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:
- Result: You died to the Law
- Means: Through the body of Christ
- Purpose: To belong to the Risen One
- 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.