ROM. XII. 1.-"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
unto God, which is your reasonable service."
After discoursing at large upon the love of God toward man, and pointing
out His unspeakable concern for us, and unutterable goodness, which cannot
even be searched into, he next puts it forward with a view of persuading
those who have received the benefit to exhibit a conversation worthy of
the gift. And though he is so great and good a person, yet he does not
decline beseeching them, and that not for any enjoyment he was likely to
get himself, but for that they would have to gain. And why wonder that
he does not decline beseeching, where he is even putting God's mercies
before them? For since, he means, it is from this you have those numberless
blessings, from the mercies of God, reverence them, be moved to compassion
by them. For they themselves take the attitude of suppliants, that you
would show no conduct unworthy of them. I entreat you then, he means, by
the very things through which ye were saved. As if any one who wished to
make a person, who had had great kindnesses done him, show regard, was
to bring him the benefactor himself as a suppliant. And what dost thou
beseech? me!let me hear. "That ye would present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." For when
he had said sacrifice, to prevent any from thinking he bade them kill themselves,
he forthwith added (Greek order) "living." Then to distinguish it from
the Jewish, he calls it "holy, acceptable to God, your reasonable1 service."
For theirs was a material one, and not very acceptable either.2 Since He
saith, "Who hath required this at your hands?" (Isa. i. 12.) And in sundry
other passages He clearly throws them aside. For it was not this, but this
with the other, that He looked to have presented. Wherefore he saith, "The
sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me." And again, "I will praise the name
of my God with a song, and this shall please him better than a bullock
that putteth forth horns and hoofs." (Ps. 50. 23; Ps. lxix. 69:30, Ps.
lxix:31.) And so in another place He rejects it, and says, "Shall I eat
the flesh of bulls, or drink goat's blood?" (ib. 13) and proceeds with,
"Offer unto God a sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto the Most High."
(ib. 14.) So Paul also here bids us "present our bodies a living sacrifice."
And how is the body, it may be said, to become a sacrifice? Let the eye
look upon no evil thing, and it hath become a sacrifice; let thy tongue
speak nothing filthy, and it hath become an offering; let thine hand do
no lawless deed, and it hath become a whole burnt offering. Or rather this
is not enough, but we must have good works also: let the hand do alms,
the mouth bless them that cross one, and the hearing find leisure evermore
for lections of Scripture.3 For sacrifice allows of no unclean thing: sacrifice
is a first-fruit of the other actions. Let us then from our hands, and
feet, and mouth, and all other members, yield a first-fruit unto God. Such
a sacrifice is well pleasing, as that of the Jews was even unclean, for,
"their sacrifices," it says, "are unto them as the bread of mourning."
(Hos. ix. 4.) Not so ours. That presented the thing sacrificed dead: this
maketh the thing sacrificed to be living. For when we have mortified our
members, then we shall be able to live. For the law of this sacrifice is
new, and so the sort of fire is a marvellous one. For it needeth no wood
or matter under it; but our fire liveth4 of itself, and doth not burn up
the victim, but rather quickeneth it. This was the sacrifice that God sought
of old. Wherefore the Prophet saith, "The sacrifice of God is a broken
spirit." (Ps. li. 17.) And the three Children offer this when they say,
"At this time there is neither prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt
offering, or place to sacrifice before Thee, and to find mercy. Nevertheless,
in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted." (Song of
3 Ch. 15, 16.) And observe how great the exactness wherewith he useth each
word. For he does not say, offer (poihsate Ex. xxix. 39LXX.) your bodies
as a sacrifice, but "present" (parasthsate see below) them, as if he had
said, never more have any interest in them. Ye have given them up to another.
For even they that furnish (same word) the war-horses have no further interest
in them. And thou too hast presented thy members for the war against the
devil and for that dread battle-array. Do not let them down to selfish
appliances. And he shows another thing also from this, that one must make
them approved, if one means to present them. For it is not to any mortal
being that we present them, but to God, the King of the universe; not to
war only, but to have seated thereon the King Himself. For He doth not
refuse even to be seated upon our members, but even greatly desireth it.
