Let us begin with the phrase, "But we know that the
law is good."
But we know that the law is
good - We admit this; it is that which we all
concede. This declaration is evidently made by the
apostle to guard against the supposition that he was
an enemy of the law. Doubtless this charge would be
brought against him, or against anyone who
maintained the sentiments which he had just
expressed. By speaking thus of what those teachers
regarded as so important in the law, it would be
natural for them to declare that he was an enemy of
the law itself, and would be glad to see all its
claims abrogated. Paul says that he designs no such
thing. He admitted that the law was good. He was
never disposed for one moment to call it in
question. He only asked that it should be rightly
understood and properly explained. Paul was never
disposed to call in question the excellency and the
utility of the law, however it might bear on him or
on others; compare Romans 7:12 note, and Acts
21:21-26 notes. ~Barnes
Notes
Now the first of the two verses just referenced and
their commentary:
Romans 7:12
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy,
and just, and good.
Now the commentary on Romans 7:12...
Wherefore -
So that. The conclusion to which we come is,
that the Law is not to be blamed, though
these are its effects under existing
circumstances. The source of all this is not
the Law, but the corrupt nature of man. The
Law is good; and yet the position of the
apostle is true, that it is not adapted to
purify the heart of fallen man. Its tendency
is to excite increased guilt, conflict,
alarm, and despair. This verse contains an
answer to the question in Romans 7:7, “Is
the law sin?”
Romans 7:7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God
forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the
law: for I had not known lust, except the
law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Is holy - Is
not sin; compare Romans 7:7. It is pure in
its nature.
And the commandment -
The word “commandment” is here synonymous
with the Law. It properly means what is
enjoined.
Holy - Pure.
Just -
Righteous in its claims and penalties. It is
not unequal in its exactions.
Good - In
itself good; and in its own nature tending
to produce happiness. The sin and
condemnation of the guilty is not the fault
of the Law. If obeyed, it would produce
happiness everywhere. See a most beautiful
description of the law of God in Psalm
19:7-11. ~Barnes
Notes
Continuing with this separate
commentary on Romans 7:12, let us look at
that reference to Psalm 19:7-11:
Psalm 19:7-11
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting
the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the
LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring
for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than
honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned:
and in keeping of them there is great
reward.
Note: These verses clearly explain how the
law is good. |
Now to other commentaries on the first part of
verse 8, "But we know that the law is good."
But we know that the law is
good - The law as given by God, is both good
in itself and has a good tendency. This is similar
to what the apostle had asserted, Romans 7:12-16 :
The law is holy; and the commandment is holy, just,
and good; see the note on Romans 7:12, etc.
~Adam Clarke
Another one...
This one is rather wordy with just three sentences.
The first is 349 words long, the second 317 words
and the last 121 words. However, as we wade
through the text we will get a definite feeling for
what the Law really is.
But we know that the law is
good -The apostle says this to prevent an
objection that might be made to him, that seeing he
bore so hard on such who were fond of being teachers
of the law, he was himself against the law, and the
preaching and proper use of it; but this he would
not have concluded, for he and his fellow labourers
in the ministry, and all true believers know, from
the Scriptures of truth, from the agreement of the
law with the Gospel, and from their own experience,
that the law is good, provided it be used in a
lawful way, and to lawful purposes: and this is to
be understood not of the ceremonial law, which was
now disannulled, because of the weakness and
unprofitableness of it, so that there was no lawful
use of that; but of the moral law, which must needs
be good, since the author of it is God, who is only
good; and nothing but good can come from him: the
law, strictly moral, is a copy of his nature,
transcribed out of himself, as well as with his own
hands; and is a declaration of his will, and is
stamped with his authority, and therefore must be
good: the matter of it is good, it contains good,
yea, great and excellent things; the matter of it is
honestly and morally good, as to love mercy, do
justice, and walk humbly with God: and it is
pleasantly good to a regenerate man, who loves it,
and delights in it after the inner man, and serves
it with his spirit; though the carnal mind cannot be
subject to it, but rejects it, and rebels against
it: and it is also profitably good; for though
obedience to it is not profitable to God, yet it is
to men; and though eternal life is not obtained
hereby, nor any reward given for keeping it, yet in
keeping it there is a reward; and that peace is
enjoyed, which the transgressors of it are strangers
to: it is good in the uses of it, both to sinners
and to saints.
To sinners it is useful for the knowledge of sin, to
convince of it, and bring them to a sense of it, and
concern for it, which is effectually done, when the
Spirit of God sets in with it, or brings this
commandment home to the heart; and if it has not
this use, it is sometimes a means of restraining men
from sin, which is the use of civil laws among men;
and if it has not this, it is of use however to
accuse men rightly of sin, and to pronounce justly
guilty before God for it, to curse them as they
deserve it, and to sentence to condemnation and
death: and to believers it is of use, though they
are not under it as in the hands of Moses, and as a
covenant of works, and are freed from its curse and
condemnation, and under no obligation to seek for
life and righteousness by it; to them it is of use,
to point out to them what is the will of God, and
what should be done, and not done; and it is a rule
of walk and conversation to them, as in the hands of
Christ; and is as a glass to them to behold their
own deformity, the impurity of their nature, the
plague of their own hearts, and the imperfection of
their obedience; by which they see the insufficiency
of their own righteousness, how far they are from
perfection, and what carnal creatures they are, when
compared with this law: and as this serves to put
them out of conceit with themselves, so it tends to
make Christ and his righteousness more lovely and
valuable in their esteem; who has wrought out a
righteousness as broad and as long as the law is,
and by which it is magnified and made honourable,
and has delivered them from its curse and
condemnation.
