Verse
Context
Paul Confronts Cephas
19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God.20I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.21I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.
Sermons







Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
I am crucified with Christ - The death of Christ on the cross has showed me that there is no hope of salvation by the law; I am therefore as truly dead to all expectation of justification by the law, as Christ was dead when he gave up the ghost upon the cross. Through him alone I live - enjoy a present life, and have a prospect of future glory. Yet not I - It is not of my natural life I speak, nor of any spiritual things which I myself have procured; but Christ liveth in me. God made man to be a habitation of his own Spirit: the law cannot live in me so as to give me a Divine life; it does not animate, but kill; but Christ lives in me; he is the soul of my soul; so that I now live to God. But this life I have by the faith of the Son of God - by believing on Christ as a sacrifice for sin; for he loved me, and because he did so he gave himself for me - made himself a sacrifice unto death, that I might be saved from the bitter pains of death eternal.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
I am crucified--literally, "I have been crucified with Christ." This more particularizes the foregoing. "I am dead" (Gal 2:19; Phi 3:10). nevertheless I live; yet not I--Greek, "nevertheless I live, no longer (indeed) I." Though crucified I live; (and this) no longer that old man such as I once was (compare Rom 7:17). No longer Saul the Jew (Gal 5:24; Col 3:11, but "another man"; compare Sa1 10:6). ELLICOTT and others translate, "And it is no longer I that live, but Christ that liveth in me." But the plain antithesis between "crucified" and "live," requires the translation, "nevertheless." the life which I now live--as contrasted with my life before conversion. in the flesh--My life seems to be a mere animal life "in the flesh," but this is not my true life; "it is but the mask of life under which lives another, namely, Christ, who is my true life" [LUTHER]. I live by the faith, &c.--Greek, "IN faith (namely), that of (that is, which rests on) the Son of God." "In faith," answers by contrast to "in the flesh." Faith, not the flesh, is the real element in which I live. The phrase, "the Son of God," reminds us that His Divine Sonship is the source of His life-giving power. loved me--His eternal gratuitous love is the link that unites me to the Son of God, and His "giving Himself for me," is the strongest proof of that love.
John Gill Bible Commentary
I am crucified with Christ,.... Not literally, for so only the two thieves were crucified with him, but mystically; Christ was crucified for him in his room and stead, and so he was crucified with him, and in him, as his head and representative. Christ sustained the persons of all his people, and what he did and suffered was in their name, and on their account, and so they were crucified and suffered with him, as they are said to be buried with him, and to be risen with him, and to sit together in heavenly places in him. Moreover, their old man was crucified with him; when he was crucified, all their sins, the whole body of them, were laid upon him, and he bore them, and bore them away, destroyed and made an end of them; they received their mortal wound by his crucifixion and death, so as never to be able to have any damning power over them; and in consequence of this the affections and lusts are crucified, and the deeds of the body of sin mortified by the Spirit and grace of God, in regeneration and sanctification, so as not to have the dominion over them; the world is crucified to them, and they to the world; and this is another reason proving that justification by Christ is no licentious doctrine. This clause is, in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, put at the end of the preceding verse. Nevertheless I live; which is to be understood, not of his natural, but of his spiritual life; the life of justification he lived, by faith, on the righteousness of Christ; and the life of sanctification which he had from Christ, by the quickening influences of his Spirit, by virtue of which he walked in newness of life. The believer is a mere paradox, he is dead to the law, and "yet lives" to God; he is crucified with Christ, and yet lives by him; yea, a crucified Christ lives in him. Yet not I; not the same I as before, but quite another man, a new creature: he did not now live as in his state of unregeneracy, and whilst in Judaism; he was not now Saul the blasphemer, the persecutor, and injurious person; nor did he now live Saul the Pharisee: or the life he had was not of his own obtaining and procuring; his life of righteousness was not of himself, but Christ; his