Глава VIII

The grace received by believers makes them capable of leading a righteous life, since through it (grace) they receive the spirit of God as a new active principle of righteousness (1-11). Those who live in the Spirit have a sure assurance of salvation, since the Spirit communicated to us is manifested as the Spirit of sonship to God, and as such carries within itself the hope of future greatness (12–13). This hope has its subjective basis in the yearning of our heart to obtain final salvation, a yearning that is strengthened by the groanings of the creature around us and the groanings of the Spirit in us (19–27). The objective basis of this hope is in the love of God, which cannot leave its work towards us unfinished. When we think about this love, our hope takes on the character of complete confidence (28–39). Rom.8:1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, The apostle depicted with sufficient clarity the condition of unregenerate man living under the law. All attempts at self-justification could bring him nothing but condemnation from God. Now, in Christianity, the human condition is completely different. The law of sin and death no longer weighs on him. God, having sent His Son to save people, condemned sin and justified people who live not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. People must now no longer succumb to this former ruler - the flesh. Let the Spirit of God or the Spirit of Christ abide in them, and this Spirit will eventually deliver them from bodily death, just as He delivered them from spiritual death. “So” - this expression indicates that the Apostle here draws a conclusion from what was said in chapters VI and VII. - “Now,” that is, after we have believed in Christ. - “No condemnation” - that is, a sentence condemning to death (Rom. 7:24). - “Not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” This expression explains the previous words: in Christ Jesus. However, the most ancient codes do not have this expression, and in the newest editions it is therefore omitted, so that the first verse ends like this: “for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom.8:2. because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. Here the Apostle indicates the basis on which those who remain in Christ are no longer in danger of condemnation. - “The Law of the Spirit”. By spirit here, obviously, we mean the Spirit of God or the Spirit of Christ, about whose abiding in believers the Apostle speaks below (v. 9). The Apostle speaks, in fact, about the activity of this Spirit, but calls it law - a term not entirely suitable for the Spirit of God - in accordance with the previously mentioned law by which unregenerate man was guided (Rom. 7:25). - "Life". The Spirit of God always communicates true eternal life (cf. 2 Cor 3:6). Therefore, His activity leads the person who has surrendered to Him to life and liberation from the condemnation of death. - “In Christ Jesus.” These words refer to the following expression: “set free” and point to the suffering and death of Christ, raised up for our sake and for the sake of our salvation. - “Freed”. The tense used here (aorist ηλευθέρωσε) indicates a one-time action - namely, the act of baptism, in which we assimilate freedom from the yoke of sin and the flesh. - “The Law of Sin and Death”. This is what the Apostle calls the former order of life of unregenerate man. It was a time of constant falls that led man to spiritual death. Rom.8:3. Because the law, weakened by the flesh, was powerless, God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sacrifice for sin and condemned sin in the flesh, Here the Apostle explains exactly how our liberation from the law of sin and death was accomplished. Since the Russian translation of this verse does not represent an exact correspondence to the original, a more accurate translation is offered here: “for - a matter beyond the power of the law, since he was weak due to resistance to it from the side of the flesh (δια τ. σαρκός) - God, having sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and because of sin, condemned him completely (or: took away from him all human rights are κατέκρινεν) sin in the flesh.” - A matter beyond the power of the law... The Law of Moses, which the Apostle speaks about here, also had as its goal the destruction of sin and the justification of man before God. But he could not achieve this, because human flesh was under the power of sin, which prompted it constantly to resist the law. The law could not break such resistance. He could only condemn sinners, and sin continued to remain in man. Every effort of the law to realize the highest goals in man ended as a result in complete failure! – His own Son (τον εαυτού υιόν). The Apostle uses this expression denoting the Only Begotten Son of God (cf. John 10:36) to indicate the extreme measure taken by God to destroy the power of sin. – “In the likeness” (έν ομοιώματι) of sinful flesh. Christ had flesh, just like ours, not some heavenly matter. But there was also an important difference from ours. Indeed, there was no sin in His flesh. Sin would like to find access to Christ’s flesh, as he found access to ours, but he did not succeed. Christ's thoughts and desires, not to mention His actions, were always pure and holy. Sin could not cause anything sinful in the flesh of Christ, which would then be reflected in the sphere of Christ’s spiritual life, which would produce sinful desires in him. – And for the sake of sin (περί αμαρτίας). This expression generally indicates the reason for which the sending of the Son of God took place (Ekum.). There is no direct indication of the sacrificial meaning of the death of Christ here (but in the Russian translation such a meaning is recognized; there the word sacrifice is added to the word for sin). – Condemned completely (or: destroyed). The corresponding Greek expression is the word κατακρίνω actually means: “I condemn.” But from the context of the speech it turns out that here we are talking not only about condemnation, about the announcement of a sentence, but about the actual execution of the sentence, therefore, about the destruction or, at least, about the deprivation of sin of all power. Although the Law of Moses also condemned sin, it could not carry out its sentence. "In the Flesh". Sin has its residence in the flesh. If it is killed, then sin is thereby doomed to powerlessness. But the mortification of sinful flesh was accomplished in Christ’s death on the cross, which He accepted for the sins of the world. Thus, we can believe that the Apostle in the expression “in the flesh” meant the flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ. By dying to Christ, we also die in our sinful flesh, and sin no longer has a foothold in us, but we, personally, continue our existence, submitting, however, not to the flesh, but to the spirit. But how did the death of Christ put an end to the dominion of sin in