And this law is good as it is holy, in its author,
nature, and use; and as it is just, requiring just
things, and doing that which is just, by acquitting
those who are interested in Christ's righteousness,
and in condemning those that have no righteousness;
and as it is a spiritual and perfect law, which
reaches the spirit and soul of man, and is concerned
with inward thoughts and motions, as well as outward
actions; and especially the end of it, the
fulfilling end of it is good, which is Jesus Christ,
who was made under it, came to fulfil it, and has
answered all the demands of it: so that it must be
good, and which cannot be denied.
~John Gill
Now notice this short comment from the Jamieson,
Fausset and Brown...
But — “Now we know”
(Romans 3:19; Romans 7:14).
Romans 3:19
Now we know that what things soever the law saith,
it saith to them who are under the law: that every
mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become
guilty before God.
Romans 7:14
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am
carnal, sold under sin.
law is good — in full
agreement with God’s holiness and goodness.
~Jamieson, Fausset and
Brown
Now the second part of the verse:
If a man use it lawfully - In a proper manner; for
the purposes for which it was designed. It is
intended to occupy a most important place, but it
should not be perverted. Paul asked only that it
should be used aright, and in order to this, he
proceeds to state what is its true design.
~ Barnes Notes
If a man use it lawfully -
That is, interpret it according to its own spirit
and design, and use it for the purpose for which God
has given it; for the ceremonial law was a
schoolmaster to lead us unto Christ, and Christ is
the end of that law for justification to every one
that believes. Now those who did not use the law in
reference to these ends, did not use it lawfully -
they did not construe it according to its original
design and meaning. ~Adam
Clarke
if a man use it lawfully -
for if it is used in order to obtain life,
righteousness, and salvation by the works of it, or
by obedience to it, it is used unlawfully: for the
law does not give life, nor can righteousness come
by it; nor are, or can men be saved by the works of
it; to use the law for such purposes, is to abuse
it, as the false teachers did, and make that which
is good in itself, and in its proper use, to do what
is evil; namely, to obscure and frustrate the grace
of God, and make null and void the sufferings and
death of Christ. A lawful use of the law is to obey
it, as in the hands of Christ, the King of saints,
and lawgiver in his church, from a principle of love
to him, in the exercise of faith on him, without any
mercenary selfish views, without trusting to, or
depending on, what is done in obedience to it, but
with a view to the glory of God, to testify our
subjection to Christ, and our gratitude to him for
favours received from him.
~John Gill
if a man — primarily, a
teacher; then, every Christian.
use it lawfully — in
its lawful place in the Gospel economy, namely, not
as a means of a “’righteous man” attaining higher
perfection than could be attained by the Gospel
alone (1Ti_4:8; Tit_1:14), which was the perverted
use to which the false teachers put it, but as a
means of awakening the sense of sin in the ungodly
(1 Timothy 1:9, 1 Timothy 1:10; compare Romans
7:7-12; Galatians 3:21).
~Jamieson, Fausset and Brown
Let us next see references throughout the Bible to
this verse:
Deuteronomy 4:4-8
4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are
alive every one of you this day.
5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments,
even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should
do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your
wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the
nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and
say, Surely this great nation is a wise and
understanding people.
7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so
nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things
that we call upon him for?
8 And what nation is there so great, that hath
statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law,
which I set before you this day?
Nehemiah 9:13
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest
with them from heaven, and gavest them right
judgments, and true laws, good statutes and
commandments:
Psalm 19:7-10
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the
soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise
the simple.
8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the
heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever:
the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous
altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than
much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the
honeycomb.
Psalm 119:96-105
96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy
commandment is exceeding broad.
97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the
day.
98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser
than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers:
for thy testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the ancients, because I
keep thy precepts.
101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way,
that I might keep thy word.
102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou
hast taught me.
103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through thy precepts I get understanding:
therefore I hate every false way.
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light
unto my path.
Psalm 119:127-128
127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold;
yea, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning
all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
Romans 7:12-13
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment
holy, and just, and good.
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me?
God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin,
working death in me by that which is good; that sin
by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Romans 7:16
If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto
the law that it is good.
Romans 7:18
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,)
dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with
me; but how to perform that which is good I find
not.
Romans 7:22
For I delight in the law of God after the inward
man:
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye
may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God.
Galatians 3:21
Is the law then against the promises of God? God
forbid: for if there had been a law given which
could have given life, verily righteousness should
have been by the law.
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