Romans 12:14 Komentář

The apostle, having at large cleared and confirmed the prime fundamental doctrines of Christianity, comes in the next place to press the principal duties. We mistake our religion if we look upon it only as a system of notions and a guide to speculation. No, it is a practical religion, that tends to the right ordering of the conversation. It is designed not only to inform our judgments, but to reform our hearts and lives. From the method of the apostle's writing in this, as in some other of the epistles (as from the management of the principal ministers of state in Christ's kingdom) the stewards of the mysteries of God may take direction how to divide the word of truth: not to press duty abstracted from privilege, nor privilege abstracted from duty; but let both go together, with a complicated design, they will greatly promote and befriend each other. The duties are drawn from the privileges, by way of inference. The foundation of Christian practice must be laid in Christian knowledge and faith. We must first understand how we receive Christ Jesus the Lord, and then we shall know the better how to walk in him. There is a great deal of duty prescribed in this chapter. The exhortations are short and pithy, briefly summing up what is good, and what the Lord our God in Christ requires of us. It is an abridgment of the Christian directory, an excellent collection of rules for the right ordering of the conversation, as becomes the gospel. It is joined to the foregoing discourse by the word "therefore." It is the practical application of doctrinal truths that is the life of preaching. He had been discoursing at large of justification by faith, and of the riches of free grace, and the pledges and assurances we have of the glory that is to be revealed. Hence carnal libertines would be apt to infer."Therefore we may live as we list, and walk in the way of our hearts and the sight of our eyes." Now this does not follow; the faith that justifies is a faith that "works by love." And there is no other way to heaven but the way of holiness and obedience. Therefore what God hath joined together let no man put asunder. The particular exhortations of this chapter are reducible to the three principal heads of Christian duty: our duty to God t ourselves, and to our brother. The grace of God teaches us, in general, to live "godly, soberly, and righteously;" and to deny all that which is contrary hereunto. Now this chapter will give us to understand what godliness, sobriety, and righteousness, are though somewhat intermixed.

INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS 12 The doctrines concerning predestination, justification, &c. being established, the duties of religion are built upon them, and enforced by them in this and the following chapters. The apostle first exhorts all the members of the church in common to a regard to the worship of God, in opposition to the things of the world; and then the officers of the church particularly, to the discharge of their duty; and next all of them, both officers and members, to the performance of various duties respecting God, themselves, one another, and the men of the world. The duty of attending public worship is first mentioned, signified by a presentation of their bodies to the Lord, Rom 12:1, to which they are moved, partly by the plenteous mercy and goodness of God to them; and partly by the acceptableness of it to God; as also by the reasonableness of the thing: then follows a dehortation from conformity to the world, the men and manners of it, in superstition and will worship, or in acts of immorality, Rom 12:2, and also an exhortation to a different course of life, in seeking to please God; which is proposed upon a principle of grace in them, being renewed in the Spirit of their mind; and with this end and view, that they might the better prove, try, and discern, and come at, a greater knowledge of the mind and will of God: and whereas gifts are apt to swell men with pride and vanity, such as qualify men to bear any office in the church, the apostle cautions against this spirit and conduct, and exhorts to sobriety and humility; by observing, that what gifts they have, are such that God has given them, and which they have not of themselves; and what they have is only in part and in measure, some one and some another; and none have all gifts, Rom 12:3, this he illustrates, Rom 12:4, by an human body and the members of it, which being many, have not the same office, but some one and some another; which he accommodates to the body of Christ the church, Rom 12:5, which though but one in Christ, has many members; and these are members one of another, and are designed mutually to serve and help each other, for which the gifts among them were bestowed: and then the apostle proceeds to take notice of the particular officers in the church, and exhorts them to the function of their offices, according to their different gifts; as, first, the preacher to preach according to the rule of faith, and the measure of gifts bestowed, Rom 12:6, and then the deacon, the other officer, to attend to his deaconship, Rom 12:7, and inasmuch as these officers, according to their different gifts, may be distinguished, some having a talent for stating, explaining, and defending doctrines, and may be called doctors, or teachers, let them attend to the doctrinal part of the word; and others having a talent in the practical way of preaching, whether by way of exhortation or comfort, and may be called exhorters or comforters, let them attend to that branch of the ministry, Rom 12:8, and as for the deacon, the performance of his office, whether it be by distributing to the poor, let him do it impartially and faithfully; or by assisting in the government of the church, let it be done with all diligence; or by showing mercy to the poor in distress, besides what they usually receive, let it be done with a cheerful countenance: next follow various duties which are mentioned, not in an exact order or method, but may be reduced to these heads; such as concern God, an unfeigned love of him, abhorrence of all evil, and a close attachment to whatsoever is good, Rom 12:9, and also the worship of him, which is to be performed with diligence and fervency, Rom 12:11, the exercise of the grace of hope with joy, patience in the midst of tribulations, and perseverance in prayer, Rom 12:12, then such duties as concern one another, as Christians and brethren in a church relation; as to exercise an affectionate brotherly love to each other, and to honour one another; and even to give each other the preference, who may be equal or superior, both in spiritual gifts, and in temporal things, Rom 12:10, and with respect to poor saints, to communicate cheerfully to their necessities; and with respect to strangers, to entertain them hospitably, Rom 12:13, and as to every member, whether in prosperous or adverse circumstances, to bear a part with them, rejoicing with the one, weeping with the other, Rom 12:15, and to behave with humility, modesty, and sobriety, towards all, Rom 12:16, and next such duties as concern the men of the world, particularly to bless, and not curse persecutors, Rom 12:14, not to retaliate evil for evil, but to do everything that is of good report in the sight of men, Rom 12:17, to study, if possible, to live peaceably with all men, Rom 12:18, to bridle passion and refrain from wrath, and not seek private revenge, but leave it with the Lord to take vengeance, Rom 12:19, on the other hand, to he kind and beneficent to enemies, by giving them food and drink when hungry and thirsty, expressed in the words of Solomon, Pro 25:21, the reasons for which are, because hereby an enemy may be wrought upon, and be brought either to shame or repentance, and become a friend, Rom 12:20, and because by doing otherwise, resenting and returning the evil, a man is conquered by it; whereas, by the other method, the enemy is conquered by good, Rom 12:21, and it is much more commendable and honourable to be a conqueror, than to be conquered.

Bless them which persecute you,.... It is the lot of God's, people in this world to be persecuted by the men of it, in some shape or another, either by words or deeds; either by reviling and reproaching them, and speaking all manner of evil of them; or by hindering them the free exercise of religious worship, by confiscation of their goods, imprisonment of their persons, by violently torturing their bodies, and taking away their lives; under all which circumstances they are taught to bless them; that is, to pray for them, that God would show them their evil, give repentance to them, and the remission of their sins; which is the order Christ gave to his disciples, Mat 5:44; and encouraged to an observance of, by his own example, Luk 23:34; and has been followed herein by his disciples and apostles, Act 7:60 Co1 4:12. Moreover, by "blessing" may be meant, giving them good words, mild and soft answers, "not rendering evil for evil, railing for railing", Pe1 3:9; but, on the contrary, blessing, in imitation of Christ, who, "when he was reviled, reviled not again", Pe1 2:23, "bless", and curse not: to have a mouth full of cursing and bitterness, Rom 3:14, is the character of an unregenerate man, and what by no means suits one who names the name of Christ; for blessing and cursing to proceed out of the same mouth, is as absurd and unnatural, as if it should be supposed that a fountain should send forth sweet water and bitter, or salt and fresh, Jam 3:10. The imprecations upon wicked men, used by David and other good men, are no contradictions to this rule; since they were made under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, and were predictions of God's vengeance, which in righteous judgment should fall on them, and are not to be drawn into an example by us.

"With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Wherefore the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed; that is, the word of faith which we preach: for if thou confess the word with thy mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." There is clearly described the perfect righteousness, fulfilled both in practice and contemplation. Wherefore we are "to bless those who persecute us. Bless, and curse not." "For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of a good conscience, that in holiness and sincerity we know God" by this inconsiderable instance exhibiting the work of love, that "not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world."

