Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Romans: Chapter 6].
6:15 {What then?} (\ti oun?\). Another turn in the argument about
the excess of grace. {Shall we sin?} (\hamartes•men?\). First
aorist active deliberative subjunctive of \hamartan•\. "Shall we
commit sin" (occasional acts of sin as opposed to the life of sin
as raised by \epimen•men t•i hamarti•i\ in verse 1)? {Because}
(\hoti\). The same reason as in verse 1 and taken up from the
very words in verse 14. Surely, the objector says, we may take
a night off now and then and sin a little bit "since we are under
grace."
6:16 {His servants ye are whom ye obey} (\douloi este h•i
hupakouete\). Bondservants, slaves of the one whom ye obey,
whatever one's profession may be, traitors, spies sometimes they
are called. As Paul used the figure to illustrate death to sin
and resurrection to new life in Christ and not in sin, so now he
uses slavery against the idea of occasional lapses into sin.
Loyalty to Christ will not permit occasional crossing over to the
other side to Satan's line.
6:17 {Whereas ye were} (\•te\). Imperfect but no "whereas" in the
Greek. Paul is not grateful that they were once slaves of sin,
but only that, though they once were, they turned from that
state. {To that form of doctrine whereunto ye were delivered}
(\eis hon paredoth•te tupon didach•s\). Incorporation of the
antecedent (\tupon didach•s\) into the relative clause: "to which
form of doctrine ye were delivered." See on ¯5:14 for \tupon\.
It is hardly proper to take "form" here to refer to Paul's gospel
(2:16), possibly an allusion to the symbolism of baptism which
was the outward sign of the separation.
6:18 {Ye became servants of righteousness} (\edoul•th•te t•i
dikaiosun•i\). First aorist passive indicative of \doulo•\, to
enslave. "Ye were made slaves to righteousness." You have simply
changed masters, no longer slaves of sin (set free from that
tyrant), but ye are slaves of righteousness. There is no middle
ground, no "no man's land" in this war.
6:19 {I speak after the manner of men} (\anthr•pinon leg•\). "I
speak a human word." He begs pardon for using "slaving" in
connection with righteousness. But it is a good word, especially
for our times when self-assertiveness and personal liberty bulk
so large in modern speech. See 3:5; Ga 3:15 where he uses \kata
anthr•pon\. {Because of the infirmity of your flesh} (\dia t•n
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