And what no king who is but our fellow-servant would choose to do, that
the Lord of Angels chooseth. Since then it is both to be presented (i.e.
as for a King's use) and is a sacrifice, rid it of every spot, since if
it have a spot, it will no longer be a sacrifice. For neither can the eye
that looks lecherously be sacrificed, nor the hand be presented that is
grasping and rapacious, nor the feet that go lame and go to play-houses,
nor the belly that is the slave of self-indulgence, and kindleth lusts
after pleasures, nor the heart that hath rage in it, and harlots' love,
nor the tongue that uttereth filthy things. Hence we must spy out the spots
on our body upon every side. For if they that offered the sacrifices of
old were bid to look on every side, and were not permitted to offer an
animal "that hath anything superfluous or lacking, or is scurvy, or scabbed"
(Lev. xxii. 22, Lev. 22:23), much more must we, who offer not senseless
animals, but ourselves, exhibit more strictness, and be pure in all respects,
that we also may be able to say as did Paul, "I am now ready to be offered,
and the time of my departure is at hand." (2 Tim. iv. 6.) For he was purer
than any sacrifice, and so he speaks of himself as "ready to be offered."
But this will be brought about if we kill the old man, if we mortify our
members that are upon the earth, if we crucify the world unto ourselves.
In this way we shall not need the knife any more, nor altar, nor fire,
or rather we shall want all these, but not made with the hands, but all
of them will come to us from above, fire from above, and knife also, and
our altar will the breadth of Heaven be. For if when Elijah offered the
visible sacrifice, a flame, that came down from above consumed the whole
water, wood, and stones, much more will this be done upon thee. And if
thou hast aught in thee relaxed and secular, and yet offerest the sacrifice
with a good intention, the fire of the Spirit will come down, and both
wear away that worldliness, and perfect (so Field: mss. "carry up") the
whole sacrifice. But what is "reasonable (logikh) service?" It means spiritual
ministry, conversation according to Christ. As then he that ministereth
in the house of God, and officiateth, of whatever sort he may be, then
collects himself (sustelletai Ezech. xliv. 19), and becomes more dignified;5
so we ought to be minded all our whole life as serving and ministering.
And this will be so, if every day you bring Him sacrifices(3 mss. "thyself
as a sacrifice"), and become the priest of thine own body, and of the virtue
of thy soul; as, for example, when you offer soberness, when alms-giving,
when goodness and forbearance. For in doing this thou offerest "a reasonable
service" (or worship, latreian), that is, one without aught that is bodily,
gross, visible. Having then raised the hearer by the names bestowed, and
having shown that each man is a priest of his own flesh by his conversation,
he mentions also the way whereby we may compass all this. What then is
the way?
Ver.2. "And be not fashioned6 after this world; but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind."
For the fashion of this world is grovelling and worthless, and but for
a time, neither bath ought of loftiness, or lastingness, or straightforwardness,
but is wholly perverted. If then thou wouldest walk upright (or aright
orqa), figure not thyself after the fashion of this life present. For in
it there is nought abiding or stable. And this is why he calls it a fashion
(sxhma); and so in another passage, "the fashion of this world passeth
away." (1 Cor. vii. 31.) For it hath no durability or fixedness, but all
in it is but for a season; and so he calls it this age (or world, Gr. aiwn),
hereby to indicate its liableness to misfortune, and by the word fashion
its unsubstantialness. For speak of riches, or of glory, or beauty of person,
or of luxury, or of whatever other of its seemingly great things you will,
it is a fashion only, not reality, a show and a mask, not any abiding substance
(upostasij). But "be not thou fashioned after this, but be transformed,"
he says, "by the renewing of your mind." He says not change the fashion,
but "be transformed" (metamorfoy), to show that the world's ways are a
fashion, but virtue's not a fashion, but a kind of real form,7 with a natural
beauty of its own, lacking not the trickeries and fashions of outward things,
which no sooner appear than they go to nought. For all these things, even
before they come to light, are dissolving. If then thou throwest the fashion
aside, thou wilt speedily come to the form.8 For nothing is more strengthless
than vice, nothing so easily wears old. Then since it is likely that being
men they would sin every day, he consoles his hearer by saying, "renew
thyself" from day to day. This is what we do with houses, we keep constantly
repairing them as they wear old, and so do thou unto thyself. Hast thou
sinned to-day? hast thou made thy soul old? despair not, despond not, but
renew it by repentance, and tears (Hilary on Ps. cxix.), and confession,
and by doing of good things. And never fail of doing this. And how are
we to do this?
