Bible Commentaries
Romans 12

Verse 1

2:1 Rom 12:1. Beseech or earnestly exhort, by the mercies of God, in view of the mercy shown in chapter 11:32. Present means to offer willingly something to another, not to have it taken from us by force. Living sacrifice in contrast with the dead creatures that were offered on the brazen altar. Holy, acceptable to God. The Jews could offer only such animals as were not defective. Christians must have their bodies "washed with pure water" (Heb 10:22), and also have the carnal thoughts and practices "mortified" (put to death, Col 3:5). Reasonable is explained by Thayer to mean, "the worship which is rendered by the reason or soul." It is a contrast. to the literal or fleshly sacrifices offered under the Mosaic system.

Verse 2

2:2 Rom 12:2. Be not conformed or be not like the things of this world. Be transformed means to be changed to a different form of living. Renewing of your mind denotes a "complete change for the better" in the desires and motives of the mind. Prove or demonstrate by living it out that the will of God is a good and acceptable way of living.

Verse 3

2:3 Rom 12:3. -The grace given unto Paul was the favor of inspiration. That authorized him to make the following statements. To think more highly means esteeming oneself overmuch; being "vain and arrogant." Think soberly or moderately concerning one's talents or natural gifts. We know the apostle means such gifts for chapter 1:11 shows this church did not then possess any miraculous or spiritual gifts. Measure of faith means that God-given natural capacity to absorb the instruction in the word of God (the source of faith, chapter 10:17), thus becoming able to try out in practice the particular talent or talents that one has.

Verse 4

4-5 Rom 12:4-5. The human body is used as an illustration of the body of Christ, because the members of the fleshly body each have a separate office or use. The various members of the body of Christ have individual parts to perform in the spiritual life.

Verse 6

2:6 Rom 12:6. Gifts is from the same Greek word as "gift" in 1Co 7:7, where the context shows it means a gift of nature and not a miraculous one. According to the grace is explained at verse 3. According to Thay-er's lexicon, to prophesy means, "To break forth under sudden impulse in lofty discourse or in praise of the divine counsels." In 1Co 14:3-4, Paul shows that one form of prophesying is to speak "to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." Prophesying, then, does not necessarily mean to speak with a spiritual gift.

Verse 7

2:7 Rom 12:7. Ministry means that service to others that their condition requires. If a man has the ability to teach, let him attend to that as his personal work

Verse 8

2:8 Rom 12:8. To exhort means to insist on the performance of known duties. Giveth is from METADIDOMI, and Thay-er's first definition is, "To share a thing with any one." Simplicity is from HAPLOTES, and it has been rendered in the King James Version by, bountifulness, liberality, singleness. He that ruleth applies to the elders since they are the only rulers in the church. They are to be diligent and "watch" the conduct of the members to see that it is not such as to endanger their souls. (See Heb 13:17.) When administering to the distress of another let it be done cheerfully, and not in the spirit of one who does it merely because it is a duty he has to perform.

Verse 9

2:9 Rom 12:9. Dissimulation means hypocrisy; do not merely pretend to love another. Abhor is from APOSTUGEO which Strong defines, "to detest utterly," and cleave is from KALLAO, which the same author defines, "to glue, i.e., to stick." The thought is that Christians should not be halfhearted in their opposition to evil or support of the good.

Verse 10

:10 Rom 12:10. Kindly affectioned is defined in the lexicon, "loving affection, prone to love, loving tenderly." Brotherly love is from PHILADELPHIA, and Thayer's definition is, "in the New Testament the love which Christians cherish for each other as 'brethren.' " Honor means respect or esteem, and preferring is defined, "To go before and show the way." The thought is to be a leader and set an example in showing respect for others.

Verse 11

:11 Rom 12:11. Business is from SPOUDE, which Thayer defines, "Haste, with haste; earnestness, diligence," and the original for slothful is defined, "sluggish, slothful, backward." The thought is that Christians should not be indifferent about the activities of the service for Christ. The remainder of the verse means virtually the same thing.

Verse 12

:12 Rom 12:12. Rejoicing in hope. A Christian does not have to be in possession of the crown of life to rejoice, but he can rejoice over the hope of receiving it; that will cause him to be patient in tribuation, and continue to be a prayerful disciple.

Verse 13

:13 Rom 12:13. Necessity is from a word that means a state of destitution that the Christian is here told to relieve. Thayer defines the original for given, "to seek after eagerly," and that for hospitality, "love to strangers" (Heb 13:2).

Verse 14

:14 Rom 12:14. Bless is from EULOGEO and means "to invoke [wish for] blessings," while curse means to wish that some ill fortune will come upon our persecutors.

Verse 15

:15 Rom 12:15. This verse means to share in the feelings of others over their condition, whether it be favorable or otherwise. This is taught also in 1Co 12:26.

Verse 16

:16 Rom 12:16. Be of the same mind. Be interested in the same things that concern our brother. (See preceding verse.) Men is not in the original; the sentence denotes an interest in common or lowly things rather than craving that which is lofty. Own conceits is from the original terms that mean "yourselves." The sentence means not to be conceited over one's individual wisdom, being like Job's friends to whom he said in irony, "Wisdom shall die with you" (Job 12:2).

Verse 17

:17 Rom 12:17. The first sentence means not to retaliate or do an enemy a wrong because he has done to us that way. Provide things honest. Live so that no one can reproach you.

Verse 18

:18 Rom 12:18. Jas 3:17 teaches that divine wisdom requires peace that is in harmony with the truth "from above." Our present verse requires peace on the same terms.

Verse 19

:19 Rom 12:19. An evildoer deserves to be treated with revenge, but Christians are not the ones to inflict it. The Lord says vengeance is mine, therefore the passage means to give place unto [divine] wrath.

Verse 20

:20 Rom 12:20. The first part of this verse is the same in thought as that in verse 14. Coals of fire is figurative, meaning that an act of kindness will bring a tortured conscience upon an enemy that will be like fire on top of his head:

Verse 21

:21 Rom 12:21. In the conflict between evil and good, let the disciple of Christ so conduct himself that he will be the conqueror and win the battle for the good. This is virtually the same thought as that in the preceding verse.