Now the law entered in, that sin might abound. And where sin abounded, grace did more abound.

“All therefore speak falsely who disallow his (Adam's) salvation, shutting themselves out from life for ever, in that they do not believe that the sheep which had perished has been found. For if it has not been found, the whole human race is still held in a state of perdition. False, therefore, is that, man who first started this idea, or rather, this ignorance and blindness-Tatian. As I have already indicated, this man entangled himself with all the heretics. This dogma, however, has been invented by himself, in order that, by introducing something new, independently of the rest, and by speaking vanity, he might acquire for himself hearers void of faith, affecting to be esteemed a teacher, and endeavouring from time to time to employ sayings of this kind often [made use of] by Paul: "In Adam we all die;" ignorant, however, that "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Since this, then, has been clearly shown, let all his disciples be put to shame, and let them wrangle about Adam, as if some great gain were to accrue to them if he be not saved; when they profit nothing more [by that], even as the serpent also did not profit when persuading man [to sin], except to this effect, that he proved him a transgressor, obtaining man as the first-fruits of his own apostasy. But he did not know God's power. Thus also do those who disallow Adam's salvation gain nothing, except this, that they render themselves heretics and apostates from the truth, and show themselves patrons of the serpent and of death.”

“With what God? Him whose enemies we have never, in any dispensation, been? Or Him against whom we have rebelled, both in relation to His written law and His law of nature? Now, as peace is only possible towards Him with whom there once was war, we shall be both justified by Him, and to Him also will belong the Christ, in whom we are justified by faith, and through whom alone God's enemies can ever be reduced to peace. "Moreover," says he, "the law entered, that the offence might abound." And wherefore this? "In order," he says, "that (where sin abounded), grace might much more abound. And wherefore this? "In order," he says, "that (where sin abounded), grace might much more abound." Whose grace, if not of that God from whom also came the law? Unless it be, forsooth, that the Creator intercalated His law for the mere purpose of producing some employment for the grace of a rival god, an enemy to Himself (I had almost said, a god unknown to Him), "that as sin had" in His own dispensation "reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto (eternal) life by Jesus Christ," His own antagonist! For this (I suppose it was, that) the law of the Creator had "concluded all under sin," and had brought in "all the world as guilty (before God)," and had "stopped every mouth," so that none could glory through it, in order that grace might be maintained to the glory of the Christ, not of the Creator, but of Marcion! I may here anticipate a remark about the substance of Christ, in the prospect of a question which will now turn up.”

“Since then he had shown that the world was condemned from Adam, but from Christ was saved and freed from condemnation, he now seasonably enters upon the discussion of the Law, here again undermining the high notions of it. For it was so far from doing any good, he means, or from being any way helpful, but the disorder was only increased by its having come in. But the particle "that" again does not assign the cause, but the result. For the purpose of its being given was not "in order that" it might abound, for it was given to diminish and destroy the offence. But it resulted the opposite way, not owing to the nature of the Law, but owing to the listlessness of those who received it. But why did he not say the Law was given, but "the Law entered by the way?" It was to show that the need of it was temporary, and not absolute or imperative. And this he says also to the Galatians, showing the very same thing another way. "For before faith came," he says, "we were kept under the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed." And so it was not for itself, but for another, that it kept the flock. For since the Jews were somewhat gross-minded, and enervated, and indifferent to the gifts themselves, this was why the Law was given, that it might convict them the more, and clearly teach them their own condition, and by increasing the accusation might the more repress them. "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." He does not say did abound, but "did much more abound." For it was not remission from punishment only that He gave us, but that from sins, and life also. As if any were not merely to free a man with a fever from his disease, but to give him also beauty, and strength, and rank; or again, were not to give one an hungered nourishment only, but were to put him in possession of great riches, and were to set him in the highest authority. And how did sin abound? some will say. The Law gave countless commands. Now since they transgressed them all, transgression became more abundant. Do you see what a great difference there is between grace and the Law? For the one became an addition to the condemnation, but the other, a further abundance of gifts.”

“By this Paul has clearly indicated that the Jews did not know by what dispensation the law had been given. It was not given in order to bring life, for grace brings life through faith, but the law was given to show with what great and tight chains those who thought they could fulfill all righteousness in their own strength were bound. So sin abounded, both because desire grew more ardent in the light of the prohibition and because the crime of trespass affected those who sinned against the law. Whoever considers the second of the four states of man will understand this.”