being quickened, or having principles of life and holiness implanted in him, was not by himself, but by the Spirit; and the holy life and conversation he lived was not owing to himself, to his power and strength, but to the grace of God; or it was not properly himself, or so much he that lived, but Christ liveth in me: who was not only the author and maintainer of his spiritual life, but the life itself; he was formed in his soul, dwelt in his heart, was united to him, was one with him, whence all vital principles and vital actions sprung, and all the communion and comforts of a spiritual life flowed. And the life which I now live in the flesh; in the body, whilst in this mortal state, whereby he distinguishes that spiritual life he had from Christ, and through Christ's living in him, both from the natural life of his body, and from that eternal life he expected to live in another world; and which, he says, I live by the faith of the Son of God; meaning, not that faith which Christ, as man, had, but that of which he is the author and object, by which the just man lives; not upon it, for the believer does not live upon any of his graces, no, not upon faith, but by faith on Christ, the object; looking to him for pardon, righteousness, peace, joy, comfort, every supply of grace, and eternal salvation: which object is described as "the Son of God"; who is truly God, equal with his Father; so that he did not live upon a creature, or forsake the fountain of living waters, but upon the only begotten Son of God, who is full of grace and truth: of whom he further says, who loved me; before the foundation of the world, from everlasting, prior to his love to him; and freely, without any regard to worth or merit, and though he was a blasphemer and a persecutor; and him personally, and particularly, in a distinguishing manner, of which he had a special knowledge and application by the Spirit of God; and was a reason and argument constraining him, and prevailing on him to live to him who loved him, and died for him, or, as he adds, and gave himself for me; his whole self, his soul and body, as in union with his divine person, into the hands of justice, and unto death, in his room and stead, as an offering and sacrifice for sin, and which he did freely and voluntarily; and is a strong and full proof of his love to him. Now though Christ gave his life a ransom for many, and himself for his whole church, and all the members of his mystical body, yet the apostle speaks of this matter as singularly respecting himself, as if almost he was the only person Christ loved and died for; which shows that faith deals with Christ not in a general way, as the Saviour of the world, but with a special regard to a man's self: this is the life of faith; and these considerations of the person, love, and grace of Christ, animate and encourage faith in its exercises on him.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:20 A law-free Good News does not lead to lawlessness, as Paul’s opponents argued (2:17), because lawlessness is a response of the unredeemed. The redeemed Christian has been crucified with Christ. See also Col 2:11-14, 20-23. A Christian has laid aside the old self, which strove to achieve merit by keeping the law (cp. Rom 7:4-6). • It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me: Christians, having experienced Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom 6:1-14), have new hearts (see Jer 31:31-34; 32:38-41; Ezek 11:19-20; 36:24-31) by the indwelling power of the Spirit (see Rom 8:9-11; Eph 3:16-19; Col 1:27; 3:1-17). • I live in this earthly body: Christianity does not teach that the body is evil or that we have to escape from this world to have fellowship with God. Instead, by trusting in the Son of God, we fulfill God’s purposes for our lives. • who loved me and gave himself for me: Christ’s self-giving love makes new life possible (Gal 1:4; Rom 8:32-39; 2 Thes 2:16-17).
Paul Confronts Cephas
19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God.20I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.21I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Christ Magnified in Our Bodies
By Leonard Ravenhill22K56:35ObediencePSA 33:2ROM 6:11ROM 6:142CO 5:10GAL 2:20PHP 1:20In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of redeeming the time and not wasting opportunities. He highlights the urgency of spreading the gospel, as there are millions of people who have never heard the message of Christ. The speaker also discusses the passion and dedication of the apostle Paul in preaching, suffering, and praying for the sake of Christ. He emphasizes the need for believers to have the mind of God and to be guided by the Holy Spirit in their lives. The sermon concludes with a call to live a life of holiness and to be devoted to magnifying Christ in both life and death.
