Romans 12:1

οὖν. Cf. Romans 5:1; Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 3:1. The exhortation presents the true state of a Christian as the consequence of all that has gone before.

ἀδελφοί. The appeal is to their realisation of their relation to each other and to the Father.

διὰ τῶν οἰ. τ. θ. Cf. Romans 15:30; 1 Corinthians 1:10; and esp. 2 Corinthians 10:1. The compassionate dealings (plur.) of GOD enforce the exhortation: |[228] ‘If GOD so loved us …,’ ‘If then ye were raised with Christ …’ = This being GOD’s attitude towards you, make the due response. διὰ, see Romans 12:3.

[228] | parallel to

οἰκτιρμῶν. Cf. 2 Corinthians 1:3. In O.T. the compassions of GOD are the basis of the covenant with Israel; cf. Exodus 34:6; Isaiah 63:15; Luke 6:36. The plural signifies the concrete instances of compassion in all the long history, cf. Psalms 50:1 (LXX[229]), 2 Samuel 24:14. They have been the burden of the preceding Chapter s.

[229] LXX. the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament

παραστῆσαι. Cf. Romans 6:13-19; 2 Timothy 2:15, the only passages where it is the act of the man himself. Of others’ action cf. Luke 2:22; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Colossians 1:28 : of GOD’s action, 2 Corinthians 4:14; Ephesians 5:27; Colossians 1:22. The sacrificial suggestion seems to be always due to the context, not to the word itself.

τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν. Cf. σεαυτόν, 2 Tim. l.c[230]; τὰ μέλη, ἑαυτούς, vi. l.c[231] For the thought, cf. 1 Corinthians 6:20. The body is of course more than the flesh: it is the organic vehicle or instrument (ὅπλα, Romans 6:13) of the mind or spirit which it uses for its own activities under present conditions of human life. This instrument is to be presented to GOD now for His use, and that involves a change and new development of the mind, which was formerly directed to using the body without regard to GOD. The body is not to be neglected, but used in this new service. And the reference is to personal activities in the social life.

[230] l.c. locus citatus

[231] l.c. locus citatus

θυσίαν. Cf. Mark 12:33; Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 2:17; Philippians 4:18; Hebrews 13:15-16; 1 Peter 2:5 (with Hort’s note). In 2 Corinthians 2:14 f. the word does not occur but the thought is closely similar. In all these passages the conception is that the living activities of the man, in the condition of his life on earth, are devoted to service of GOD by service of man, as a thankoffering. The type of sacrifice implied is not the expiatory but the thanksgiving. The motive is given by the mercies received (διὰ τῶν οἱ.); the method is the imitation of the earthly life of Christ (cf. below, Romans 12:3-21; Eph. l.c[232]). The ‘sacrifice’ is not negative merely, in self-denial and surrender, but positive, a willing dedication of self to service in the power of the new life. This is the force of the epithet. It is to be observed that this is the only sense in which S. Paul uses the word θυσία.

[232] l.c. locus citatus

ζῶσαν. The offering takes effect not by destruction or repression of life, but by its full energy; cf. Romans 6:13.

ἁγίαν. Set apart and consecrated to GOD.

τῷ θ. εὐάρεστον. By this full energy of life so consecrated man pleases GOD: cf. ὀσμὴ εὐωδίας, 2 Corinthians 2:14. Cf. Hort, l.c[233], p. 113 b.

[233] l.c. locus citatus

τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν ὑ. In apposition to the whole clause παραστ. κ.τ.λ. This offering to GOD of the life in its daily activities is the service dictated by the reasonable consideration of man’s nature and his relation to GOD.

λογική. 1 Peter 2:2 (only). In both passages (see Hort on 1 Pet. l.c[234]) the word has reference to the rational element in man, which, as the mark of his divine origin and the organ of control over the animal nature in its passions and appetites, is his distinctive characteristic. It has its origin in Stoic philosophy, but had spread into common use and may be supposed to have become part of popular psychology. Here as an epithet of λατρεία it indicates that the service described corresponds to the higher nature of man, in contrast to such action as would be a mere assimilation through the lower nature to the ways of a transitory world: so this thought comes out in the next verse where the idea of λογικὸς is taken up by τοῦ νοός. Perhaps ‘rational’ is the best translation, but it comes very near to ‘spiritual’; cf. 1 Peter 2:5; (πνευματικὰς θυσίας) and Philippians 3:3; Hebrews 8:5 f., Romans 9:14 (qu. Hort, p. 112); cf. also Romans 1:9.

[234] l.c. locus citatus

λατρείαν. See Westcott, Heb. p. 232 (ed. 1889). In LXX[235] and N.T. alike the verb and subst. are always used of service to GOD or GODS (but see Deuteronomy 28:48), Jdt 3:8 of divine worship offered to Nebuchadnezzar: distinguished from λειτουργία by this limitation and from δουλεία by its voluntary character. It included the whole ritual service of Israel (cf. Romans 9:2; Hebrews 9:1; Hebrews 9:6) but also all personal service offered to GOD, as Lord and Master. For its use here of service in life cf. Romans 1:9; Philippians 3:3; Hebrews 12:28.

[235] LXX. the Septuagint Version of the Old Testament