Romans 12.1-2

Title

Part of intro

In more technical terms, indicatives dominate Romans 1–11, which explain the Christian’s state, identity, and union with Christ. Imperatives dominate Romans 12–16: what Christians must do in light of who they are in Christ.

[1] a charge for consecration (v. 1)

[2] a charge for conformation (v. 2)

[3] a charge for completion (v. 2)

J. V. Fesko, Romans, ed. Joel R. Beeke and Jon D. Payne, The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2018), 334.

The Pauline exhortations do not merely contain good advice or the apostle’s preferences. They represent the authoritative will of God and are enjoined upon churches in a solemn manner

Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, ed. Robert W. Yarbrough and Joshua W. Jipp, Second Edition., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: A Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2018), 624.

Parakaleo - to come alongside of one’s teaching, a strong urge, or exhortation. Taking heed to the message that was just written down.

“by the mercies of God” to show mercy and concern, with the implication of sensitivity and compassion — ‘to have mercy, to show compassion, mercy, tender compassion.’

-the viscera, which were thought to be the seat of compassion

based upon the mercy explained in Romans 9:15“For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.””

Kinds of mercy received

Rom 2:4; 9:23; 11:30, 31; Ps 116:12; Luke 7:47; 2 Cor 4:1; 5:14, 15; Eph 2:4–10; Phil 2:1–5; Titus 3:4–8; 1 Pet 2:10–12 3

παρίστημι/παριστάνω presenting oneself, prove to me, demonstrate it, show me,

Rom 6:13, 16, 19; Ps 50:13, 14; 1 Cor 6:13–20; Phil 1:20; Heb 10:22 3

— add note about God desires sacrifices from contrite heart

θυσία - sacrifice, preistly language, priesthood of believers

When we are united to Christ we are incorporated into the great eschatological temple. We are, as Peter and Paul remind us, living stones and the temple of the living God (1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Peter 2:5).

J. V. Fesko, Romans, ed. Joel R. Beeke and Jon D. Payne, The Lectio Continua Expository Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2018), 335.

Ps 69:30, 31; Hos 14:2; 1 Cor 5:7, 8; 2 Cor 4:16; Phil 2:17; Heb 10:20–22; 13:15, 16; 1 Pet 2:5 4

Walk as a living sacrifice as Christ himself offered his body on the cross for your sins Eph 5.20 3

The instructions here hark back to Rom. 1:18–32 but constitute a reversal of what is said there: mercy instead of wrath, sacrificing their bodies to God instead of refusing to glorify God, offering the body to God instead of dishonoring the body through sin, reasonable worship instead of worshiping idols, a renewed mind instead of a reprobate mind, approving the will of God instead of rejecting the ordinance of God

Bodied - the word “bodies” here refers to the whole person and stresses that consecration to God involves the whole person

ἅγιος - holy, consecrated, set apart for the service of God, not set apart for the world.

of sacrifices and offerings; prepared for God with solemn rite, pure, clean (opposed to akathartos): 1 Cor. 7:14 (cf. Eph. 5:3); connected with amōmos, Eph. 1:4; 5:27; Col. 1:22; aparchē, Rom. 11:16; Thusia, Rom. 12:1. Hence,

in a moral sense, pure, sinless, upright, holy: 1 Pet. 1:16 (Lev. 19:2; 11:44); 1 Cor. 7:34;

Genuine commitment to God embraces every area of life and includes the body in all of its particularity and concreteness.

, all three adjectives (“living,” “holy,” and “well pleasing”) follow θυσίαν (sacrifice), and thus there is no exegetical warrant for isolating the word “living.” Nor is it likely that ζῶσαν (living) is intended to contrast the state of humans with animals, since the latter were alive when sacrificed (against Dunn 1988b: 710). Rather, the word “living” denotes the spiritual state of believers. They are now “alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:11, 13; 8:13). It is precisely those who are alive in Christ, those who enjoy resurrection life now, who are called on to give their lives to him as a sacrifice

εὐάρεστος - pleasing, acceptable (Heb 12.28)

Rom 12:2; 15:16; Ps 19:14; Isa 56:7; Jer 6:20; Eph 5:10; Phil 4:18; 1 Tim 2:3; 5:4; 1 Pet 2:5, 20 )

λογικός - he worship which is rendered by the reason or soul (‘spiritual’), to being carefully thought through, thoughtful λογικὴ λατρεία a thoughtful service (in a dedicated spiritual sense) Ro 12:1 (the cognitive aspect anticipates the phrase εἰς τὸ δοκιμάζειν ὑμᾶς τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ

v. 2

συσχηματίζω

to fashion in accordance with; mid/pass. to conform or assimilate one’s self to, met. Rom. 12:2; 1 Pet. 1:14*

Exod 23:2; Lev 18:29, 30; Deut 18:9–14; John 7:7; 14:30; 15:19; 17:14; 1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:4; 6:14–17; Gal 1:4; Eph 2:2; 4:17–20; Jas 1:27; 4:4; 1 Pet 1:14, 18; 4:2; 2 Pet 1:4; 2:20; 1 John 2:15–17; 3:13; 4:4, 5; 5:19; Rev 12:9; 13:8 )

μεταμορφόω

who took on the form of his heavenly glory Mt 17:2; Mk 9:2 - same word during transfiguration

to change the external form, transfigure; mid. to change one’s form, be transfigured, Mt. 17:2; Mk. 9:2; to undergo a spiritual transformation Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18* → transfigure; transform.

be ye: Rom 13:14; Ps 51:10; Ezek 18:31; 36:26; 2 Cor 5:17; Eph 1:18; 4:22–24; Col 1:21, 22; 3:10; Titus 3:5 -

ἀνακαίνωσις

Remodeling house analogy

not found outside Christian

of a person’s spiritual rebirth

to cause something to become new and different, with the implication of becoming superior — ‘to make new, renewal.’

δοκιμάζω

to draw a conclusion about worth on the basis of testing, prove, approve, here the focus is on the result of a procedure or examination

to regard something as being worthwhile or appropriate — ‘to regard as worthwhile, to think of as appropriate.’

Rom 12:1; Ps 34:8; Eph 5:10, 17; 1 Pet 2:3 0

proving by way of testing

good, acceptable, perfect (scr ref)

Rom 12:1; 7:12, 14, 22; Ps 19:7–11; 119:47, 48, 72, 97, 103, 128, 174; Prov 3:1–4, 13–18; Gal 5:22–23; Eph 5:9; Col 4:12; 1 Thess 4:3; 2 Tim 3:16, 17