And They Crucified Him
By Art Katz17K00:00ISA 6:5MAT 16:24ACT 4:131CO 1:181CO 2:22CO 4:10GAL 2:20PHP 3:10HEB 12:2JAS 4:10This sermon emphasizes the need for Christians to embrace the suffering and humility exemplified by the early church in the book of Acts. It challenges believers to confront the avoidance of pain, self-indulgence, compromise of truth, and the lack of correction within the church. The speaker calls for a return to the centrality of the cross and the power of the resurrection, urging a transformation from a comfortable religiosity to a radical, sacrificial faith that stands out in the world.
"Forget Miricales Preach Holiness"
By Leonard Ravenhill15K02:06ROM 6:6GAL 2:20EPH 4:22This sermon emphasizes the need for true, genuine conversion and a deep commitment to the cross, rather than just seeking emotional experiences or outward displays of spirituality. It challenges believers to die to sin, embrace purity of heart, and focus on what the Word of God says rather than the opinions of others. The message calls for a return to the core message of new birth and transformation.
Victory Over One's Worst Enemy
By Paris Reidhead15K36:50Overcoming SelfVictoryVictory in ChristJHN 10:10ROM 5:8ROM 6:6ROM 8:372CO 5:17GAL 2:20EPH 2:8PHP 4:13COL 3:31JN 1:9Paris Reidhead emphasizes that our greatest enemy is ourselves, revealing his personal struggles with spirituality and critical attitudes during his missionary work in Africa. He shares his journey of disillusionment and the realization that true victory comes from recognizing our identity in Christ, being crucified with Him, and understanding that He died not just for our sins but to transform us from within. Reidhead encourages believers to seek a deeper relationship with God, moving beyond mere intellectual knowledge to a heartfelt experience of His grace and power. He concludes with a call to embrace the resurrection life of Christ, which empowers us to overcome our negative traits and habits.
Accountability to God - Part 2
By Leonard Ravenhill14K25:24Accountability to GodAccountabilityPurity of HeartPSA 51:10MAT 5:8JHN 10:10ACT 15:8ROM 3:232CO 5:17GAL 2:20EPH 4:22HEB 12:141JN 1:9Leonard Ravenhill emphasizes the critical need for accountability to God, illustrating the transformative power of genuine repentance and the pursuit of purity in the heart. He recounts a personal story of a woman who, after a deep cry for mercy, experienced true salvation, contrasting it with his own struggle with sin and misery. Ravenhill argues that the greatest sin is the desire to run one's own life apart from God, and he stresses that true Christianity is about allowing Christ to live within us, leading to a pure heart and a renewed spirit. He challenges the modern church's tendency to downplay sin and calls for a return to recognizing the need for deep, inward cleansing and the power of the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, he encourages believers to seek purity, as it is the foundation for true power in their lives and ministries.
Christ Imparts Life
By Major Ian Thomas14K45:04LifeMAT 6:33JHN 14:6ROM 8:92CO 13:5GAL 2:202PE 1:3In this sermon, the preacher discusses the fallen nature of humanity and the expectations that God has for us. He emphasizes that in our flesh, apart from Christ, we are destined for failure. The preacher uses the analogy of a pig finding delight in mud to illustrate the inherent nature of our sinful flesh. However, he also encourages believers to rely on Christ and expect Him to work in and through them, conforming them to His will. The sermon concludes with a cautionary reminder that leaving the door open to sin can have disastrous consequences.
Free to Be Ourselves
By Norman Grubb12K49:45FreedomJHN 3:16JHN 5:191CO 10:132CO 4:18GAL 2:20HEB 4:121JN 1:9In this sermon, the speaker discusses three areas of understanding in relation to God's fatherhood. The first area is replacing negative seeing with positive seeing and living by faith. The second area is choosing our authority as sons of God, which is the word of faith. The third area is the privilege of the laid down life in intercession. The speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing the power of the word of God and the need to labor to enter into rest. He encourages listeners to be themselves and to trust in God's ability to handle their lives.
