Romans 7:1

KJV

¶ Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

KJV (with Strong's)

{G2228} Know ye not {G50}, brethren {G80},(for {G1063} I speak {G2980} to them that know {G1097} the law {G3551},) how that {G3754} the law {G3551} hath dominion over {G2961} a man {G444} as long as {G1909}{G3745}{G5550} he liveth {G2198}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Surely you know, brothers — for I am speaking to those who understand Torah — that the Torah has authority over a person only so long as he lives?

Berean Standard Bible

Do you not know, brothers (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has authority over a man only as long as he lives?

American Standard Version

Or are ye ignorant, brethren (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law hath dominion over a man for so long time as he liveth?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Romans 7:1 initiates a profound theological discussion by the Apostle Paul, addressing believers who possess a foundational understanding of the Mosaic Law. In this pivotal verse, Paul establishes the principle that the Law's authority and binding power over an individual are contingent upon that person's life, thereby setting the stage for his subsequent argument regarding the believer's liberation from the Law's dominion through their spiritual death and new life in Christ.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Romans 7:1 serves as a crucial bridge from Paul's extensive discourse in [Romans 6](/romans/6 "Romans 6 - Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ") concerning the believer's death to sin and identification with Christ's resurrection. Having established that believers are "dead to sin" ([Romans 6:2](/romans/6-2 "Romans 6:2 - Dead to Sin")) and therefore no longer enslaved to its power, Paul now extends this concept of "death" to the Law. This verse introduces the legal principle that will underpin the marriage analogy in [Romans 7:2-3](/romans/7-2-3 "Romans 7:2-3 - The Marriage Analogy"), illustrating how death dissolves a legal bond, thereby freeing one party to enter a new relationship. The rhetorical question, "Know ye not, brethren?", assumes an audience familiar with basic legal tenets and prepares them for a deeper theological argument about the Law's relationship to the believer.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Paul's audience in Rome likely included both Jewish Christians and Gentile converts who had been exposed to Jewish traditions and the Mosaic Law. The phrase "them that know the law" specifically targets those who understood the Law's comprehensive nature and its binding authority in Jewish life and thought. In both Jewish and Roman legal systems of the time, the concept of a legal bond (like marriage) being dissolved by death was universally understood. This common legal principle provides the cultural backdrop for Paul's analogy. Geographically, Rome was the center of the empire, a melting pot of cultures and legal systems, making Paul's appeal to universally recognized legal principles highly effective for his diverse readership. The Law, for many, represented God's ultimate standard, and understanding its role post-Christ was a critical theological challenge for the early church.
* **Key Themes:** This verse introduces several vital themes that Paul will develop throughout [Romans 7](/romans/7 "Romans 7 - The Law, Sin, and the Believer's Struggle"). Firstly, it underscores the **Law's Authority**, emphasizing its powerful dominion over human life. Secondly, it highlights the **Law's Temporal Limitation**, asserting that its binding power is only "as long as he liveth." This limitation is key to Paul's argument for the believer's freedom from the Law's condemning power, not its moral standard. Thirdly, it sets the stage for the theme of **New Covenant Freedom**, preparing the reader to understand how spiritual death in Christ liberates one from the old covenant's legal obligations to enter a new relationship with Christ, leading to a life of righteousness ([Romans 6:4](/romans/6-4 "Romans 6:4 - Newness of Life")). This transition from being "under law" to "under grace" ([Romans 6:14](/romans/6-14 "Romans 6:14 - Not Under Law but Under Grace")) is a central tenet of Paul's theology.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Know (Greek, _ginṓskō_):** This word (G1097) signifies more than mere intellectual acquaintance; it implies a deep, experiential knowledge or understanding. Paul is not asking if they are vaguely aware of the Law, but if they truly comprehend its fundamental principle regarding its dominion and duration. This suggests an appeal to their shared foundational understanding of how legal covenants operate, particularly within a Jewish framework.
* **Law (Greek, _nómos_):** The term (G3551) refers primarily to the Mosaic Law, the comprehensive body of God's commands given through Moses. However, in Paul's broader argument in Romans, "law" can also refer to a general principle or rule. Here, it specifically denotes the divine covenant given to Israel, emphasizing its prescriptive usage and regulatory nature, which held absolute authority over those under its purview.
* **Hath dominion over (Greek, _kyrieúō_):** Derived from the word for "lord" (κύριος, _kyrios_), this verb (G2961) means "to be lord over," "to rule," or "to exercise lordship." It powerfully conveys the Law's absolute sovereignty and binding control over a person's life. This is not merely influence but a legal and spiritual authority that the Law exercises, demanding obedience and imposing consequences.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Know ye not, brethren,":** Paul begins with a rhetorical question, characteristic of his teaching style, designed to engage his audience and prompt their agreement. The address "brethren" (ἀδελφοί, _adelphoi_) underscores the familial bond within the Christian community, indicating a shared spiritual identity and a common understanding of foundational truths, especially for those familiar with the Law.
* **"(for I speak to them that know the law,)":** This parenthetical clause clarifies Paul's target audience for this particular argument. He is addressing those who have a working knowledge of the Mosaic Law, whether Jewish believers who grew up with it or Gentile converts who had been thoroughly instructed in its principles. This shared understanding is crucial for the legal analogy he is about to introduce.
* **"how that the law hath dominion over a man":** This clause asserts the Law's authoritative power (its "lordship" or "dominion") over an individual. The Law is presented as a sovereign entity that exercises control and demands submission from those under its jurisdiction. This dominion is comprehensive, extending to all aspects of life and conduct.
* **"as long as he liveth?":** This critical phrase establishes the temporal limitation of the Law's dominion. Just as a legal contract or bond (like marriage) is binding only for the lifetime of the parties involved, so too is the Law's authority limited by the duration of a person's life. This sets the stage for Paul's argument that spiritual death in Christ effectively breaks this bond, freeing the believer from the Law's condemning power.

#### Literary Devices
Paul masterfully employs several literary devices in Romans 7:1 to effectively convey his complex theological argument. The verse opens with a **Rhetorical Question** ("Know ye not, brethren...?"), which is not intended to elicit an answer but to engage the audience, affirm a shared understanding, and prepare them for the logical progression of his argument. This technique assumes their prior knowledge and draws them into the discussion. He also uses **Apostrophe** by directly addressing his audience as "brethren," creating a sense of intimacy and shared community, reinforcing that he is speaking to fellow believers who are part of God's family. Finally, the entire verse functions as a crucial piece of **Foreshadowing** and **Preparation for Analogy**. It lays the foundational legal principle (the Law's dominion is limited by life) that is absolutely essential for understanding the marriage analogy in the subsequent verses ([Romans 7:2-3](/romans/7-2-3 "Romans 7:2-3 - The Marriage Analogy")), where death is presented as the dissolver of legal bonds.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Romans 7:1 introduces a foundational theological truth: the Law, while holy, just, and good, was never intended to be the means of justification or sanctification for fallen humanity. Its dominion, though absolute, was always temporary in its binding power for salvation, ultimately serving to expose sin and highlight humanity's desperate need for a Savior. By stating that the Law's dominion lasts "as long as he liveth," Paul sets the stage for the radical concept that through identification with Christ's death, believers have spiritually "died" to the Law's condemning power, freeing them to be united with Christ and bear fruit for God. This does not abolish the Law's moral standard, but redefines its relationship to the believer, moving from a covenant of works to a covenant of grace. This liberation is not license to sin, but freedom to live righteously through the power of the Spirit, fulfilling the Law's true intent.

* [Galatians 3:24](/galatians/3-24 "Galatians 3:24 - The Law as a Guardian")
* [Romans 3:20](/romans/3-20 "Romans 3:20 - Law Reveals Sin")
* [Romans 8:2](/romans/8-2 "Romans 8:2 - The Law of the Spirit of Life")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Romans 7:1 offers profound insights into the nature of our freedom in Christ. For many, the Christian life can inadvertently become a new form of legalism, where rules and regulations, rather than relationship with Christ, become the primary focus. Paul's teaching here reminds us that the Law's dominion, while real and powerful, has a defined limit. Our spiritual death with Christ liberates us from the Law's power to condemn and from the futile attempt to achieve righteousness through our own efforts. This freedom is not an invitation to lawlessness, but a call to live by the Spirit, whose power enables us to fulfill the righteous requirements of the Law from a heart of love and gratitude, rather than fear or obligation. We are called to reflect on whether we are living under the burden of a performance-based religion or resting in the liberating grace of Christ, allowing the Spirit to guide us into true righteousness.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life do you still feel under the "dominion" of rules or expectations, rather than living in the freedom of Christ?**
* **How does understanding your spiritual "death" with Christ change your perspective on obeying God's commands?**
* **What practical steps can you take to embrace the liberating truth of being "dead to the Law" and alive to Christ?**

