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Selected Verse: Romans 8:23 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ro 8:23 |
Strong Concordance |
And [1161] not [3756] only [3440] they, but [235] ourselves [846] also [2532], which have [2192] the firstfruits [536] of the Spirit [4151], even [2532] we [2249] ourselves [846] groan [4727] within [1722] ourselves [1438], waiting [553] for the adoption [5206], to wit, the redemption [629] of our [2257] body [4983]. |
| |
King James |
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
And not only they, but ourselves also--or "not only [so], but even we ourselves"--that is, besides the inanimate creation.
which have the first-fruits of the Spirit--or, "the Spirit as the first-fruits" of our full redemption (compare Co2 1:22), moulding the heart to a heavenly frame and attempering it to its future element.
even we ourselves--though we have so much of heaven already within us.
groan within ourselves--under this "body of sin and death," and under the manifold "vanity and vexation of spirit" that are written upon every object and every pursuit and every enjoyment under the sun.
waiting for the--manifestation of our
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body--from the grave: "not (be it observed) the deliverance of ourselves from the body, but the redemption of the body itself from the grave" [BENGEL]. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
And not only they - Not only the creation in general. "But ourselves also." Christians.
Which have the first-fruits of the Spirit - The word used ἀπαρχὴ aparchē denotes properly the first-fruits of the harvest, the portion that was first collected and consecrated to God as an offering of gratitude, Deu 26:2; Exo 23:19; Num 18:13. Hence, the word means what is first in order of time. Here it means, as I suppose, that the Christians of whom Paul was speaking had partaken of the first influences of the Spirit, or had been among the first partakers of his influences in converting sinners. The Spirit had been sent down to attend the preaching of the gospel, and they were among the first who had partaken of those influences. Some, however, have understood the word to mean a pledge, or earnest, or foretaste of joys to come. This idea has been attached to the word because the first-fruits of the harvest were a pledge of the harvest, an evidence that it was ripe, etc. But the word does not seem to be used in this sense in the New Testament. The only places where it occurs are the following; Rom 8:23; Rom 11:16; Rom 16:5; Co1 15:20, Co1 15:23; Co1 16:15; Jam 1:18; Rev 14:4.
Groan within ourselves - We sigh for deliverance. The expression denotes strong internal desire; the deep anguish of spirit when the heart is oppressed with anguish, and earnestly wishes for succor.
Waiting for the adoption - Waiting for the full blessings of the adoption. Christians are adopted when they are converted Rom 8:15, but they have not been yet admitted to the full privileges of their adoption into the family of God. Their adoption when they are converted is secret, and may at the time be unknown to the world. The fullness of the adoption, their complete admission to the privileges of the sons of God, shall be in the day of judgment, in the presence of the universe, and amidst the glories of the final consummation of all things. This adoption is not different from the first, but is the completion of the act of grace when a sinner is received into the family of God.
The redemption of the body - The complete recovery of the body from death and corruption. The particular and striking act of the adoption in the day of judgment will be the raising up of the body from the grave, and rendering it immortal and eternally blessed. The particular effects of the adoption in this world are on the soul. The completion of it on the last day will be seen particularly in the body; and thus the entire man shall be admitted into the favor of God, and restored from all his sins and all the evil consequences of the fall. The apostle here speaks the language of every Christian. The Christian has joys which the world does not know; but he has also sorrows; he sighs over his corruption; he is in the midst of calamity; he is going to the grave; and he looks forward to that complete deliverance, and to that elevated state, when, in the presence of an assembled universe, he shall be acknowledged as a child of God. This elevated privilege gives to Christianity its high value; and the hope of being acknowledged in the presence of the universe as the child of God - the hope of the poorest and the humblest believer - is of infinitely mere value than the prospect of the most princely inheritance, or of the brightest crown that a monarch ever wore. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
adoption
Literally, placing as sons.
See Adoption, (Rom 8:15). |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| And even we, who have the first - fruits of the Spirit - That is, the Spirit, who is the first - fruits of our inheritance. The adoption - Persons who had been privately adopted among the Romans were often brought forth into the forum, and there publicly owned as their sons by those who adopted them. So at the general resurrection, when the body itself is redeemed from death, the sons of God shall be publicly owned by him in the great assembly of men and angels. The redemption of our body - From corruption to glory and immortality. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
And not only they, but ourselves also - Neither the Gentiles only, but we Jews also, (however we belong to a nation envious of the heathen), to whom God hath granted the first fruits of the Spirit; we sigh among ourselves for their sakes, waiting for the adoption; that is, the redemption of our mystical body, whereof the Gentiles make a very great part. Lightfoot's works. vol. ii. p. 359 and 707.