(1986 Prairie Series) 4 - Rediscovering Christ
By Major Ian Thomas12K1:19:19Resurrection PowerLiving in ChristPrairie SeriesLUK 22:32LUK 24:49JHN 5:39JHN 14:6ACT 1:8ROM 8:112CO 5:17GAL 2:201PE 1:181JN 1:1Major Ian Thomas emphasizes the transformative power of recognizing Christ's resurrection in the life of believers, particularly through the experience of Peter. He illustrates how Peter's denial and subsequent conversion led to a profound understanding of the necessity of Christ's sacrifice and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Thomas explains that true Christian living is not about self-effort but about allowing Christ to live through us, highlighting the importance of faith and divine empowerment. He encourages believers to embrace their identity in Christ and to share His life with others, moving beyond mere religious activity to a genuine relationship with the risen Lord.
Free to Do
By Kathryn Kuhlman12K10:52FreedomPSA 62:1MAT 16:24JHN 15:5ACT 17:28ROM 6:231CO 6:19GAL 2:20In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing and accepting God as the ultimate authority in our lives. He compares the disciplined self to an aviator who must obey the laws of aviation at all times to avoid disaster. The speaker also highlights the need for a deep connection with God, stating that we do not all have our being in Him until we accept His Son as our Savior. He emphasizes that life is restless and disruptive until we submit to something beyond ourselves and obey it supremely. The central message is that self-discipline and surrendering to God's will are necessary for true freedom and abundant life.
The Enemy of Revival - Part 1 (Cd Quality)
By Leonard Ravenhill10K59:27RevivalJDG 13:1JDG 16:6ISA 6:9MAT 6:33ROM 7:24GAL 2:20COL 1:27In this sermon, the preacher starts by quoting a scripture about the children of Israel doing evil in the sight of the Lord and being delivered into the hands of the Philistines for 40 years. He then shares a story about a man who claimed that all robots present God as a terrorist. The preacher criticizes this view and emphasizes the importance of understanding God's true nature. He goes on to talk about the judgment day when all people, including believers and non-believers, will stand before God. The sermon also touches on the topic of entertainment in the church and how it can be a substitute for true joy. The preacher encourages the presence of the Holy Spirit to keep young people engaged and emphasizes the need for silence and reverence in the presence of God. The sermon concludes with a reference to the story of Samson and his strength, highlighting the importance of being bound to God's will rather than worldly desires.
Ye Must Be Born Again - Part 1
By Leonard Ravenhill10K46:04Born AgainObedience to GodRegenerationJHN 1:12JHN 3:3JHN 14:6ROM 8:92CO 5:17GAL 2:20EPH 2:8TIT 3:51PE 1:231JN 5:12Leonard Ravenhill emphasizes the necessity of being born again, arguing that mere morality is insufficient for true spiritual transformation. He critiques the modern church's focus on superficiality and calls for a deeper understanding of biblical regeneration, highlighting that true Christianity is about receiving Christ into one's life rather than just adhering to moral standards. Ravenhill illustrates his points with historical references and personal anecdotes, stressing that the essence of salvation is a radical change of heart and life, which is only possible through the Holy Spirit. He urges believers to seek a genuine baptism of obedience and to recognize the urgency of the gospel message in a world increasingly detached from God.
The New Birth - Part 2
By Derek Prince9.9K28:46New BirthMAT 6:33JHN 14:26ROM 6:232CO 5:17GAL 2:20PHP 4:131JN 5:12In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of having the Son of God in one's life. He explains that according to the New Testament, becoming a Christian and receiving eternal life is through accepting Jesus as one's Savior. The preacher highlights Romans 6:23, which states that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. He clarifies that this gift of eternal life is found in Jesus Christ, and it is received through faith in His resurrection life. The preacher also emphasizes that Jesus came to give abundant life, contrasting this with the thief (the devil) who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. He concludes by urging listeners to open their hearts and receive Jesus as their personal Savior for eternal life.
