Jan Lambrecht, «The Line of Thought in Romans 7,15-20», Vol. 85 (2004) 393-398
The parallelism between Romans 7,14-17 and 18-20 as it has recently been put forward by O. Hofius is critically examined. It would seem that within this text Paul’s reasoning progresses from vv. 14b-16 to 17-20. The thesis of v. 14b ("I am fleshly, sold into the slavery under sin") gives way to the more sophisticated pronouncement of v. 17 ("as a matter of fact it is not I that do the evil, but the indwelling sin"). Each time motivations follow, vv. 15 and 18-19; finally a conclusion is drawn, vv. 16 and 20.
The Line of Thought in Romans 7,15-20 397
c) Consequently the resumption of verses 15b-16a in verses 19a-20a
functions differently. In these last verses — as well in the whole of verses
18-20a — one must mentally supply, as it were, the correction that is
expressed in verse 17: “it is not I who do it, but it is the sin which dwells
within me that does itâ€.
d) We should not postulate too much parallelism within 7,14-20. Verse
18 as is not a resumption of verse 14 (15) nor is verse 20 (conditional period)
a logical parallel of verses 16 (conditional period) and 17 (thesis) together (16).
We may present the structured text as follows (17):
First Thesis
ejgw; de; savrkinov" eijmi pepramevno" uJpo; th;n aJmartivan:
14 b
Motivations
15 a (1) o} ga;r katergavzomai ouj ginwvskw:
b (2) ouj ga;r o} qevlw tou'to pravssw,
ajll∆ o} misw' tou'to poiw'.
c
Inference
16 a eij de; o} ouj qevlw tou'to poiw',
b suvmfhmi tw'/ novmw/ o{ti kalov".
Second Thesis
17 a nuni; de; oujkevti ejgw; katergavzomai aujto;
b ajlla; hJ oijkou'sa ejn ejmoi; aJmartiva:
Motivations
oi\da ga;r o{ti oujk oijkei' ejn ejmoiv, tou't∆ e[stin ejn th'/ sarkiv mou, ajgaqovn:
18 a (1)
to; ga;r qevlein paravkeitaiv moi,
b (2)
to; de; katergavzesqai to; kalo;n ou[:
c
ouj ga;r o} qevlw poiw' ajgaqovn,
19 a (3)
ajlla; o} ouj qevlw kako;n tou'to pravssw.
b
Inference
20 a eij de; o} ouj qevlw ejgw; tou'to poiw',
b oujkevti ejgw; katergavzomai aujto;
c ajlla; hJ oijkou'sa ejn ejmoi; aJmartiva.
(15) The first person singular oi\da in v. 18a differs from the first person plural oi[damen
in v. 14a. While in v. 14a Paul points to the generally accepted Christian knowledge (the
law is spiritual), in v. 18a he refers to the pre-Christian experience of the “Iâ€.
(16) Cf. the judicious remarks on Rom 7,14-20 by Th.R. SCHREINER, Romans (Baker
Exeget. Comm. NT; Grand Rapids, MI 1998) 373-375.
(17) So as to indicate the motivating connection a semicolon is placed at the end of a
clause which precedes a gavr: see vv. 14b.15a.17b.18a and 18c.