Help with Romans 8:10

Teaching on this passage soon (Rom. 8:10) and I'm hoping to get some opinions on how we ought to understand Paul, here.

"But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness." (ESV)

It seems that the popular interpretation used to be that both the 'body' and the 'spirit' are references to the human body and spirit (two contemporaries I read which hold to this are Sproul and MacArthur). However, the bulk of modern commentators seem to understand the body as the human body (since Paul speaks of resurrection in the following verse) and the spirit as the Holy Spirit (since He is clearly the 'Spirit' discussed in vv. 1-9, 11) (see Moo; Schreiner; Murray).

I currently understand Paul to mean something similar to this: 'Although your body will die because of sin, your body will experience renewed life because of the work of the Spirit [I get this from Paul's discussion of the Resurrection in the following verse]. Ultimately, the Spirit will bring about this new life to your body [or, rather, a new body] because of the imputed righteousness of Christ.'

Thoughts?

TheThirdandReformedAdam said:

[or, rather, a new body]

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Perhaps you just miss-spoke in the above. We never get a new body but rather new properties are infused into our earthly bodies. The changed body is called a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:44) But I assume you know this too.

CHAPTER VIII. Of Christ the Mediator

IV. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake;y which that he might discharge, he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfil it; endured most grievous torments immediately in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified, and died; was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. On the third day he arose from the dead, with the same body in which he suffered; with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father, making intercession; and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.

CHAPTER XXXII. Of the State of Men after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead

II. At the last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be changed: and all the dead shall be raised up with the self-same bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls for ever.

III. The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonour; the bodies of the just, by his Spirit, unto honour, and be made conformable to his own glorious body.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 and through verse 54
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Job 19:26
And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

And many other verses...

TheThirdandReformedAdam said:

I currently understand Paul to mean something similar to this: 'Although your body will die because of sin, your body will experience renewed life because of the work of the Spirit

Click to expand...

I think Charles Hodge and you agree on the body and spirit.

Romans 8:10
And if Christ (be) in you, the body is dead because of sin, &c. As this verse is antithetical to the preceding, δέ should be rendered but: ‘If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his; but if Christ be in you, although the body must die on account of sin, the spirit shall live because of righteousness.’ The Spirit is the source of life, and wherever he dwells, there is life.

TheThirdandReformedAdam said:

Teaching on this passage soon and I'm hoping to get some opinions on how we ought to understand Paul, here.

"But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness." (ESV)

It seems that the popular interpretation used to be that both the 'body' and the 'spirit' are references to the human body and spirit (two contemporaries I read which hold to this are Sproul and MacArthur). However, the bulk of modern commentators seem to understand the body as the human body (since Paul speaks of resurrection in the following verse) and the spirit as the Holy Spirit (since He is clearly the 'Spirit' discussed in vv. 1-9, 11) (see Moo; Schreiner; Murray).

I currently understand Paul to mean something similar to this: 'Although your body will die because of sin, your body will experience renewed life because of the work of the Spirit [I get this from Paul's discussion of the Resurrection in the following verse]. Ultimately, the Spirit will bring about this new life to your body [or, rather, a new body] because of the imputed righteousness of Christ.'

Thoughts?

Click to expand...

That sounds pretty good, as indeed, we will all experience in the Second Coming a physical resurrection into a glorified state!

It will likely depend on how one understands verse 2, the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

There is a middle option, and that is to take "spirit" as renewed human nature that has been made alive by the Spirit.