ACC ~ Romans 6 v23

KING SIN’S WAGES. ORIGEN: Paul employs a military metaphor to good effect by saying that death is the wage due to those who fight under King Sin. But God does not give his soldiers a wage, as if they have something owing to them. Rather, he gives them the gift of grace, which is eternal life in Christ.

The death being referred to here is not the death which separates the body from the soul but the death by which because of sin the soul is separated from God. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

DEATH COMES THROUGH SIN. AMBROSIASTER: Paul says that the wages of sin is death because death comes through sin, and thus whoever refrains from sin will receive eternal life as his reward. Those who do not sin will not undergo the second death.

Just as those who follow sin obtain death, so those who follow the grace of God, that is, the faith of Christ which pardons sins, will have eternal life. They will therefore rejoice at being dissolved for a time, knowing that they will obtain this life which is free of all care and has no end. It was when he saw this from afar that St. Simeon asked to be released from this world that he might go into peace, that is, into life which allows no disturbance. And he bears witness that this gift is given to us by God through Christ our Lord, so that we should offer thanks to God through no one other than his Son. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

THE LIMITS OF THE WAGE METAPHOR. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul does not parallel “the wages of sin” with “the wages of good deeds” because he wants to show that they were not set free by their own efforts, nor had they done anything to earn their salvation. It was by grace alone that all these things came about.HOMILIES ON ROMANS 12.

DEATH THE REWARD FOR BETRAYING GOD. [PSEUDO-]CONSTANTIUS: Death is the reward which God offers us for our betrayal of him. THE HOLY LETTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

THE GIFT OF GOD. PELAGIUS: One who does military service for sin receives death as his wages. Paul does not use the term “wages of righteousness” because there was no righteousness in us before our baptism which God could repay. Righteousness is not obtained by our effort but is a gift of God. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

UNMERITED. BEDE: Eternal life is unjustly given for good merits. Rather, merit is first given freely by a benevolent Savior. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.2.