Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: Moreover the law entered, х pareiseelthen (G3922)] - 'entered incidentally' or 'parenthetically.' It is important 'to preserve this shade of meaning, which the compound word certainly conveys, and which-though not always intended to be pressed-was here, we think, plainly designed to be conveyed. Several of the Greek fathers advert to it; the Vulgate expresses it [subintravit]; and Calvin [intervenit]. Beza, whom our version has done ill here in following, sinks it [introiit]; but it is recognized by nearly every modern critic, from Erasmus downward. Bengel, with his usual acuteness, notices that this compound verb-`the law entered subordinately'-is designed as the antithesis to the simple one, "sin entered," in Romans 5:12; adding, 'Sin is older than the law.' In Galatians 2:4 the same word is by our translators properly rendered, "came in privily." The meaning, then, here is, that the promulgatior of the law at Sinai was no primary or essential feature of the divine plan, but it was "added" (Galatians 3:19) for a subordinate purpose-the more fully to reveal the evil occasioned by Adam, and the need and glory of the remedy by Christ.
That the offence ('the trespass') - meaning, as throughout all this section, 'the one first transgression of Adam,'
Might abound, х pleonasee (G4121)] - literally, 'might be more,' or 'be multiplied.' The immediate reference is not to the recognition and sense of sin by men themselves, although that is the natural result [for, as Philippi says, the apostle does not write hina (G2443) pleonasee (G4121) hee (G3588) epignoosis (G1922) tees (G3588) hamartias (G266)]. God intended, says the apostle, by the giving of the law to make it appear that the multiplied breaches of it which would certainly ensue were but the varied activity of that first transgression, and so to show what a fearful thing that first sin was-as not only "entering into the world," but becoming the active principle and constitutive character of the whole race. It is as if the apostle had said, 'All our multitudinous breaches of the law are nothing but that one first offence, lodged mysteriously in the bosom of every child of Adam as an offending principle, and multiplying itself into myriads of particular offences in the life of each.' What was one act of disobedience in the head has been converted into a vital and virulent principle of disobedience in all the members of the human family, whose every act of willful rebellion proclaims itself the child of the original transgression.
But where sin abounded ('was multiplied'), grace did much more abound, х hupereperisseusen (G5248)] - rather, 'did exceedingly abound,' or 'superabound.' The comparison here is between the multiplication of one offence into countless transgressions, and such an overflow of grace as more than meets that appalling case.