Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin may be destroyed, to the end that we may serve sin no longer.

“By these words we are taught that he who is baptized in Christ is baptized in his death and is not only buried with Christ and planted together with him but is first of all crucified with him. Thus we are instructed that, as he who is crucified is separated from the living, so also he who has been crucified with Christ in the likeness of his death is completely set apart from those who live according to the old man.”

“Until, therefore, this price should have been paid for all men which by the shedding of the Lords Blood had to be so paid for the absolution of all, the blood of every man, who, by the Law and solemn custom were to follow the precepts of holy religion, was required. But, since one Lord Christ suffered, seeing that the ransom is now paid for all, there is now no longer any need that the blood of every man one by one should be shed by circumcision, for in the Blood of Christ the circumcision of all has been solemnized, and in His Cross we are all crucified together with Him, and buried in His sepulchre, and planted together in the likeness of His death, that henceforth we should not serve sin: for he that is dead, is free from sin.”

“Get for yourself none of the things that are on earth, and do not be active in the affairs of the present life. For your life is hidden now and unseen by those who do not believe, but the time will come when it will be seen. But now is not your time. Since you have died once for all, refuse to mind the things that are on earth. The greatness of your virtue is seen especially when you have prevailed over the arrogance of the flesh and act toward the good things of the world just as if you were dead to this life.”

“This refers to Deuteronomy [21:23]: "Cursed be every man hanged from a tree." For as the crucifixion of the old man is symbolized in the cross of the Lord, so the rebirth of the new man is signified in the resurrection. It is clear that according to Paul we are in the place of the old man who is accursed. No one doubts that it was because of him that the Lord was called "sin," because "he bore our sins" and "he was made sin for us," and "by sin he condemned sin."”

“Now because John was to be worthy of the knowledge of the Apostles before the dissolution of the curse, and the abrogation of sin, and the matter of the Cross, he rightly received the Spirit in the womb, and he had the growth which was outside the world in order that by these means he might attain unto the natural innocency which the first man possessed before he transgressed the commandment, and that by this innocency of soul he might receive the knowledge of Divine mysteries. And when in the unspeakable depth of the love of God the Redemption was completed, the Person of God Himself stood in the midst like a freeman with power, and with His own hand He annulled the things which were old, and inaugurated those which were new, and the old man died upon the Cross, according to that which is written by Paul, "Our old man was crucified with Him," and the new man was revealed, and made known, and became visible, and not only that which was worthy of the dwelling of Paradise, after the manner of the first Adam, but that which was worthy to dwell also in heaven, and to go round about among spiritual beings, and to be like unto them in every thing. And therefore after this those who are experienced in all wickednesses, and tax-gatherers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and thieves, and worshippers of creatures, Grace seizeth suddenly, and without either plans or preparations maketh them worthy of the wealth of its mysteries, as in a new nature, it worketh in whomsoever it pleaseth, because the old man hath been crucified, and is dead, according to the word of Paul.”