the flesh? Was this legally correct? This was absolutely correct. As long as sin or the devil arbitrarily dealt with human flesh, so long he was in his right, because human sinful flesh, one might say, deserved such treatment. The devil, one might say, occupied the position of executioner in the state, and from the point of view of the law, he was right in doing his bloody work - killing people: he destroyed only what was worthy of death. But then Christ appeared in the flesh. Instead of retreating from the Holy One, whose holiness is invincible, the devil attacked Him with all the strength of his hatred. In his blindness he prepared for Him death, which, according to divine law, should only be the consequence of sin (Rom. 6:23). But through this he committed a terrible crime, clearly increased his rights and for this he was quite rightly deprived of all dominion over the flesh in general. He received defeat precisely in the flesh of Christ, and the result of this was the complete loss of power over the flesh of people. Rom.8:4. that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Here the Apostle indicates what purpose God had in destroying the power of sin in the flesh. He wanted the aspirations of the law to be fulfilled on us through this, to establish righteousness, to make people righteous (justification is δικαάωμα τ . ν .). – Those who do not walk according to the flesh... These are the traits of a true Christian, who is in his life what the Law of Moses meant. A person must certainly act as the Spirit teaches him - of course, the Spirit of Christ or God (see v. 9). He acted (walked) according to the flesh who fulfilled the sinful desires of those living in the flesh (Rom. 7:18), but he who follows the attraction of the Holy Spirit throughout his life walks according to the Spirit. – This addition about man’s walk shows that God does not create a necessity for man, but only the possibility of realizing the cherished aspirations of the law. The implementation of this depends on themselves - for this they must only follow the instructions of the Spirit of God. Rom.8:5. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on carnal things, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on spiritual things. Rom.8:6. To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, Rom.8:7. because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for they do not obey the law of God, and indeed cannot. Rom.8:8. Therefore those who live according to the flesh cannot please God. In these verses, the Apostle explains why it is only in people who walk in the spirit, and not in the flesh, that those cherished expectations that the law of Moses had are fulfilled. The reason for this is the new mood of people, which exactly corresponds to the goal that the law set for man - a peaceful mood and everything imbued with spiritual, higher aspirations. Meanwhile, those who walk according to the flesh do not have any high goals and, therefore, are far from those aspirations that lay at the basis of numerous prescriptions of the law. The former, thus, draw closer to God, while the latter move more and more away from Him. - “Those who live according to the flesh.” These are people completely devoted to the flesh and its desires, which in a natural person - and of course, the Apostle is talking about him here - are always sinful. - “They think about the things of the flesh.” All their thinking, will and feeling are aimed only at what serves the interests of the flesh, these are the works of the flesh, passions and desires, which the Apostle speaks about in the last chapter. to the Galatians (Gal.5:19, 24). - “Those who live according to the spirit.” These people - Christians - fulfill what the spirit requires - this is the highest principle in a human being. Here the justification of the law is fulfilled (v. 4), because the law itself is spiritual (Rom. 7:14). “To be carnally minded is death.” Here the particle for is missing at the beginning. Here the Apostle explains why being minded according to the flesh (v. 5) cannot lead to the fulfillment of the law (v. 4), while grace freeing us from the law of sin and death (v. 2) leads to this. The reason for this is that being minded according to the flesh brings a person back to death! And the law wanted precisely to free man from sin and death... “Spiritual thoughts are life and peace.” A person striving for higher, spiritual goals enters into communication with God and receives from Him true life and complete peace of mind or salvation. - “Because the carnal mind is . The apostle gives a reason why the flesh can only lead a person to death. These thoughts make a person into a being hostile to God, and moving away from God is spiritual death. – “They do not submit” – more correctly: does not submit, because the subject here should be the word: the flesh, which is discussed throughout this entire section. – It cannot – precisely because the flesh lives in sin (Rom.7:18), is enslaved to sin (Rom.7:25). However, this does not mean that a person is no longer able to submit to the law of God: when he wants, he can do this too. The Apostle speaks here of the ordinary state of unregenerate man. John Zlat. points to numerous cases of conversion of sinners to prove the above position, although, according to his explanation, it is actually possible for those who can receive - of course, in Christianity - help from the Spirit... “Wherefore they that live in the flesh...” This is the conclusion to Art. 5–7. Living in the flesh here means the same as living according to the flesh. The flesh is for many the sphere of life into which they are completely immersed. - They cannot please God. The Romans, like other pagans, had a completely different opinion about this. Among the pagans, as is known, the gods were the personification of various human passions and vices. Living in passions often means serving the gods! The gods were pleased to see this in public... The Apostle probably has in mind this belief of the Romans, traces of which could have been preserved among some Roman Christians, and considers it necessary to refute it. – It should be noted that the Apostle is very far from having any disdain for the flesh in general. He means here only the flesh, standing under the harmful influence of sin, and life in the flesh, the satisfaction of the needs of the flesh, as soon as it functions correctly, under the influence of the renewing grace of Christ - all this was in his eyes a subject deserving full attention. He even puts man’s care and concern for the flesh in parallel with Christ’s care for the Church (Eph. 5:29). Rom.8:9. But you do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. Addressing Christians, the Apostle explains to them why the justification of the law must and can be fulfilled on them (v. 4). The reason for this is that they live according to the spirit. By spirit here we mean the principle opposite to the flesh - this is the highest side of the human being. This beginning, if only a person listens to its instructions, leads a person to the realization of high goals, such as the law of Moses. - “If only.” This is not an expression of doubt, but an undoubted statement and is equal to the expression: since (John Chrysostom). - “The Spirit of God lives in you.” A person's own spirit, however, is not enough to achieve salvation. The Christian achieves the latter precisely because his own spirit is enlightened and strengthened by the Spirit of God living in the Christian (cf. John 4:23). - “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ.” Since here a state is clearly indicated that is opposite to that just described, then by the Spirit of Christ here we must understand the same Spirit of God. He is called Christ's, as being sent for the sake of the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:17, 18). – “Not His”, i.e. not Christ’s, is not in the closest communion with Christ (cf. Gal 3:29; 1 Cor 15:23). Rom.8:10. