2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. 4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. (Romans 7:2-4 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Here Apostle Paul does exemplify and illustrates the foregoing assertion, namely, That believers are freed from the law, by a similitude taken from the law of marriage: As death frees husband and wife from the law which bound them to each other and empowers the survivor to marry to another person; in like manner the death of Christ was the death of the law as a covenant of works, holding us under the bond of the curse of it; and so his dying gave a manumission or freedom from that bond and a capacity of espousal to Christ; that so living in conjugal affection and obedience to him, we may be made fruitful by his Spirit, doing such things which are agreeable to the will of God and tending to the glory of God. Ye are dead to the law by the body of Christ: That is, through the offering up of Christ’s body upon the cross.
Learn hence, 1. That he that is under the law, is as strictly bound to the rigour and curse of the law, as a married woman is bound to her husband during his life.
Learn, 2. That one great end of Christ’s death was to purchase our freedom from the law that we might be capable of being espoused to himself. For whilst we were under the curse of the law, we were not in a capacity of being married to Christ. He or she that is a slave to another is not capable to be disposed of in marriage until made free.
In like manner, we were in bondage to the law as well as in slavery to sin and Satan; but Christ has bought out our liberty and thereby put us into a capacity of being espoused to himself.
Behold what manner of love the Redeemer has shown to us, that we should be called his spouse, and he our husband! He loved us, but not for any advantage he could have by us; for we had nothing but sin and shame to present him with. Nay, he must purchase us, and that with his own blood, before he could be united to us. Oh, incomparable love! Oh, fervent desires!
Learn, 3. That though believers are free from the rigour and curse of the law by the death of Christ, yet have they not undoubted liberty, but are still under government, under a head and guide. As a wife is under the government of her husband, so are believers under the guidance and government of Jesus Christ, who in a special manner guides them by his word and Spirit; and their being said to be dead to the law, signifies no more than the law’s not having dominion over them, in regard of the curse and condemnation of it.