ACC ~ Romans 7 v13

CHOOSING DEATH. DIDYMUS THE BLIND: Here Paul is expounding the person of Adam. For although he had the image of God dwelling in him, he turned away from true life and chose death instead. Moreover, this death was not just the common death of our bodily members but the spiritual death of disobedience as well. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

WHETHER GOODNESS BRINGS DEATH. AMBROSIASTER: Although even before the law came, the devil obtained death for man because of the first sin of Adam, nevertheless, after the law came he found still greater punishments for him in hell, where death followed him. For to have sinned before the coming of the law was a lesser crime than to have sinned after it.

The wording here suggests that a limit was imposed on transgressors when they were forbidden to sin. … What the apostle means is that sinning after the law came was much more serious than sinning before it. He means that after the law came the attacks and tricks of Satan grew worse. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

SHOWN TO BE SIN. CHRYSOSTOM: By the very way he accuses sin, Paul shows how excellent the law is. … It was the commandment which showed us just how evil sin is. At the same time, Paul also shows how grace is so much greater than the law. Grace is not in conflict with the law; it is superior to it. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 12.

SIN WORKING DEATH IN ME. AUGUSTINE: Here Paul elaborates on what he said [in verse 8]. It is not that a good thing (i.e., the law) had become death for him but rather that sin worked death through the law’s goodness, i.e., that it became apparent whereas without the law it had lain hidden. For everyone recognizes that he is dead if he cannot fulfill a precept which he recognizes as just, and because of the criminal offense of the trespass he sins even more than he would have if it had not been forbidden. Before the coming of the law the offense was less, because without the law there is no transgression. AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 40.

SIN REVEALED THROUGH THE LAW. PELAGIUS: The law does not become for me the actual cause of death, but I do when I encounter death by sinning. Sin was revealed through the law, which is itself good, and was also punished by it. Before the law came sin was limited because of ignorance, but when it is committed knowingly these limitations are taken away. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

SINFUL BEYOND MEASURE. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Even those who do not know God’s will deserve God’s punishment because they sin, even if it is in ignorance. Nevertheless, they have some excuse, for when the law is explained to them they will probably excuse themselves in front of those who are under the law, on account of their ignorance. But those who have chosen to sin and do so not out of ignorance have committed a crime of madness and have completely rejected God. Such people are said to be “sinful beyond measure.” Someone who sins in ignorance is still sinful, but he is not, nor is he said to be, “sinful beyond measure.” EXPLANATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS.