Each of these parts has a clarifying phrase attached to it. We are going to break up the sentence thusly: I say to everyone not to be high minded.

Transcription

1 Romans 12:3-5 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Before we begin to look at these next few verses, let us recall the main thrust of this section and make a correction in observation. ***The Gospel of Romans*** The main idea of verses 1-2 is the what now? after understanding of God s truth in Chapters 1-11 (What then shall we do?). Paul is preparing the individual to serve God through worship of God and serving one another. The transformation of the mind is not automatic, but is a review of how we think and changing our knowledge and the manner of evaluation to line up with biblical truth. Changing one s worldview is much easier stated than accomplished. Changing what we evaluate as important; changing our priorities and changing our goals takes an illumination that only comes from saturating the mind with the Word of God. After that initial invigoration of the mind, it will take time to develop. But the initial shift in understanding is necessary to begin the development. What is this initial shift, what does it look like? It is not a manifestation of the external but a realization that our thoughts cannot be trusted, a rejection of the environment, and that we need the mind of Christ. Our primary step is to understand that there is a need, that even in the reconciled state we are in need of training in the mind. The plainest understanding of this initial transformation is to think like God, in the same manner of God. Then we are able to assimilate more information as to what to think. The first part is to understand the nature of God, the natural state of man, the reality of reconciliation, the benefits of having been deemed right by God, and our current role in the administration of God. What we just demonstrated is that everything that this world holds as true is false. What needs to happen now is that everything that is held as valuable is now seen as worthless. And what the world sees as worthless is actually valuable in the eyes of God. What needs to be adjusted is my initial observation of chapter 12. What I said last lesson is that the thinking part was from 1-11 and the action part was In fact, chapter 12 is still an adjustment of thinking coupled with instruction in action. Now this thinking is instruction and it is specific to the function of the believer. What we have in chapters 1-11 is general information as to what all believers need to understand about God

2 and the grace of God. In chapters 1-11, this information speaks in generalities. In chapter 12, the information becomes more specific as to what to think. This moves from big picture to microscopic in the believer s life. For example, we can say that God loves you. This is general and can be believed by the audience. But once this truth is communicated, we may say that God loves you through the sacrifice of Jesus, dying for you on the cross, taking our punishment for sin and rebellion. But we can still move to more specifics: God has now provided for you as a believer by providing the Holy Spirit to help you in many ways. Now most people, when they believe, know very little about God, the Bible, or spiritual matters. They understand the truth of God s provision of salvation through Jesus Christ and they know that they will live for eternity with God. But the what now? question is often left unanswered or the answer is nonbiblical. And their biggest issue is to realize that they need an initial mental invigoration to realize that they need to think like God and reject the worldview of their environment. After they adjust the worldview, then they can take on more specific instruction in regard to the Christian life. But unless they understand the basics (Romans 1-11), the intermediate will be difficult to grasp. Without understanding the grace of God, instruction can appear to be legalism when, in fact, these instructions are another grace. Verses 3-8 (read again) are about the proper mental attitude of the believers within the body of Christ. If we simplify this passage to the core elements, we can easily see that believers are to think properly about themselves in relation to one another. This is the main thrust of the passage. The secondary point is that each of us has a function(s) within the church. For the church to function appropriately, each person needs to properly fulfill the role as assigned by the Holy Spirit. The paragraph is filled with peripherals, statements that are controversial because they have been mistaught, misapplied, and not properly studied within Christendom. Verse 3 begins with Paul stating, I say. In the NASB, this appears later in the verse, but in Greek, it is first in the sentence. The entire clause needs to be taken into consideration. Is Paul speaking for himself or with the authority of the Holy Spirit. The content of what is being said here usually indicates that this is divine authority but we cannot ignore that it begins with I say. The basic sentence is I say to everyone not to be high minded.

