“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.” -Romans 12:16
This next exhortation is one of humility. Previously, Paul told believers not to think of themselves more highly than they ought to think (vs. 3), which is a general exhortation to humility. Here he adds that believers are to live in harmony with one another. This means every potential display of sinful pride must be put to death.
Next, he reminds believers, as James also did (James 2:1-9), to not show partiality among the brethren by being haughty, but associate with (the A.V. says to condescend to) the lowly.
While in our modern democratic culture the idea of reminding people to condescend to another or associate with the lowly may seem off-putting or haughty, we must avoid anachronistic tendencies to dismiss the aristocratic mind-set of the age.
It took the gospel two millennia to cultivate our the modern sensibility for equality. (Note: the Christian idea of equality, as manifest in Paul’s writings or even the writings of 18th-century deists like Locke and Jefferson, is something quite different than the post-modern idea of equity. The two should not be confused.)
In any case, it is of further interest to note Paul’s double use of the Greek word, φρονοῦντες (phronountes), which is not expressed as clearly in the ESV as it is in other translations:
The Orthodox Bible
Be of the same mind one toward another. Do not set your mind on exalted things, but [associate] with the humble. Do not think that you are wiser than you really are.
KJV Bible
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.
Phronountes is first translated harmony and then translated haughty in the ESV, the latter modified by ὑψηλὰ (hypselos). In the other translations it’s translated mind. Phronountes means to give careful consideration to something; to set one’s mind on that thing. hypselos phronountes means to cherish proud thoughts or harbor exalted thoughts.
Thus, we are called to set our minds on the same thing (Christ) and not cherish proud thoughts that exalt ourselves above our neighbors. In other words, never be wise in our own sight.
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