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Selected Verse: Romans 7:2 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ro 7:2 |
King James |
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| if her husband be dead--"die." So Rom 7:3. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
For the woman - This verse is a specific illustration of the general principle in Rom 7:1, that death dissolves those connections and relations which make law binding in life. It is a simple illustration; and if this had been kept in mind, it would have saved much of the perplexity which has been felt by many commentators, and much of their wild vagaries in endeavoring to show that "men are the wife, the law of the former husband, and Christ the new one;" or that "the old man is the wife, sinful desires the husband, sins the children." Beza. (See Stuart.) Such expositions are sufficient to humble us, and to make us mourn over the puerile and fanciful interpretations which even wise and good people often give to the Bible.
Is bound by the law ... - See the same sentiment in Co1 7:39.
To her husband - She is united to him; and is under his authority as the head of the household. To him is particularly committed the headship of the family, and the wife is subject to his law, in the Lord, Eph 5:23, Eph 5:33.
She is loosed ... - The husband has no more authority. The connection from which obligation resulted is dissolved. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
That hath a husband (ὕπανδρος)
Lit., under or subject to a husband. The illustration is selected to bring forward the union with Christ after the release from the law, as analogous to a new marriage (Rom 7:4).
Is loosed (κατήργηται)
Rev., discharged. See on Rom 3:3, Lit., she has been brought to nought as respects the law of the husband.
The law of the husband
Her legal connection with him She dies to that law with the husband's death. There is an apparent awkwardness in carrying out the figure. The law, in Rom 7:1, Rom 7:2, is represented by the husband who rules (hath dominion). On the death of the husband the woman is released. In Rom 7:4, the wife (figuratively) dies. "Ye are become dead to the law that ye should be married to another." But as the law is previously represented by the husband, and the woman is released by the husband's death, so, to make the figure consistent, the law should be represented as dying in order to effect the believer's release. The awkwardness is relieved by taking as the middle term of comparison the idea of dead in a marriage relation. When the husband dies the wife dies (is brought to nought) so far as the marriage relation is concerned. The husband is represented as the party who dies because the figure of a second marriage is introduced with its application to believers (Rom 7:4). Believers are made dead to the law as the wife is maritally dead - killed in respect of the marriage relation by her husband's death. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| She is freed from the law of her husband - From that law which gave him a peculiar property in her. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| For the woman which hath a husband - The apostle illustrates his meaning by a familiar instance. A married woman is bound to her husband while he lives; but when her husband is dead she is discharged from the law by which she was bound to him alone. |
3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.