Paul does not want those who believe in Christ to curse but rather to speak and to pray for good things so that they may be thought to be servants of a good Lord and disciples of a good Master.… What the apostle says here refers to when we are provoked by our enemies or afflicted by harm. Paul warns us not to repay curses with curses but to do what he says he himself did, as he wrote: “When reviled, we bless.”

That we must not curse. In Exodus: "Thou shalt not curse nor speak ill of the ruler of thy people." Also in the thirty-third Psalm: "Who is the man who desires life, and loveth to see good days? Restrain thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile." Of this same thing in Leviticus: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Bring forth him who hath cursed abroad outside the camp; and all who heard him shall place their hands upon his head, and all the assembly of the children of Israel shall stone him." Of this same thing in Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians: "Let no evil discourse proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good for the edification of faith, that it may give grace to the hearers." Of this same thing to the Romans: "Blessing, and not cursing." Of this same thing in the Gospel according to Matthew: "He who shall say to his brother, Thou fool! shall be liable to the Gehenna of fire." Of this same matter, according to the same Matthew: "But I say unto you, That every idle word which men shall speak, they shall give account for it in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

He must not receive a gift from a poor man; so that if he himself has afforded anything, it may be good, inasmuch as it is gratuitous. If any one reviles, he must answer him with a blessing;

"Bless them which persecute you; bless, and curse not." After teaching them how they ought to be minded towards one another, and after joining the members closely into one, he next proceeds to lead them forth to the battle without, which he makes easier as from this point. For as he who hath not managed things well with those of his own side, will find more difficulty in arranging affairs with strangers, so he, that has practised himself duly among these, will with the more ease have the advantage of those without also. Hence then Paul also as he goes on in his journey, after the one places the other, and says, "Bless them that persecute you." He did not say, be not spiteful or revengeful, but required something far better. For that a man that was wise might do, but this is quite an angel's part. And after saying "bless," he proceeds, "and curse not," lest we should do both the one and the other, and not the former only. For they that persecute us are purveyors of a reward to us. But if thou art sober-minded, there will be another reward after that one, which thou wilt gain thyself. For he will yield thee that for persecution, but thou wilt yield thyself the one from the blessing of another, in that thou bringest forth a very great sign of love to Christ. For as he that curseth his persecutor, showeth that he is not much pleased at suffering this for Christ, thus he that blesseth showeth the greatness of his love. Do not then abuse him, that thou thyself mayest gain the greater reward, and mayest teach him that the thing is matter of inclination, not of necessity, of holiday and feast, not of calamity or dejection. For this cause Christ Himself said, "Rejoice when men speak all manner of evil against you falsely." Hence too it was that the Apostles returned with joy not from having been evil spoken of only, but also at having been scourged. For besides what I have mentioned, there will be another gain, and that no small one, that you will make, both the abashing of your adversaries hereby, and instructing of them by your actions that you are travelling to another life; for if he see thee joyous, and elevated, from suffering ill, he will see clearly from the actions that thou hast other hopes greater than those of this life. So that if thou dost not so, but weepest and lamentest, how is he to be able to learn from that thou art tarrying for any other life? And besides this, thou wilt compass yet another thing. For provided he see thee not vexed at the affronts done thee, but even blessing him, he will leave harassing thee. See then how much that is good comes from this, both a greater reward for thyself and a less temptation, and he will forbear persecuting thee, and God too will be glorified: and to him that is in error thy endurance will be instruction in godliness. For this reason it was not those that insult us only, but even those that persecute us and deal despitefully with us, that he bade us requite with the contrary. And now he orders them to bless, but as he goes on, he exhorts them to do them good in deeds also.

God makes Christians new people in every respect, so that here too he wants to take away from us the habits of anger which are common to everyone, so that instead of cursing others in anger, which we once did so easily, we might rather overcome our anger and bless them, so that the Lord’s teaching might be praised.

