THOUGHTS on SIN
Romans 6 –
INTRO
Middendorf
comes up with a helpful table in his Romans commentary (Romans 1-8, CPH, 2013,
p.441), an improved version is here:
Word |
Earlier |
5:12-21 |
6:1-23 |
7:1-25 |
8:1-13 |
8:14-39 |
latter |
Total |
Sin |
4 |
6 |
16 |
15 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
48 |
Death |
2 |
5 |
7 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
22 |
Law |
35 |
3 |
2 |
23 |
5 |
0 |
6 |
73 |
Flesh/ mortal Body |
4/2 |
0/0 |
1/2 |
3/2 |
13/3 |
0/1 |
5/3 |
26/13 =39 |
According to
table the main theme for chapter 6 is sin which results in death. The final
verse of the chapter summarizes it, connecting both terms together: for the
wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord (6:23).
48=12*4 –
square shape of 12 (tribes of Israel, apostles, etc.)
22 – number
of letters in Hebrew alphabet – a complete basis for the Word. In connection
with death might mean a complete sentence or judgement (cp. the structure of
the Book of Lamentations).
So, what is
sin? St. John says: sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4b). This reinforces
what St. Paul wrote in the previous chapter – 5:13.
Both Hebrew
and Greek words mean missing the mark. It might relate to the Garden
story – how Adam and his wife missed the mark using the wrong tree for their
spiritual growth (Gen. 2:25-3-7).
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