“After the Apostle showed that we ought not to remain in sin, from the fact that through Baptism we have died to sin, here he further shows that we have the capacity to observe this. And concerning this he does two things. First he sets forth what he intends; second he makes clear his proposal, at "for he that is dead," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets forth the benefit which we have obtained; second, the effect of this benefit, at "that it may be destroyed," etc. He says therefore first: it has been said that we ought to walk in newness, namely by ceasing from sin. And lest someone should perhaps say this is impossible, he says that we know this, that our old man — that is, the oldness of man brought in through sin — was crucified together, namely with Christ, that is, was put to death through the cross of Christ. For as was said above, the oldness of man is brought in through sin, insofar as through sin the good of nature is corrupted; and this oldness reigns in man as long as man lies subject to sin. And because that which is principal in man is said to be the man himself, hence it is that in one who is subjected to sin, the very oldness of sin is said to be the old man. Now the oldness of sin can be understood as either the guilt itself, or the stain of actual sins, or else the habit of sinning, which brings in a certain necessity to sin, or also the very tinder of sin arising from the sin of the first parent. Thus therefore our old man is said to have been crucified together with Christ, insofar as the aforesaid oldness was taken away by the power of Christ. Or because it is totally removed, as the guilt and stain of sin are totally removed in Baptism. Or because its power is diminished, as the power of the tinder, or also of the habit of sinning, is diminished. Colossians 2:14: "Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross." Then when he says "that it may be destroyed," etc., he sets forth a twofold effect of the aforesaid benefit, of which the first is the removal of preceding offenses. And this is what he says: "that the body of sin may be destroyed." For the body of sin is said to be the very heap of evil works, just as the very collection of members makes one natural body. Job 41:6: "His body is like molten shields," etc. The second effect, however, is that we may beware of sins in the future; and this is what he adds, saying "that we may serve sin no longer." For then does man serve sin, when he obeys the concupiscence of sin through consent and the execution of the body. John 8:34: "He who commits sin is the servant of sin." Then when he says "for he that is dead," etc., he makes clear what he had said. And first as to the first effect; second as to the second, at "now if we be dead," etc. Concerning the first it must be considered that the heap of sins is destroyed when sins are remitted to man. Thus therefore he makes clear the destruction of the body of sin, saying: "for he that is dead" — namely to sin, through Baptism, by which we die together with Christ — "is justified from sin," that is, sins being remitted, he has been transferred into the state of justice. 1 Corinthians 6:11: "And such indeed you were sometime, but you are washed," etc. Because therefore through the cross of Christ man dies to sin, it follows that he is justified from sin, and thus that the body of sin is destroyed. Then when he says "now if we be dead," etc., he makes clear the second effect through conformity to the life of Christ, by this reasoning: he who dies together with Christ as he dies, likewise lives together with him also as he rises. But Christ so rose from the dead as one who would never afterward die again; therefore he who has been put to death to sin so lives together with Christ rising, that he has the capacity never afterward to return to sin. Concerning this, therefore, he does three things. First he shows the conformity of the faithful man to the life of Christ rising; second he sets forth the condition of the risen life, at "knowing that Christ," etc.; third he infers the intended conclusion, at "so do you also," etc. He says therefore first, "now if we be dead with Christ" — that is, if by the power of the death of Christ we are dead to sin — "we believe that we shall live also together with him," that is, in the likeness of his life. We shall live, I say, here the life of grace, and in the future the life of glory. Ephesians 2:5: "When we were dead in sins, he hath quickened us together," etc. Then when he says "knowing," he sets forth the condition of the life of Christ rising. And first he sets it forth; second he proves it, at "for in that he died," etc. He says therefore first: this, I say, which has been said, we believe, knowing that Christ, rising from the dead, dies now no more, but lives a perpetual life. Apocalypse 1:18: "I was dead, and behold I am living for ever and ever." And, what is more, "death shall no longer have dominion over him" — death which indeed has dominion in man not only while he dies through the separation of the soul from the body, but also before death, while he suffers sickness, hunger and thirst, and other things of this kind, through which one comes to death; but the life of Christ rising is free from these. And therefore he is not subjected to the dominion of death, but rather he himself has dominion over death. Apocalypse 1:18: "He hath the keys of death and of hell." Then when he says "for in that he died," etc., he proves the proposition, namely that Christ, rising, does not die further, and this in two ways. First indeed by a reason taken on the part of the death which he sustained, saying "for in that he died to sin, he died once." But it is not to be understood that he himself died to sin which he himself committed or contracted, because in him sin had in no way any place. 1 Peter 2:22: "Who did no sin," etc. But he is said to have died to sin in two ways. In one way, because he died for the taking away of sin: 2 Corinthians 5:21: "Him that knew no sin, God hath made sin for us," that is, a sacrificial victim for sin. In another way, because he died to the likeness of sinful flesh, that is, to a passible and mortal life. Below, 8:3: "God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh." In either way, however, it can be concluded that Christ died once, from the fact that he died to sin. For as to the first, it is manifest that through one death he blotted out all sins, according to that saying of Hebrews 10:14: "By one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Therefore it does not remain that he should still die for sin. 1 Peter 3:18: "Christ also died once for our sins," etc. As to the second, however, the same can be concluded. For if Christ sustained death so that the likeness of sinful flesh might fail in him, his death had to be conformed to others bearing sinful flesh, who die once. Hence it is said in Hebrews 9:27-28: "And as it is appointed unto men once to die... so Christ also was offered once," etc. Second, he shows the same from the condition of the life which he obtained by rising, saying "but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God," that is, in conformity to God. For it is said in 2 Corinthians, the last chapter, that "if he was crucified through weakness, he liveth by the power of God." Now the effect is conformed to the cause; hence also the life which Christ acquired in rising is God-formed. Therefore, just as the life of God is everlasting and without corruption, according to that saying of 1 Timothy, the last chapter, "who only hath immortality," so also the life of Christ is immortal. Then when he says "so do you also," etc., he infers the intended conclusion, that we should be conformed to the life of Christ rising, both as to this, that he died to sin — that is, to the mortal life which has the likeness of sin — never to return to it, and as to this, that he lives in conformity to God. And as to the first he says, "so do you also reckon that you are dead to sin," namely as those who will never return to sin. Isaiah 26:14: "Dying, let them not live." And as to the second he says, "living unto God," that is, unto the honor or likeness of God, namely so that we may never die through sin. Galatians 2:20: "And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of God." And therefore he adds "in Christ Jesus our Lord," that is, through Jesus Christ, through whom we both die to sins and live to God. Or: "in Christ Jesus," that is, as incorporated into Christ Jesus, so that through his death we may die to sin and through his resurrection we may live to God. Ephesians 2:5: "He hath quickened us together in Christ, by whose grace you are saved through Christ."”