“After the Apostle has shown that through the gift of grace sin is taken away, which had entered into this world through Adam, here he shows that through the grace of Christ sin is removed, which had abounded when the law supervened. Concerning this he does two things. First, he sets forth the abundance of sin, which was through the law; second, the absolution of sin, which is through the grace of Christ, at the place "where sin abounded," and so on. He says therefore first: it has been said that through the obedience of one man many are made just, but the law was not able to do this; rather, the law entered in besides, that sin might abound the more. Concerning this saying of the Apostle, a twofold difficulty arises. First indeed concerning his saying that the law entered in besides — that is, entered secretly after original and actual guilt, or after the natural law, as the Gloss says. For the law did not enter secretly but was given openly, according to John 18:20: "I have not spoken in secret." It must be said therefore that although the legislation itself was given openly, yet the mysteries of the law were hidden, and especially as to God's intention in giving the law — that it should show sin, not heal it — according to what follows below at Romans 11:34: "Who has known the mind of the Lord," and so on. It can also be said that the law entered in besides, that is, entered as it were in the middle, between the sin of man and the gift of the grace of Christ, both of which he had said above passed from one to many. The second difficulty, however, concerns his saying that the law entered in besides that sin might abound. For thus it seems that the abundance of sin is the end of the law, and so it follows that the law is evil, since that whose end is evil is itself also evil; and this is against 1 Timothy 1:8: "We know indeed that the law is good," and so on. To this, however, the Gloss responds in three ways. First indeed, that we should say that the word "that" is not placed causally, but consecutively. For the law was not given for this purpose, that sin might abound; rather the law, as far as it was in itself, forbade sin, according to Psalm 118:11: "In my heart I have hidden your words, that I may not sin against you." But, the law having been given, an abundance of sins followed in two ways. In one way, as to the multitude of sins. For although the law pointed out sin, it did not take away the concupiscence of sin. But when that which someone desires is forbidden to him, he burns the more vehemently with desire for it, just as a river, when an obstacle is placed against it, flows the more strongly and breaks the obstacle. Of which the reason can be threefold. One indeed, because that which lies within a man's power, no one reckons as great, but that which is outside a man's power is apprehended by man as though it were great. But the prohibition of what is desired places that which is forbidden as it were outside a man's power, and therefore desire burns the more toward the desired thing while it is forbidden. The second reason is that interior affections, when they are retained within, so that they are not led outward, are for this very reason more inflamed within; as is clear in sorrow and anger, which, while they are kept shut up within, are increased the more; but if they proceed outward in any way, their force is diminished. But prohibition, on account of fear of punishment, compels a man not to bring his desire out into external acts, and therefore that very desire, retained within, is the more inflamed. The third reason is that what is not forbidden to us we apprehend as something that can be done whenever it pleases us, and therefore many times, when the opportunity exists, we avoid it; but when something is forbidden, it is apprehended by us as something that cannot always be had by us, and therefore when an opportunity is given of obtaining it without fear of punishment, we are the more eager for it. And hence it is that, the law having been given, which forbade the use of concupiscence and yet did not mitigate the concupiscence itself, that very concupiscence led men to sins more fervently. Hence it is said in Ezekiel 5:5f.: "This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations, and the countries round about her; and she has despised my judgments, so as to be more wicked than the nations." But according to this it seems that every human law, which does not confer grace diminishing concupiscence, makes sins abound — which is contrary to the intentions of lawgivers, since they aim at this, that they may make citizens good, as is clear from the Philosopher, in Ethics II. But it must be said that the intention of human law is one thing, and that of divine law another. For human law is referred to human judgment, which concerns exterior acts; but divine law is referred to divine judgment, which concerns the interior movements of the heart, according to 1 Kings 16:7: "Man sees the things that appear, but God looks upon the heart." Thus, then, human law attains its intention, in that through prohibition and the threat of punishment it prevents the exterior acts of sin from being multiplied, although the interior concupiscence is increased the more; but as regards divine law, even the interior evil desires are imputed as sin, and these abound when the law forbids but does not take away concupiscence. It must be known, however, that, as the Philosopher says in Ethics X, the prohibition of law, although it restrains those who are badly disposed from exterior sins by fear of punishment alone, yet it induces certain well-disposed persons through love of virtue. But this good disposition, as to a certain extent, can be from nature, but its perfection is only through grace; from which it happens that, even with the old law given, sin does not abound in all, but in the majority. Some indeed, with the law forbidding and grace further assisting, at length arrived at the perfection of the virtues, according to Ecclesiasticus 44:1: "Let us praise glorious men," etc., and further on: "men great in virtue." Secondly, sin abounded the more with the law supervening, as to the gravity of the guilt. For sin was more grave where transgression was added, not only of the law of nature, but also of the written law. Hence it was said above at Romans 4:15 that "where there is no law, neither is there transgression." Secondly, however, it can be answered, as it is said, that the word "that" be taken causally, yet in such a way that the Apostle is speaking of the abundance of sin according as it is in our knowledge, so that the sense is: the law entered in besides that sin might abound, that is, that sin might be more abundantly known, according to the manner of speaking whereby a thing is said to come to be when it becomes known. Hence it was said above, that "through the law comes the knowledge of sin." In a third way it can be explained such that the word "that" be taken causally, yet in such a way that the abundance of sin is not understood as the end of the law entering in besides, but rather that which follows from the abundance of sin, namely the humbling of man. For with the law entering in besides, sin abounded, as was said in the first exposition. From this abundance of sin, indeed, it followed that man, recognizing his own weakness, should be humbled. For proud man used to say, presuming on his own strength: there is no lack of one to fulfill, but a lack of one to command, according to Exodus 24:7: "All things that the Lord has spoken, we will do, and we will be obedient." But when, the law having been given, a multitude of sins followed, man came to know his own weakness for keeping the law, according to Wisdom 9:5: "A weak man, and of short time," and so on. The intention, therefore, of God giving the law does not terminate at the abundance of sins, but at the humility of man, for the sake of which he permitted sins to abound. Thus, then, because this was hidden, he says pointedly, with regard to this, that the law entered in besides. But because here the matter treated is the law and the end of the law, two things occur to be considered. First indeed, in how many ways law is said; second, what the end of the law is. Concerning the first, it must be known that law, in one way, is said of the whole Scripture of the Old Testament, according to John 15:25: "that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law: They have hated me without cause," although this is written in the Psalm. Sometimes, however, law is said of the Scripture of the five books of Moses, according to Deuteronomy 33:4: "Moses commanded us a law." Thirdly, the Decalogue of precepts is called law, according to Exodus 24:12: "I will give you two tables of stone, and the law and the commandments which I have written, that you may teach." Fourthly, the whole content of the ceremonial precepts is called law, according to Hebrews 10:1: "The law, having a shadow of the good things to come." Fifthly, some special ceremonial precept is called law, according to Leviticus 7:11: "This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings." Here, however, law is taken by the Apostle commonly, as regards the whole teaching of the law of Moses, that is, as regards the moral and ceremonial precepts, because, namely, through the ceremonies of the law grace was not given, by which man might be helped to fulfill the moral precepts with concupiscence diminished. Concerning the end of the law, however, it must be known that among the people of the Jews there were three kinds of men, as also in any other people, namely the hard, that is, sinners and rebels, those making progress, and the perfect. As regards the hard, then, the law was given as a scourge — both as to the moral precepts, to the observance of which they were compelled by the threat of punishment, as is clear in Leviticus 2, and as to the ceremonial precepts, which were multiplied for this reason, lest it be permitted to them to add another worship to strange gods. Exodus 20:34: "With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will reign over you." But for those making progress, who are called the middling ones, the law was a tutor, according to Galatians 3:24: "the law was our tutor in Christ." And this both as to the ceremonial precepts, by which they were held to divine worship, and as to the moral precepts, by which they were advanced toward justice. For the perfect, however, it was, as to the ceremonial precepts indeed, a sign, according to Ezekiel 20:12: "I gave them my sabbaths, that they might be a sign between me," and so on. But as to the moral precepts, it was a comfort, according to what follows below at Romans 7:22: "I delight in the law of God according to the inward man." Then, when he says "where sin abounded," etc., he shows how, through grace, the abundance of sins is taken away. And first he sets forth the abundance of grace; second he shows the effect of abounding grace, at the place "that as sin has reigned," and so on. He says therefore first: it has been said that, with the law entering in besides, sin abounded; nor is the divine purpose concerning the salvation of the Jews and of the whole human race impeded on this account, because where sin abounded — namely in the human race, and especially among the Jews — grace also abounded the more, namely the grace of Christ forgiving sins. 2 Corinthians 9:8: "God is able to make all grace abound in you." Of what is said here, a twofold reason can be assigned. One indeed from the effect of grace. For just as only a strong and efficacious medicine heals the greatness of a disease, so an abounding grace was required in order to heal the abundance of sins. Luke 7:47: "Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved much," and so on. Another reason can be taken from the disposition of the sinner, who, while he recognizes the greatness of his sins, sometimes indeed despairs and grows contemptuous, according to Proverbs 18:3: "The wicked man, when he has come into the depth of sins, grows contemptuous," etc.; but sometimes, through divine help, from the consideration of his sins he is the more humbled, and obtains a greater grace, according to Psalm 15:4: "Their infirmities were multiplied: afterward they made haste." Then, when he says "that as sin has reigned unto death," etc., he shows the effect of abounding grace, which indeed corresponds by opposition to the effect of sin. "That," namely, as sin, introduced through the first man and abounding through the law, "has reigned," that is, obtained full dominion over men, and this even to the point of leading them into temporal and eternal death — below, Romans 6:23: "the wages of sin is death" — "so also the grace of God might reign," that is, might fully have dominion in us, "through justice," namely which it works in us; above, in the same chapter: "justified freely through his grace." And this even to the point of leading us into eternal life, according to what follows below at Romans 6:23: "the grace of God, life everlasting." And all this is "through Jesus Christ our Lord," who is the giver of grace, according to John 1:17: "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ," and also of justice, 1 Corinthians 1:30: "who was made unto us justice from God," and the giver of eternal life, John 10:28: "I give them life everlasting."”

