Romans 6:3 - Dead to Sin, Alive to God

Or aren’t you aware
This phrase suggests a reminder or a rhetorical question, indicating that the audience should already know the truth being presented. Paul often uses rhetorical questions to engage his readers and emphasize important theological points. This approach is common in his letters, as seen in Romans 11:2 and 1 Corinthians 6:19, where he challenges the readers' understanding to deepen their comprehension of spiritual truths.

that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus
Baptism in the early Christian context was a significant rite of initiation, symbolizing the believer's identification with Christ. The phrase "baptized into Christ Jesus" implies a spiritual union with Him. In Galatians 3:27, Paul similarly states that those who are baptized into Christ have "clothed" themselves with Him, indicating a transformation and new identity. The act of baptism is not merely a ritual but a profound declaration of faith and allegiance to Jesus.

were baptized into His death?
This phrase highlights the theological concept of believers participating in the death of Christ through baptism. It signifies dying to sin and the old self, as explained further in Romans 6:4-6. The imagery of being "baptized into His death" connects to the idea of being buried with Christ, which is a precursor to being raised to new life. This concept is echoed in Colossians 2:12, where Paul speaks of being buried with Christ in baptism and raised through faith. The death of Christ is central to Christian theology, representing the atonement for sin and the pathway to reconciliation with God.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the Book of Romans, Paul was a key figure in the early Christian church, known for his missionary journeys and theological teachings.

2. Christ Jesus
Central to the Christian faith, Jesus is the Son of God, whose life, death, and resurrection are foundational to Christian doctrine.

3. Baptism
A Christian sacrament of initiation and purification, symbolizing the believer's identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

4. The Roman Church
The recipients of Paul's letter, the early Christian community in Rome, which was composed of both Jewish and Gentile believers.

Teaching Points

Understanding Baptism
Baptism is not merely a ritual but a profound spiritual reality that signifies our union with Christ in His death and resurrection.

Identity in Christ
Being baptized into Christ means that our identity is now found in Him, and we are called to live in accordance with this new identity.

Death to Sin
Just as Christ died and was raised, baptism symbolizes our death to sin and our new life in righteousness.

Unity with Believers
Baptism is a communal act that unites us with other believers, signifying our membership in the body of Christ.

Living Out Our Baptism
Our daily lives should reflect the transformation that baptism signifies, as we walk in newness of life.

(3) Know ye not.--It should be as in the Greek, Or know ye not. Do you not admit this principle; or am I to suppose that you are ignorant? &c.

Were baptized into Jesus Christ--i.e., "into communion with Him and incorporation in His mystical body" (Ellicott on Galatians 3:27). "As many of you as have been baptised in Christ have put on Christ." Your baptism signified an intimately close and indissoluble attachment to Christ.

Were baptized into his death.--And this attachment had a special relation to His death. It involved a communion or fellowship with His death. This fellowship is ethical, i.e., it implies a moral conduct corresponding to that relation to Christ which it assumes.

Why has baptism this special connection with the death of Christ? In the first place, the death of Christ is the central and cardinal fact of the Christian scheme. It is specially related to justification, and justification proceeds from faith, which is ratified in baptism. In the second place, the symbolism of baptism was such as naturally to harmonise with the symbolism of death. It was the final close of one period, and the beginning of another--the complete stripping off of the past and putting on of the "new man."

Verse 3. - Or know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death! η}, if taken in the sense of "or," at the beginning of ver. 3, will be understood if we put what is meant thus: Do you not know that we have all died to sin? Or are you really ignorant of what your very baptism meant? But cf. Romans 7:1, where the same expression occurs, and where η} appears only to imply a question. The expression βαππτίζεσθαι εἰς οξξυρσ also in 1 Corinthians 10:2 and Galatians 3:27; in the first of these texts with reference to the Israelites and Moses. It denotes the entering by baptism into close union with a person, coming to belong to him, so as to be in a sense identified with him. In Galatians 3:27 being baptized into Christ is understood as implying putting him on (ἐνεδύσασθε) The phrases, βαπτιξεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι, or ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι, or εἰς τὸ ὄνομα, were understood to imply the same idea, though not so plainly expressing it. Thus St. Paul rejoiced that he had not himself baptized many at Corinth, lest it might have been said that he had baptized them into his own name (εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα), i.e. into such connection with himself as baptism implied with Christ alone. Doubtless in the instruction which preceded baptism this significance of the sacrament would be explained. And if "into Christ," then "into his death." "In Christum, inquam, totum, adeoque in mortem ejus baptizatur" (Bengel). The whole experience of Christ was understood to have its counterpart in those who were baptized into him; in them was understood a death to sin, corresponding to his actual death. This, too, would form part of the instruction of catechumens. St. Paul often presses it as what he conceives to be well understood; and in subsequent verses of this chapter he further explains what he means. Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

Or
ἢ (ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

aren’t you aware
ἀγνοεῖτε (agnoeite)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 50: To do not know, be ignorant of, sometimes with the idea of willful ignorance.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

all of
ὅσοι (hosoi)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3745: How much, how great, how many, as great as, as much. By reduplication from hos; as As.

us who were baptized
ἐβαπτίσθημεν (ebaptisthēmen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 907: Lit: I dip, submerge, but specifically of ceremonial dipping; I baptize.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

Christ
Χριστὸν (Christon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦν (Iēsoun)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

were baptized
ἐβαπτίσθημεν (ebaptisthēmen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 907: Lit: I dip, submerge, but specifically of ceremonial dipping; I baptize.

into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

death?
θάνατον (thanaton)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2288: Death, physical or spiritual. From thnesko; death.

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