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Selected Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:56 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| 1Co 15:56 |
Strong Concordance |
[1161] The sting [2759] of death [2288] is sin [266]; and [1161] the strength [1411] of sin [266] is the law [3551]. |
| |
King James |
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. |
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 there were no sin, there would be no death. Man's transgression of the law gives death its lawful power.
strength of sin is the law--Without the law sin is not perceived or imputed (Rom 3:20; Rom 4:15; Rom 5:13). The law makes sin the more grievous by making God's will the clearer (Rom 7:8-10). Christ's people are no longer "under the law" (Rom 6:14). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
The sting of death - The sting which death bears; that with which he effects his purpose; that which is made use of to inflict death; or that which is the cause of death. There would be no death without sin. The apostle here personifies death, as if it were a living being, and as making use of sin to inflict death, or as being the sting, or envenomed instrument, with which he inflicts the mortal agony. The idea is, that sin is the cause of death. It introduced it; it makes it certain; it is the cause of the pain, distress, agony, and horror which attends it. If there had been no sin, people would not have died. If there were no sin, death would not be attended with horror or alarm. For why should innocence be afraid to die? What has innocence to fear anywhere in the universe of a just God? The fact, therefore, that people die, is proof that they are sinners; the fact that they feel horror and alarm, is proof that they feel themselves to be guilty, and that they are afraid to go into the presence of a holy God. If this be taken away, if sin be removed, of course the horror, and remorse, and alarm which it is suited to produce will be removed also.
Is sin - Sin is the cause of it; see the note at Rom 5:12.
The strength of sin - Its power over the mind; its terrific and dreadful energy; and especially its power to produce alarm in the hour of death.
Is the law - The pure and holy law of God. This idea Paul has illustrated at length in Rom 7:9-13; see the notes on that passage. He probably made the statement here in order to meet the Jews, and to show that the law of God had no power to take away the fear of death; and that, therefore, there was need of the gospel, and that this alone could do it. The Jews maintained that a man might be justified and saved by obedience to the law. Paul here shows that it is the law which gives its chief vigor to sin, and that it does not tend to subdue or destroy it; and that power is seen most strikingly in the pangs and horrors of a guilty conscience on the bed of death. There was need, therefore, of the gospel, which alone could remove the cause of these horrors, by taking away sin, and thus leaving the pardoned man to die in peace; compare the note on Rom 4:15. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
sin
(See Scofield) - (Rom 3:23). |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| The sting of death is sin - Without which it could have no power. But this sting none can resist by his own strength. And the strength of sin is the law - As is largely declared, Rom 7:7, &c. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
The sting of death is sin - The apostle explains himself particularly here: death could not have entered into the world if sin had not entered first; it was sin that not only introduced death, but has armed him with all his destroying force; the goad or dagger of death is sin; by this both body and soul are slain.
The strength of sin is the law - The law of God forbids all transgression, and sentences those who commit it to temporal and eternal death. Sin has its controlling and binding power from the law. The law curses the transgressor, and provides no help for him; and if nothing else intervene, he must, through it, continue ever under the empire of death. |
14 For [1063] sin [266] shall [2961] not [3756] have dominion over [2961] you [5216]: for [1063] ye are [2075] not [3756] under [5259] the law [3551], but [235] under [5259] grace [5485].
8 But [1161] sin [266], taking [2983] occasion [874] by [1223] the commandment [1785], wrought [2716] in [1722] me [1698] all manner of [3956] concupiscence [1939]. For [1063] without [5565] the law [3551] sin [266] was dead [3498].
9 For [1161] I [1473] was alive [2198] without [5565] the law [3551] once [4218]: but [1161] when the commandment [1785] came [2064], sin [266] revived [326], and [1161] I [1473] died [599].
10 And [2532] the commandment [1785], which [3588] was ordained to [1519] life [2222], I [3427] found [2147] [3778] to be unto [1519] death [2288].
13 (For [1063] until [891] the law [3551] sin [266] was [2258] in [1722] the world [2889]: but [1161] sin [266] is [1677] not [3756] imputed [1677] when there is [5607] no [3361] law [3551].
15 Because [1063] the law [3551] worketh [2716] wrath [3709]: for [1063] where [3757] no [3756] law [3551] is [2076], there is no [3761] transgression [3847].
20 Therefore [1360] by [1537] the deeds [2041] of the law [3551] there shall [1344] no [3956] [3756] flesh [4561] be justified [1344] in his [846] sight [1799]: for [1063] by [1223] the law [3551] is the knowledge [1922] of sin [266].
15 Because [1063] the law [3551] worketh [2716] wrath [3709]: for [1063] where [3757] no [3756] law [3551] is [2076], there is no [3761] transgression [3847].
9 For [1161] I [1473] was alive [2198] without [5565] the law [3551] once [4218]: but [1161] when the commandment [1785] came [2064], sin [266] revived [326], and [1161] I [1473] died [599].
10 And [2532] the commandment [1785], which [3588] was ordained to [1519] life [2222], I [3427] found [2147] [3778] to be unto [1519] death [2288].
11 For [1063] sin [266], taking [2983] occasion [874] by [1223] the commandment [1785], deceived [1818] me [3165], and [2532] by [1223] it [846] slew [615] me.
12 Wherefore [5620] [3303] the law [3551] is holy [40], and [2532] the commandment [1785] holy [40], and [2532] just [1342], and [2532] good [18].
13 Was then [3767] that which is good [18] made [1096] death [2288] unto me [1698]? God forbid [3361] [1096]. But [235] sin [266], that [2443] it might appear [5316] sin [266], working [2716] death [2288] in me [3427] by [1223] that which is good [18]; that [2443] sin [266] by [1223] the commandment [1785] might become [1096] exceeding [2596] [5236] sinful [268].
12 Wherefore [1223] [5124], as [5618] by [1223] one [1520] man [444] sin [266] entered [1525] into [1519] the world [2889], and [2532] death [2288] by [1223] sin [266]; and [2532] so [3779] death [2288] passed [1330] upon [1519] all [3956] men [444], for [1909] that [3739] all [3956] have sinned [264]:
23 For [1063] all [3956] have sinned [264], and [2532] come short [5302] of the glory [1391] of God [2316];
7 What [5101] shall we say [2046] then [3767]? Is the law [3551] sin [266]? God forbid [3361] [1096]. Nay [235], I had [1097] not [3756] known [1097] sin [266], but [1508] by [1223] the law [3551]: for [1063] [5037] I had [1492] not [3756] known [1492] lust [1939], except [1508] the law [3551] had said [3004], Thou shalt [1937] not [3756] covet [1937].