"That ye may prove (things more expedient (diaferonta), and know9
) what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."
Either he means by this, be renewed, that ye may learn what is more
expedient for you, and what the will of God. Or rather, that ye can get
so renewed if ye learn the things expedient, and what God may will. For
if thou see this, and know how to distinguish the nature of things, thou
art in possession of the whole way of virtue. And who, it may be said,
is ignorant of what is expedient, and what is the will of God? They that
are flurried with the things of this world, they that deem riches an enviable
thing, they that make light of poverty, they that follow after power, they
that are gaping after outward glory, they that think themselves great men
when they raise fine houses, and buy costly sepulchres, and keep herds
of slaves, and carry a great swarm of eunuchs about with them; these know
not what is expedient for them, or what the will of God is. For both of
these are but one thing. For God willeth what things are expedient for
us, and what God willeth, that is also expedient for us. What then are
the things which God willeth? to live in poverty, in lowliness of mind,
in contempt of glory; in continency, not in self-indulgence; in tribulation,
not in ease; in sorrow, not in dissipation and laughter; in all the other
points whereon He hath given us laws. But the generality do even think
these things of ill omen;10 so far are they from thinking them expedient,
and the will of God. This then is why they never can come near even to
the labors for virtue's sake. For they that do not know so much even as
what virtue may be, but reverence vice in its place, and take unto their
bed the harlot instead of the modest wife, how are they to be able to stand
aloof from the present world? Wherefore we ought above all to have a correct
estimate of things, and even if we do not follow after virtue, to praise
virtue, and even if we do not avoid vice, to stigmatize vice, that so far
we may have our judgments uncorrupted. For so as we advance on our road,
we shall be able to lay hold on the realities. This then is why he also
bids you be renewed, "that ye may prove what is the will of God." But here
he seems to me to be attacking the Jews too, who cling to the Law. For
the old dispensation was a will of God, yet not the ultimate purpose, but
allowed owing to their feebleness. But that which is a perfect one, and
well-pleasing, is the new conversation. So too when he called it "a reasonable
service," it was to set it in contrast with that other (v. note p. 496)
that he gave it such a name.
Ver.3. "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man
that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the
measure of faith."
After saying above, "I beseech you by the mercies," here he says again,
"by the grace." Observe the teacher's lowliness of mind, observe a spirit
quite subdued! He means to say that he is in no respect worthy to be trusted
in such an exhortation and counsel. But at one time he takes the mercies
of God along with him, at another His grace. It is not my word, he would
say, that I am speaking, but one from God. And he does not say, For I say
unto you by the wisdom of God, or, for I say unto you by the Law given
of God, but, "by the grace," so reminding them continually of the benefits
done them, so as to make them more submissive, and to show that even on
this account, they were under an obligation to obey what is here said.
"To every man that is among you." Not to this person and to that merely,
but to the governor and to the governed, to the slave and to the free,
to the unlearned and to the wise, to the woman and to the man, to the young
and to the old. For the Law is common to all as being the Lord's. And by
this he likewise makes his language inoffensive, setting the lessons he
gives to all, even to such as do not come under them, that those who do
come under them may with more willingness accept such a reproof and correction.
And what dost thou say? Let me hear. "Not to think more highly than he
ought to think." Here he is bringing before us the mother of good deeds,
which is lowliness of mind, in imitation of his own Master. For as He,
when He went up into the mountain, and was going to give a tissue of moral
precepts, took this for his first beginning, and made this the foundation,
in the words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matt. v. 3); so Paul too,
as he has now passed from the doctrinal parts to those of a more practical
kind, has taught us virtue in general terms, by requiring of us the admirable
sacrifice; and being on the point of giving a more particular portrait
of it, he begins from lowliness of mind as from the head, and tells us,
"not to think more highly of one's self than one ought to think," (for
this is His will), (many mss. om. for etc.), "but to think soberly." But
what he means is about this. We have received wisdom not that we should
use it to make us haughty, but to make us sober-minded. And he does not
say in order to be lowly in mind, but in order to sobriety, meaning by
sobriety (swfrosunh) here not that virtue which contrasts with lewdness,
nor the being free from intemperance, but being sober and healthful in
mind. And the Greek name of it means keeping the mind safe.11 To show then
that he who is not thus modest metriazontta), cannot be sober either, that
is, cannot be staid and healthful minded (because such an one is bewildered,
and out, of his wits, and is more crazed than any madman), he calls lowliness
of mind, soberness of mind.
