εἴπερ πνεῦμα θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν. εἰ δέ τις πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ οὐκ ἔχει, οὗτος οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ.
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if in fact the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this one is not His.
Paraphrase: Now here’s the truth, dear brothers and sisters. I have every confidence that you are not under the control of the flesh but under the control of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 6:9) If the Holy Spirit lives within you and you experience the effects of His ministry (Romans 8:15-16; Galatians 5:22), then you are one of God’s children. You have been called out of darkness and into God’s marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9) Brothers and sisters, it also needs to be stated clearly that if you do not have the ministry of the Holy Spirit within you, then you are not one of God’s children. You are still in your sin. (1 Corinthians 15:17)
Comments:
Note the extremely close connection between the Holy Spirit and Jesus. In the very next verse, Paul speaks of Christ being in us (Romans 8:10) and then in the next verse the Holy Spirit is living in us. (Romans 8:11) In other places, Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit and Christ as so closely linked that his language can sometimes sound as if they were one and the same. (2 Corinthians 3:17) Surely this is theologically significant.
Is there any significance between the terms “Spirit of God” and then “Spirit of Christ?”
Romans 8:10
εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, τὸ μὲν σῶμα νεκρὸν διὰ ἁμαρτίαν, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζωὴ διὰ δικαιοσύνην.
But if Christ in you, the body, on the one hand, dead on account of sin; the Spirit, on the other hand, life on account of righteousness.
Paraphrase: Now where Christ is dwelling in us by the power of His Spirit, there is a radical change. We have already explained how our bodies are subject to death because of sin. (Romans 5:12) But now the Holy Spirit enters into us and takes up residence in our souls, and everything changes. This Spirit brings life because He transforms us such that our lifestyle is now marked by a fervent commitment to righteousness.
Comments:
Romans 8:11
εἰ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐγείραντος τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐκ νεκρῶν οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν, ὁ ἐγείρας ἐκ νεκρῶν Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ζωοποιήσει καὶ τὰ θνητὰ σώματα ὑμῶν, διὰ τοῦ ἐνοικοῦντος αὐτοῦ Πνεύματος ἐν ὑμῖν.
and if the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One raising Christ Jesus from the dead will give life even to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who lives in you.
Paraphrase: Now who is this Spirit? This is the Holy Spirit from God, the third person of the holy Trinity. He is the one who gave new life to Jesus after He had been crucified and buried. Now this same Spirit, who gave new life to Jesus, will also give new life to your mortal bodies so that you may enjoy eternal life. (John 11:26) We shall live forever praising the love and mercy of God. (Psalm 118:17)
Comments:
Romans 8:12
Ἄρα οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ὀφειλέται ἐσμέν, οὐ τῇ σαρκὶ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆν,
Therefore then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh
Paraphrase: Now brothers and sisters, if we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, then we are under a solemn obligation to turn our backs on the temptations put to us by our sinful nature. We cannot give ourselves to serve him any longer; he is no longer our master.
Comments:
The exhortation here picks up again the truth of Romans 7:14-25; i.e. a man indwelt by the Holy Spirit and fighting against the flesh (i.e his sin nature). (Romans 7:14, 18, 25)
Romans 8:13
εἰ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆτε μέλλετε ἀποθνῄσκειν, εἰ δὲ πνεύματι τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦτε, ζήσεσθε.
For if according to the flesh you live, you are about to die; but if, by the Spirit, the acts of the body you kill, you will live.
Paraphrase: If you do choose to live according to the desires of your sinful nature, then you must know the inevitable consequence of such a choice. It will surely lead to death. There’s a better way, however. Take hold of the power of the Holy Spirit who has been given you. Leaning hard on His power and following His leading, step up, and put to death the temptations your sinful nature sets before you. Don’t give your body over to the control of such a master!
Comments:
Romans 8:14
ὅσοι γὰρ πνεύματι θεοῦ ἄγονται, οὗτοι υἱοί εἰσιν θεοῦ.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.
Paraphrase: Give yourself over to the control of the Holy Spirit; follow His leading. I just told you the dire consequence of following the lead of your sinful nature. Now hear the other side of the story. When we are led by the Holy Spirit, it demonstrates that we are members of God’s family. This kind of lifestyle shows that God has adopted us as His sons and daughters and that we have the right to call Him our Father.
Comments:
See Warfield’s sermon (p437) on this text.
Romans 8:15
οὐ γὰρ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον, ἀλλὰ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας ἐν ᾧ κράζομεν· Αββα ὁ πατήρ·
For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption in whom we cry, “Abba! Father!“
Paraphrase: This is where the Holy Spirit leads us. He is not a spirit that leads us back into bondage where we serve the master out of a sense of terror and dread. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit brings us to know our status as adopted children in God’s family. He is the One who shows us that we can speak to God as our Father! Just as Jesus cried out in His distress, “Abba! Father!” (Mark 14:36) so we too can cry out to God, “Father! Father!” using the same words and having the same confidence that He loves us and will provide for us in our every need.
Comments:
Jeremias: All this confronts us with a fact of fundamental importance. We do not have a single example of God being addressed as ’Abbā in Judaism, but Jesus always addressed God in this way in his prayers. New Testament Theology, p66. Brown points out that the in the Aramaic language of the day, abi is the normal way a child would address his/her father. After 200ad, abba does replace abi as the equivalent of our “daddy.” The Death of the Messiah, 1:173.
Romans 8:16
αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐσμὲν τέκνα θεοῦ.
The same Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.
Paraphrase: Yes, there will come times when you will doubt your place in God’s family. The testimony of your own spirit may become hesitant and feeble. The sight of your own sin and failings may lead you to call into question your sonship. (Psalm 51:11-13; Luke 5:8) It’s in these times, that the Holy Spirit will enter the room. He will add His testimony to yours. He will testify loudly and clearly, “This one is a son/daughter of the Most High God,
Comments:
See here.
Romans 8:17
εἰ δὲ τέκνα, καὶ κληρονόμοι· κληρονόμοι μὲν θεοῦ, συγκληρονόμοι δὲ Χριστοῦ, εἴπερ συμπάσχομεν ἵνα καὶ συνδοξασθῶμεν.
and if sons, even heirs; heirs of God and coheirs of Christ even as we suffer together in order that even we might be glorified together.
Paraphrase: …and he is entitled to all the rights and privileges of a son. He is entitled to receive the gift of eternal life from God His Father. (Matthew 19:29; Galatians 3:18; Hebrews 9:15; 1 Peter 1:3-4) He is entitled to all the blessings of the covenant of grace which God made with His Son (Psalm 2:8; Hebrew 1:2) in eternity past (Titus 1:2) since he is a coheir with Christ of these blessings.” Furthermore, the Holy Spirit will testify, “This one has suffered with Christ and has endured all the reproach and hardship of confessing His Name. (Matthew 10:32; Revelation 7:14) Therefore, this child is a child of the Great Creator of heaven and earth and will reign with Me in My glory. (John 17:1. 5; Revelation 3:5)
Comments:
Romans 8:18
Λογίζομαι γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς.
For I think that not worthy the sufferings of the now time with the not yet glory to be revealed to us.
Paraphrase: Do these rights and privileges belong to us, dear friends? Are we the really the sons and daughters of the Great King and Sovereign of heaven and earth? Then, it is my judgment that the hardship we are now facing in this ongoing death struggle with sin (Roman 7:23) is nothing compared to the glory which God is going to show us when He comes back and ushers us into our inheritance. This thought should encourage us, brothers and sisters. (Hebrews 12:11-13)
Comments:
ἀποκαλυφθῆναι is complementary to the participle μέλλουσαν.
δόξαν is the OP of πρὸς .
Romans 8:19
ἡ γὰρ ἀποκαραδοκία τῆς κτίσεως τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀπεκδέχεται·
For the earnest watching of the creation awaits the revelation of the sons of God.
Paraphrase: Remember, it’s not just we who are suffering. The entire creation is groaning in pain (Romans 8:22) because it too is under God’s curse. (Genesis 2:17; 3:17; Romans 5:12) Because of this, the whole creation is craning its neck looking and longing for the first sign that God is coming with His saints and angels to lift this dreadful curse off us.