Paul wants them to exhibit such brotherly love that those who want to persecute them will have no excuse for doing so.

How can the Scriptures, which forbid us to curse, contain so many curses themselves? Those curses are not spoken by a person who desires their fulfillment but merely foretell the fact. They do not want this to befall sinners, but because they will doubtless come to pass these curses are proved to be prophecies.

After the teaching on brotherly love and love for one's own, he finally offers instruction also on how we ought to treat our enemies. He did not say: do not remember wrongs, do not take revenge, but what is far more: "bless," and added: "do not curse," so that we would not curse, but only bless. Whoever blesses those who persecute him for Christ's sake shows that he endures with joy for the sake of the Beloved; but whoever curses shows that he does not rejoice, and thereby makes it known that he does not love the One for whose sake he is persecuted.

Above, the Apostle showed that charity should be practiced toward the needy; now he shows how it should be practiced even toward enemies: first, he gives the admonition; second, he proves what he said, at for it is written. With respect to the first it should be noted that three things pertain to charity: first, benevolence, which consists in willing good to another and not willing evil; second, concord, which consists in friends willing the same thing and rejecting the same thing; third, beneficence, which consists in doing good and causing no injury to the one loved. First, therefore, he touches on matters pertaining to benevolence; second, to concord, at rejoice with those who rejoice; third, to beneficence, at to no man rendering evil for evil. In regard to the first he does two things. First, he urges that benevolence be broad enough to include enemies when he says: bless those who persecute you. Here it should be noted that to bless is to say something good. This can happen in three ways: first, by asserting a good, as when one person praises another's good points: the lips of many shall bless him that is liberal of his bread; and the testimony of his truth is faithful (Sir 31:28). Second, by commanding: to bless in this way belongs to God by whose command something good comes to creatures, or it belongs to his ministers who invoke the Lord's name upon the people: thus shall you bless the sons of Israel and say to them: the Lord bless you and guard you. The Lord show his face to you and have mercy on you. The Lord turn his countenance toward you and give you peace (Num 6:22–26); they shall invoke my name upon the people of Israel and I will bless them (Num 6:27). Third, one blesses by desiring: nor did they who passed by say: the blessing of the Lord be upon you (Hos 129:8). To bless in this way is to will someone's good and, as it were, to pray for his good. This is the way it is taken here. Hence, this directive, to bless those who persecute you, shows that we must have good will even toward enemies and persecutors by desiring their welfare and praying for them: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matt 5:44). This directive can be interpreted in one way as a precept and in another as a counsel. For we are commanded to love our enemies in such a way as not to exclude them from our general love of neighbor and from the prayer one makes for all believers. We are also obliged to show the effect of this love of one's enemies in particular cases of critical need. Hence it says in Exodus: if you meet your enemy's ox or ass going astray, rescue it (Exod 23:4). But for anyone to give his enemies the benefit of his help beyond cases of manifest need or to say special prayers and indicate a feeling of love in a special way pertains to the perfection of the counsels, because it shows that a person's love of God is so advanced that it triumphs over all human hatred. However, one who repents and seeks forgiveness should no longer be reckoned an enemy or persecutor; hence, there should be no difficulty in showing him marks of charity: forgive your neighbor if he has hurt you: and then your sins shall be forgiven when you pray (Sir 28:2). Second, he teaches that good-will should be pure, i.e., not mixed with its opposite. Hence he says: bless, and curse not, i.e., so bless that in no way do you curse. This is against those who bless with their mouth and curse in their heart: they speak words of peace to their neighbor, but have evil in their hearts (Ps 27:3). It is also against those who sometimes bless and sometimes curse, or bless some and curse others: from the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so (Jas 2:10); do not return reviling for reviling (1 Pet 3:9). But the fact that many curses are found in Sacred Scripture seems to be against this. For Deuteronomy says: cursed be he that does not abide in the words of this law and does not fulfill them in work (Deut 27:26). The answer is that to curse is to say something evil. As with blessing, this can happen in three ways, namely, by asserting, by commanding, and by desiring; and in each of these ways something good can be done and something evil. For something materially evil can be called evil in any of these ways. If it is called evil but has a good aspect, this is blessing rather than cursing and is not illicit. For a thing is judged more according to its form than its matter. But if someone says evil under the aspect of evil, he is speaking evil formally; hence it is altogether illicit. Both of these cases occur when someone makes known an evil by asserting it. For sometimes a person asserts that something is evil, in order to make known a necessary truth. Hence, he asserts evil under the aspect of a necessary truth, which is something good; hence it is licit. This is the way Job is said to have cursed his day, when he asserted the evil of the present life (Job 3:1), just as the Apostle did in Ephesians: making the most of the time, because the days are evil (Eph 5:17). But sometimes a person asserts someone's evil under the aspect of evil, namely, to detract from his good name; and this is illicit. For it is stated in 1 Corinthians: the evil-tongued shall not possess God's kingdom (1 Cor 6:10). Similarly, when one says something evil by commanding, it can happen that he says something materially evil but under a good aspect. For example, it is licit for a person in authority to command that someone undergo the evil of punishment, when it is just. In this way violators of the law are cursed, i.e., justly subjected to punishment. But when someone commands another's evil unjustly, for example from hatred and revenge, such a curse is illicit: he that curses his father or mother shall die the death (Exod 21:17). It is the same with regard to saying something evil by desiring. For if the evil is desired under the aspect of good, for example, that through adversity a person may make spiritual progress, it is licit: I have seen a fool with a firm root: and at once I cursed his beauty (Job 5:3). But if this is done from hatred and revenge, it is altogether illicit: the Philistine cursed David by his gods (1 Sam 17:43).

Bless them which persecute you - Ευλογειτε, Give good words, or pray for them that give you bad words, καταρασθε, who make dire imprecations against you. Bless them, pray for them, and on no account curse them, whatever the provocation may be. Have the loving, forgiving mind that was in your Lord.

DUTIES OF BELIEVERS, GENERAL AND PARTICULAR. (Rom. 12:1-21) I beseech you therefore--in view of all that has been advanced in the foregoing part of this Epistle. by the mercies of God--those mercies, whose free and unmerited nature, glorious Channel, and saving fruits have been opened up at such length. that ye present--See on Rom 6:13, where we have the same exhortation and the same word there rendered "yield" (as also in Rom 12:16, Rom 12:19). your bodies--that is, "yourselves in the body," considered as the organ of the inner life. As it is through the body that all the evil that is in the unrenewed heart comes forth into palpable manifestation and action, so it is through the body that all the gracious principles and affections of believers reveal themselves in the outward life. Sanctification extends to the whole man (Th1 5:23-24). a living sacrifice--in glorious contrast to the legal sacrifices, which, save as they were slain, were no sacrifices at all. The death of the one "Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world," has swept all dead victims from off the altar of God, to make room for the redeemed themselves as "living sacrifices" to Him who made "Him to be sin for us"; while every outgoing of their grateful hearts in praise, and every act prompted by the love of Christ, is itself a sacrifice to God of a sweet-smelling savor (Heb 13:15-16). holy--As the Levitical victims, when offered without blemish to God, were regarded as holy, so believers, "yielding themselves to God as those that are alive from the dead, and their members as instruments of righteousness unto God," are, in His estimation, not ritually but really "holy," and so acceptable--"well-pleasing" unto God--not as the Levitical offerings, merely as appointed symbols of spiritual ideas, but objects, intrinsically, of divine complacency, in their renewed character, and endeared relationship to Him through His Son Jesus Christ. which is your reasonable--rather, "rational" service--in contrast, not to the senselessness of idol-worship, but to the offering of irrational victims under the law. In this view the presentation of ourselves, as living monuments of redeeming mercy, is here called "our rational service"; and surely it is the most rational and exalted occupation of God's reasonable creatures. So Pe2 1:5, "to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

Bless--that is, Call down by prayer a blessing on. them which persecute you, &c.--This is taken from the Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5:44), which, from the allusions made to it, seems to have been the storehouse of Christian morality among the churches.