If Any Man Be in Christ - Part 1 (Cd Quality)
By Leonard Ravenhill9.4K56:49Christ In YouMAT 6:33ROM 8:11CO 1:272CO 5:172CO 12:9GAL 2:20REV 2:18In this sermon, the preacher starts by discussing the story of Paul's shipwreck and how he cast four anchors into the sea when all hope seemed lost. He then shares a personal anecdote about a wealthy man who faced a terrifying experience during a storm on his yacht. The preacher emphasizes the importance of respecting the sea and relates it to the trials and challenges we face in life. He goes on to talk about the judgment day and how our works will be tested by fire, highlighting the significance of the quality rather than the quantity of our actions. The sermon concludes with a reflection on the Apostle Paul and his boldness in proclaiming the message of being a new creation in Christ.
Body in Christ (Reading)
By Watchman Nee9.3K27:16MAT 6:33JHN 3:3ROM 6:23ROM 8:1GAL 2:20In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes that the preaching of the word of God is not something new, but a revelation of what has already been given. The speaker highlights the importance of understanding that through faith in Christ, there is no need to repeat the struggles and willpower displayed in Romans 7. Instead, by trusting in God and allowing Him to act, believers can enter into a different law, the law of the spirit of life. The sermon also emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in imparting the blessings and grace that God has provided through Jesus Christ.
All to Jesus (Compilation)
By Compilations7.9K25:44CompilationMAT 16:24JHN 14:6ROM 8:61CO 6:18GAL 2:20EPH 6:12PHP 3:14In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of focusing on one thing in order to reach the mark set by God. He highlights the example of the Apostle Paul, who never looked back and never got involved in worldly pursuits. The preacher also mentions the idea that one must go through hardships and lose everything in order to become part of the bride of Jesus Christ. He criticizes the notion that Christianity is too difficult for the world and the church, stating that the real problem is dead fundamentalism. The sermon concludes by emphasizing the need to give Jesus Christ the right to be God in every aspect of our lives, 24/7, in order to truly experience salvation.
Two Creations (Reading)
By Watchman Nee7.3K28:11JHN 15:4ROM 6:4ROM 8:12CO 3:18GAL 2:20EPH 2:10COL 2:10In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that the work of God in our lives is mysterious and beyond our understanding. He explains that through the new birth, we receive a new and divine life that is separate from our natural life. This new creation in Christ is made possible through the cross and resurrection of Jesus. The preacher encourages believers to abide in Christ and rest in the fact that God has placed them in His Son. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on Christ rather than trying to produce fruit, as it is God's work to fulfill His promises in our lives. The sermon also highlights the distinction between the kingdom of this world, dominated by Satan, and the kingdom of God. The preacher urges believers to have faith in the objective facts of the Gospel, which will transform them and make them fruitful in their Christian walk. The key message is to continually look to Christ and see ourselves in Him, rather than focusing on our own efforts or circumstances.
Not to Be Wasted
By Paris Reidhead6.8K57:17Grace Of GodPSA 46:10MAT 6:33JHN 3:16ROM 6:61CO 10:13GAL 2:20EPH 5:18In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of dealing with sin in the way that God prescribes. He explains that when we allow sin to have dominion over us, we are robbing God of the glory that he deserves in our lives. The speaker shares a personal testimony of how he experienced the joy of being forgiven of his sins and having Christ come into his heart. He also discusses the need for victory over sin and how some may doubt its effectiveness, but he encourages the audience to consider the inexhaustible grace found in John 3:16.
Awake and Shake
By David Wilkerson6.4K56:01AwakeEXO 14:14ISA 52:1LAM 1:7GAL 2:20In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that God loves even his most disobedient children and is focused on delivering them rather than condemning them. The preacher uses the example of a captive daughter of Zion to illustrate how God approaches those who are enslaved and hurting. The preacher encourages listeners to admit their secret sins and see themselves as captive and in need of deliverance. The sermon also highlights the importance of recognizing the nothingness and helplessness of selling out to sin and urges listeners to rise up, put on strength, and stop selling out for nothing. The preacher emphasizes the need for deliverance and forgiveness, reminding listeners that God delights in their fellowship and is willing to forgive and help them overcome their sins.