Comments:
Romans 8:20
τῇ γὰρ ματαιότητι ἡ κτίσις ὑπετάγη, οὐχ ἑκοῦσα ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὑποτάξαντα, ἐφ’ ἑλπίδι
For the creation was subjected to weakness, not willingly but on account of the One subjecting, in hope…
Paraphrase: Now God did this intentionally to teach us about our own life. He subjected the entire creation to a steady progress of death, decay, and entropy not because the creation itself has sinned. Rather, God subjected the creation to weakness so that we would see in creation a picture of our own life. I mean that we live a life marked by hope. This is what God wants us to see. We do not enjoy all the blessings of our salvation right now. On the contrary, we live with the understanding that the full realization of our blessings is something future. Just as the creation is longing for its release from the curse, so we too are longing and hoping for the full consummation of our salvation.
Comments:
ἐφ’ ἑλπίδι is adverbial and modifying ὑπετάγη.
Romans 8:21
ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ κτίσις ἐλευθερωθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς εἰς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν τῆς δόξης τῶν τέκνων τοῦ θεοῦ.
that even the creation itself will be liberated from the slavery of decay to the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
Paraphrase: “For what is creation waiting?” you might ask. It is waiting for that day when God will set it free from its constant decay. The cruel tyranny of death will be brought to an end; red in tooth and claw will no longer be said. God will lift off the curse, cast it behind Him (Psalm 103:12), and all creation will shout for joy as it enters into the glorious liberty which God has prepared for it.
Comments:
The οτι here is use #5 on this page. It is further explaining “hope” in the previous verse.
See principle 19.
Romans 8:22
οἴδαμεν γὰρ ὅτι πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις συστενάζει καὶ συνωδίνει ἄχρι τοῦ νῦν·
For we know that all creation groans and travails with us until now.
Paraphrase: Yes, I understand, brothers and sisters, how painful the conflict can be. We don’t understand ourselves. (Romans 7:15) But I ask you to look out into the realm of nature. What do you see there? Don’t you see the whole earth groaning in pain together with us? Yes, we can even say that the earth is experiencing the anguish of labor as it groans and agonizes for the time when it will be delivered. Yes, brothers and sisters, now is the suffering time, both for us and the entire creation.
Comments:
Romans 8:23
οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τοῦ πνεύματος ἔχοντες ἡμεῖς καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς στενάζομεν, υἱοθεσίαν ἀπεκδεχόμενοι τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν.
and not only but even we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit and ourselves we groan in ourselves waiting the adoption, the redemption of our body.
Paraphrase: So be encouraged dear people of God. We, along with the entire creation, are living in hope. We do not yet have the full enjoyment of all that God has promised us; and therefore we should live a life of patient expectation, hoping, longing, looking, and waiting for the day of our full deliverance. Do we not have the Holy Spirit living within us? (Romans 8:9) Well He is the guarantee (Ephesians 1:14; 2 Corinthians. 1:22; 5:5) that God will finish the work which He has begun. (Philippians 1:6) I understand that as a result of this gift, we see more clearly just how much sin still clings to us. (Romans 7:14) We see how much our sinful nature still controls us and leads us away from Christ. Because of this, we groan in pain and anguish longing to be delivered from this body of death! (Romans 7:25) Well that day is coming, dearly beloved Christians! Take courage! The day is coming when God will deliver us from the sin nature which clings to us and causes us so much distress. Then, He will call us to take our place at the family table, with all of our brothers and sisters, with our heavenly Father sitting at the head. (Isaiah 25:6-8)
Comments:
“the redemption of our body” here is being delivered from “this body of death” which Paul spoke of in Romans 7:24.
Romans 8:24
τῇ γὰρ ἐλπίδι ἐσώθημεν· ἐλπὶς δὲ βλεπομένη οὐκ ἔστιν ἐλπίς, ὃ γὰρ βλέπει τίς ἐλπίζει;
For we are saved unto hope, but hope being seen is not hope. For what we see, who hopes?
