Chapter # 12 Paragraph # 3 Study # 3
May 11, 2010
Lincolnton, N.C.
(591)
1769 Translation:
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but
rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance
is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
1901 ASV Translation:
11 in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer;
13 communicating to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.
19 Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath
of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.
20 But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
- I. Paul's "General" Exhortations.
- A. "Let love be without hypocrisy" [See notes for Study # 1 (586)].
- B. "Be tenderly affectioned..." [See notes for Study # 2 (588)].
- C. "In honor preferring one another..." [See notes for Study # 2 (588)].
- D. "Not slothful in business".
- 1. At issue: "business".
- a. Out of twelve texts in the New Testament where this word is used, only one is translated in the Authorized Version as "business". This automatically makes the translation suspect. The ASV translates it "diligence".
- 1) Mark 6:25 uses the word to describe how the daughter of Herodias came back to Herod to claim his promise to her of a reward up to "half of the kingdom" for having danced for him and his guests at his birthday party. The translators say that she "came in straightway with haste".
- 2) Luke 1:39 uses the word to describe Mary's travel into the hill country of Judah to visit Elisabeth and to help her in the later stages of her pregnancy. The translators say "she went with haste".
- 3) Romans 12:8, in our current context, describes Paul's expectations of those who "rule" as the outworking of their grace/faith-function: those expectations center around what the translators suddenly call "diligence" instead of "haste".
- 4) 2 Corinthians 7:11, 12; 8:7, 8, and 16 account for five of the twelve texts where this word is employed (and five of the seven places where Paul used the word) and they all describe the action of people who are faced with a particularly crucial "need" and are committed to solving it in a legitimate way as soon as possible.
- b. The conclusions we draw from a perusal of these texts is that "business" is "the reality of a pressing need".
- 2. The temptation: "sloth".
- a. This particular form is used three times in the New Testament (Matthew 25:26; Romans 12:11, and Philippians 3:1) and is translated "grievous" once and "slothful" twice.
- b. The issue is that if a need really is pressing, it should not be pushed aside by other considerations or treated as a non-pressing need. The temptation is serious. It suggests that a person can approach the situation without urgency or care.
- E. "Fervent in spirit".
- 1. The word "spirit" evokes the awareness that Paul has "doing" in mind: "spirit" is at the root of all "energizing unto effort".
- 2. The word "fervent" is only found twice in the New Testament, but its roots indicate a metaphor of "burning". The straightforward implication is that one is pretty highly motivated; his "spirit" is geared up for action.
- 3. Obviously, there is the potential for a subduing of "energetic action". This is not to be allowed.
- F. "Serving the Lord".
- 1. This phrase is the objective behind the prior two: one must see the "Lord's" desires as sponsoring the idea of crucial needs and the idea of "getting with the program".
- 2. The issue of "service" is that of a slave taking on the instructions of his master. He is not the initiator of the work, but the performer of it under instruction and guidance.