"According as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."
For since having gifts given them had made many unreasonably elated,
both with these and with the Corinthians, see how he lays open the cause
of the disease, and gradually removes it. For after saying that we should
think soberly, he proceeds, "according as God hath dealt to every man the
measure of faith," meaning here the gift by faith: and by using the word
"dealt," he solaces him who had the less, and humbles him who had the greater
share. For if God dealt it, and it is no achievement of thine, why think
highly of thyself? But if any one says that faith here does not mean the
gift, this would only the more show that he was humbling the vain boasters.
For if that which is the cause of the gift (so Field with most mss.: Vulg.
"If the faith by which miracles are wrought is the cause of the gift"),
that faith by which miracles are wrought, be itself from God, on what ground
dost thou think highly of thyself? If He had not come, or been incarnate,
then the things of faith would not have fared well either. And it is from
hence that all the good things take their rise. But if it is He that giveth
it, He knoweth how He dealeth it. For He made all, and taketh like care
of all. And as His giving came of His love towards man, so doth the quantity
which He giveth. For was He Who had shown His goodness in regard to the
main point, which is the giving of the gift, likely to neglect thee in
regard to the measure? For had He wished to do thee dishonor, then He had
not given them at all. But if to save thee and to honor thee was what He
had in view (and for this He came and distributed such great blessings),
why art thou confounded and disturbed, and abusest thy wisdom to foolishness,
making thyself more disgraceful than one who is by nature so? For being
foolish by nature is no ground of complaint. But being foolish through
wisdom, is at once bereaving one's self of excuse, and running into greater
punishment.
Such then are those, who pride themselves upon their wisdom, and fall
into the excess of recklessness.12 For recklessness of all things makes
a person a fool. Wherefore the Prophet calls the barbarian by this name.
But "the fool," he says, "shall speak folly." (Is. xxxii. 6.) But that
you may see the folly of him from his own words, hear what he says. "Above
the stars of heaven will I place my throne, and I will be like the Most
High." (ib. xiv. 14.) "I will take hold of the world as a nest, and as
eggs that are left will I take them away." (ib. x. 14.) Now what can be
more foolish than these words? And every instance of haughty language immediately
draws on itself this reproach. And if I were, to set before you every expression
of them that are reckless, you would not be able to distinguish whether
the words are those of a reckless man or a fool. So entirely the same is
this failing and that. And another of a strange nation says again, "I am
God and not man" (Ezech. xxviii. 2); and another again, Can God save you,
or deliver you out of my hand?" (Dan. iii. 15.) And the Egyptian too, "I
know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." (Ex. v. 2.) And the foolish
body in the Psalmist is of this character, who hath "said in his heart,
There is no God." (Ps. xiv. 1.) And Cain, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen.
iv. 9.) Can you now distinguish whether the words are those of the reckless
or those of the fool? For recklessness going out of due bounds, and being
a departure from reason (whence its name recklessness, aponoia), maketh
men both fools and vainglorious. For likewise, "the beginning of wisdom
is the fear of the Lord" (Prov ix.10), so then the beginning of folly is
surely not knowing the Lord. If then knowing be wisdom, and not knowing
Him folly, and this ignorance come of haughtiness (uperhfania), (for the
beginning of haughtiness is the not knowing of the Lord), then is haughtiness
the extreme of folly. Such was Nabal, if not to Godward, at least toward
man, having become senseless from his recklessness. But he afterwards died
of fear. For when any falleth from the measure of wisdom, he becomes at
once a coward and bold (qrasudeiloi Ar. Eth. iii.), his soul having been
made feeble. For as the body when it loseth its proper tone having become
out of condition, is a prey to any disease, thus too the soul when it hath
lost its greatness of nature and lowly-mindedness, having gotten any feeble
habit (ecin), becomes fearful, as well as bold and unreasonable, and loses
its powers of self-consciousness. And he that has lost these, how is he
to know things above himself? For as he that is seized with a frenzy, when
he has so lost them, knoweth not even what is right before him; and the
eye, when it is dimmed, darkeneth all the other members; so doth it happen
with this recklessness. Wherefore these are more miserable than the mad,
or than those silly by nature. For like them they stir laughter, and like
them they are ill-tempered. And they are out of their wits as the others
are, but they are not pitied as they are. And they are beside themselves,
as are these, but they are not excused, as are these, but are hated only.