“Moreover, the law entered,.... By "the law" is meant, not the law of nature, much less the law of sin; rather the ceremonial law, which came in over and above the moral law; it entered but for a time; by which sin abounded, and appeared very sinful; and through it the grace of God much more abounded, in the sacrifice of Christ prefigured by it: but the moral law, as it came by Moses, is here intended; which entered with great pomp and solemnity on Mount Sinai; and intervened, or came between Adam's sin and Christ's sacrifice; and also came in besides, or over and above the promise of life by Christ; and may moreover be said to enter into the conscience of a sinner, with the power and energy of the Spirit of God: and the end of its entrance is, that the offence might abound; meaning either the sin of Adam, he had been speaking of under that name, that that itself, and the imputation of it to his posterity, and also the pollution of human nature by it, together with all the aggravating circumstances of it, might appear more manifest; or sin in general, any and all actual transgressions, which abound through the law's discovering the evil nature of them, and so taking away all excuse, or pretext of ignorance: by prohibiting them, whereby the corrupt nature of man becomes more eager after them; and by accusing, threatening, terrifying, and condemning, on account of them: one view of the apostle in this, doubtless, is to show, that there can be no justification by the law: but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: sin has abounded in human nature, in all the individuals of it; and grace has superabounded in the same nature, being assumed by the Son of God, and united to him, who has appeared in it "full of grace and truth", Joh 1:14, sin has abounded in all the powers and faculties of the soul, in the understanding, will, and affections, of an unregenerate man; but in regeneration, the grace of God much more abounds in the same powers and faculties, enlightening the understanding, subduing the will, and influencing the affections with love to divine things: sin abounded in the Gentile world, before the preaching of the Gospel in it; but afterwards grace did superabound in the conversion of multitudes in it from idols, to serve the living God; and where sin has abounded in particular persons to a very great height, grace has exceeded it, as in Manasseh, Mary Magdalene, Saul, and others.”