### FAQ

**Who are the "them that know the law" that Paul is addressing?**

Answer: Paul is primarily addressing believers in Rome, a mixed congregation of Jewish and Gentile Christians. The phrase "them that know the law" specifically refers to those who had a deep understanding of the Mosaic Law. This would certainly include Jewish Christians who had grown up under its precepts, but also likely many Gentile converts who had previously been "God-fearers" or proselytes, and thus had received extensive instruction in Jewish traditions and the Law before converting to Christianity. Paul's argument hinges on their familiarity with legal principles, particularly how death dissolves a legal bond, to illustrate the believer's new relationship with the Law.

**Does Romans 7:1 mean that the Mosaic Law is abolished or bad?**

Answer: No, Romans 7:1 does not imply that the Law is abolished or inherently bad. In fact, Paul explicitly states in [Romans 7:12](/romans/7-12 "Romans 7:12 - The Law is Holy") that "the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good." The point of Romans 7:1 is not the Law's inherent goodness or badness, but its *dominion* over those who are "alive" to it. For those in Christ, the Law's power to condemn and its role as a means of justification have been superseded by Christ's work. Believers are no longer under the Law as a covenant for salvation, but the Law's moral principles remain a guide for righteous living, now empowered by the Holy Spirit, as seen in [Romans 8:4](/romans/8-4 "Romans 8:4 - The Righteous Requirement of the Law Fulfilled").

**How does the phrase "as long as he liveth" apply to believers in Christ?**

Answer: The phrase "as long as he liveth" is crucial for Paul's analogy. It signifies that the Law's dominion is limited by life itself. For believers, this means that through their spiritual identification with Christ's death and resurrection, they have "died" to their old self, which was under the Law's condemnation ([Romans 6:6-7](/romans/6-6-7 "Romans 6:6-7 - Our Old Man Crucified")). This spiritual death effectively breaks the legal bond to the Law's dominion, much like a spouse's death frees the survivor from a marriage covenant. Therefore, believers are no longer "alive" to the Law in the sense of being bound by its power to condemn or attempting to gain righteousness through it. Instead, they are "alive to God in Christ Jesus" ([Romans 6:11](/romans/6-11 "Romans 6:11 - Alive to God")), free to serve Him in the newness of the Spirit, not in the old way of the written code.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Romans 7:1, with its declaration that the Law's dominion lasts "as long as he liveth," finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the believer's union with Jesus' death and resurrection. The Law, though holy, could only condemn a sinful humanity, holding us captive under its demands and revealing our inability to perfectly fulfill them ([Galatians 3:10](/galatians/3-10 "Galatians 3:10 - Under the Curse of the Law")). However, Christ, by His perfect life, death, and resurrection, became the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes ([Romans 10:4](/romans/10-4 "Romans 10:4 - Christ, the End of the Law")). When we are united with Christ by faith, we are considered to have "died" with Him to the Law's demands and its power to condemn. This spiritual death to the Law's dominion is not an annihilation of the Law itself, but a liberation from its curse and its role as a system for achieving righteousness. Just as a marriage bond is dissolved by death, our spiritual death with Christ frees us from the "husband" of the Law to be joined to another—to Christ Himself—so that we may bear fruit for God ([Romans 7:4](/romans/7-4 "Romans 7:4 - Married to Another")). This new union means that the righteous requirement of the Law is now fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit ([Romans 8:4](/romans/8-4 "Romans 8:4 - The Righteous Requirement of the Law Fulfilled")), truly living under grace, not law ([Romans 6:14](/romans/6-14 "Romans 6:14 - Not Under Law but Under Grace")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Romans 6:14

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 7:6

But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter.

Romans 6:3

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Romans 10:1

¶ Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

Proverbs 6:23

For the commandment [is] a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of instruction [are] the way of life:

Galatians 4:21

¶ Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

Romans 9:3

For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: