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Romans 12:1 - Exposition

I beseech you therefore, brethren (he does not command, as did Moses in the Law; he beseeches; he is but a fellow-servant, with his brethren, of Christ; he does not "lord it over God's heritage" (cf. 1 Peter 5:3 ), but trusts that they will of their own accord respond to "the mercies of God" in Christ, which he has set before them), by the mercies of God ("Qui misericordia Dei recte movetur in omnem Dei voluntatem ingreditur. At anima irae obnoxia vix quiddam juvatur adhortationibus," Bengel), that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service . The verb παραστῆσαι is the usual one for the presenting of sacrificial animals at the altar (Xen., 'Anab.,' 6.1.22; Lucian, 'De Sacrif.,' 13. The LXX in Le Romans 16:7 , Romans 16:10 , has στήσει . Cf. Luke 2:22 : Colossians 1:22 , Colossians 1:28 , and supra, 6.13). Our bodies are here specified, with probable reference to the bodies of victims which were offered in the old ritual. But our offering differs from them in being "a living sacrifice," replete with life and energy to do God's will (cf. Psalms 40:6 , Psalms 40:7 , Psalms 40:8 , and Hebrews 10:5 , Hebrews 10:6 , Hebrews 10:7 ), yea, and oven inspired with a new life—a life from the dead ( Romans 6:13 ). Further, the thought is suggested of the abuse of the body to uncleanness prevalent in heathen society (cf. Romans 1:24 ). The bodies of Christians are "members of Christ," "temples of the Holy Ghost," consecrated to God, and to be devoted to his service (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:15 , etc.); and not in heart only, but in actual life, of which the body is the agent, we are to offer ourselves, after the example of Christ. Your reasonable service ( τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν ὑμῶν ) must be taken in apposition to "present your bodies, rather than to "sacrifice," it being the act of offering, and not the thing offered. that constitutes the λατρεία . This word is especially used for the ceremonial worship of the Old Testament (cf. Exodus 12:25 , Exodus 12:26 ; Exodus 13:5 ; Romans 9:4 ; Hebrews 8:5 ; Hebrews 9:1 , Hebrews 9:6 , Hebrews 9:9 ; Hebrews 10:2 ; Hebrews 13:10 ), the counterpart of which in Christians is, according to St. Paul, not ceremonial service, but rather that of a devoted life (cf. Acts 27:23 ; Romans 1:9 ; Philippians 3:3 ; 2 Timothy 1:3 ; Hebrews 41:28). The epithet λογικὴν has been variously understood. It probably means rational, denoting a moral and spiritual serving of God, in implied opposition to mechanical acts of outward worship. "Respectu intellectus et voluntatis" (Bengel). It may be taken to express the same idea as οἱ πνεῦματι θεῷ λατρεύοντες ( Philippians 3:3 ), and πνευματικὴν θυσίαν ( 1 Peter 2:7 ; of. John 4:24 ). Though the offering of the body is being spoken of, yet "bodily self-sacrifice is an ethical act" (Meyer). Cf. 1 Corinthians 6:20 . The word itself occurs in the New Testament only here and in 1 Peter 2:2 , where its meaning, though obscure, may be similar.

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