Bible Commentaries
Romans 12

Verses 1-21

XII 1-XV 12 The Moral Section of the Epistle = Exhortations—The purpose of these chapters evidently is to conclude the epistle with counsel and advice for the Christians of Rome in their daily life.

Plan. None of the various plans that have been drawn up to present the contents of these chapters in the form of a logical scheme has found general consent. The reason seems to be that the Apostle passes from one point to the next as he pleases without following any prearranged plan. It may, however, be convenient, to distinguish: A. 12:1-13:13, general exhortations; B. 14:1-15:13, exhortations to the Strong and the Weak at Rome.

XII 1-XIII 14 General Exhortations— These two chapters contain a series of exhortations which cannot be brought under one heading. But it is customary. to treat them together as a separate group because of what follows, 14:1-15:13. This long discussion of the relation between the Strong and the Weak evidently stands out as a section by itself.

Plan. No more than a separation of the main exhortations can be attempted. ’The arrangement followed in this commentary is: (1) 12:1-2, the Christian’s service of God; (2) 12:3-8, the various functions in the Church; (3) 12:9-16, various precepts; (4) 12:17-21, love your enemies; (5) 13:1-7, the Christian and the State; (6) 13:8-10, charity (7) 13:11-14, vigilance.

XII 1-2 The Christian’s Service of God, or consecration of body and soul to the service of God—The Apostle begins with an exhortation which many commentators would like to treat as Paul’s one basic moral principle. Moral theologians reject this claim as exaggerated. Yet it helps to bring out the importahce of these two verses and to explain the extraordinary length of the commentaries.

The main idea is, no doubt, the consecration of body and soul to the service of God. This idea is not new, cf. 6:12-23; 8:12-17. Its expression in 1-2, however, is of special interest because of the liturgical language employed in 1. Serving God with one’s body (and soul?) is here described as the Christian’s sacrifice and worship. This worship is then further recommended as one that is ’reasonable’ and the sacrifice as one that is ’living, holy and well-pleasing to God’. To look at our moral duties in this way has always been found striking, helpful and worthy of the highest praise. See Chrysostom’s explanation showing how our eyes, tongue, ears, hands and feet can and should take their share in this sacrifice and worship. On the other hand, this liturgical presentation of our moral duties must not be exaggerated so that it becomes the one and only true Christian sacrifice and worship; cf. A. Keogh, The Ministry in the Apostolic Church, WV III224-42. It must be remembered that this liturgical language is metaphorical as in Philippians 2:17; Philippians 4:18; 2 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 2:16; Romans 15:16. A mere dictionary interpretation easily reads too much into the text.

1. The meaning of this verse is often limited to the body exclusively, so that it becomes a warning against sins forbidden by the 6th Commandment and an exhortation to purity, like 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5. This interpretation is unnecessarily narrow; cf. the use of ’body’ in 6:12-23; 7:4-6; 8:11 f. To be a sacrifice that is ’living, holy and pleasing to God’, all spheres of life must be included. ??????? = reasonable, DV; spiritual, WV; cf. 1:9, Deuteronomy 11:13; John 4:24. The exact meaning depends on the contrast intended. This contrast some would find in the forms of worship observed by. Israel according to the OT. But these forms cannot be called un-reasonable. Others, therefore, see the contrast in the forms of worship observed by the pagans of the time. This explanation implies that St Paul regarded the pagan liturgy as unreasonable, which is quite plausible. In any case, the mistake to be avoided is to regard this verse as presenting the one and only ’reasonable’ Christian worship. For history of exegesis see Cornely and Lietzmann. 2. If the wider interpretation of v 1 be accepted then 2 becomes parallel to it. 2c. ’That you may discern what is the will of God, i.e. that which is good, and well pleasing, and perfect’: The three adjectives seem to be in apposition.

3-8 Let Everybody be Content with his Function in the Mystical Body of Christ, i.e. the Church—Every Christian must be content with that position, function or work that has been assigned to him in the Church through his ’measure of faith’, the special grace, charisma or talent, given to him by God. All who argue differently lack sobriety—moderation, temperance and humility. They forget that the Church is a community and as such like a human body in which the perfect service of every part, small and great is necessary, for the welfare of the others. The allotment of the different functions (= charismata) in the Church is the work of God. The Christian’s duty is to fulfil his task as best he can, no matter whether his task is (1) prophecy or (2) some other service such as (3) teaching, (4) preaching, (5) almsgiving, (6) organizing, (7) performing works of mercy.