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,.... By the old man is meant the corruption of nature; called a man, because natural to men; it lives and dwells in them; it has spread itself over the whole man; it rules and governs in men; and consists of various parts and members, as a man does: it is called "old", because it is the poison of the old serpent, with which man was infected by him from the beginning; it is derived from the first man that ever was; it is as old as the man is, in whom it is, and is likewise called so, with respect to its duration and continuance; and in opposition to, and contradistinction from, the new man, or principle of grace: it is called "ours", because continual to us; it is in our nature, it cleaves to us, and abides in us. This name the apostle took from his countrymen the Jews, who were wont to call the vitiosity of nature hereby; so R. Aba on that passage, "the firstborn said to the younger, our father is old", Gen 19:31, asks, what is the meaning of this, "our father is old?" this, answers he, is the evil imagination, or corruption of nature, which is called "old", according to Ecc 4:13; and is said to be old, , "because it is born with the man" (o); or as the reason is elsewhere given (p), because it is joined to him from his birth, to his old age: this, they say (q), is with a man as soon as he is born, from the hour of his birth, as soon as ever he comes into the world. Now this is said to be "crucified with him"; that is, with Christ, when he was crucified: the Jews (r) have a notion that the evil imagination, or corruption of nature, , will not be made to cease, or be abolished out of the world, till the King Messiah comes, and by him it is abolished: this is so crucified by the death, and at the cross of Christ, as that it cannot exert its damning power over believers; and is so crucified by the Spirit and grace of Christ in them, as that it cannot reign over them, or exercise its domineering power over them; wherefore they are dead unto it, and that to them, and therefore cannot live in it; which is done, that the body of sin might be destroyed: by "the body of sin" is meant sin itself, which consists, as a body does, of various members; and also the power and strength of it, which the Jews (s) call , "the power of the evil imagination"; this is crucified with Christ, and nailed to his cross by his sacrifice and satisfaction, that its damning power might be destroyed, abolished, and done away: and it is crucified by the Spirit and grace of Christ, that its governing power might be took away, and that itself be subdued, weakened, and laid under restraints, and its members and deeds mortified: that henceforth we should not serve sin; not that it should not be in us, for as yet, neither by virtue of the sacrifice of Christ, nor by the power of his grace, is sin as to its being removed from the people of God: but that we should not serve it, make provision for it, indulge it and obey it, in the lusts thereof. (o) Midrash Haneelam in Zohar in Gen. fol. 68. 1. Vid. Caphtor, fol. 20. 1. (p) Midrash Kohelet, fol. 70. 2. (q) Zohar in Gen. fol. 102. 1. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 14. 4. (r) Zohar in Exod fol. 94. 4. (s) Ib.”