“The law entered that (ἱνα) the offense might abound - After considering various opinions concerning the true meaning of this verse, (see under Rom 5:12 (note)), I am induced to prefer my own, as being the most simple. By law I understand the Mosaic law. By entering in, παρεισηλθεν, or, rather, coming in privily, see Gal 2:4, (the only place where it occurs besides), I understand the temporary or limited use of that law, which was, as far as its rites and ceremonies are considered, confined to the Jewish people, and to them only till the Messiah should come; but considered as the moral law, or rule of conscience and life, it has in its spirit and power been slipped in - introduced into every conscience, that sin might abound - that the true nature, deformity, and extent of sin might appear; for by the law is the knowledge of sin: for how can the finer deviations from a straight line be ascertained, without the application of a known straight edge? Without this rule of right, sin can only be known in a sort of general way; the innumerable deviations from positive rectitude can only be known by the application of the righteous statutes of which the law is composed. And it was necessary that this law should be given, that the true nature of sin might be seen, and that men might be the better prepared to receive the Gospel; finding that this law worketh only wrath, i.e. denounces punishment, forasmuch as all have sinned. Now, it is wisely ordered of God, that wherever the Gospel goes there the law goes also; entering every where, that sin may be seen to abound, and that men may be led to despair of salvation in any other way or on any terms but those proposed in the Gospel of Christ. Thus the sinner becomes a true penitent, and is glad, seeing the curse of the law hanging over his soul, to flee for refuge to the hope set before him in the Gospel. On the meaning of ἱνα, in various places, see Chrysost. vol. iii. p. 241. See also Hammond on the word in his notes on the New Testament. But where sin abounded - Whether in the world, or in the heart of the individual, being discovered by this most pure and righteous law, grace did much more abound: not only pardon for all that is past is offered by the Gospel, so that all the transgressions for which the soul is condemned to death by the law, are freely and fully forgiven; but also the Holy Spirit, in the abundance of his gifts and graces, is communicated, so as to prepare the receiver for an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Thus the grace of the Gospel not only redeems from death, and restores to life, but brings the soul into such a relationship with God, and into such a participation of eternal glory, as we have no authority to believe ever would have been the portion even of Adam himself, had he even eternally retained his innocence. Thus, where sin abounded, grace doth much more abound.”

