6 

6:18 Being then set free from sin - We may see the apostles method thus far at one view: -

1. Bondage to sin Rom 3:9
2. The knowledge of sin by the law; a sense of God's wrath; inward death Rom 3:20
3. The revelation of the righteousness of God in Christ through the gospel Rom 3:21
4. The centre of all, faith, embracing that righteousness Rom 3:22
5. Justification, whereby God forgives all past sin, and freely accepts the sinner Rom 3:24
6. The gift of the Holy Ghost; a sense of God's love new inward life Rom 5:5, Rom 6:4
7. The free service of righteousness Rom 6:12

6:19 I speak after the manner of men - Thus it is necessary that the scripture should let itself down to the language of men.Because of the weakness of your flesh - Slowness of understanding flows from the weakness of the flesh, that is, of human nature.As ye have presented your members servants to uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, so now present your members servants of righteousness unto holiness - Iniquity (whereof uncleanness is an eminent part) is here opposed to righteousness; and unto iniquity is the opposite of unto holiness. Righteousness here is a conformity to the divine will; holiness, to the whole divine nature. Observe, they who are servants of righteousness go on to holiness; but they who are servants to iniquity get no farther. Righteousness is service, because we live according to the will of another; but liberty, because of our inclination to it, and delight in it.

6:20 When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free fromrighteousness - In all reason, therefore, ye ought now to be free from unrighteousness; to be as uniform and zealous in serving God as ye were in serving the devil.

6:21 Those things - He speaks of them as afar off.

6:23 Death - Temporal, spiritual, and eternal. Is the due wages of sin; but eternal life is the gift of God - The difference is remarkable. Evil works merit the reward they receive: good works do not. The former demand wages: the latter accept a free gift.

8 

8:5 There came to him a centurion - A captain of a hundred Roman soldiers. Probably he came a little way toward him, and then went back. He thought himself not worthy to come in person, and therefore spoke the words that follow by his messengers. As it is not unusual in all languages, so in the Hebrew it is peculiarly frequent, to ascribe to a person himself the thing which is done, and the words which are spoken by his order. And accordingly St.Matthew relates as said by the centurion himself, what others said by order from him. An instance of the same kind we have in the case of Zebedee's children. From St. Matthew, Mat 20:20, we learn it was their mother that spoke those words, which, Mar 10:35, Mar 10:37, themselves are said to speak; because she was
only their mouth. Yet from Mat 8:13, Go thy way home, it appears he at
length came in person, probably on hearing that Jesus was nearer to his house than he apprehended when he sent the second message by his friends. Luk 7:1.

8:8  The centurion answered - By his second messengers.

8:9  For I am a man under authority - I am only an inferior officer: and what I command, is done even in my absence: how much more what thou commandest, who art Lord of all!

8:10  I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel - For the centurion was not an Israelite.

8:11  Many from the farthest parts of the earth shall embrace the terms and enjoy the rewards of the Gospel covenant established with Abraham. But the Jews, who have the first title to them, shall be shut out from the feast; from grace here, and hereafter from glory. Luk 13:29.

8:12  The outer darkness - Our Lord here alludes to the custom the ancients had of making their feast in the night time. Probably while he was speaking this, the centurion came in person.