Paraphrase: But do not forget this truth, my dear brothers and sisters. Our salvation ushers us into a life of hoping. This is our life while we live on this earth; we are a people who miss the full joy of what we have been promised. We have not yet entered into our inheritance. As a result, we live our life looking and waiting for God to come and to give us the full possession of our inheritance. If we enjoyed all the blessings of salvation now, then what place would there be for hope in our life? Think about it; who hopes for something which they already have? It’s impossible. If you have it, then you stop hoping for it.
Comments:
RWP notes on this verse that ἐλπίδι can be locative, instrumental, or dative. Any of these, he asserts, makes good sense here. “We were saved in hope (locative), by hope (instrumental), for hope (dative).” I have chosen to understand it as a dative.
Romans 8:25
εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ βλέπομεν ἐλπίζομεν, δι’ ὑπομονῆς ἀπεκδεχόμεθα.
But if what we do not see, we hope for through patience we wait.
Paraphrase: Now since it is true that we are a missing people who are looking for and expecting a future glory, then we can patiently endure any hardships and sufferings which come our way. On the one hand, we continue to struggle against indwelling sin; we never let our guard down. On the other hand, we rejoice in the certainty of our final victory and deliverance.
Comments:
A first class condition where the truth of the protasis is assumed.
Romans 8:26
Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα συναντιλαμβάνεται τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ ἡμῶν· τὸ γὰρ τί προσευξώμεθα καθὸ δεῖ οὐκ οἴδαμεν, ἀλλὰ αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα ὑπερεντυγχάνει στεναγμοῖς ἀλαλήτοις,
Now in the same way, even the Spirit helps our weakness, for what as is necessary that we should pray for, we do not know, but the Spirit Himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
Paraphrase: Sometimes, we can reach such a state, that we hardly even know what to pray for. Perhaps the thought enters your mind that you might actually be praying for something that is not God’s will for you to have. (Matthew 6:10) At other times, we see how cold and lifeless our prayers are; we seem to pray with no expectation that God even cares about us. Perhaps you have even entertained the thought that you should leave off praying entirely. Dear friends, listen carefully to this. Previously, I spoke to you about our groaning in anguish as we await the day when God will set us free from the body of this death. (Romans 8:23) I also taught you about the Holy Spirit and how He dwells in our soul. Let me tell you something else that the Spirit does for us. When we pray, this same Spirit, comes along side us into the throne room of heaven. He takes our weak and feeble prayers and adds His own to them. He speaks to our heavenly Father on our behalf, and what prayers these are! I cannot adequately describe them in words. Suffice it to say that the Holy Spirit cries out to God with inexpressible earnestness and fervency (Hebrews 5:7), and He does this not for Himself, but for us.
Comments:
See principle 19.
Romans 8:27
ὁ δὲ ἐραυνῶν τὰς καρδίας οἶδεν τί τὸ φρόνημα τοῦ πνεύματος, ὅτι κατὰ θεὸν ἐντυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ἁγίων.
Now the One searching the hearts knows what of the thought of the Spirit that according to God, He prays for the saints.
Paraphrase: What a glorious wonder this is, dear friends. We can always know that our needs are being brought to God perfectly even in spite of our fumbling efforts. Here is why. When we are so distressed (Romans 7:24; 2 Corinthians 1:8) that we don’t know what to pray for or even how to pray, then the Holy Spirit Himself takes our needs and presents them to God as I said. This is such an amazing comfort for us because we know that the Holy Spirit’s requests are always in perfect harmony with God’s eternal purpose. Sometimes, we pray for things which it is not God’s will to give us (James 4:3; 1 John 5:14), but this is never the case with the Holy Spirit. Every request He brings to God is always and perfectly in accordance with His eternal purpose. Whatever it is that we need, the Holy Spirit puts that into a prayer and presents it to our Father; and with these requests, God is very well pleased.
Comments:
Romans 8:28
Οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τοῖς ἀγαπῶσι τὸν θεὸν πάντα συνεργεῖ εἰς ἀγαθόν, τοῖς κατὰ πρόθεσιν κλητοῖς οὖσιν.
Now we know that to those loving God all things work together for good to the being called according to purpose.
Paraphrase: Now with this confidence firmly in our minds, dearly beloved, we can rest assured that everything which happens to us in this life is working for our good. If we are struggling with something, then we know with confidence that God has determined that this is for our good and that, for this reason, the Holy Spirit has not asked God to take it from us. We do pray that God would take it from us (2 Corinthians 12:8-9) because we do not know what God knows, but the Holy Spirit does know the mind of God. His prayers are always in accordance with God’s purpose for us. Dearly beloved, we must conclude that even this death-struggle with sin (Romans 7:23) is something which God has decided is for our good. Everyone who loves God has this assurance in himself; everyone who has been called out of the darkness of sin can take hold of this solid comfort. At times, the battle may seem too much for us; the hardships we experience seem to bring us so much evil and irritation, but take courage, my brothers and sisters. The struggle may seem painful for the moment (Hebrews 12:11), but we are confident that our heavenly Father is orchestrating all the events of our life, including the hardships, to bring us much good.
Comments:
Romans 8:29
ὅτι οὓς προέγνω, καὶ προώρισεν συμμόρφους τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πρωτότοκον ἐν πολλοῖς ἀδελφοῖς·
Because whom He foreknew, even He decided beforehand to the same form as the image of His Son in order that he might be first among many brothers.
Paraphrase: In fact, dear brothers and sisters, we know that the whole of our salvation is only because of God’s eternal purpose. Think about this as you do battle with the remnants of your sinful nature. God knew us long before the creation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4) He set His love upon us and chose to save us long before we were ever created! His plan, even back then, was to make us carbon copies of His Son, Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:4–6) He made this decision long before we were even in existence because He wanted us to have the same character as His Son. Then Jesus would have so many other persons, like Himself, whom He could call brothers and sisters; and among this vast group of siblings, He would be preeminent and the most exalted One. (Hebrews 2:11–18)
Comments:
Consider Genesis 18:19; Jeremiah 1:5; and Amos 3:2 for the correct understanding of foreknew προέγνω. In Matthew 7:23, the meaning cannot be simple knowledge.
Here is another reference to the fact that our salvation is all about Jesus. God transacted with His Son in eternity past to give Him a vast offspring; cf this. Here, God saved a people to give Jesus a vast number of siblings with Himself as the eldest and most exalted One.
Romans 8:30
οὓς δὲ προώρισεν, τούτους καὶ ἐκάλεσεν· καὶ οὓς ἐκάλεσεν, τούτους καὶ ἐδικαίωσεν· οὓς δὲ ἐδικαίωσεν, τούτους καὶ ἐδόξασεν.
Now whom He decided beforehand, these even He called and whom He called, these even He justified. And whom He justified, these even He glorified.
Paraphrase: It’s important that we grasp this truth. God made the choice to save us long ago (1 Peter 1:20. 2 Timothy 1:9. Ephesians 3:11) and resolved on this plan of action. We know that God will never fail to achieve His purpose. Not one of those people, whom He has given to Christ, will be lost. When God decided to save us, He also made plans to bring us into existence and to give us a place on this earth. God knew that His image bearers would choose to sin and to break the covenant He had made with them, but this did not derail God’s plan. God sent His Holy Spirit to call each one of us out of the darkness of our sin, and this call was not a mere invitation. Oh no, behind this call, was the full power of God’s eternal purpose. It was a powerful summons similar to when God called the creation into existence. (Romans 4:17) This call brought every one of God’s chosen people out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness and transferred all of them into Jesus’ kingdom of light and peace. (John 6:44; Colossians 1:13) Not one of His people was overlooked or missed. Simultaneous with this powerful call came the verdict from God’s courtroom, Not Guilty!. Once again, every one of God’s elect people was justified; not one was lost. When our life on this earth comes to an end, God decided long ago to bring us into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:18, 21) Again, my dear brothers and sisters, please grasp this all important fact. Everyone one of those whom God has chosen, He called. Everyone of those whom He called, He justified, and everyone of those whom He justified, He will glorify. Not one of those whom He has chosen will be lost, not one! (Exodus 10:26)
Comments:
I echo Dabney’s comments (p233) on the infra/supra discussion.