The scope and design of St. Paul in these verses may be thus summed up: - The apostle shows that the whole creation is in a suffering state, into which it has been brought by the disobedience of one man, Adam; therefore, it was made subject to vanity - pain, sickness, and death; not willingly, for mankind had no part in that transgression which "brought death into the world and all our wo;" but God subjected the whole, purposing to afford them a deliverance and infusing into every heart a hope that a more auspicious era should take place; and it is through the influence of this hope, which every man possesses, that the present ills are so patiently borne, because all are expecting better days. The great deliverer is the Messiah, and the Gospel days the auspicious era which God intended to bring forward. They who believe in Christ with a heart unto righteousness are freed from the bondage of their sinful corruption, and brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of God; and they look forward with joyous expectation, waiting for the general resurrection, when their bodies also shall be redeemed from corruption, and the whole man, body and soul, be adopted into the family of heaven Above, as their souls had been previously adopted into the family of faith Below. And although it may be said that the redemption provided by the Gospel can not be an object of hope to those who have never heard of it; yet, as every man has hope, and this hope is inspired by God for this very purpose; that it may be the means of supporting them in the ills of life, and God, in inspiring it, had respect to the glorious state of Christianity, therefore it is this state, in effect, that the whole creation are longing for. So Jesus Christ is said, by the Prophet Haggai, Hag 2:7, to be the desire of all nations; and yet not one of the nations of the earth had, at that time, heard of him. And thus, as Dr. Whitby has very properly remarked, "desire and expectation are ascribed to creatures, in reference to things they want, and which tend to their advantage; notwithstanding they explicitly know nothing of them." |
22 Who [3588] hath [4972] also [2532] sealed [4972] us [2248], and [2532] given [1325] the earnest [728] of the Spirit [4151] in [1722] our [2257] hearts [2588].
15 For [1063] ye have [2983] not [3756] received [2983] the spirit [4151] of bondage [1397] again [3825] to [1519] fear [5401]; but [235] ye have received [2983] the Spirit [4151] of adoption [5206], whereby [1722] [3739] we cry [2896], Abba [5], Father [3962].
4 These [3778] are they [1526] which [3739] were [3435] not [3756] defiled [3435] with [3326] women [1135]; for [1063] they are [1526] virgins [3933]. These [3778] are they [1526] which [3588] follow [190] the Lamb [721] whithersoever [3699] [302] he goeth [5217]. These [3778] were redeemed [59] from [575] among men [444], being the firstfruits [536] unto God [2316] and [2532] to the Lamb [721].
18 Of his own will [1014] begat he [616] us [2248] with the word [3056] of truth [225], that [1519] we [2248] should be [1511] a kind [5100] of firstfruits [536] of his [846] creatures [2938].
15 [1161] I beseech [3870] you [5209], brethren [80], (ye know [1492] the house [3614] of Stephanas [4734], that [3754] it is [2076] the firstfruits [536] of Achaia [882], and [2532] that they have addicted [5021] themselves [1438] to [1519] the ministry [1248] of the saints [40],)
23 But [1161] every man [1538] in [1722] his own [2398] order [5001]: Christ [5547] the firstfruits [536]; afterward [1899] they that are [3588] Christ's [5547] at [1722] his [846] coming [3952].
20 But [1161] now [3570] is [1453] Christ [5547] risen [1453] from [1537] the dead [3498], and become [1096] the firstfruits [536] of them that slept [2837].
5 Likewise [2532] greet the church [1577] that is in [2596] their [846] house [3624]. Salute [782] my [3450] wellbeloved [27] Epaenetus [1866], who [3739] is [2076] the firstfruits [536] of Achaia [882] unto [1519] Christ [5547].
16 For [1161] if [1487] the firstfruit [536] be holy [40], the lump [5445] is also [2532] holy: and [2532] if [1487] the root [4491] be holy [40], so [2532] are the branches [2798].
23 And [1161] not [3756] only [3440] they, but [235] ourselves [846] also [2532], which have [2192] the firstfruits [536] of the Spirit [4151], even [2532] we [2249] ourselves [846] groan [4727] within [1722] ourselves [1438], waiting [553] for the adoption [5206], to wit, the redemption [629] of our [2257] body [4983].
13 And whatsoever is first ripe [01061] in the land [0776], which they shall bring [0935] unto the LORD [03068], shall be thine; every one that is clean [02889] in thine house [01004] shall eat [0398] of it.
19 The first [07225] of the firstfruits [01061] of thy land [0127] thou shalt bring [0935] into the house [01004] of the LORD [03068] thy God [0430]. Thou shalt not seethe [01310] a kid [01423] in his mother's [0517] milk [02461].
2 That thou shalt take [03947] of the first [07225] of all the fruit [06529] of the earth [0127], which thou shalt bring [0935] of thy land [0776] that the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] giveth [05414] thee, and shalt put [07760] it in a basket [02935], and shalt go [01980] unto the place [04725] which the LORD [03068] thy God [0430] shall choose [0977] to place [07931] his name [08034] there.
15 For [1063] ye have [2983] not [3756] received [2983] the spirit [4151] of bondage [1397] again [3825] to [1519] fear [5401]; but [235] ye have received [2983] the Spirit [4151] of adoption [5206], whereby [1722] [3739] we cry [2896], Abba [5], Father [3962].
7 And I will shake [07493] all nations [01471], and the desire [02532] of all nations [01471] shall come [0935]: and I will fill [04390] this house [01004] with glory [03519], saith [0559] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635].