SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:20
La ley empero entr para que el delito creciese; mas cuando el pecado creci, sobrepuj la gracia;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 5:20
Verse 20. The law entered that (ina) the offense might abound.] After considering various opinions concerning the true meaning of this verse, (see under ver. 12,) I am induced to prefer my own, as being the most simple. By law I understand the Mosaic law. By entering in, pareishlqen, or, rather, coming in privily, see Gal. ii. 4, (the only place where it occurs besides,) I understand the temporary or limited use of that law, which was, as far as its rites and ceremonies are considered, confined to the Jewish people, and to them only till the Messiah should come; but considered as the moral law, or rule of conscience and life, it has in its spirit and power been slipped in-introduced into every conscience, that sin might abound-that the true nature, deformity, and extent of sin might appear; for by the law is the knowledge of sin: for how can the finer deviations from a straight line be ascertained, without the application of a known straight edge? Without this rule of right, sin can only be known in a sort of general way; the innumerable deviations from positive rectitude can only be known by the application of the righteous statutes of which the law is composed. And it was necessary that this law should be given, that the true nature of sin might be seen, and that men might be the better prepared to receive the Gospel; finding that this law worketh only wrath, i.e. denounces punishment, forasmuch as all have sinned. Now, it is wisely ordered of God, that wherever the Gospel goes there the law goes also; entering every where, that sin may be seen to abound, and that men may be led to despair of salvation in any other way or on any terms but those proposed in the Gospel of Christ. Thus the sinner becomes a true penitent, and is glad, seeing the curse of the law hanging over his soul, to flee for refuge to the hope set before him in the Gospel. On the meaning of ina, in various places, see Chrysost. vol. iii. p. 241. See also Hammond on the word in his notes on the New Testament. But where sin abounded] Whether in the world, or in the heart of the individual, being discovered by this most pure and righteous law, grace did much more abound: not only pardon for all that is past is offered by the Gospel, so that all the transgressions for which the soul is condemned to death by the law, are freely and fully forgiven; but also the Holy Spirit, in the abundance of his gifts and graces, is communicated, so as to prepare the receiver for an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Thus the grace of the Gospel not only redeems from death, and restores to life, but brings the soul into such a relationship with God, and into such a participation of eternal glory, as we have no authority to believe ever would have been the portion even of Adam himself, had he even eternally retained his innocence. Thus, where sin abounded, grace doth much more abound.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. Moreover, the law entered , etc..] By the law is meant, not the law of nature, much less the law of sin; rather the ceremonial law, which came in over and above the moral law; it entered but for a time; by which sin abounded, and appeared very sinful; and through it the grace of God much more abounded, in the sacrifice of Christ prefigured by it: but the moral law, as it came by Moses, is here intended; which entered with great pomp and solemnity on Mount Sinai; and intervened, or came between Adam's sin and Christ's sacrifice; and also came in besides, or over and above the promise of life by Christ; and may moreover be said to enter into the conscience of a sinner, with the power and energy of the Spirit of God: and the end of its entrance is, that the offence might abound ; meaning either the sin of Adam, he had been speaking of under that name, that that itself, and the imputation of it to his posterity, and also the pollution of human nature by it, together with all the aggravating circumstances of it, might appear more manifest; or sin in general, any and all actual transgressions, which abound through the law's discovering the evil nature of them, and so taking away all excuse, or pretext of ignorance: by prohibiting them, whereby the corrupt nature of man becomes more eager after them; and by accusing, threatening, terrifying, and condemning, on account of them: one view of the apostle in this, doubtless, is to show, that there can be no justification by the law: but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound : sin has abounded in human nature, in all the individuals of it; and grace has superabounded in the same nature, being assumed by the Son of God, and united to him, who has appeared in it full of grace and truth, ( John 1:14): sin has abounded in all the powers and faculties of the soul, in the understanding, will, and affections, of an unregenerate man; but in regeneration, the grace of God much more abounds in the same powers and faculties, enlightening the understanding, subduing the will, and influencing the affections with love to divine things: sin abounded in the Gentile world, before the preaching of the Gospel in it; but afterwards grace did superabound in the conversion of multitudes in it from idols, to serve the living God; and where sin has abounded in particular persons to a very great height, grace has exceeded it, as in Manasseh, Mary Magdalene, Saul, and others.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 20, 21 - By Christ and his righteousness, we have more and greater privilege than we lost by the offence of Adam. The moral law showed that man thoughts, tempers, words, and actions, were sinful, thus transgression were multiplied. Not making sin to abound the more, but discovering the sinfulness of it, even as the letting in a clearer light into a room discovers the dust and filth which were there before, but were no seen. The sin of Adam, and the effect of corruption in us, are the abounding of that offence which appeared on the entrance of the law And the terrors of the law make gospel comforts the more sweet. Thu God the Holy Spirit has, by the blessed apostle, delivered to us a mos important truth, full of consolation, suited to our need as sinners Whatever one may have above another, every man is a sinner against God stands condemned by the law, and needs pardon. A righteousness that is to justify cannot be made up of a mixture of sin and holiness. Ther can be no title to an eternal reward without a pure and spotles righteousness: let us look for it, even to the righteousness of Christ __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
νομος 3551 N-NSM δε 1161 CONJ παρεισηλθεν 3922 5627 V-2AAI-3S ινα 2443 CONJ πλεοναση 4121 5661 V-AAS-3S το 3588 T-NSN παραπτωμα 3900 N-NSN ου 3757 ADV δε 1161 CONJ επλεονασεν 4121 5656 V-AAI-3S η 3588 T-NSF αμαρτια 266 N-NSF υπερεπερισσευσεν 5248 5656 V-AAI-3S η 3588 T-NSF χαρις 5485 N-NSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
20. The law entered (pareishlqen) Rev., literally, came in beside, giving the force of para beside. Very significant. Now that the parallel between Adam and Christ is closed, the question arises as to the position and office of the law. How did it stand related to Adam and Christ? Paul replies that it came in alongside of the sin. "It was taken up into the divine plan or arrangement, and made an occasion for the abounding of grace in the opening of the new way to justification and life" (Dwight).Might abound (pleonash). Not primarily of the greater consciousness and acknowledgment of sin, but of the increase of actual transgression. The other thought, however, may be included. See ch. vii. 7, 8, 9, 11.
Did much more abound (upereperisseusen). Lit., abounded over and above. Only here and 2 Cor. vii. 4. Compare uJperepleonase abounded exceedingly, 1 Tim. i. 14; uJperperisswv beyond measure, Mark vii. 37; uJperauxanei; groweth exceedingly, 2 Thess. i. 3.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:20 {Came in beside} (pareislthen). Second aorist active indicative of double compound pareiserchomai, late verb, in N.T. only here and #Ga 2:4 which see. See also eiselqen in verse #12. The Mosaic law came into this state of things, in between Adam and Christ. {That the trespass might abound} (hina pleonasei to paraptwma). It is usual to explain hina here as final, as God's ultimate purpose. So Denney who refers to #Ga 3:19ff.; Ro 7:7f. But Chrysostom explains hina here as ekbasis (result). this is a proper use of hina in the _Koin_ as we have seen. If we take it so here, the meaning is "so that the trespass abounded" (aorist active subjunctive of pleonas", late verb, see on 2Th 1:3; 2Co 8:15). this was the actual effect of the Mosaic law for the Jews, the necessary result of all prohibitions. {Did abound more exceedingly} (hupereperisseusen). First aorist active indicative of huperperisseu". Late verb, in N.T. only here and #2Co 7:4 which see. A strong word. If pleonazw is comparative (pleon) perisseuw is superlative (Lightfoot) and qen huperperisseu" goes the superlative one better. See huperpleonazw in #1Ti 1:14. The flood of grace surpassed the flood of Sin, great as that was (and is).