All the verbs here are in the past tense because in the mind of God, they are all one plan and one purpose and are all equally certain. This is Paul’s comfort for the struggling saints of God. On the same thought, Stuart (p301): because “in the knowledge and purpose of God, things future are like those which are past as to the certainty that they will take place.”
Romans 8:31
Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν πρὸς ταῦτα; εἰ ὁ θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, τίς καθ’ ἡμῶν;
What then, shall we say to these things? If God for us, who against us?
Paraphrase: Well friends, where does that leave us? In the anguish of our struggle against sin, we have learned that our experience in this regard is all part of God’s eternal purpose to save a people for His Son and to do us good. Well then, what can we possibly fear? If the almighty Creator of heaven and earth is on our side and is working everything out for our good, then who can stand against us with any hope of success? Who can overcome or defeat the purpose of the almighty God?
Comments:
See conditions.
Romans 8:32
ὅς γε τοῦ ἰδίου υἱοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο, ἀλλὰ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάντων παρέδωκεν αὐτόν, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα ἡμῖν χαρίσεται;
Who His own Son did not spare; but for us all, gave Him how not even with Him all things to us give?
Paraphrase: Consider another fact which gives us so much assurance and comfort in our afflictions. Our Father is the great Creator of heaven and earth. He is the Sovereign King who rules the entire universe. Now this God, my dear friends, did not hold back the very thing that was most precious to Him. Yes, I mean that our Father did not hold back (Matthew 26:39) even His own Son over whom He had pronounced, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) But God sent this Son, whom He loved, His only begotten Son, (Genesis 22:2; John 3:16) to the death of the cross for our salvation. Now if God gave up His only Son for our salvation, how will He not go on to finish the work He resolved to do in eternity past? Would God make such a costly sacrifice only for the whole project to fail? Did Jesus die for us on the cursed cross, make an atonement for our sin, and will God now fail to give us everything which Christ has merited for us by this sacrifice?
Comments:
Romans 8:33
τίς ἐγκαλέσει κατὰ ἐκλεκτῶν θεοῦ; θεὸς ὁ δικαιῶν·
Who will accuse against the elect of God? God is the One justifying.
Paraphrase: And another fact to consider. We struggle against the sin that remains in us. We feel a sense of guilt and shame when our conscience accuses us of breaking God’s law. We wonder how we can ever appear before God and be admitted to His eternal kingdom. My friends, let me remind you of the ground we’ve already covered. When we stand before God, there is no charge that can be brought against us. Why? Because the God before whom we stand is the very One who justified us. He is the one who pronounced us Not Guilty! when we first believed in Jesus. Now we have the very righteousness of Christ imputed to us so that all our sin is covered in the sight of God. (Psalm 32:1-2)
Comments:
Romans 8:34
τίς ὁ κατακρινῶν; Χριστὸς ὁ ἀποθανών, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐγερθείς, ὅς καί ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὃς καὶ ἐντυγχάνει ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν·
Romans 8:35
τίς ἡμᾶς χωρίσει ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Χριστοῦ; θλῖψις ἢ στενοχωρία ἢ διωγμὸς ἢ λιμὸς ἢ γυμνότης ἢ κίνδυνος ἢ μάχαιρα;
Rom 8:36
καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι Ἕνεκεν σοῦ θανατούμεθα ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς.
Rom 8:37
ἀλλ’ ἐν τούτοις πᾶσιν ὑπερνικῶμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς.
Rom 8:38
πέπεισμαι γὰρ ὅτι οὔτε θάνατος οὔτε ζωὴ οὔτε ἄγγελοι οὔτε ἀρχαὶ οὔτε ἐνεστῶτα οὔτε μέλλοντα οὔτε δυνάμεις
Rom 8:39
οὔτε ὕψωμα οὔτε βάθος οὔτε τις κτίσις ἑτέρα δυνήσεται ἡμᾶς χωρίσαι ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.