Connexion. The reason for this exhortation may have been Paul’s vivid recollection of the recent disturbances in the church of Corinth dealt with in 1 Corinthians 12:1-1Co_14:40. At all events these three chapters of 1 Cor are the best commentary on 3-8.Plan. The sequence of thought can be made easier by distinguishing (1) 3-5, the Mystical Body of Christ as the principle on which all community spirit in the Church is to be based; (2) 6-8, the application of this principle to seven different activities in the Church.The doctrinal importance of the passage is its bearing (1) on the charismata = gratiae gratis datae, and (2) on the unity of the Church. The larger commentaries discuss here also (3) the relationship between the charismata of 6-8 and the regular early Christian Ministry, e.g. SH 358-60. 5. ’Even so we many are one body in Christ and members each of the other’, WV. The human body is frequently used by St Paul as an image of the Christian community = Church, cf.1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:15, Colossians 1:18.6-8 contain the application of the principle of the Mystical Body laid down in 3-5; cf.1 Corinthians 12:27-30 as the application of 1 Corinthians 12:12-26. The same idea also in 1 Peter 4:9-11. The structure is difficult because of a double anacoluthon. Hence the additions to the text in the translations: . . . [to be used] according to . . . v 6, DV; . . . [then let it be] in ministering, v 7, Boylan. KNT divides ’the one sentence into four. 6. ?at? Ý?? ??a???ía? tð+?? píste?? = secundum rationem fidei, Vg; in conformity with the faith: is a very much discussed phrase. There are two main. interpretations: (1) = according to the rule of faith, DV. Then the/meaning is, let prophecy be checked by what is established Christian doctrine (= fides quae creditur) and there will be no room or occasion for such subjectivism, extravagances or exaggerations as bring the charisma of prophecy into disrepute. (2) = as far as the measure of his faith will let him (scil. the prophet), KNT; cf. also WV note on 12:3. Then the meaning is, let every prophet keep to the measure of the faith (charisma) assigned to him by God (= fides qua creditur), and say nothing except what his charisma of faith prompts him to say. If the prophets are honest, then there will be no abuse. Both explanations agree that Paul’s object is to encourage the right use of the gift of prophecy and to check abuses. The first explanation suits this purpose better, because the rule of faith, the doctrine or contents of the faith, offers an objective means for checking any extravagant prophecy, cf.Galatians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:21.

9-16 Further Precepts of Christian Morals— It is a common and tempting suggestion to regard this paragraph, in view of its beginning in, 9, 10a, as a treatment of the commandment of charity. But the precepts which follow this beginning vary so much that they cannot easily be brought under any one heading; and the commandment of charity is more fully treated in 13:8-10.

The style of 9-16 is aphoristic and elliptic. The free transition from participles to imperatives, to infinitives and then to imperatives again is not in accordance with the rules of syntax. 11 c. On the inferior reading ’serving the time’, cf. H. A. W. Meyer and Lietzmann. 13. On the virtue of hospitality, cf.,Titus 1:8; Hebrews 13:2; 2 Jn 10 f.; K. Vaughan 171; Hasting’s Dictionary of the Apost. Church I ( 1915) 586. 14 cannot be a quotation of Luke 6:28, but it may be a reminiscence of our Lord’s words, cf. 13:9 f.; Matthew 5:44; 1 Corinthians 4:12; Lietzmann.

17-21 Conduct towards Enemies— From duties towards neighbours in general, 9-16, St Paul passes on to conduct towards unfriendly neighbours in particular. Whether the enemies whom the Apostle has here in mind were Christians or non-Christians cannot be decided for certain, nor would it seem necessary to make this distinction. The rules of 17-21 apply in either case.

Similar views on conduct towards enemies. The topics of anger, envy, strife, contention, hatred, enmity, punishment, revenge, war, etc., figure largely in all parts of the Bible. For a collection of references see K. Vaughan 177-81. The main parallels to the Christian teaching in the OT are Exodus 23:4 f.; Proverbs 25:21. See also the, literature on the imprecatory Pss and on Matthew 5:38-48. Every Christian discussion of the subject must start from the relevant passage in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:38-48. To this St Paul’s short treatment here adds nothing new, except his proofs from the OT, Deuteronomy 32:35; Proverbs 25:21 f. The rabbinical theology of NT times does not seem to have had a clear and authoritative teaching on the subject ’love thy enemy’, cf. SB 368 ff. on Matthew 5:44; III 301 f. on Romans 12:20. A parallel from classical literature that may be quoted is Plato, Rep. I335, where Socrates rejects the popular maxim ’do good to thy friend, and harm to thy enemy’ (Gifford). For more but doubtful parallels see * C. T. Ramage, Scripture Parallels 1878, 280-3. Our textbooks of moral theology treat the various aspects of the commandment ’love thy enemy’ under the sins against charity, under the 5th commandment and under the capital sins of anger and envy. To avoid wrong conclusions from 17-21 it must be remembered generally that Paul is concerned with the Christian’s private conduct towards his enemies. The right and duty of the State to punish and control what is evil, is not in his mind. With this he deals in the next passage, 13:1-7.20. ’Coals of fire’: have been understood as a metaphor (1) for the feelings of shame and remorse, (2) for God’s judgments.