And while they have the failings of either, they are bereaved of the excuse
of either, being ridiculous not owing to their words only, but to their
whole appearance also. For why, pray, dost thou stiffen up thy neck? or
why walk on tiptoe? why knit up thy brows? why stick thy breast out? Thou
canst not make one hair white or black, (Matt. v. 36) and thou goest with
as lofty gait as if thou couldest command everything. No doubt thou wouldest
like to have wings, and not go upon the earth at all! No doubt thou wouldest
wish to be a prodigy! For hast thou not made thyself prodigious now, when
thou art a man and triest to fly? or rather flying from within, and bloated
in every limb? What shall I call thee to quit thee of thy recklessness?
Shall I call thee ashes, and dust, and smoke, and pother? I have described
thy worthlessness to be sure, but still I have not laid hold of the exact
image I wanted. For I want to put their bloatedness before me, and all
its emptiness. What image am I to find then which will suit with all this?
To me it seems to be like tow in a blaze. For it seems to swell when lighted,
and to lift itself up; but when it is submitted to a slight touch of the
hand, it all tumbles down, and turns out to be more worthless than the
veriest ashes. Of this sort are the souls of these men; that empty inflatedness
of theirs even the commonest attack may humble and bring down. For he that
behaves recklessly must of necessity be a throughly feeble person, since
the height he has is not a sound one, but even as bubbles are easily burst,
so are these men easily undone. But if thou dost not believe, give me a
bold reckless fellow, and you will find him more cowardly than a hare even
at the most trivial circumstance. For as the flame that rises from dry
sticks is no sooner lighted than it becomes dust, but stiff logs do not
by their nature easily kindle up, and then keep up their flame a long time
burning; so souls that be stern and firm are not easily kindled or extinguished;
but these men undergo both of these in a single moment. Since then we know
this, let us practise humble-mindedness. For there is nothing so powerful
as it, since it is stronger even than a rock and harder than adamant, and
places us in a safety greater than that of towers and cities and walls,
being too high for any of the artillery of the devil. As then recklessness
makes men an easy prey even to ordinary occurrences, being, as I was saying,
easier broken than a bubble, and rent more speedily than a spider's web,
and more quickly dissolved than a smoke; that we then may be walking upon
the strong rock, let us leave that and take to this. For thus in this life
present we shall find rest, and shall in the world to come have every blessing,
by the grace and love toward man, etc.
ROM. XII. 4, 5.-"For as we have many members in one body, and all
members have not the same office; so we, being many, are one body in Christ,
and every one members one of another."
Again he uses the same ensample as he does to the Corinthians, and that
to allay the same passion. For great is the power of the medicine, and
the force of this illustration for the correcting of this disease of haughtiness.
Why (he means) dost thou think highly of thyself? Or why again does another
utterly despise himself? Are we not all one body, both great and small?
When then we are in the total number but one, and members one of another,
why dost thou by thy haughtiness separate thyself? Why dost thou put thy
brother to shame? For as he is a member of thee, so art thou also of him.
And it is on this score that your claims to honor are so equal. For he
has stated two things that might take down their haughty spirit: one that
we are members one of another, not the small of the great only, but also
the great of the small; and another, that we are all one body. Or rather
there are three points, since he shows that the gift was one of grace.
"Therefore be not high-minded." For it was given thee of God; thou didst
not take it, nor find it even. Hence too, when he touches upon the gifts,
he does not say that one received more, and another less, but what? different.
For his words are, "having then gifts," not less and greater, but, "differing."
And what if thou art not appointed to the same office, still the body is
the same. And beginning with gifts, he ends with a good deed (4 mss. pl.);
and so after mentioning prophecy, and ministry, and the like, he concludes
with mercy, diligence, and succor. Since then it was likely that some would
be virtuous, yet not have prophecy, he shows how that this too is a gift,
and a much greater one than the other (as he shows in the Epistle to the
Corinthians), and so much the greater, as that one has a reward, the other
is devoid of a recompense. For the whole is matter of gift and grace.