3 Each of these parts has a clarifying phrase attached to it. We are going to break up the sentence thusly: I say to everyone not to be high minded. I say is the verb λέγω legō and is translated said, say, saying over 1,800 times. Literally, means to lay forth. This phrase is used to make a proclamation, a declarative statement. Jesus is recorded more than anyone of beginning truth statements with λέγω legō. It is one of the most emphatic ways of stating a fact. Furthermore, I say is clarified by through the grace given to me. This phrase mirrors verse one of this chapter. διὰ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν by means of the compassion. διὰ τῆς χάριτος by means of the grace. Therefore, Paul is stating something by means of the grace given to him. Given is δίδωμι didōmi which means to give. The verb is used here in the articular participle form the having been given. The same structure of the grace the having been give to is used in Romans 12:6. Here we can easily see that the grace given to us are gifts. Therefore, we need to understand that Paul has been a grace from God. This is particular to Paul (to me - ego). So what is the gift (the grace) given to Paul by God? The answer is his apostleship. He was provided an office of apostleship and, as we know, this was a grace (1 st Corinthians 3:5,10; Galatians 2:7-9; Ephesians 3:2,7-8) When Paul says, I say by the grace having been given to me, he, as an apostle, is humbly invoking the authority of Jesus Christ. This is not a personal pleading but a decree from the highest authority. Just as Jesus used this emphatic declarative, Paul is now making a strong truth statement with the authority of Jesus Christ. To everyone is the adjective πᾶς pas means each and every, all. This is clarified with among you. In Greek, this is more complete. There is an articular participle ho eimi followed by the phrase in you (all). Those residing, existing, being in (within, among) you all. This is not to address a particular problem with just a single person, small group, or a portion of the church, but message for all to hear. The reason is that mental attitude among believers concerning others is the primary source of problems and is the chief problem among believers. Paul deals with the mental attitude of believers concerning each other in general, concerning enemies, the government, and loving each other before one mention of overt sinful behavior.

4 Not to be high minded In the NASB, this is translated not to think more highly. This is the first of four φρονέω phroneō verbs (all infinitives). Here the word is ὑπερφρονέω huperphroneō (who-pehr-frah-neh - oh) over, beyond, super. φρονέω phroneō, in classical Greek, inferred the seat of intellectual activity. This word has been analyzed extensively. One word study I found was over 8,300 words long. The basic idea is to think, understand, have a manner of thinking. This is not knowledge but focuses on how a person thinks. This is one of the main themes in Philippians. Liddell-Scott defines this as a certain frame of mind. With the idea of a certain frame of mind, let us consider ὑπερφρονέω huperphroneō. This word is only used once, although many compare it to Romans 11:20 ὑψηλοφρονέω hupsēlophroneō (proud arrogant). Many of the lexicons (Baur, LSJ) define this as being too high minded of oneself, to be haughty. They look at the word, which means to be over, beyond, super φρονέω phroneō and they add an arrogant tone based upon the context. The full phrase LCV not huperphroneō beyond what is necessary to be minded. We all look at that phrase and we get lost. We understand that Paul is exhorting the readers to think appropriately. But is this about arrogance or something else? In the second half of this verse, we have the antithesis to huperphroneō; σωφρονέω sōphroneō. This word means literally safe minded; sound mind; controlled mind. Verses Luke 8:35; Acts 26:24-25; 2Cor 5:13; Titus 2:1-8. Therefore, the passage in Romans 12:3 is Paul instructing with apostolic authority to not exercise the mind over and beyond how you ought to think. This is an instruction to keep the mind under control and in accordance with biblical truth. In reviewing the whole of this passage, I am convinced that this is not referring to arrogance because there are two ways to have a kink in your think concerning the topic of this passage. The first problem is arrogance; because I am doing this and you are not, I am better than you. The second is likened to the first but in reverse; because you are doing that and I am not means that God prefers you over me. Because both are problematic, both fit under ὑπερφρονέω huperphroneō and are not σωφρονέω sōphroneō.

5 The reason that this instruction is given is because God has allotted to each a measure of faith. The word for allotted is μερίζω merizō (meh-reed -zoh) and is defined as divide, separate, distribute. The suffix izo indicates cause. God has caused a distribution. What is that distribution a measure of faith. Measure is μέτρον metron (meh -trahn) and here means an abstract quantity. In the New Testament, this is normally used for measurement, the standard of weight, length, etc. But in the abstract (that which is immaterial), this means a portion of the whole. In John 3:30-35, John the Baptist reflects on the nature of Jesus. The statement is made that God does not measure out the Spirit (to whom God had sent). This is in contrast to how God gifts those who are in Christ. 2Cor 10:12-18 The emphasis in this passage is that Paul recognizes that he (and his companions) have only been granted a limited amount of ability, responsibility, work, and sphere of influence. Ephesians 4:7-8,13,16 This passage indicates that each person has a portion given to him so that each person may grow to maturity so that they reach their maximum potential in the body of Christ. Taking Romans 12:3 with these passages, we understand that God has given each person a portion of the Spirit, a portion of the gifts given among believers and each one has a specific fit in the body of Christ. When instructed to not think over and beyond what to think, we must understand that each has been given a certain portion. We must not degrade that portion nor should we seek a larger portion. We will be measured by what we are given when evaluated by Jesus. But Romans 12:3 does not state gifts, it states faith. Is faith a gift given by God? Is faith measured and distributed according to the will of God? (Romans 12:6; 1Cor 12:9; 1Cor 13:2). Now before we discuss what this is, let us discuss what this is not: 1. Believing in Jesus Christ 2. Personal piety Barns, Judge yourselves, or estimate yourselves by your piety 3. Confidence 4. Trust ability to trust God Now what it is: faith is a noun. Charles Hodge recognized that Faith may be taken for what is believed, or for knowledge of divine truth, and the sense be, according to the degree of knowledge which he has attained. The crude definition is doctrine that is believed. With that in consideration, we look at the possibilities.

6 5. Gift Used as a hapax legomena (12:6). If we take away the word and it was left blank and we had to define it based upon context alone, I would conclude that this word is a synonym for gift. 6. Doctrine (that is believed) 7. Or possible translation God has apportioned a measurement, according to doctrinal understanding This is not easy to settle on. We know for sure what it is not. But we may not settle on what it is. I am convinced that each person is afforded an individual optimal doctrinal understanding. How does this apply to us? This is simply a truth not a goal, not a limitation. We know that various individuals are at a different point in their doctrinal understanding. Where is your maximum? I do not know. I know that I have not reached my maximum and I can say with confidence that no one living has reached his or her doctrinal maximum. But one person may study for 40 years and have the same level of doctrinal understanding as one who has been studying for 5, 10, or 20 years. This is sobering for me. Reflecting on this point leads me to understand something. Individuals in the past that seem to miss some basic doctrines that we now understand as being simple would trouble me greatly. Perhaps if they were to look into my life they would say the same thing about me. Instead of thinking poorly about another s doctrinal errors (non-tenant) we should try to help them understand and grow. (Romans 14:1-5) So, the point of the measure of faith is to demonstrate, in this context, that we are to function in alignment with biblical truth in accordance with the doctrine that we understand. Those weak in faith are admonished to grow, so we are never to stop growing in doctrinal understanding. But we are to function in accordance with what we believe is true (Romans 14:22-23). Conclusion 1. Paul is speaking with apostolic authority 2. This imploration is to all 3. Do not think beyond what you should think a. Do not be arrogant b. Do not be humiliated 4. Each person has their proper fit a. Role in the body of Christ b. Maturation maximum c. Doctrinal understanding maximum 5. Each believer is to learn and grow, being accountable to God 6. We are to function in the body in alignment with biblical truth and in accordance with what we believe to be true.