O wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Truth to Learn
The ever presence of sin will bring a committed Christian to his or her knees … over and over and over and over …
Behind the Words
The Greek word translated “wretched” is talaipōros, which is based on talas, meaning “suffering” and a form of pōreō, meaning “miserable or distressed.” Hence, this word refers to someone who is suffering miserably.
“Rescue” is translated from rhuomai, which literally means “to draw out for oneself.” It is interpreted as meaning “to rescue” or “to deliver from danger or harm.”
The word translated “body” is the Greek word somatos, which in its basest meaning refers to the physical human body. Paul is using this word as a metaphor, however. So, it is not referring to our physical body, but something else.
Meaning Explained
As I shared with you in the previous verse, I get really irritated with myself when I do that which I know God wants me to avoid. It gives me a great sense of guilt that is only alleviated by personal confession and God’s grace. Obviously, the Apostle Paul feels similar. As a result of the battle between his intellect and his sin nature in which his sin nature carries him off as a prisoner of war and controls his actions against his own will, he declares, “O wretched man that I am!” And, he wants to be rescued from his body of death.
Our translation here says “… this body of death;” however, the Greek text reads “the body of this death.” That is, Paul is using the word “body” to refer to something non-physical (the sin nature). He is saying that his sin nature has such control over him that it is as if his whole body is inhabited by and controlled by his sinful tendencies.
Some commentators suppose that Paul is referring to an ancient custom of tying a dead body to a captive. In this manner the prisoner had to drag the heavy and abhorrent, smelly burden behind him for the lengthy trek back to the homeland of the captor. Although this may not have been Paul’s intent, it certainly is a vivid picture of the constant burden of our sin nature.
I don’t need to ask you whether you ever feel this way or not. If you are truly a born again Christian, then you have felt this way. That’s the battle which rages within all Christians as we desire to please God and try to do His will. But this battle frequently ends in defeat when our sin nature sneaks up and takes us captive.
This is not a hopeless battle, however. Paul will begin to explain in the next chapter how we, as sinners saved by grace, can overcome the sin nature and experience personal victory by the grace of God through the blood of Christ!
Application
Don’t be too hard on yourself when you battle with sinful tendencies and the disobedience to God which follows. It doesn’t mean you have lost your salvation. In fact, it is a constant reminder that confession and humility before God are necessities for every Christian. The more we recognize our own sin, the more we have to humble ourselves and draw near to God. And He will ALWAYS forgive our sins.
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved
