15. ὃ γὰρ κατεργάζοµαι, οὐ γινώσκω" οὐ γὰρ
641
os
16. εἰ δὲ ὃ
17. νυνὶ δὲ οὐκ- gHere only,
> ou
tempt. Weiss rightly remarks that the present tense εἶμι is determined simply by the ἐστιν preceding. Paul is con- trasting the law of God and human nature, of course on the basis of his own experience; but the contrast is worked out ideally, or timelessly, as we might say, all the tenses being present ; it is obvious, however, on reflection, that the experience described is essentially that of his pre-Christian days. It is the un- regenerate man’s experience, surviving at least in memory into regenerate days, and read with regenerate eyes.
Ver. 15. Only the hypothesis οἱ slavery explains his acts. For what I do οὐ γινώσκω, {.ε., I do not recognise it as my own, as a thing for which I am responsible and which I can approve: my act is that of a slave who is but the instrument of another’s will. οὐ yap 6 θέλω κ.τ.λ. There is “ an incompre- hensible contradiction in his action”. κατεργάζεσθαι is to effect, to bring about by one’s own work ; πράσσειν is to work at, to busy oneself with, a thing, with or without success, but with purpose; ποιεῖν is simply to make or produce.
Ver. 16. ὃ οὐ θέλω takes up 6 μισῶ the negative expression is strong enough for the argument. In doing what he hates, 7.e., in doing evil against his will, his will agrees with the law, that it is good. καλός suggests the moral beauty or nobility of the law, not like ἀγαθή (ver. 12) its beneficial purpose.
Ver. 17. Nuvi δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγὼ κατεργά- ἵομαι αὐτό. ἐγὼ is the true I, and em- phatic. As things are, in view of the facts just explained, it is not the true self which is responsible for this line of conduct, but the sin which has its abode in the man: contrast viii. 11 τὸ ἐνοικοῦν αὐτοῦ πνεῦμα ἐν ὑμῖν. “ Paul said, ‘It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me,’ and ‘I live, yet not I, but Christ that liveth in me’; and both these sayings of his touch on the unsay- able’”’ (Dr. John Duncan). To be saved from sin, a man must at the same time own it and disown it; it is this practical paradox which is reflected in this verse. It is safe for a Christian like Paul— it is not safe for everybody—to explain his failings by the watchword, Not I, but indwelling sin. That might be anti- nomian, or manichean, as well as evan-
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642 ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ VIL. ἔτι ἐγὼ κατεργάζοµαι αὐτό, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ οἰκοῦσα ] ἐν ἐμοὶ ἁμαρτία. 18. Οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ οἰκεῖ ἐν ἐμοὶ (τουτέστιν ἐν τῇ σαρκί pou,) ἀγαθόν -
EGaly here τὸ γὰρ θέλειν " παράκειταί por, τὸ δὲ κατεργάζεσθαι τὸ καλὸν οὐχ αι. εὑρίσκω. 19. οὐ γὰρ ὃ θέλω Tod ἀγαθόν: GAN’ ὃ οὐ θέλω κακόν, τοῦτο πράσσω. 20. εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ θέλω ἐγὼ,ξ τοῦτο ποιῶ, οὐκ ἔτι ἐγὼ
κατεργάζοµαι αὐτό, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ οἰκοῦσα ἐν ἐμοὶ ἁμαρτία. 21. Εὑρίσκω
ἄρα τὸν νόµον τῷ θέλοντι ἐμοὶ ποιεῖν τὸ καλόν, ὅτι ἐμοὶ τὸ κακόν
i Here oaly. παράκειται. 22. ᾿συνήδοµαι γὰρ τῷ νόµῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ κατὰ τὸν ἔσω --- ~~
1 For οικουσα WB read ενοικουσα, which is right. 2 ovx ενρισκω DFKLP; ov alone without ενρισκω SABC.
θελω εγω SRAKLP, Syr.; om. εγω BCDEFG. W. and H. omit εγω from text but put it in marg. Weiss thinks if it had been inserted after the apodosis had been written it would have been before ov θελω, and as it might easily be omitted to conform to ver. 16, the first clause of which is verbally the same, he counts it genuine, though admitting that the case is difficult.
gelical. A true saint may say it in a moment of passion, but a sinner had better not make it a principle.