Thomas Aquinas Commentary Romans 7:21-25

"I find then the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." — Romans 7:21-25 (ASV)

1. After showing that the law is good because it is consistent with reason, the Apostle now draws two conclusions based on the two things he had stated. The second conclusion is at but I see another law.

   In regard to the first, he does two things:

   1. He draws a conclusion from what he had said.
   2. He offers a sign to clarify it, at for I am delighted.

2. Now, he had stated two things. The first was that the law is spiritual (Romans 7:14), from which he concludes: I find then a law, that when I have a will to do good. This means he finds by experience a law consistent with that of Moses. There is an agreement between the law of Moses and his reason, by which he approves the good and detests evil, just as that law commands the good and forbids evil: the word is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it (Deuteronomy 30:14).

   In this way, it was necessary that evil is present with me. That is, sin or the inclination to sin lies next to his reason, as though dwelling in his flesh: guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom—that is, from the flesh (Micah 7:5).

3. Then he presents a sign to show that the law agrees with reason, when he says, for I am delighted. For no one delights in anything except what agrees with him. But a person, according to his reason, delights in the law of God; therefore, the law of God agrees with reason.

   This is what he says: for I am delighted with the law of God, according to the inner man. This "inner man" refers to reason or the mind. It is not called this because the soul is formed in the shape of a man, as Tertullian supposed, or because the soul alone is man, as Plato said that man is a soul using a body. Rather, it is because what is most important in a person is called "man," as was explained above.

   p>In a person, what is more important regarding appearance is outward—namely, the body, formed in such a way that it is called the "outward man." But regarding the truth, what is more important is within—namely, the mind or reason, which is here called the "inner man." As it is written, how sweet to my taste are your words (Psalms 119:103); and, having for our comfort the holy books that are in our hands .

4. Then, when he says, but I see, he presents the other conclusion, which corresponds to his previous statement that I am carnal (Romans 7:14).

   The conclusion is this: but I see another law in my members. This is the inclination to sin, and it can be called a "law" for two reasons:

   1. Because of its effect. For just as the law induces one to do good, so this inclination induces one to sin.
   2. Because of its cause.

5. Since the inclination to sin is a punishment for sin, it has a twofold cause. One cause is sin itself, which has mastered the sinner and imposed its law on him—that is, the inclination to sin—just as a master imposes his law on a conquered slave.

   The other cause of this inclination is God, who imposed this punishment on sinful humanity: that our lower powers do not obey reason. In this sense, the very disobedience of the lower powers constitutes the inclination to sin and is called a law, since it was introduced by the law of divine justice. This is similar to how the sentence of a just judge has the force of law: and this has been done from that day forward, and was since made a statute, and an ordinance, and as a law in Israel (1 Samuel 30:25).

6. This law is found in the sensitive appetite as its source, but it is spread over all the members that play a role for concupiscent desire in sinning: just as you once yielded your members to serve impurity and every iniquity (Romans 6:19). This is why he says, in my members.

   Now, this law has two effects in a person. The first is that it resists reason. This is why he says, fighting against the law of my mind. This refers to the law of Moses, which is called "the law of the mind" since it agrees with the mind, or with the natural law, which is also called "the law of the mind" because it is naturally present in the mind: they show that what the law requires is written in their hearts (Romans 2:15). Concerning this resistance, it is said: the desires of the flesh are against the spirit (Galatians 5:17).

   The second effect is that it makes a person a slave. This is why he says, and captivating me, or leading me captive according to another text, in the law of sin that is in my members. This means "in myself," following the Hebrew custom of speech in which a noun is used in place of a pronoun.

   The law of sin makes a person captive in two ways. It makes the sinner captive through consent and action, but it makes the person in grace captive through the movement of concupiscent desire. It is said of this captivity: when the Lord led back the captives of Zion (Psalms 126:1).

7. Then, when he says, unhappy man that I am, he deals with liberation from the law of sin and does three things:

   1. He poses a question.
   2. He answers it, at the grace of God.
   3. He draws a conclusion, at therefore, I myself.

   In regard to the first point, he does two things.

8. First, he declares his misery when he says: unhappy man that I am. This wretchedness is the result of sin dwelling in a person: either in the flesh only, as in the righteous person, or also in the mind, as in the sinner. As it is written, sin makes nations miserable (Proverbs 14:34); and, I am become miserable, and am bowed down even to the end (Psalms 37:7).

9. Second, he asks: who will deliver me from this body of death? This question seems to express the desire voiced in the Psalm: bring my soul out of prison (Psalms 142:7).

   Yet, it should be remembered that in a person's body, we can consider two aspects. First is the very nature of the body, which is in harmony with the soul. It is not from this that he desires to be separated: we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed over (2 Corinthians 5:4). Second, we can also consider the corruptible body which is a load upon the soul .

   Therefore, it is significant that he says: from this body of death.

10. Then he responds to the question with the words, the grace of God. For a person cannot be freed from the corruption of the body, or even of the soul, by his own power—even though his reason agrees with the fight against sin. He can be freed only by the grace of Christ, as it says in John: so if the Son makes you free, you are free indeed (John 8:36).

    Therefore, he says, the grace of God will free me, and it is given by Jesus Christ: grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).

11. This grace liberates from "the body of this death" in two ways. First, it liberates so that the corruption of the body does not dominate the soul and draw it into sin. Second, it liberates so that the corruption of the body is taken away entirely.

    Regarding the first way, it is fitting for the sinner to say: grace has freed me from the body of this death, meaning from the sin into which the soul is led by the body's corruption. But the righteous person has already been freed to that extent. Therefore, it is fitting for him to speak of the second way: the grace of God has freed me from the body of this death, so that in his body there is neither the corruption of sin nor of death. This will happen at the resurrection.

12. Then he draws a conclusion from the previous words, which follows in different ways depending on how they are explained, when he says, therefore, I myself.

    If the words are explained as spoken by a sinner, the conclusion is drawn in the following way: It has been said that the grace of God has freed me from the body of this death, so that I am not led into sin by it. Therefore, once I have been freed, I myself serve the law of God with the mind, but with the flesh, the law of sin. This "law of sin" remains in my flesh as an inclination to sin, by which the desires of the flesh are against the spirit.

    But if the words are understood as spoken by a righteous person, the conclusion is drawn in this way: The grace of God, by Jesus Christ has freed me from the body of this death, so that the corruption of sin and death is not in me. Therefore, I myself—one and the same person before being freed—serve the law of God with the mind by consenting to it, but with the flesh, the law of sin, since my flesh is moved to concupiscent desire according to the law of the flesh.