Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 6:1-5

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein? Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with [him] in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection;" — Romans 6:1-5 (ASV)

1. After showing that it is through Christ’s grace that we are freed from the sin of our first parent and from the sin that abounded because of the law, the Apostle now shows that Christ’s grace gives us the power to resist further sin (C. 5, L. 5–6).

   In this regard, he does two things:

   1. He raises a question suggested by the previous discussion.
   2. He answers it, starting with God forbid! For we that are dead.

2. He had said above that where sin abounded, grace did more abound (Romans 5:20). This could be misinterpreted to mean that an increase of sin causes grace to abound all the more. That is why he asks: what shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? One would have to say yes if an increase of sin were the cause and not merely the occasion of grace abounding. He had therefore stated above: as we are slandered and as some affirm that we say, let us do evil that there may come good (Romans 3:8). Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? (Jeremiah 12:1).

3. Then, with the words God forbid, he answers the question.

   1. He states why we should not continue in sin.
   2. He ends with an exhortation, at let not sin therefore reign (Romans 6:12).

   Regarding the first point, he does two things:

   1. He shows why we should not continue in sin.
   2. He shows that we have the power not to continue in sin, at knowing this (Romans 6:6).

   Regarding the first of these, he presents the following argument: If we are dead to sin, we should not live in sin. But we are dead to sin. Therefore, we should not live in sin.

   Therefore, in this regard, he does four things:

   1. He states the conditional proposition.
   2. He proves the antecedent, at know you not.
   3. He concludes the consequent, at that as Christ is risen.
   4. He proves that the consequent necessarily follows, at for if we have been planted.

4. Therefore, he first says, God forbid that we continue in sin that grace may abound, because God has not given anyone permission to sin . And the reasoning is this: for we that are dead to sin, since sin has been put to death in us, how shall we live any longer therein? For it is not the natural order of things to return from death to life: they are dead, they will not live (Isaiah 25:14); I had bathed my feet, how could I soil them? (Song of Solomon 5:3).

5. Then, with the words know you not, he proves the antecedent—namely, that the faithful are dead to sin.

   1. He presents the fact he uses to prove his point.
   2. He proves it, at for we are buried together.

6. Therefore, he first says, know you not, as if to say: What I am about to propose to you is so obvious that you cannot fail to see it—if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized (1 Corinthians 14:38)—namely, that all we who are baptized in Christ Jesus. This can be interpreted in three ways:

   1. As indicating that baptism was instituted by Jesus Christ: make disciples of all nations, baptizing them (Matthew 28:19).
   2. As indicating that it is conferred in the name of Christ: in the name of Jesus Christ they were baptized (Acts 8:12).
   3. In Christ Jesus, as indicating baptism into some likeness of Christ Jesus: for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27).

   Are baptized in his death means we are baptized into a likeness of his death, re-presenting in ourselves the very death of Christ: always carrying in the body the death of Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:10); I bear on my body the marks of Jesus (Galatians 6:17). Alternatively, in his death means by virtue of his death: he freed us from our sins by his blood (Revelation 1:5).

   From the side of Christ hanging on the cross, blood and water flowed after his death (John 19:34). Therefore, just as we are configured to his death by having died to sin, so he died to his mortal life, in which there was the likeness of sin, although no sin was actually there. For this reason, all of us who are baptized are dead to sin.

7. Then, with the words for we are buried together, he proves that we are all baptized in conformity with the death of Christ, saying, we are buried together with him by baptism into death. This is as if to say: Burial is only for the dead. Let the dead bury their dead (Matthew 18:22).

   By baptism, however, people are buried with Christ—that is, conformed to his burial. For just as a buried man is put under the earth, so the one being baptized is submerged under water. Hence, there are three immersions in baptism not only to indicate belief in the Trinity but also to represent the three days of Christ’s burial. And just as the three days of burial were one burial, so the triple immersion constitutes one baptism. This is also why solemn baptism is celebrated in the Church on Holy Saturday, when the burial of Christ is commemorated, and on the vigil of Pentecost in honor of the Holy Spirit, from whom the water of baptism derives its power to cleanse: unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven (John 3:5).

8. Yet it must be noted that while in the physical realm one dies before being buried, in the spiritual order the burial of baptism causes the death of sin, because the Sacraments of the new law bring about what they signify. Therefore, since the burial that occurs through baptism is a sign of the death of sin, it produces that very death in the one being baptized. This is what he means by saying that we are buried . . . into death: so that by receiving in ourselves the sign of Christ’s burial, we might obtain death to sin.

9. Then, with the words that, as Christ, he infers the consequence: that we should not live in sin. To this end, he presents a likeness to the resurrection of Christ, saying that, as Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father—that is, by the Father’s power, through which the Father himself is glorified: let your glory be over all the earth (Psalms 57:5)—so we also may walk in newness of life, meaning we should advance in the spiritual life through good works.

   The life of sin carries with it the weakness of old age because it leads to decay: what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away (Hebrews 8:13); hence it is said: why is it, O Israel, that you are in the land of your enemies . But whatever leads to restoration—that is, to being without sin—is called newness of life: your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (Psalms 103:5); be renewed in the spirit of your minds (Ephesians 4:25).

10. Then, with the words for if we, he shows how the consequence necessarily follows.

    Since Christ arose after he died, it is fitting that those who are conformed to Christ’s death in baptism should also be conformed to his resurrection by leading a blameless life. This is what he says: for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death. This means that if we are incorporated into his death as a branch is grafted onto a tree, then, as we are united with Christ in his passion, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. This happens so that we might live blamelessly in our present life and attain to a glory similar to his in the future life: he will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:21); if we have died with him, we shall also live with him (2 Timothy 2:11).

    Thus, after using our likeness to the death of Christ to prove that we are dead to sin, the Apostle then uses our likeness to the resurrection of Christ to show that we should not live in sin—the very consequence he introduced earlier.