Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Romans: Chapter 5].
is the head of all believers as Adam is the head of the race. In
this sense Adam "is a figure of him that was to come." {Sin
entered into the world} (\h• hamartia eis ton kosmon eis•lthen\).
Personification of sin and represented as coming from the outside
into the world of humanity. Paul does not discuss the origin of
evil beyond this fact. There are some today who deny the fact of
sin at all and who call it merely "an error of mortal mind" (a
notion) while others regard it as merely an animal inheritance
devoid of ethical quality. {And so death passed unto all men}
(\kai hout•s eis pantas anthr•pous di•lthen\). Note use of
\dierchomai\ rather than \eiserchomai\, just before, second
aorist active indicative in both instances. By "death" in Ge
2:17; 3:19 physical death is meant, but in verses 17,21
eternal death is Paul's idea and that lurks constantly behind
physical death with Paul. {For that all sinned} (\eph' h•i pantes
h•marton\). Constative (summary) aorist active indicative of
\hamartan•\, gathering up in this one tense the history of the
race (committed sin). The transmission from Adam became facts of
experience. In the old Greek \eph' h•i\ usually meant "on
condition that," but "because" in N.T. (Robertson, _Grammar_, p.
963).
5:13 {Until the law} (\achri nomou\). Until the Mosaic law. Sin
was there before the Mosaic law, for the Jews were like Gentiles
who had the law of reason and conscience (2:12-16), but the
coming of the law increased their responsibility and their guilt
(2:9). {Sin is not imputed} (\hamartia de ouk ellogeitai\).
Present passive indicative of late verb \elloga•\ (\-e•\) from
\en\ and \logos\, to put down in the ledger to one's account,
examples in inscription and papyri. {When there is no law} (\m•
ontos nomou\). Genitive absolute, no law of any kind, he means.
There was law _before_ the Mosaic law. But what about infants and
idiots in case of death? Do they have responsibility? Surely not.
The sinful nature which they inherit is met by Christ's atoning
death and grace. No longer do men speak of "elect infants."
5:14 {Even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of
Adam's transgression} (\kai epi tous m• hamart•santas epi t•i
homoi•mati t•s parabase•s Adam\). Adam violated an express
command of God and Moses gave the law of God clearly. And yet sin
and death followed all from Adam on till Moses, showing clearly
that the sin of Adam brought terrible consequences upon the race.
Death has come upon infants and idiots also as a result of sin,
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