Dying to the Law, Belonging to Another: Aorist Passives, Purpose Clauses, and Union with the Risen Christ

ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐθανατώθητε τῷ νόμῳ διὰ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι ὑμᾶς ἑτέρῳ, τῷ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγερθέντι, ἵνα καρποφορήσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ. (Romans 7:4)

Dead to Law, Alive to Fruitfulness

In Romans 7:4, Paul uses a striking metaphor to describe the believer’s transition from the dominion of the Law to life in Christ. The grammar of the verse is rich and theological: we see an aorist passive verb, a telic infinitive, a relative clause, and a final purpose clause that brings it all together.

This verse is a theological masterpiece, and its Greek syntax is the frame that holds it in place. Let’s unpack it phrase by phrase.

1. Logical Result: ὥστε, ἀδελφοί μου

• ὥστε – A conjunction introducing a result clause, “so then” or “therefore”
• ἀδελφοί μου – “my brothers,” a warm personal address

Paul is drawing a conclusion from what he has argued earlier — namely, that the Law’s dominion ceases at death (Romans 7:1–3). This sets the tone for a legal transfer of relational status.

2. Aorist Passive: ἐθανατώθητε τῷ νόμῳ

• ἐθανατώθητε – Aorist Passive Indicative, 2nd Person Plural of θανατόω, “to put to death”
• τῷ νόμῳ – Dative of agent or means, “by the Law” or “to the Law”

This verb is crucial. It is aorist passive, indicating a completed past action where the subject (believers) is acted upon. The Law’s binding authority ends with death, and Paul says:
“You were put to death in relation to the Law.”

3. Instrumental Phrase: διὰ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ

• διά + genitive – “through,” indicating instrument or means
• τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ – “the body of Christ”

This clarifies how the believer dies to the Law: not by literal death, but through union with Christ’s crucified body.

4. Purpose Infinitive: εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι ὑμᾶς ἑτέρῳ

This phrase is profoundly theological and syntactically rich:

• εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι – A telic infinitive (“for the purpose of becoming”)
• ὑμᾶς – Accusative subject of the infinitive: “you”
• ἑτέρῳ – Dative masculine singular, “to another” (i.e., a new relational partner)

This grammar echoes the marriage analogy in Romans 7:2–3: once a spouse dies, the survivor is free to belong to another. So too here — believers die to the Law in order to belong to Christ.

5. Relative Clause: τῷ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγερθέντι

• ἐκ νεκρῶν – “from the dead”
• ἐγερθέντι – Aorist Passive Participle, Dative Masculine Singular of ἐγείρω, “to raise”

This identifies the “Other” to whom believers now belong — the One who was raised from the dead. It’s a participial clause modifying ἑτέρῳ.

6. Purpose Clause: ἵνα καρποφορήσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ

• ἵνα – “in order that,” introducing a purpose clause
• καρποφορήσωμεν – Aorist Active Subjunctive, 1st Person Plural of καρποφορέω, “to bear fruit”
• τῷ Θεῷ – Dative of advantage: “to God” or “for God”

This is the spiritual goal of the whole transition:
That we might bear fruit for God.
The aorist subjunctive shows this is not a vague hope but a decisive result intended by divine design.

Theological Syntax: From Law-Bound to Christ-Bound

Let’s trace the grammar-flow:

1. Result: You died to the Law
2. Means: Through the body of Christ
3. Purpose: To belong to the Risen One
4. Final Goal: That you might bear fruit to God

This is theology expressed in verb tenses, prepositional phrases, and purpose clauses.

Living the Grammar of Resurrection

Romans 7:4 proclaims that believers are no longer married to the Law — they have died to it, through Christ’s death. The grammatical structure emphasizes new identity, relational change, and fruitful purpose.

This isn’t just theological theory — it’s a new grammar of life:
Dead to the Law, alive to bear fruit for God.