Romans 12:2 - Exposition

And be not conformed to (rather, fashioned after; the verb is συσχηματίζεσθαι this world; but be ye transformed (the verb here is μεταμορφοῦσθαι ) by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove (or, discern ) what is the will of God, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (So, rather than as in the Authorized Version; the epithets acceptable and perfect not being properly applicable to the will of God; and the translation given above being close to the original.) It is a matter of no importance for exegesis that ancient authorities leave it uncertain whether the verbs at the beginning of this verse should be read as imperatives ( συσχηματίζεσθε and μεταμορφοῦσθε ) or as infinitives ( συσχηματίζεσθαι and μεταμορφοῦσθαι ) . In the latter case they depend, with παραστῆσαι in Romans 12:1 , on παρακαλῶ . The meaning remains unaffected. As to the words themselves, Meyer's assertion that they stand in contrast only through the prepositions, without any difference of sense in the stem-words, is surely wrong. St. Paul is not in the habit of varying his expressions without a meaning; and he might have written μετασχηματίζεσθε (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:6 ; 2 Corinthians 11:13 , 2 Corinthians 11:14 ; Philippians 3:21 ) instead of μεταμορφοῦσθε or συμμορφοῦσθε (cf. Philippians 3:10 ) instead of συσχηματίζεσθε . And there is an essential difference between the senses in which σχῆμα and μορφή may be used. The former denotes outward fashion, which may be fleeting, and belonging to accident and circumstance; the latter is used to express essential form, in virtue of which a thing is what it is; of. Philippians 3:21 , and also (though Meyer denies any distinction here) Philippians 2:6 , Philippians 2:7 . The apostle warns his readers not to follow in their ways of life the fashions of this present world, which are both false and fleeting (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:31 , παράγει γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ), but to undergo such a change of essential form as to preclude their doing so. If they become συμμόρφοι with Christ (cf. Romans 8:29 ), the world's fashions will not affect them. The phrase, "this world" or "age". The transformation here spoken of consists in the renewal of the mind ( τοῦ νοὸς ) , which denotes the Understanding, or thinking power, regarded as to its moral activity. And Christian renewal imparts not only the will and power to do God's will, but also intelligence to discern it. Hence follows εἰς τὸ δοκιμάζειν ὑμᾶς , etc.. It is to be observed, lastly, that the present tenses of the verbs συσχηματίζεσθε and μεταμορφοῦσθε , unlike the previous aorist παραστῆσαι , intimate progressive habits. The perfect Christian character is not formed all at once on conversion (of Philippians 3:12 , seq.; see also previous note on Romans 6:13 , with reference to παριστάνετε and παραστιήσατε ) .

So far the exhortation has been general. The apostle now passes to particular directions; and first ( Philippians 2:3-9 ) as to the use of gifts.