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. “And if Christ is in you.” The Apostle further reveals the saving consequences of the fact he noted - the communion of Christians with Christ. From the fact that he replaces the expression “Spirit of Christ” with one word “Christ”, it is clearly seen that the existence of Christ in us at the same time is the existence of His Spirit or the Spirit of God (Rom. 5:11): one presupposes the other. Therefore, Christ said to the apostles: “Whoever loves Me will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). "The body is dead to sin". The Apostle undoubtedly speaks of bodily death: our body is subject to death, must die. Neither verse 11, which talks about bodily resurrection, nor the expression δι ᾿αμαρτίν through sin (according to the Russian translation is incorrect: “for sin”), nor the connection of this place with 1 and 2 art. do not allow any other explanation. – Through sin or as a result of sin. Already above, the Apostle explained the close connection between sin and death (Rom. 5:12, 6:16, 23), why more is not discussed here about this sin. It is most natural, therefore, to see here an indication of Adam’s sin, or at least some remnants of it, which are not completely destroyed in the regenerated man. And in the burial rite of Orthodox Christians it is therefore said that there is no person who has not sinned during his life, and from this it follows that every person must die... "The spirit lives." This is the human spirit, but a new spirit, standing under the direct action of the Spirit of God. This spirit, as it should be translated from Greek, is life (ζωή), that is, not only alive, but also one whose being is life; reborn carries within himself the beginning of eternal life. - For the truth. Again, instead of this expression, you need to put another: through the truth (διά δικαιοσύνην). The Apostle means here, as can be concluded from the end of the text of the speech, that righteousness which is the true fulfillment of the law with the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Divine Justice requires that life be given where there is righteousness. Just as Christ Himself entered into the glorified life through the fact that He completely removed the power of sin from Himself and lived for God (Rom. 6:9 et seq.), so it happens with every believer. Rom.8:11. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Here the Apostle shows that in the end our body will be freed from the power of death. - “If the Spirit... lives in you.” The apostle, in essence, repeats the thought of verse 10 (“Christ in you”). He characterizes the Spirit of God as the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead. He mentions this resurrection of Jesus so that we too may have hope for the same resurrection. For this reason, he here calls the Savior simply Jesus - His human name: the resurrection of the man Jesus ((XVII im. 2, 5) also vouches for the resurrection of other people. "Christ". The apostle deliberately replaces the name Jesus with this name in order to show that our mediator, intercessor, Messiah has been resurrected, and that because of this our confidence in our resurrection should be even stronger. - “He will revive.” Our bodies, which will undergo complete destruction, will also require a complete restoration of life, which is indicated by the expression “revive” (ζωοποείν), while for the body of Christ, which did not undergo such destruction, a simple awakening (εγείρειν) was sufficient. Christ seemed to be resting in the tomb! (“Having fallen asleep in the flesh...” the Church sings about the deceased Christ). – “Mortals” – who are about to die. - “By His Spirit,” that is, for the sake of His indwelling Spirit. Such bodies, which were worthy to serve as a temple for the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16), cannot be left by God forever in the dust: they must be resurrected! (cf. Rom 1:4). Rom.8:12. So, brethren, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh; In view of what is said about the flesh and death on the one hand (in verses 5–9) and about the Spirit on the other (verses 10–11), the Apostle now rightfully turns to the readers with an admonition not to serve the flesh, but, on the contrary, to try to suppress its excitement. By doing this, and at the same time surrendering themselves to the guidance of the Spirit of God, readers are assured that they are truly children of God. The Holy Spirit guiding them also convinces them of this. Why is this consciousness important? The children of God, obviously, have every reason to hope to receive the same benefits that their Firstborn brother received (Rom. 8:29), if only they fearlessly walk the same path of suffering that Christ walked. And these sufferings are too insignificant compared to the glorification that awaits true Christians. “We are not debtors to the flesh,” that is, we owe obedience not to the flesh. - “To live according to the flesh,” that is, to fulfill her various sinful wishes. Rom.8:13. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the flesh, you will live. “If you live according to the flesh, you will die.” The Apostle points with these words to the absurd idea that many harbored in themselves, as if life according to the flesh, in sin, is real life! This is not life, but the sure path to death... On the contrary, life can only be the property of those who strive to suppress the works of the flesh. By these deeds the Apostle means those phenomena - both external and internal - of which the flesh is the culprit, without control by the spirit. And the flesh, as we know, is still under the influence of the remnants of hereditary sin. - By the Spirit, that is, a blessed soul, which should guide a person’s entire life and mortify, that is, not allow the needs of the flesh to develop excessively. - “You will live.” Christians are still alive, but their life will develop and strengthen more and more and will finally become an eternal and blessed life, not only in the spirit, as now (v. 10), but also in the body (v. 11) 27 . Rom.8:14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. The Apostle said that Christians who mortify the deeds of the flesh will receive eternal and blessed life. This is what he now wants to justify. What? An indication that they, Christians, being guided by the Spirit of God, as the Apostle said in the last words of verse 1, are sons of God, and therefore heirs of eternal life. But the Apostle makes the last conclusion only in the 17th verse. He devotes the next verses 15-16 to proving the idea that Christians are truly sons of God. Rom.8:15. Because you did not receive the spirit of slavery to live in fear again, but you received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry: “Abba, Father!” “They did not accept the spirit of slavery.” Jews - before Christ, treated the law of Moses as obedient slaves, fulfilling its instructions out of fear of punishment. Individuals such as David, who found the words of God's law sweet (Ps. 119:103), were exceptions among the Jewish people. The pagans felt even more humiliated before their gods and lived in constant fear in the face of their formidable and vengeful gods. - “The Spirit of adoption,” i.e., the Spirit that appeared only during the period of people’s adoption to God. In this period—the Christian period—God accepts those who believe in Christ as His children and grants them all the rights of children (Eph 1:5) 28. – “Which” – more correctly: in which. The Spirit is in Christians the element that moves their entire inner life. – “We cry out” is an exclamation of prayerful feelings (cf. Gal 4:6). "Abba". This name, which initially passed from Jewish prayers into Christian ones as a common noun, gradually took on the character of a proper name. However, among the Jews this name was used about God only in the mouths of the people (Ex. 4:22; Is. 63:16; Hos. 11:1), and only in the New Testament, when each individual believer felt like a child of God, did it begin to be used in the prayers of individuals. - "Father". According to Greek put here eminent. case (about πατήρ), as an application to the word Abba, so both of these words need to be translated: “Abba, dear father” 29. Rom.8:16. This very Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Our subjective, personal, internal conviction in our God-son state is confirmed by external, someone else’s (objective) testimony. This is the testimony of the Holy Spirit. – “This One” is more correct: Himself (αυτό), i.e. the Spirit Himself now acts as a witness, whereas previously our prayer testified to the same thing, although performed in the Spirit of God. – “Testifies” – more precisely: testifies together (σομμαρτιρεί). This means that this already points to the second testimony of our spirit, which was mentioned in the previous verse. Thus, there are two witnesses: our spirit (νους), enlightened by the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God Himself. – “Children” – more precisely: children (τέκνα), an expression of greater tenderness than children. Rom.8:17. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with Him in order to be glorified with Him. "Heirs". The apostle goes further in this argument. Christians are now heirs or, more precisely, participants (τληρονόμοι) in all the good things that belong to their Father, God, and over time will receive participation in the highest good that God owns - namely, eternal blessed life (v. 13). God here, of course, is conceived not as a dying owner, but as a living distributor of property to his children (Luke 15:12). - “Joint heirs with Christ.” Здесь разумеется не новое какое наследство, а то же самое, что и в вышеприведенном выражении. The Apostle especially mentions Christ because He has already taken possession of His full filial part - He received bliss and greatness through the resurrection from the dead. - “If only we suffer with him.” The expression “unless” does not weaken Christians’ confidence in receiving the inheritance, but only encourages them to self-examine whether their fellowship with Christ is so strong that it will not be destroyed in the difficult trials that befall Christians. The one who suffers with Christ is the one who goes to all kinds of torment for the sake of the Gospel (Matthew 10:38, 16:24). Rom.8:18. For I think that the sufferings of this present time are not worth anything in comparison with the glory that will be revealed in us. Since some Christians were burdened by their sufferings, which they had to endure for the name of Christ, the Apostle reminds them that it is impossible to compare these sufferings in strength and significance with future glory. – “They are worth nothing” – more precisely from the Greek: they do not have the corresponding dignity (ουψ άξια). – “It will be revealed” (αποκαλυφθήναι) – it will be revealed precisely at the second coming of Christ. At the present time, although this glory exists, it is still hidden in heaven (cf. Col. 3:3 et seq.). Rom.8:19. For creation awaits with hope the revelation of the sons of God, What is the Christian hope for future greatness based on? First of all, on the sighs of an unreasonable creature, which expresses its desire for a better future. Then, rational creatures, namely believing Christians, also feel dissatisfaction with the present - they still lack bodily redemption. Finally, the Spirit of God, who dwells in believers, confirms by His intercession for believers that they are indeed destined to receive that greatness that they now do not have. If such greatness were not possible for believers to receive, then the Holy Spirit would not intercede for it. Thus, there is a threefold basis for our hope and future glorification: the testimony of the unreasonable creation (19-22), the testimony of the children of God (23-25) and the testimony of the Spirit of God (26-27). "Creature" (κτίσις). This expression in itself is not sufficiently definite. It can mean: 1) establishment, planting, act of creation, 2) an unreasonable creature and 3) humanity. The first meaning is clearly not suitable here, and as for the third, it can hardly be accepted to explain the present place. In fact, humanity is divided into Christians and non-Christians. As for the first, the Apostle speaks about them separately further in Art. 23, and Paul designates non-Christian humanity with the word “world” (o κόσμος). Moreover, one of two things must be assumed: either these non-Christians will turn to Christ before the second coming of Christ and will no longer form part of the creation that will be glorified after the glorification of the children of God, that is, the believers (end of the 21st art.), or they will not turn at all and, consequently, will not turn out to be worthy of any glorification. Clearly, we can only assume that the Apostle here means all unreasonable creation, both animate and inanimate. The future manifestation of this creature is spoken of in both the Old and New Testaments (Isa 11; Isa 65:17; Ps 101:26, 27, 103:35; Matt 19:28; Rev 21:1). - “With hope.” The Greek word translated here by the expression with hope (αποκαροδοκία) actually means: “standing with your head stretched forward” - a symbol of expectation, “looking intently into the distance.” - “Revelations of the sons of God,” that is, that event that will lead to the glorification of the sons of God or believers in Christ. Then they will become de facto (in fact) what they now represent only de jure (i.e., to which they only still have the right) - namely, heirs of Christ (v. 17). Rom.8:20. because the creation was not subjected to vanity voluntarily, but by the will of him who subjected it, in hope, Rom.8:21. that creation itself will be freed from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Why does the Apostle ascribe hope to the unreasonable creature for the glorification of believers and for his restoration? Because she already had such hope when she followed man along the path of slavery to vanity and decay. - “She submitted to vanity,” that is, she submitted, as if to an alien power, to nothingness, to a way of existence that has no true dignity in comparison with the perfection that creation or nature originally possessed. One can, however, understand vanity (ματαιότης) as man’s unworthy treatment of nature. Instead of ennobling and improving nature, man made it suffer from his greed, cruelty, and unreason. - “Not voluntarily.” Nature in this submission to the law of vanity is not like man. He consciously and voluntarily chose the path leading to death, she, contrary to her will, entered this path. - “But according to the will of him who subdued her,” i.e. according to the will of God, who already at creation subordinated creation to man and then, after the fall of man, showed all creation the same path as its master: she, as serving man, could not rise above him with her destiny (Theodoret) 30. "In hope". This, of course, is not in the proper sense hope, which is the property of only a rational being, but some vague premonition. It is more correct here to see the poetic personification of the creature, as if it were a living, thinking being. - "What…" . According to the Russian translation, the content of the hope that the Apostle just spoke about is indicated here. Other newest translations see here as proof of the above thought that the creature also has hope for restoration (here, on the basis of some ancient codes, they read not ότιι that, αδιότι because). Since, however, it was not previously said what exactly the creature hopes for, the Russian translation is more likely. Only the next word sama (αυτή) should be replaced by the pronoun she, so that the subject does not repeat itself, as in the Russian translation (creature... in the hope that the creature itself...). Then it will be possible to translate it as follows: “creature... in the hope that she, the creature, will be freed...”. "Slavery to corruption" (τής φθορας). The genitive case of decay is the so-called. parental belongings. The apostle wants to say that the slavery or service that the creature performs in its present situation cannot be given any other definition than corruption. Whatever the creature produces, it all necessarily disintegrates and becomes corruption (cf. v. 20 - vanity). – Does this mean, however, that creation, unreasonable nature, was incorruptible before the Fall of man? Although some of the ancient church interpreters are inclined to answer this question in the affirmative, others clearly say that “all visible creation received mortal nature as its inheritance, because the Creator of all things foresaw the crime of Adam and the death sentence that would be pronounced on him” (Theodoret). The newest interpreters (for example, Richter) also almost agree that nature was created perishable and that man added various kinds of deterioration to this perishability: he began to beat and torture animals, devastate forests and turn flowering fields into deserts, etc. As a result of this, nature began to serve emptiness and corruption (the consequences of Adam’s sin). Such a state can end only when a person is completely freed from the power of sin and the image of God is restored in him again. “Into the freedom of glory,” that is, into the state to which creation must reach through its liberation from the law of vanity. This freedom will be given to the creation by the fact that the sons of God or believers will be glorified, will receive glory, which, of course, will consist in the liberation of their corporeality from subjection to corruption (1 Cor. 15:42 et seq.). The Lord called this glory regeneration (Matthew 19:28). Thus, the expression freedom refers to the creature, and glory to the sons of God. Rev. Theophanes speaks about this future state of the creature: “won’t the creature consist of the finest elements - like a varied combination of rainbow colors”? But the Apostle does not give any immediate instructions about this... Rom.8:22. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now; If - as the Apostle would say - the creature did not have such hope, then what would its groans mean? Thus, from the groans of the creature about its distressed state, the Apostle draws the conclusion that the creature awaits restoration to its primitive state. - “We know.” The apostle refers here to generally observable facts from the life of nature. Thinking and observant people should be well aware that nature is in an abnormal state. They seem to hear her sighs! - “Moans and suffers.” Both expressions contain a hint that nature is experiencing the same severe torment that a woman in labor experiences (this is especially indicated by the word “suffering” - συνωδίνει, the root of which is αδίνες means “the torment of a woman in labor”). By this the Apostle indicates that the torment of nature is not aimless: it strives, so to speak, to give birth to new life, but cannot achieve this. From here the meaning of the various catastrophes that our planet has experienced and continues to experience becomes clearer to us. They are not aimless or meaningless, but represent only individual moments that our planet must go through on the way to that phase of its existence that will coincide with the restoration of the glory of the children of God. Rom.8:23. and not only she, but we ourselves, having the firstfruits of the Spirit, and we groan within ourselves, awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body. Here begins the second proof in favor of the idea of ​​the future glorification of the sons of God. - “We ourselves,” that is, Christians. - “The Firstfruits of the Spirit”. Here the word of the Spirit is a designation of that in which the first fruit consists (this so-called genitiv. epexegeteticus). We Christians have. The Holy Spirit is like the firstfruits, the