Romans 7:5
For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Cum enim essemus in carne, passiones peccatorum, quæ per legem erant, operabantur in membris nostris, ut fructificarent morti.
- Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
- ὅτε γὰρ ἦμεν ἐν τῇ σαρκί, τὰ παθήματα τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τὰ διὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐνηργεῖτο ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ καρποφορῆσαι τῷ θανάτῳ·
Haydock's commentary
For when we were in the flesh; i.e. lived according to the flesh, the passions of sins, which were by the law: he does not say, as St. Chrysostom observes, that they were caused by the law, but only were by it, meaning that they were occasioned by the knowledge of the law, but properly caused by ourselves, and our corrupt inclinations, that were wrought in our members, rather than did work. (Witham)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine Reply to Faustus the Manichæan, Faustus quotes passages to show that the Apostle Paul abandoned belief in the incarnation, to which he earlier held. Augustin shows that the apostle was consistent with himself in the utterances quoted
8. The context of the passage containing this clause of which our adversaries make such a bad use, brings out its real meaning. "The love of Christ," we read, "constrains us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but to Him who died for them, and rose again. Therefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh; and though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more." The words, "that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them, and rose again," show plainly that the resurrection of Christ is the ground of the apostle’s statement. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Homily XII on Rom. vi. 19
Ver. 5 . “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.”
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Homily XII on Rom. vi. 19
Even before this he had been saying, that “the motions of sins, which were by the Law did work in our members” ( ver. 5 ): and, “sin shall have no dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law.” ( vi. 14 .) And that “where no law is, there is no transgression.” ( iv. 15 .) And, “but the Law came in, that the offence might abound” ( v. 20 ); and, “the Law worketh wrath.” ( iv. 15 .) Now as all these things seem to bring the Law into disrepute, in order to correct the suspicion arising from them, he supposes also an objection, and says, “What then, is the Law sin? God forbid.” Before the proof he uses this adjuration to conciliate the hearer, and by way of soothing any who was troubled at it. For so, when he had heard this, and felt assured of the speaker’s disposition, he would join with him in investigating the seeming perplexity, and feel no suspicions of him. …
Aphrahat Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations, Of the Resurrection of the Dead
5. But hear, my beloved, another word like this, which the Apostle has spoken. For he said: The spiritual man judgeth everything, and he is judged by no one . And again he said: They that are spiritual are spiritually minded, and they that are carnal are carnally minded . And again he said: When we were in the flesh, the weaknesses of sins were working in our members that we might become fruit for death . Again he said: If the Spirit of Christ is in you, ye are spiritual . All these things the Apostle said, while he was clothed in the flesh but was doing the works of the Spirit. Thus also in the Resurrection of the dead, the righteous shall be changed, and the earthly form shall be swallowed up in the heavenly, and it shall be called a heavenly body. And that which shall not be changed, shall be called earthly.