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Gwynne's comment here, however, is salutary:
"In sense varying immaterially from the received construction, it presents a pleasing
parallelism to the ear, but dearly purchased at the expense of the old familiar paradox
`I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live' which bears so unmistakeably the impress
of Pauline antithesis, see II Cor. 8:-10:" And of Alford's pronouncement he adds: "It
requires something more than mere assertion to sustain the allegation."
The R.V. adopts the following punctuation in the text: "I have been crucified with
Christ; yet I live; and yet no longer I, but Christ liveth in me", and in the margin gives
the alternative "Or, and is no longer I that live, but Christ, &100:"
The reader will see that whatever punctuation is adopted, the sense remains practically
the same, and we therefore, while taking note of these variations, shall continue to use the
A.V.
Stauroo "to crucify" is used in Galatians three times (3: 1; 5: 24; 6: 14), once of
Christ, Who, said the apostle, had been evidently set forth crucified among them, and
twice of the believer, of whom he says that they have crucified the flesh, and to whom
the world was crucified. Three times, the cross itself, stauros, is mentioned (5: 11;
6: 12, 14); speaking of "the offence" and "persecution" which attached to it, and the
only ground of "boasting" which Paul left to him.
Sustauroo "to crucify with" occurs in Gal. 2: 20 and in Rom. 6: 6, elsewhere only
in the Gospels, Matt. 27: 44, Mark 15: 32 and John 19: 32. We shall gain light on
Paul's reference in Gal. 2: 20 by considering the teaching both of Rom. 6: and of the
Gospels.
Rom. 6: and 7: contain many expression and follow much the same argument as is
compressed into Gal. 2: 15-20. In Rom. 6: it is the "old man" that was crucified with
Christ, so that the body of sin should be rendered inoperative, and that henceforth the
believer should not serve sin. These words illuminate the language of Gal. 2: 20, "I
have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live".
Moreover, Paul had said "I through the law, to law died", and in Rom. 6: 7 he
writes: "For he that is dead is freed from sin", and it is the recognition of an important
piece of doctrine to note that the word "freed" is dedikaiotai "hath been justified". Death
has vindicated the law and settled its claims. The references to sustauroo in the Gospels
relate to the thieves who were crucified with Christ on Calvary.
"The thieves also, which were crucified with Him, cast the same in His teeth"
(Matt. 27: 44).
"And they that were crucified with Him reviled Him" (Mark 15: 32).
"Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was
crucified with Him" (John 19: 32).
Luke does not use the word, although he records the fact that there were malefactors
"one on the right hand, and the other on the left" (Luke 23: 33). Luke's contribution