Daily Bible Study Commentary by Pastor Steve
We’re excited to have you digging deeper into the Word. The best way to use this study guide is to read the
Bible verse(s) first, then Pastor Steve’s commentary. God bless you.
Romans 12:10, 11
v10: His next command is, “In brotherly love, love one another like family!” His choice of words implies that we should cherish one
another as deeply as if we were related to one another by the family ties of flesh and blood. Then he adds, “In honor prefer one another!”
He wants us to prefer that the needs of others be attended to before our own (Php 2:3, 4). Undoubtedly one of the areas where Paul
hoped the Roman church would apply this counsel was the cultural separation between Jews and Gentiles (Ro 15:2-9). v11: Tensions
with the church and persecution from outside the church had tended to leave believers weary and passive, so Paul says, “In zeal serve
the Lord, don’t become inactive (slow to act, lazy) but keep burning in spirit!”
Romans 12:12
v12: It’s not certain what levels of persecution Christians in Rome were experiencing as Paul wrote this letter (AD 58). Nero was emperor
(AD 54-68) and would in a few years (AD 64) direct a brutal persecution, falsely blaming them for starting a fire that burned a sizable
portion of the city. Nero’s predecessor, Claudius, had issued an edict forcing Jews to leave the city in AD 49 or 50 (Ac 18:2). At that time
Christianity was still considered by many to be a form of Judaism so the church would have been affected to some degree. And there
are so many references to persecution in New Testament letters there can be little doubt that the situation in Rome was similar (Ro 8:35,
2Co 1:5; 4:8, 9; 8:1, 2; 1Th 1:6; 2:2; 3:3; 2Th 1:4; 3:11, 12; Heb 10:32-34; 13:23, 24; 1Pe 4:12-19). Many who converted had been
abandoned by family or harassed by hostile members of their community. Saying “yes” to Jesus left innocent people destitute so it was
urgent that their new spiritual brothers and sisters accept the responsibility to care for their practical needs.
Romans 12:12
v12 (continued): Paul says it is essential for believers to maintain an eternal perspective in the midst of affliction. We are to rejoice in
hope. By keeping God’s promises concerning the resurrection and the glories of the new age in the forefront of our minds we are able to
say with Paul, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed
to us” (Ro 8:18). Paul considered suffering to be an unavoidable part of being identified with Jesus (Ro 8:17). Yet even the most intense
suffering is only temporary. It is soon cast aside as we step into our glorious destiny. Knowing this allows us to suffer and rejoice at the
same time (Ac 16:23-25).
Romans 12:12, 13
v12 (continued): Hope gives us the inner strength to patiently endure affliction, but prayer brings divine protection (Ro 15:30, 31; 2Co
1:10, 11; Php 1:19), strength (Col 4:12) and Spirit-arranged opportunities for evangelism (Col 4:2-4), so Paul adds, “In prayer, stay
strong, don’t quit!” v13: In regard to the needs of impoverished believers Paul says, “Generously share what you have with them as if
they were your own family (koinonia, Ac 2:42, 44, 45; 2Co 8:4; 9:13). Surely he has widows, the sick and the homeless in mind when he
tells us, “Pursue hospitality” (literally, love of strangers). He doesn’t say practice hospitality, he says pursue it, meaning actively find and
shelter them (Mt 25:38; 1Ti 3:2; Titus 1:8; Heb 13:2, 3). He wants us to care for fellow believers as if they were our own flesh and blood.
Romans 12:14
v14: People who are persecuted for their faith suffer not only physical hardship, but emotional and mental hardship as well. They are
enduring a gross injustice. The attacks are completely undeserved. They have been rejected, impoverished or even injured not because
they did something wrong but simply because they responded to God’s call to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ (1Pe 2:19-24). Especially
in situations where betrayal, thanklessness, cruelty and illogical hatred has been directed at us by those we once trusted, loved or
selflessly served there tends to arise in us a natural backlash of fury. We experience a surge of emotion that wants to respond in wounded
anger by calling on God to curse them, to demand that He grant us justice. So Paul speaks directly to the heart of those struggling with
these feelings and says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Lk 6:27-35). He explains more fully why we should
do this in verses 17-21.
Romans 12:15, 16
v15: The level of care believers are to give to one another goes even deeper than practical needs. Paul tells us to let our hearts be knit
together to the point that we participate with one another in the emotional highs and lows of life. We “rejoice with those who rejoice, and
weep with those who weep.” Life is to be lived together, not in isolation. Together we enjoy good times and together we endure bad times,
which makes the rejoicing more wonderful and the sorrow more bearable. v16: And such care is to be given equitably to all who are in
need. No one should be given preferential treatment and no one should be ignored. Paul literally says we should “be of the same mind
toward one another” meaning in the way we think about others we should give equal value to those who come from humble circumstances
or are distinguished members of the community (Ro 15:5-7; 1Co 12:22-26; Jas 2:1-4, 9)
This study is intended for personal use. Share it with a friend or family member? Sure. But please don’t publish it without our written
permission. Thanks. (© 2010 Northwest Church • Life Lessons is a ministry of Northwest Church in Federal Way, WA)
Daily Bible Study Commentary by Pastor Steve
We’re excited to have you digging deeper into the Word. The best way to use this study guide is to read the
Bible verse(s) first, then Pastor Steve’s commentary. God bless you.
Romans 12:16, 17
v16 (continued): Then he adds, “Don’t become wise in yourselves” meaning here, don’t become proud and decide you can ignore my
instructions. Don’t let your fleshly mind determine who deserves help and who doesn’t. Submit to God’s wisdom which teaches you to
treat all fairly. v17: The directives given in verses 17-21 are true for all types of relationships, but in this context it appears that Paul is
applying them particularly to persecuted believers (1Th 5:15). He’s teaching us how to relate to hostile family members and neighbors.
The first thing he says is, “To no one return evil for evil” (Mt 5:38-48; 1Pe 3:9), and then adds, “think carefully before you act so that what
you do leaves you with a good reputation in the community” (2Co 4:2; 8:21; Pr 3:4).
Romans 12:18, 19
v18: Jesus instructed His disciples to not stir up unnecessary trouble. Being identified with Him would provoke plenty of hostility without
adding to it by foolish mistakes (Mt 10:16). In the same line of thinking Paul tells us, “If possible, at least as far as you can influence the
situation, live peacefully with unbelievers.” v19: We must resist the impulse to seek revenge when someone hurts us, and instead place
the matter in God’s hands, letting Him be the judge. We can be absolutely confident that He will bring justice to the one who has harmed
us, if they don’t truly repent. He reminds us of Moses’ words in his “song” that God doesn’t forget the evil done to His people, “Vengeance
is Mine, I will repay says the Lord” (Dt 32:34-36). In his second letter to the Thessalonians Paul describes this vengeance (2Th 1:6-10).
The picture he presents stirs compassion in us even for our worst oppressor. No matter what’s been done to us, no one in whom the love
of God dwells can desire such an eternal destiny for anyone, which is why we choose instead to love our enemies (Mt 5:44) and seek to
win them to Christ.
This study is intended for personal use. Share it with a friend or family member? Sure. But please don’t publish it without our written
permission. Thanks. (© 2010 Northwest Church • Life Lessons is a ministry of Northwest Church in Federal Way, WA)