Romans 8:23

“And not only they, but ourselves also, etc..] Not only they Gentiles, but we Jews likewise: which have the firstfruits of the Spirit: meaning either the apostles, who were all Jews, and who most of them received the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit on the day of “Pentecost”, which was the day of the firstfruits, (<042826>Numbers 28:26); and to which there seems to be an allusion here; or else the Jewish converts in general: to the Jews the promises of the Messiah were made; to them he first came; the Gospel was first preached unto them, and some of them first believed in Christ; they had the grace of God communicated to them in conversion, which they received as the firstfruits, with…”

“And not only they, but ourselves also--or "not only [so], but even we ourselves"--that is, besides the inanimate creation. which have the first-fruits of the Spirit--or, "the Spirit as the first-fruits" of our full redemption (compare Co2 1:22), moulding the heart to a heavenly frame and attempering it to its future element. even we ourselves--though we have so much of heaven already within us. groan within ourselves--under this "body of sin and death," and under the manifold "vanity and vexation of spirit" that are written upon every object and every pursuit and every enjoyment under the sun. waiting for the--manifestation of our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body--from the grave:…”

“And not only they - Not only the creation in general. “But ourselves also.” Christians. Which have the first-fruits of the Spirit - The word used ἀπαρχὴ aparchē denotes properly the first-fruits of the harvest, the portion that was first collected and consecrated to God as an offering of gratitude, Deuteronomy 26:2; Exodus 23:19; Numbers 18:13. Hence, the word means what is first in order of time. Here it means, as I suppose, that the Christians of whom Paul was speaking had partaken of the first influences of the Spirit, or had been among the first partakers of his influences in converting sinners. The Spirit had been sent down to attend the preaching of the gospel, and they were among…”

“And even we, who have the first - fruits of the Spirit - That is, the Spirit, who is the first - fruits of our inheritance. The adoption - Persons who had been privately adopted among the Romans were often brought forth into the forum, and there publicly owned as their sons by those who adopted them. So at the general resurrection, when the body itself is redeemed from death, the sons of God shall be publicly owned by him in the great assembly of men and angels. The redemption of our body - From corruption to glory and immortality. Romans 8:24”

“8:23 we believers also groan: “Groaning” expresses a frustrated longing for God’s deliverance from the difficulties and oppression of this life (see Exod 3:7; Lam 1:22; Ezek 24:17; 2 Cor 5:2). • we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory (literally we have the first harvest of the Spirit): In the Old Testament, the phrase first harvest or firstfruits often describes the offering of the first and best part of a harvest to God (see Exod 23:19; Lev 2:12; 23:10; cp. 1 Cor 15:20, 23). The Holy Spirit is God’s pledge that he will see his work in us through to its conclusion (see Eph 1:14). • Although we have already been adopted by God as his children, the full rights of that…”

“which have: Rom 8:15, Rom 8:16, Rom 5:5; Co2 5:5; Gal 5:22, Gal 5:23; Eph 1:14, Eph 5:9 even we: Rom 8:26, Rom 7:24; Co2 5:2-4, Co2 7:5; Phi 1:21-23; Pe1 1:7 waiting: Rom 8:19, Rom 8:25; Luk 20:36; Phi 3:20, Phi 3:21; Ti2 4:8; Tit 2:13; Heb 9:28; Jo1 3:2 the redemption: Luk 21:28; Eph 1:14, Eph 4:30 Romans 8:24”