“Our old man is crucified with him - This seems to be a farther extension of the same metaphor. When a seed is planted in the earth, it appears as if the whole body of it perished. All seeds, as they are commonly termed, are composed of two parts; the germ, which contains the rudiments of the future plant; and the lobes, or body of the seed, which by their decomposition in the ground, become the first nourishment to the extremely fine and delicate roots of the embryo plant, and support it till it is capable of deriving grosser nourishment from the common soil. The body dies that the germ may live. Parables cannot go on all fours; and in metaphors or figures, there is always some one (or more) remarkable property by which the doctrine intended is illustrated. To apply this to the purpose in hand: how is the principle of life which Jesus Christ has implanted in us to be brought into full effect, vigor, and usefulness? By the destruction of the body of sin, our old man, our wicked, corrupt, and fleshly self, is to be crucified; to be as truly slain as Christ was crucified; that our souls may as truly be raised from a death of sin to a life of righteousness, as the body of Christ was raised from the grave, and afterwards ascended to the right hand of God. But how does this part of the metaphor apply to Jesus Christ? Plainly and forcibly. Jesus Christ took on him a body; a body in the likeness of sinful flesh, Rom 8:3; and gave up that body to death; through which death alone an atonement was made for sin, and the way laid open for the vivifying Spirit, to have the fullest access to, and the most powerful operation in, the human heart. Here, the body of Christ dies that he may be a quickening Spirit to mankind. Our body of sin is destroyed by this quickening Spirit, that henceforth we should live unto Him who died and rose again. Thus the metaphor, in all its leading senses, is complete, and applies most forcibly to the subject in question. We find that παλαιος ανθρωπος, the old man, used here, and in Eph 4:22, and Col 3:9, is the same as the flesh with its affections and lusts, Gal 5:24; and the body of the sins of the flesh, Col 2:11; and the very same which the Jewish writers term אדם הקדמוני, Adam hakkadmoni, the old Adam; and which they interpret by יצר הרע yetsar hara, "evil concupiscence," the same which we mean by indwelling sin, or the infection of our nature, in consequence of the fall. From all which we may learn that the design of God is to counterwork and destroy the very spirit and soul of sin, that we shall no longer serve it, δουλευειν, no longer be its slaves. Nor shall it any more be capable of performing its essential functions than a dead body can perform the functions of natural life.”

“Knowing this, &c.--The apostle now grows more definite and vivid in expressing the sin-destroying efficacy of our union with the crucified Saviour. that our old man--"our old selves"; that is, "all that we were in our old unregenerate condition, before union with Christ" (compare Col 3:9-10; Eph 4:22-24; Gal 2:20; Gal 5:24; Gal 6:14). is--rather, "was." crucified with him--in order. that the body of sin--not a figure for "the mass of sin"; nor the "material body," considered as the seat of sin, which it is not; but (as we judge) for "sin as it dwells in us in our present embodied state, under the law of the fall." might be destroyed--(in Christ's death)--to the end. that henceforth we should not serve sin--"be in bondage to sin."”