Matthew Henry

For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

“God's time to help and save is when those that are to be saved are without strength, that his own power and grace may be the more magnified, Deut. xxxii.”

For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through…

“Sin is pardoned, the sinner accepted as righteous, the quarrel taken up, the enmity slain, an end made of iniquity, and an everlasting righteousness brought in.”

Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

“True believers do by Jesus Christ receive the atonement. Receiving the atonement is our actual reconciliation to God in justification, grounded upon Christ's satisfaction.”

Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who did not sin in the way that Adam transgressed. He is a pattern of the One to come.

“Sin was in the world before the law; witness Cain's murder, the apostasy of the old world, the wickedness of Sodom. His inference hence is, Therefore there was a law; for sin is not imputed where there is no law.”

Again, the gift is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment that followed one sin brought condemnation, but the gift that followed many trespasses brought justification.

“God in Christ forgives all trespasses, Col. ii. By Adam's sin death reigned; but by Christ's righteousness there is not only a period put to the reign of death, but believers are preferred to reign of life,”

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive an abundance of grace and of the gift…

“In and by the righteousness of Christ we have not only a charter of pardon, but a patent of honour, are not only freed from our chains, but, like Joseph, advanced to the second chariot, and made unto our God kings and priests--not only pardoned…”

So then, just as one trespass brought condemnation for all men, so also one act of righteousness brought justification and life for all men.

“First, By the offence and disobedience of one many were made sinners, and judgment came upon all men to condemnation. That Adam's sin was disobedience, disobedience to a plain and express command: and it was a command of trial.”

We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may…

“Our conformity is complete. We are in profession quite cut off from all commerce and communion with sin, as those that are buried are quite cut off from all the world; not only not of the living, but no more among the living, have nothing…”

For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.

“Planting is in order to life and fruitfulness: we are planted in the vineyard in a likeness to Christ, which likeness we should evidence in sanctification.”

We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

“The death of the cross was a slow death; the body, after it was nailed to the cross, gave many a throe and many a struggle: but it was a sure death, long in expiring, but expired at last; such is the mortification of sin…”

We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

“The actual transgression is certainly in a great measure prevented by the crucifying and killing of the original corruption. Destroy the body of sin, and then, though there should be Canaanites remaining in the land, yet the Israelites will not be slaves to them.”

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.

“Conversion is the first resurrection from the death of sin to the life of righteousness; and this resurrection is conformable to Christ's resurrection.”

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.

“Christ was obedient to death: when he died, we might be said to die with him, as our dying to sin is an act of conformity both to the design and to the example of Christ's dying for sin.”

For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.

“But, when Christ rose, he rose to die no more; therefore he left his grave-clothes behind him, whereas Lazarus, who was to die again, brought them out with him, as one that should have occasion to use them again: but over Christ death has no…”

So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

“Death brings a writ of ease to the weary. Thus must we be dead to sin, obey it, observe it, regard it, fulfil its will no more than he that is dead doth his quandam task-masters--be as indifference to the pleasures and delights of sin…”

So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

“Christ is our spiritual life; there is no living to God but through him. He is the Mediator; there can be no comfortable receivings from God, nor acceptable regards to God, but in and through Jesus Christ; no intercourse between sinful souls and a holy…”

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires.

“Sin lies very much in the gratifying of the body, and humouring that. And there is a reason implied in the phrase your mortal body; because it is a mortal body, and hastening apace to the dust, therefore let not sin reign in it.”

Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and…

“The surest evidence of our spiritual life is the dedication of ourselves to God. It becomes those that are alive from the dead (it may be understood of a death in law), that are justified and delivered from death, to give themselves to him that…”

Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and…

“The members of the body are made use of by the corrupt nature as tools, by which the wills of the flesh are fulfilled; but we must not consent to that abuse.”

For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

“Sin may struggle in a believer, and may create him a great deal of trouble, but it shall not have dominion; it may vex him, but shall not rule over him.”

Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or…

“Our obeying the laws of sin will be an evidence against us that we belong to that family on which death is entailed. As, on the contrary, our obeying the laws of Christ will evidence our relation to Christ's family.”

I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.

“It is the misery of a sinful state that the body is made a drudge to sin, than which there could not be a baser or a harder slavery, like that of the prodigal that was sent into the fields to feed swine.”

I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.

“Or serving righteousness, eis hagiasmon -- as an evidence of sanctification. The motives or arguments here used to show the necessity of sanctification.”

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.

“Secondly, A resignation of ourselves to the service of God and righteousness, to God as our master, to righteousness as our work.”

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

“Death is as due to a sinner when he hath sinned as wages are to a servant when he hath done his work. This is true of every sin. There is no sin in its own nature venial.”