Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 5:20-21

"And the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly: that, as sin reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." — Romans 5:20-21 (ASV)

1. After showing that the sin which entered this world through Adam is removed by the gift of grace, the Apostle now shows that the sin which increased when the law came is also taken away through Christ’s grace.

   He does two things concerning this: First, he mentions the increase of sin through the law. Second, he discusses the absolution of sin through Christ’s grace, at the phrase where sin abounded.

2. Therefore, he first says that it has been stated that through the obedience of one man many are made just. However, the law could not achieve this; rather, the law entered in that sin might abound.

3. Two problems arise from these statements by the Apostle.

   The first comes from the statement that the law entered in—that is, entered secretly, after original and actual sin or after the natural law, as the Gloss says. For the law did not come in secretly but was given openly, in keeping with John: I have not spoken in secret (John 18:20).

   The answer is that although the law was given openly, its mysteries were hidden. This was especially true regarding God’s intention in giving the law, which was to point out sin without healing it: for who has known the mind of the Lord? (Romans 11:34).

   It can also be said that the law entered, meaning it came in between, so to speak, humanity’s sin and the gift of Christ’s grace—both of which, as he said above, passed from one to many.

4. The second problem arises from the statement that the law came in that sin might abound.

   This would seem to make the increase of sin the purpose of the law. Consequently, the law would be evil, because a thing whose purpose is evil is itself evil. But this is contrary to the statement in 1 Timothy: we know that the law is good (1 Timothy 1:8).

5. A Gloss answers this in three ways.

   First, the word that should be taken not as indicating a causal connection but a mere sequence. The law was not given so that sins might increase; rather, the law, as far as it was able, forbade sin: I have laid up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you (Psalms 119:11). But once the law was given, an increase of sin followed in two ways.

6. First, regarding the number of sins. Although the law pointed out sin, it did not take away the desire for sin. Indeed, when someone is forbidden what he desires, he burns with a stronger desire for it, just as a torrent flows with greater force against an obstacle placed in its path and finally breaks through it.

7. There can be three reasons for this.

   1. When something is within a person’s power, he does not consider it to be of great value, whereas he perceives something beyond his power as great. A prohibition against something desired places that thing, as it were, beyond a person’s power; consequently, the desire for it increases as long as it is prohibited.

   2. Internal affections burn more strongly when they are kept inside and given no outlet. This is clear with sorrow and anger, which continually increase when kept within; but if they are given any kind of outward release, their intensity is dissipated. A prohibition, since it threatens a penalty, compels a person not to give outward expression to his desire. As a result, the desire is kept inside and burns more vigorously.

   3. Anything not forbidden is regarded as something we can do whenever we please; therefore, even when the opportunity is present, we often avoid doing it. But when something is forbidden, we see it as something we may not always have. Therefore, when an opportunity arises to obtain it without fear of punishment, we are more ready to seize it.

8. These, then, are the reasons why, in the face of the law which forbade acts of concupiscence but did not lessen that concupiscence, the concupiscence itself leads people more feverishly toward sin. Hence, it is said, this is Jerusalem; I have set her in the center of the nations, with countries round about her. She wickedly rebelled against my ordinances more than the nations (Ezekiel 5:5).

9. According to this, however, it would seem that every human law, which of course does not confer the grace to lessen concupiscence, would also make sin increase. This seems to be against the lawgiver’s intention, because his aim is to make citizens good, as the Philosopher says in Ethics II.

   The answer is that the intention of human law is different from that of divine law. Human law is subject to human judgment, which is concerned with external acts. But the divine law is subject to divine judgment, which is concerned with the inward movements of the heart, as it is said, man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

   Accordingly, human law achieves its aim when, by means of prohibitions and threats of punishment, it prevents external sinful acts, even though inward concupiscence may increase. The divine law, however, imputes as sin even the inward evil desires, which increase when the law forbids them without destroying them.

10. Yet it should be noted, as the Philosopher says in Ethics X, that although a legal prohibition restrains the ill-disposed from outward sins by the fear of punishment, it nevertheless guides the well-disposed through the love of virtue. This good disposition is present to a certain extent by nature, although its perfection is achieved only by grace.

    Consequently, even after the old law was given, sin did not increase in everyone, but only in the majority. Some, guided by the law’s prohibitions and further strengthened by grace, reached the heights of virtue: let us now praise glorious men . . . men great in virtue .

11. Second, with the coming of the law, sin abounded in terms of the weight of its guilt. For sin was more grievous when it became a transgression not only of the law of nature but also of the written law. Hence, it was said above that where there is no law, neither is there transgression (Romans 4:15).

12. A second answer is that the word that can be taken causally, but in the sense that the Apostle is speaking of sin’s increase with respect to our knowledge of it. It is as if to say: law entered in that sin might abound, meaning that sin might be more abundantly known. This follows the manner of speaking where something is said to happen when it is recognized. Hence, he said above that by the law is the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20).

13. The third answer also takes that in a causal sense, but not as meaning that the increase of sin is the goal of the law. Rather, the goal is what results from sin’s increase: namely, humanity’s humiliation.

    After the law came, sin abounded, as was explained first. The consequence of this increase of sin was that people, recognizing their weakness, were humbled. For the proud person, presuming on his own strength, said, “There is no lack of doers, but of commanders,” in keeping with Exodus: all that the Lord has spoken we will do and will be obedient (Exodus 24:7). But when the number of sins increased after the law had been given, people recognized how weak they were in observing it: man is weak and short-lived, with little understanding of judgment and laws .

    Therefore, God’s intention in giving the law was not aimed at increasing sin but at human humility, for the sake of which He permitted sin to abound. Accordingly, because this purpose was hidden, he says that the law entered in secretly.

14. Since we are dealing with the law and its purpose, two things should be considered: first, the different meanings of the word ‘law’; and second, the purpose of the law.

15. Regarding the first point, it should be noted that ‘law’ can be used in several ways.

    1. ‘Law’ can refer to the entire scripture of the Old Testament. For example, John says, it is to fulfill the word that is written in the law, that now they have sin and hated both me and my Father (John 15:25), when this was actually written in a psalm (Psalms 24:19).

    2. Sometimes ‘law’ refers to the five books of Moses, in keeping with Deuteronomy: Moses commanded us a law (Deuteronomy 33:4).

    3. Third, the precepts of the Decalogue are called the ‘law’: I will give you the tables of stone, with the law and commandment, which I have written for their instruction (Exodus 24:12).

    4. Fourth, the entire content of the ceremonial precepts is called the ‘law,’ as in Hebrews: since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come (Hebrews 10:1).

    5. Fifth, any specific ceremonial precept is called a ‘law,’ as in Leviticus: this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings (Leviticus 7:11).

    In this section of the epistle, however, the Apostle uses ‘law’ in a general way, referring to the total doctrine of the Mosaic law—namely, the moral and ceremonial precepts. This is because the ceremonies of the law did not give grace to help people fulfill the precepts and reduce concupiscence.

16. Regarding the purpose of the law, it should be noted that among the Jewish people, as among every people, there were three kinds of individuals: the obstinate (sinners and rebels), the proficient, and the perfect.

    • For the obstinate, the law was given as a scourge. This applied to the moral precepts, which they were compelled to observe by threats of punishment (as is evident from Leviticus 2), and to the ceremonial precepts, which were multiplied to prevent them from worshiping foreign gods: with a strong hand and outstretched arm, and with anger poured out I will rule over you (Ezekiel 20:34).

    • For the proficient, or the ordinary people, the law was a guardian: the law was our guardian in Christ (Galatians 3:24). It was so regarding the ceremonial precepts, by which they were restrained in divine worship, and the moral precepts, by which they were advanced toward justice.

    • For the perfect, the ceremonial law was a sign: I gave them my sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, that they might know that I the Lord sanctify them (Ezekiel 20:12). The moral law acted as a consolation, as expressed later: I am delighted with the law of God (Romans 7:22).

17. Then, with the phrase where sin abounded, he shows how the increase of sin was taken away by grace. He first establishes that grace abounded, and second, he shows the effect of this abounding grace, beginning with that as sin has reigned.

18. Therefore, he first says that it has been stated that with the coming of the law, sin abounded. But this was no obstacle to the divine plan for the salvation of the Jews and of the whole human race, because where sin abounded—namely, in the human race and especially among the Jews—grace did more abound. This is the grace of Christ which forgives sins: God is powerful to make every grace abound in you (2 Corinthians 9:8).

19. Two reasons can be given for this. The first is based on the effect of grace. Just as the severity of a disease can only be cured by a strong and effective medicine, so an abundant grace was required to heal an abundance of sins: many sins are forgiven her, for she has loved much (Luke 7:47).

    The second reason is based on the attitude of the sinner. Some, realizing the enormity of their sins, give way to despair and contempt: when wickedness comes, contempt comes also (Proverbs 18:3). Others, by the help of divine grace, are humbled when they consider their sins and so obtain a greater grace: their infirmities were multiplied; afterwards they made haste (Psalms 16:4).

20. Then, when he says that as sin has reigned to death, he shows the effect of abundant grace, which corresponds by way of opposition to the effect of sin.

    That as sin, introduced by the first man and abounding through the law, has reigned—that is, obtained complete dominion over humanity, bringing them to death, both temporal and eternal (the wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23)—so also grace, God’s grace, might reign, ruling entirely in us, by justice, which it produces in us (they are justified by his grace, Romans 3:24). And this reign of grace continues until it brings us unto life everlasting (the free gift of God is eternal life, Romans 6:23).

    All of this is through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the giver of grace: grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). He is justice: whom God made our justice (1 Corinthians 1:30). And He is the giver of eternal life: I give them eternal life (John 10:28).