The Meaning of Life - 3. Free to Be Ourselves
By Norman Grubb6.0K49:45Meaning Of LifeMAT 6:33JHN 3:16JHN 5:19JHN 14:102CO 4:18GAL 2:20HEB 4:12In this sermon, the speaker discusses the concept of replacing negative seeing with positive seeing and believing. He emphasizes the importance of living by positive seeing and choosing the authority of the word of faith as sons of God. The speaker also highlights the role of intercession and the laid down life in understanding the operations of God in fatherhood. Additionally, he mentions that the world is filled with temptations and challenges, but as believers, we have the ability to handle and overcome them. The sermon also touches on the difference between soul and spirit and the concept of entering into God's rest.
(Pdf Book) Beauty of Christ Through Brokenness
By K.P. Yohannan5.9K00:00EbooksBrokennessHumilityPSA 34:18PSA 51:17ISA 66:2MAT 5:8JHN 12:24GAL 2:20JAS 4:6K.P. Yohannan emphasizes the significance of brokenness in the Christian life, illustrating that true humility and surrender to God are essential for reflecting Christ's image. He explains that God esteems the humble and contrite, and that unbrokenness leads to pride and self-centeredness, which can hinder our relationship with Him. Through personal anecdotes and biblical examples, Yohannan encourages believers to embrace their brokenness as a pathway to spiritual fullness and to allow God to work through their weaknesses. He highlights that brokenness is not a one-time event but a continuous process that leads to transformation and a deeper connection with God. Ultimately, the beauty of Christ is revealed through our willingness to be broken and to serve others selflessly.
Cost of Discipleship - Part 12
By Paris Reidhead5.5K20:50Cost Of DiscipleshipMAT 25:35ROM 8:102CO 5:17GAL 2:20In this sermon, the speaker explains that when we open our hearts to receive Jesus Christ, we close the gap between us and God. Through faith, we can connect with God and receive His blessings. The speaker emphasizes that when we receive Jesus, we receive the broadcast from Calvary, where our sins are forgiven and we have peace with God. The sermon also shares a powerful story of a man named Karga who, despite the pain of his father's murder, chose to share the message of Christ with the people responsible. Through his testimony, many people came to know Jesus and a church was established. The sermon concludes by highlighting the mystery of the Trinity and the fact that God is present in every aspect of our lives.
Communion Service
By Alan Redpath5.2K1:25:13CommunionMAT 6:33JHN 14:16JHN 15:51CO 6:19GAL 2:20GAL 6:14PHP 4:13In this sermon, the speaker welcomes the audience to a communion service and emphasizes the importance of worshiping God with thanksgiving and music. The speaker highlights the need for both clean hands and a pure heart for admission to heaven, but also emphasizes the importance of having dirty hands and a warm heart in preparation for it. The speaker encourages the audience to be willing to be used by God to lead others to Jesus and to be humble links in a big chain. The sermon also emphasizes the need for the indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives and the importance of being crucified with Christ. The speaker shares a powerful story of a minister and his wife who took in two girls and shared the gospel with them, highlighting the importance of reaching out to those in need.
The Voice of Jesus Blood
By A.W. Tozer5.1K40:09Jesus BloodGEN 4:10MAT 6:33ROM 6:23ROM 12:1GAL 2:20HEB 10:29HEB 12:24The sermon transcript discusses various topics, including the consequences of breaking rules and the importance of having plans for the future. It also highlights the transformation of a native Christian who was once a pagan worshiping idols. The sermon emphasizes the significance of blood and the killing of a man made in God's image, calling for repentance and a revival to save the continent from destruction. The transcript concludes by stating that God became flesh to address the blood-stained world and find a solution for the sins committed against humanity.
The Truth
By Al Martin4.7K04:32MAT 7:21MAT 25:41ROM 8:13GAL 2:20This sermon emphasizes the urgency of true repentance and saving faith, challenging listeners to fully surrender to God's will and allow the cross to disrupt their self-centered lives. It warns against mere lip service to God and calls for genuine transformation through obedience to the Father's will, as evidenced by a life that reflects Christ's lordship.
It Is Finished
By Leonard Ravenhill4.6K1:01:00The Cross of ChristRedemptionCross of ChristISA 53:5MAT 27:46JHN 19:30ROM 6:141CO 15:55GAL 2:20EPH 1:10HEB 10:101PE 2:24REV 21:4Leonard Ravenhill emphasizes the profound significance of Jesus' declaration 'It is finished' from John 19:30, asserting that these words encapsulate the culmination of Old Testament prophecies and the foundation of New Testament truth. He reflects on the weight of these words, suggesting they signify the end of sin's power and the completion of redemption, contrasting the fleeting nature of modern words with the eternal impact of Christ's sacrifice. Ravenhill passionately argues that this moment terrified hell and marked the ultimate victory over sin and death, highlighting the necessity of recognizing the depth of Christ's suffering and the grace offered to humanity. He calls for believers to proclaim this truth boldly, reminding them that salvation cannot be earned but is a gift to be accepted in humility.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
I am crucified with Christ - The death of Christ on the cross has showed me that there is no hope of salvation by the law; I am therefore as truly dead to all expectation of justification by the law, as Christ was dead when he gave up the ghost upon the cross. Through him alone I live - enjoy a present life, and have a prospect of future glory. Yet not I - It is not of my natural life I speak, nor of any spiritual things which I myself have procured; but Christ liveth in me. God made man to be a habitation of his own Spirit: the law cannot live in me so as to give me a Divine life; it does not animate, but kill; but Christ lives in me; he is the soul of my soul; so that I now live to God. But this life I have by the faith of the Son of God - by believing on Christ as a sacrifice for sin; for he loved me, and because he did so he gave himself for me - made himself a sacrifice unto death, that I might be saved from the bitter pains of death eternal.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
I am crucified--literally, "I have been crucified with Christ." This more particularizes the foregoing. "I am dead" (Gal 2:19; Phi 3:10). nevertheless I live; yet not I--Greek, "nevertheless I live, no longer (indeed) I." Though crucified I live; (and this) no longer that old man such as I once was (compare Rom 7:17). No longer Saul the Jew (Gal 5:24; Col 3:11, but "another man"; compare Sa1 10:6). ELLICOTT and others translate, "And it is no longer I that live, but Christ that liveth in me." But the plain antithesis between "crucified" and "live," requires the translation, "nevertheless." the life which I now live--as contrasted with my life before conversion. in the flesh--My life seems to be a mere animal life "in the flesh," but this is not my true life; "it is but the mask of life under which lives another, namely, Christ, who is my true life" [LUTHER]. I live by the faith, &c.--Greek, "IN faith (namely), that of (that is, which rests on) the Son of God." "In faith," answers by contrast to "in the flesh." Faith, not the flesh, is the real element in which I live. The phrase, "the Son of God," reminds us that His Divine Sonship is the source of His life-giving power. loved me--His eternal gratuitous love is the link that unites me to the Son of God, and His "giving Himself for me," is the strongest proof of that love.