“Now the law entered in. Not that the law was designed for that end; but the word that, as in many other places, so here expresseth only the consequence that followed, when sinners occasionally became more guilty by the knowledge of the law, and the precepts given. St. Chrysostom takes notice that it is not said the law was given, but only that it entered in, as it were by the by, and only for a certain time, till our happy redemption, reconciliation, and justification by Jesus Christ. (Witham) — That sin might abound. Not as if the law were given purposely for sin to abound; but that it so happened, through man’s perversity, taking occasion of sinning more, from the prohibition of sin. (Challoner) — Where sin abounded. Grace abounded in the elect; for the apostle does not say that grace abounded in every place where iniquity had abounded; but he says indefinitely where, that is, in many places where sin abounded, grace hath abounded also. (Estius) — The Jews and Gentiles having become sensible of their weakness and misery, the Almighty, in his mercy, sent his only Son to enrich both the one and the other with his graces. The Gentiles were in the more deplorable case, and received the greatest abundance of grace; as may be seen from the great number of conversions wrought amongst them in so short a time in every part of the world. (Calmet) — In the Greek it is pareiselthe , entered in by stealth, as it were, and for a time, till the preaching of the gospel. (Menochius)”

“Moreover the law--"The law, however." The Jew might say, If the whole purposes of God towards men center in Adam and Christ, where does "the law" come in, and what was the use of it? Answer: It entered--But the word expresses an important idea besides "entering." It signifies, "entered incidentally," or "parenthetically." (In Gal 2:4 the same word is rendered, "came in privily.") The meaning is, that the promulgation of the law at Sinai was no primary or essential feature of the divine plan, but it was "added" (Gal 3:19) for a subordinate purpose--the more fully to reveal the evil occasioned by Adam, and the need and glory of the remedy by Christ. that the offence might abound--or, "be multiplied." But what offense? Throughout all this section "the offense" (four times repeated besides here) has one definite meaning, namely, "the one first offense of Adam"; and this, in our judgment, is its meaning here also: "All our multitudinous breaches of the law are nothing but that one first offense, lodged mysteriously in the bosom of every child of Adam as an offending principal, and multiplying itself into myriads of particular offenses in the life of each." What was one act of disobedience in the head has been converted into a vital and virulent principle of disobedience in all the members of the human family, whose every act of wilful rebellion proclaims itself the child of the original transgression. But where sin abounded--or, "was multiplied." grace did much more abound--rather, "did exceedingly abound," or "superabound." The comparison here is between the multiplication of one offense into countless transgressions, and such an overflow of grace as more than meets that appalling case.”