first gift of all the good things that await us in the future life. - “We groan within ourselves,” that is, inside, silently, without revealing our grief, like unreasonable nature. - “Adoptions”. Although believers already have this good (15th et al.), but only as an internal consciousness, and as a known right, which has not yet been realized externally and in full. - “The redemption of our body,” that is, liberating it from all the imperfections of the present phase of its existence or, better, from corruption (v. 21), when it becomes an incorruptible body (Phil. 3:21; 2 Cor. 5:2 et seq.; 1 Cor. 15:51). This will happen either through resurrection (for the dead 1 Cor. 15:42 et seq.), or through change for those who live until the 2nd coming of Christ (1 Cor. 15:52). Rom.8:24. For we are saved in hope. But hope, when it sees, is not hope; for if anyone sees, what can he hope for? Rom.8:25. But when we hope for what we do not see, then we wait with patience. That believers really yearn for adoption, the Apostle here proves by the fact that they have hope. - “We are saved in hope.” The salvation that the Apostle spoke about above, on the one hand, is a fact that has already been accomplished (saved - εσώθημεν - aorist), but on the other hand, complete salvation is still only the subject of our hope. - “Hope, when it sees...” These words of verse 24 are not clear enough. It is more correct to read (as in Greek and Slavic): “the hope that is seen” (that is, when the object of hope is already visible). Such hope cannot even be called hope! The Apostle, therefore, wants to say here to Christians who were not satisfied with their external situation: “You, of course, highly value your Christian hope. It constitutes one of the three most important Christian virtues (1 Cor 13:13). How do you want complete redemption to be given to you already here on earth? Indeed, in the latter case, you would have to give up hope, end forever your expectations of a better future. Would that be good for you?! But you have this hope, you do not part with it, and this testifies that you are still waiting for something in the future, that you are missing something.” - “We wait in patience.” With these words the Apostle further strengthens his proof. Christians have hope and persistent, strong hope (in patience - δι ᾿υπομονής). Does this persistence really have no meaning? Does this indifference and contempt for earthly goods, developed by Christians, when because of them they had to sacrifice the interests of faith, say nothing? No, it clearly indicates that they feel the abnormality, the imperfection of their present, earthly existence, and strive for heavenly glorification, for complete redemption and salvation. Rom.8:26. Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses; for we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed. The third proof that we are destined for glorification is the testimony of the Holy Spirit, who also intercedes for us for something higher. - “In our weaknesses” - according to a more attested reading: in our weakness (τη ασθενεία ημών). Here you can see an indication of the weakness of our prayer. – As it should, that is, according to the need that arises in each individual case. In general, we know what we should pray for - this, of course, is our final salvation - but we do not know what exactly we need to pay special attention to in these conditions in order to happily achieve our desired goal. - “With unspeakable sighs.” The Spirit of God appears before God with a prayer for us, and His prayers are not clothed in the words of human prayers: in His appeal to God, the Spirit has no need for words. Obviously, the Apostle distinguishes these groanings of the Spirit from the groanings of a Christian (v. 23). They are not a product of our mental life, but something separate, independent, although it takes place within us. Thus, these groanings can also be distinguished from the prayers of inspired Christians, which they said during divine services, because the prayers offered, for example, by one who had the gift of tongues (1 Cor 14), were nevertheless conveyed in generally understandable words. Meanwhile, here we are talking about prayers that cannot be expressed in the words αλαλήτοι 31. Rom.8:27. He who searches the hearts knows what the Spirit thinks, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. The apostle here points out why the Spirit intercedes for us in prayer without words. - “Searcher of hearts.” God is so called here because the Holy Spirit dwells in the heart of a regenerated person (Rom. 5:5) and although His intercession is not revealed by anything outside, God, before whom all the hearts of people are open, knows about this intercession. - “What is the thought of the Spirit,” that is, what is expressed in His sighing, what He is directed towards. - “Because...” The Apostle just said that God knows about the intercession of the Spirit. By this he made it clear that the Lord recognizes and accepts His intercession. Why? Because the Spirit in His intercessions does not go against the plans of Divine economy, but, on the contrary, completely agrees with them. He intercedes according to the will of God (κατα Θεόν), i.e., as God wants. In addition, He intercedes for Christians as saints, that is, as worthy people who have prepared their hearts to serve as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Rom.8:28. Moreover, we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. To further convince Christians that glorification awaits them, the Apostle now points to their calling to Christ. It is not for nothing that they were called - this means that God, in His love for them, already foreknew them in advance and predestined them to be similar to the image of His Son. It is clear that He will bring His work towards us to completion! Then, in view of what was said in the first part, the Apostle (from v. 31) loudly proclaims his confidence in final salvation, because no obstacle can separate believers from the love of God and from the love of Christ. This is like a triumphal song on the occasion of a victory won over opponents of the salvation of people. Since Christians could still be embarrassed at the thought of the persecutions awaiting, perhaps already beginning against them, the Apostle considers it necessary to instill in them the correct view of all trials and suffering. He reassures Christians that God will not abandon those who love Him, especially because He Himself called them to Christ. Everything that is unpleasant happens to them in life, in fact, according to the arrangement of Divine Providence, will turn to their benefit. - “To those who love God,” that is, true Christians - not those who are just called that, but those who really love their Heavenly Father. - “To those called according to His purpose.” Where are those called? To faith in Christ, in the Church of Christ. Believers are called here by will (κατά πρόθεσιν). Whose will is this? Their own or God's? The Russian translation, adding the expression His, clearly interprets this expression in the second meaning, but the Fathers and teachers of the Eastern Church understand this expression as denoting the will, the consent of those called (John Chrysostom, Theodoret, Theophylact, etc.). Since here the Apostle speaks of what should especially calm the hearts of believers, there is no doubt that he himself could understand here only God’s will or destiny for the believers, and not their own will, which could not at all serve as any particularly lasting encouragement for them. Moreover, in Chapter IX. 11th Art. The Apostle directly calls the will regarding the election of God, so the Russian translation is completely correct. - “Everything works together.” A Christian, of course, himself acts in order to achieve eternal bliss, but at the same time he must look at everything that happens around him and in one way or another comes into contact with him as help sent to him by God to achieve his goal. Thus, any suffering in the essence of the matter is, from this point of view, not at all superfluous for a Christian, but assisting him in his work. - “For good”, i.e. for salvation. This whole passage represents one of the most definite expressions of Christian optimism. Rom.8:29. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Rom.8:30. And those whom He predestined, those He also called, and those He called, them He also justified; and those whom he justified, he also glorified. The Apostle now explains on what the will of God for people was based, and how He brought this will into fruition. - “Foreknew.” The will of God was based on the fact that God already saw Christians before Him as they appeared then, when they did not exist. He foresaw their faith, their love for God - all this was as if already existing for Him (Rom. 4:17). - “Predetermined.” Here, predestination is called the same thing that was previously called will (v. 28). Of course, here, of course, predestination is not absolute, but based on the foreknowledge of the properties of predetermined individuals. - “Conformed to the image of His Son.” The Apostle gives an explanation of this phrase in the expression of verse 30 - “glorified.” It is clear from this that the Apostle by the image of the Son of God meant the glory that Christ received after completing the work of redemption, and which for believers will consist in the adoption and redemption of their body (v. 23). - “That He might be...”. The final and final goal that God had in predestining believers to a glory similar to the glory of His Son is that in the end a single family of the elect would be formed, in which Christ, as the firstborn Son, would occupy the first place - would be the Head (cf. Eph 1:10). “Those whom he predestined, he also called.” From this it is clear that calling is the first moment in the implementation of Divine predestination. It is not addressed to everyone, but only to a select few. This is the call of divine grace, acting mysteriously on the human heart and disposing a person to accept the divine word (Phil 1:6, 29). But, in any case, this call cannot remain in vain: those who are called are those who are able to love God and follow His call, as God foretold. - “Justified.” Since justification cannot take place where there is no faith, it is clear that the Apostle included faith in the concept of calling. God called the people and they believed. Following this, their justification took place. The Apostle does not speak separately about sanctification, obviously identifying it with justification. - “Glorified.” If Christ is already glorified, then those who believe in Him will certainly be glorified. Therefore, the Apostle speaks of their glorification as a fact that has already happened, just as the prophets of the Old Testament spoke of future events as if they were past. It is necessary to note that, although the Apostle here attributes all of our salvation - calling, justification and glorification - to God alone, he does not deny the need for participation in this matter on the part of those being saved. So, for example, in the letter to the Ephesians, he points out that God has destined us to do good works (Eph. 2:10). In Philippians he also says that Christians must work out their own salvation (Phil. 2:12). Here he does not mention human will because his goal in the present case was to demonstrate the firmest basis for our confidence in future glorification. And what could be stronger in this regard than God’s predestination for those being saved, expressed in their calling and justification? Rom.8:31. What can I say to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Rom.8:32. He who did not spare His Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also freely give us all things with Him? In these two verses the Apostle begins the conclusion of the entire section treating of the justification of man. - “What can I say to this?” i.e. what, what conclusion can we draw from all that has been said? The expected answer to this question can only be this: “we have entered into the closest communion with God. God is now our Protector and Patron.” - “If God is for us.” Now a Christian is not afraid of any enemies. - “He who did not spare His Son.” Here the Apostle reveals his position in more detail: “if God is for us.” If God did not spare His Own Son - which would be very natural - but gave Him up to death for all of us (according to the context of the speech, these words refer to the elect - mainly), then with Him, that is, by giving Him, God obviously gives us everything that we need in order, despite all difficulties, to achieve final salvation. All this will be incomparably less than that One gift, i.e. Christ Himself! Rom.8:33. Who will accuse God's elect? God justifies them. Rom.8:34. Who is judging? Christ Jesus died, but also rose again: He is also at the right hand of God, and He intercedes for us. Question: “who is against us?” The apostle now breaks it down into a number of separate questions and gives answers to these questions. In these two verses, the Apostle refers to opponents of the idea of ​​Christian salvation, hiding behind certain considerations of a legal nature. - “Who will blame.” Any accusation of Christians as supposedly unworthy of salvation would be pointless when the highest authority, namely God Himself, is the one who justifies them. - “Who condemns?” A question parallel to the previous one. No one can condemn Christians when the only one who has the right to judge and condemn (Rom. 2:16), namely Christ, died for us, that is, did everything in order to free us from condemnation and curse. But not only did He die - death in itself, without the subsequent resurrection of Christ, could not yet give us assurance of our justification. - He has risen! Therefore, we have sufficient reason not to fear condemnation. Finally, Christ continues to intercede for us before His Father, seated at the right hand of God. Rom.8:35. Who will separate us from the love of God: sorrow, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? as written: Rom.8:36. For Your sake they kill us every day; they count us as sheep doomed to the slaughter. Rom.8:37. But we overcome all this through the power of Him who loved us. Here the Apostle says that no violent actions of people hostile to our salvation can tear believers away from the love of God. Since these actions are carried out by people, the Apostle begins to ask a question here too. pronoun masculine: who. - “From the love of God.” God loves us and wants to save us, but evil people, with their hostile actions that can shake our faith, want to block the path of God’s love to us: if we turn out to be unfaithful to God, then, of course, we will lose God’s favor. – “Sorrow or distress” – explain. see Rom.2:9. “Persecution” (διωγμός) – judicial persecution. – “Sword” – death penalty by beheading with a sword. - “As it is written.” The Apostle sees in Ps. 43:23, which he cites from the text of LXX, not only proof that believers in Christ endure the same things as believers of the Old Testament, but also a prophecy that Christians - very many - will suffer a violent death. - “For You.” According to the context of the speech, this expression should be attributed to God, and not to Christ. Martyrdom at that time was understood as glorifying God (see John 21:19). – “Every day” – more correctly: “the whole (όλην) day.” Enemies look at Christians as sheep doomed to slaughter, which takes place throughout the whole day, non-stop. First one, then another Christian breaks out from the society of believers in order to be executed for his faith. - “But we overcome everything.” Our victory over all temptations is extraordinary (υπερνικώμεν), because we not only defeat all these temptations, but also turn them to our advantage. - “Beloved.” Here we need to understand God (and not Christ), whose love for us was discussed above. Rom.8:38. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor the present, nor the future, Rom.8:39. neither height, nor depth, nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The confidence that the believer overcomes all temptations is reinforced by the Apostle here with his assurance that no force, no matter how powerful, will separate believers from the love of God. “Neither death nor life,” that is, whether we die or remain alive, we will still remain in the love of God. The Apostle mentions death before life in view of the dangers that constantly surround Christians (v. 36). - "Nor Angels". Here it is more likely to mean good angels, because where we talk about evil angels, they are always called either the angels of the devil, or the angels who have sinned (Matthew 25:41; 2 Pet 2:4). The Apostle, however, does not say that good angels would actually harm the salvation of believers - he only, as the blessed one puts it. Theophylact speaks presumably (cf. Gal 1:8). - "No Beginning". Some interpreters see here an indication of a special order of angels, but one cannot agree with this opinion, because the Apostle in this case would put the whole and its part on the same board (Angels - the whole and the Principalities - the part). It is also impossible to see here indications of demonic forces, because, again, these forces are nowhere called simply principles. It is most natural to see here the designation of human authorities, earthly authorities. - “No Strength.” In most ancient codes this word is read after the expression: future. Here the forces in general are indicated - personal and impersonal, earthly and super-earthly. "Neither present nor future". Wed. 1 Cor 3:22. These are general concepts: indications of suffering, as some people think, are not here. - “Neither height nor depth.” It is very likely that Lietzmann assumes that the Apostle here refers to stellar forces, the influence of which on human life was then believed. At least, the Greek terms he uses here are purely astrological (ύψωμα - the fall of a star, αβάθος - this is the celestial space located beyond the horizon, from where the stars rise). The Apostle could in this case warn Christians not to be afraid of the influence of the stars on their destiny. - “No other creature,” that is, nothing else created that the Apostle did not mention above. – From the love of God in Christ Jesus, that is, from the love of God, which was revealed, concentrated in Christ and acts through Him in humanity. In the Russian text (and Slavic) the reading is accepted: “deeds of the flesh,” but this reading is found only in Western codes and among Western church writers. The Eastern reading is deeds of the body (τ. σώματος). The Apostle, if we accept the last reading, here has in mind that sinful body of which he spoke in Rom. 6:6; the excitement emanating from this body produces a bad influence on the will and activity of man. Bodily life in general (for example, blood circulation in the body, breathing, metabolism), of course, does not depend on man and man cannot suppress it. But in any case, a person should not, according to the Apostle, be indifferent to the functions of the body - eating and drinking, sleeping and waking, etc., but keep them under a certain discipline, so that they do not lead him to life according to the flesh (cf. 1 Cor 9:27, 6:12-20; Rom 13:14): this will be the mortification of the body. This adoption cannot be understood, however, only as legal, as soon as the expression of God’s decision about people. People are changed in essence, as is evident from the fact that the result of this adoption should be the liberation and glorification of their body (v. 23), and from the fact that they receive into themselves the “spirit” of adoption, which, of course, knows their nature. Finally, further Christians are no longer called children, but children (τέκνα). If the first term actually has a legal meaning, then the second no longer has such a meaning, but denotes the nature of the person (Rom. 16:19, 21). The Apostle puts the Syrian word (Abba) in first place, probably because he remembers Christ, who began the prayer “Our Father” with such a word. It should be noted that in Ev. from Luke (Luke 11:2) the call to this prayer, according to many other codes, reads simply: “Father” (equivalent to the word Abba). From this we can conclude that the Apostle here also has in mind the reading of the Lord’s Prayer during public worship. The latter assumption is also supported by the fact that the Apostle uses here the expression: “we cry out” (κράζομεν - we shout), which does not apply to home prayer, to private prayer. According to Tsang, by “subdued” the Apostle means Adam, since about Adam God said: “Cursed is the earth because of you” (Gen. 3:17). Thus, Tsan’s opinion that the Apostle is talking about glossolalia here (1 Cor. 14:2–39) has no basis. You might be interested in: