The Romans 7 Dilemma pt. 3

As I get into the main text, I want to tackle the issues as they came up for me. The first thing I did was read through the chapter and noted basic observations. It's amazing how much is in two paragraphs of scripture! I noted my observations, then I went to the commentaries and realized how non-observant I was.

First thing of note was in verse 14: "SOLD under sin". The different bible versions translated that part of the sentence differently. I'm using the ESV translation. The NASB translates it "sold into bondage of sin". The NIV translated it "sold as a slave to sin". Adding the words bondage, or slave to the sentence really changes things for me, so I decided to look it up in the greek to see what it actually says. In the greek it's "pepramenos upo tēn amartian" which literally says "having been sold under the sin". So the sentence would read like this: "For we know that law is spiritual, but I am flesh having been sold under the sin". I think Paul here is referring to the fall of Adam. It seems that the ESV is the closest to the greek. I don't understand why they don't put the definite article in there though. That would've helped me make the Adam connection better. So here's how I would paraphrase it: "For we know that the law is of God, but I'm obviously not! I'm of the flesh, being sold into it by the fall of Adam." - Romans 5:12-21. I think this is Paul setting up the contrast between his new nature, and the flesh reality. Also, the use of the word "pepramenos" is significant. "Pepramenos" is just a past-tense form of the word "piprasko" which means "to sell". Everywhere else in scripture where Paul is trying to convey bondage to something in which you can't get out, he uses some form of the word "doulos". The greek definition of doulos is: "slavish, servile, completely controlled, as a fig. extension of a slavery system in the ancient world." This is how Paul describes unbeliever's in almost every other passage. The fact that he uses a completely different word in vs 14 is saying something. And the fact that the words "bondage" and "slave" aren't even in the original greek is important as well.

Got to go to work, more later...