John Gill Bible Commentary
I am crucified with Christ,.... Not literally, for so only the two thieves were crucified with him, but mystically; Christ was crucified for him in his room and stead, and so he was crucified with him, and in him, as his head and representative. Christ sustained the persons of all his people, and what he did and suffered was in their name, and on their account, and so they were crucified and suffered with him, as they are said to be buried with him, and to be risen with him, and to sit together in heavenly places in him. Moreover, their old man was crucified with him; when he was crucified, all their sins, the whole body of them, were laid upon him, and he bore them, and bore them away, destroyed and made an end of them; they received their mortal wound by his crucifixion and death, so as never to be able to have any damning power over them; and in consequence of this the affections and lusts are crucified, and the deeds of the body of sin mortified by the Spirit and grace of God, in regeneration and sanctification, so as not to have the dominion over them; the world is crucified to them, and they to the world; and this is another reason proving that justification by Christ is no licentious doctrine. This clause is, in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, put at the end of the preceding verse. Nevertheless I live; which is to be understood, not of his natural, but of his spiritual life; the life of justification he lived, by faith, on the righteousness of Christ; and the life of sanctification which he had from Christ, by the quickening influences of his Spirit, by virtue of which he walked in newness of life. The believer is a mere paradox, he is dead to the law, and "yet lives" to God; he is crucified with Christ, and yet lives by him; yea, a crucified Christ lives in him. Yet not I; not the same I as before, but quite another man, a new creature: he did not now live as in his state of unregeneracy, and whilst in Judaism; he was not now Saul the blasphemer, the persecutor, and injurious person; nor did he now live Saul the Pharisee: or the life he had was not of his own obtaining and procuring; his life of righteousness was not of himself, but Christ; his being quickened, or having principles of life and holiness implanted in him, was not by himself, but by the Spirit; and the holy life and conversation he lived was not owing to himself, to his power and strength, but to the grace of God; or it was not properly himself, or so much he that lived, but Christ liveth in me: who was not only the author and maintainer of his spiritual life, but the life itself; he was formed in his soul, dwelt in his heart, was united to him, was one with him, whence all vital principles and vital actions sprung, and all the communion and comforts of a spiritual life flowed. And the life which I now live in the flesh; in the body, whilst in this mortal state, whereby he distinguishes that spiritual life he had from Christ, and through Christ's living in him, both from the natural life of his body, and from that eternal life he expected to live in another world; and which, he says, I live by the faith of the Son of God; meaning, not that faith which Christ, as man, had, but that of which he is the author and object, by which the just man lives; not upon it, for the believer does not live upon any of his graces, no, not upon faith, but by faith on Christ, the object; looking to him for pardon, righteousness, peace, joy, comfort, every supply of grace, and eternal salvation: which object is described as "the Son of God"; who is truly God, equal with his Father; so that he did not live upon a creature, or forsake the fountain of living waters, but upon the only begotten Son of God, who is full of grace and truth: of whom he further says, who loved me; before the foundation of the world, from everlasting, prior to his love to him; and freely, without any regard to worth or merit, and though he was a blasphemer and a persecutor; and him personally, and particularly, in a distinguishing manner, of which he had a special knowledge and application by the Spirit of God; and was a reason and argument constraining him, and prevailing on him to live to him who loved him, and died for him, or, as he adds, and gave himself for me; his whole self, his soul and body, as in union with his divine person, into the hands of justice, and unto death, in his room and stead, as an offering and sacrifice for sin, and which he did freely and voluntarily; and is a strong and full proof of his love to him. Now though Christ gave his life a ransom for many, and himself for his whole church, and all the members of his mystical body, yet the apostle speaks of this matter as singularly respecting himself, as if almost he was the only person Christ loved and died for; which shows that faith deals with Christ not in a general way, as the Saviour of the world, but with a special regard to a man's self: this is the life of faith; and these considerations of the person, love, and grace of Christ, animate and encourage faith in its exercises on him.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:20 A law-free Good News does not lead to lawlessness, as Paul’s opponents argued (2:17), because lawlessness is a response of the unredeemed. The redeemed Christian has been crucified with Christ. See also Col 2:11-14, 20-23. A Christian has laid aside the old self, which strove to achieve merit by keeping the law (cp. Rom 7:4-6). • It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me: Christians, having experienced Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom 6:1-14), have new hearts (see Jer 31:31-34; 32:38-41; Ezek 11:19-20; 36:24-31) by the indwelling power of the Spirit (see Rom 8:9-11; Eph 3:16-19; Col 1:27; 3:1-17). • I live in this earthly body: Christianity does not teach that the body is evil or that we have to escape from this world to have fellowship with God. Instead, by trusting in the Son of God, we fulfill God’s purposes for our lives. • who loved me and gave himself for me: Christ’s self-giving love makes new life possible (Gal 1:4; Rom 8:32-39; 2 Thes 2:16-17).