We are to show mutual esteem for one another. This is not accomplished by means of lip service or saccharine sentiment. Instead, it is fulfilled with honor. Paul here paints a picture of two Christians who are not only seeking to honor the other Christians in their lives, but who are actively competing to see who can show more honor to the others. This is not an act of self-abasement, as though we are to show this honor by the mechanism of self-deprecation. Rather, we are to identify that which is worthy of praise and respect and seek to genuinely manifest our esteem in response to those things.

¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. – Romans 12:10 (ESV)

⁸ Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. – 1 Peter 3:8

For though friends are at liberty to think differently, yet to do so is a cloud which obscures love; yea, from this seed easily arises hatred. – John Calvin

English is a rigid language, slavishly constrained to a strict subject-predicate structure. Although we sometimes observe occasional departures from this rubric, they strike us as odd and idiosyncratic. English translations of the Bible often must rework the word order of a Greek text in order to make it intelligible for an English-speaking audience. Although the New Yoda Translation might be a fun passion project, failing to maintain a standard English sentence structure would confuse most readers. For this reason, there is a potential to miss some of the nuances of Greek emphasis when we read the Scriptures. Romans 12:10 is an example of this potential brought to actuality. In both instances the manner of action (with brotherly affection and with honor) are placed at the end of the clause by translators, while in the original structure they are found at the beginning. This Greek convention is being used by Paul to emphasize for us that the way we execute the commanded action is foundational to the action itself. The way that we accomplish the command is the main point.

We are to love one another, not in a general sense but with brotherly love toward one another. We do not just love each other but invest deep familial love into our relationships with each other. Further, the command to be devoted to one another is a declaration of a state of being, not a verbal process. Rather than a general command to show love to others in discrete actions, we commanded are to exist in a continual state of devotion to each other. Paul here teaches us that the way that we obtain and maintain this state is by pouring brotherly love into the Christians to whom God has united. This is true in relation to all Christians everywhere, but especially true in reference to those whom God has placed in our most proximate circles.

Secondly, we are to show mutual esteem for one another. This is not accomplished by means of lip service or saccharine sentiment. Instead, it is fulfilled with honor. Paul here paints a picture of two Christians who are not only seeking to honor the other Christians in their lives, but who are actively competing to see who can show more honor to the others. This is not an act of self-abasement, as though we are to show this honor by the mechanism of self-deprecation. Rather, we are to identify that which is worthy of praise and respect and seek to genuinely manifest our esteem in response to those things.

Read More