Ver. 15. — For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not, but what I hate, that do I.
For. — This verse explains and confirms the preceding. That which I do, I allow not. — Literally, I know not. The English word know, as well as the word in the original, is often used as implying recognition or acknowledgment. We are said not to know a person whom we do not choose to recognize. Paul committed sin, but he did not recognize or approve it. He disclaimed all friendly acquaintance with it. For what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. — Every man, regenerate or unregenerate, must be sensible of the truth of this, so far as it imports that he does what he knows to be wrong. As there is no regenerate man in whom this is not verified, it cannot be confined to the unregenerate. But as it is of the regenerate the Apostle is here speaking, — that is, as he is speaking of himself at the time of writing, — it is necessary to apply it here peculiarly to the regenerate. Besides, as it is said that he did what he hated, it must be here applied exclusively to the regenerate. Though an unregenerate man disapproves of evil, he cannot be said to hate sin. This is characteristic of the regenerate, and of such only: ‘Ye that love the Lord, hate evil,’ Psalm 97:10. It is characteristic of the Redeemer Himself: ‘Thou hast loved righteousness an hated iniquity,’ Hebrews 1:9. The following words are decisive on the subject: — ’The fear of the Lord is to hate evil,’ Proverbs 8:13. Some suppose that what the Apostle says in this verse is to the same purpose with the noted heathen confession, ‘Video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor. ’ — ’ I see what is better and approve of it; I follow what is worse.’ But these propositions are not at all identical. The heathen confesses that he practices what he knows to be wrong, but his inconsistency arises from the love of the evil. Paul confesses that he does what is wrong, but declares that instead of loving the evil, he regards it with hatred and abhorrence.
