Rules for All Christians: Let Love Be Without Hypocrisy (Romans 12:7–9)

Rom. 12:7. Or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; or he who teaches, in teaching.

If you received the gift of service, remain in service. Service, διακονία, – is understood properly as the performance of something in the Church: oversight of those entering the temple and order in it, serving in the performance of the sacraments and all else is διακονία. This embraces not only the diaconal, but the entire sacred-ecclesiastical serving order. Holy Chrysostom says: “Service is taken here in a general sense; for Apostleship is also called service, and every good spiritual deed is service. Although this name is used to denote a particular office; yet here it is spoken of generally.” Blessed Theophylact also writes: “There is service and a special gift in the ecclesiastical order, such as the service of ‘the seven deacons.’ But here by the name of service understand generally every spiritual work. Whatever service you received, he says, remain in its performance (this word must be supplied here), do not seek something greater and do not exalt yourself before another, but be content with what you received.”

“Or he who teaches, in teaching.” If you are “a teacher,” received the gift of teaching; then remain in teaching, think about it, occupy yourself with it, strive in every way to do it as it should be done and be zealous for it. – “By teaching is understood the exposition of divine dogmas” (blessed Theodoret) – concerning the Holy Trinity, creation and providence, the blessed state in paradise and the fall, the incarnation of God and our salvation in Him, the grace of the Holy Spirit and the hopes of Christians. That this is a special gift is seen down to this day: for one expounds the dogmas very clearly, but cannot comfort, cannot untangle moral confusion and lead on the path. This gift is distinguished from prophecy in that the prophetic spirit came suddenly and compelled one to speak, not being limited to persons and not being constrained by time or place; while the gift of teaching acted constantly and gave the teacher freedom to choose subjects and order of teaching, to observe the time and prepare discourses. Holy Chrysostom says about this: “Notice that the Apostle does not observe strict order, but places the lesser (service) first and the greater (teaching) after, teaching the same as he taught before, that is, not to be puffed up and not to be arrogant.”

Rom. 12:8. Or he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

If you are “he who exhorts” – received the gift of exhortation, then remain “in exhortation” of others. Exhortation, παράκλησις, – can have a twofold meaning – either consolation in sorrow, pacification and quieting of a troubled heart, or persuasion toward a good life, the ordering of the moral side. Both one and the other may be accomplished by one and the same gift on account of the homogeneity of the work and the similarity of the disposition required to accomplish it. Therefore here both can be understood, as our interpreters do. Blessed Theodoret understands by “exhortation” persuasion toward virtue; and blessed Theophylact understands the quieting of a sorrowing heart, saying: “And exhortation is a special kind of teaching. For teaching is generally called reasoning about any subject, but exhortation properly is when someone quiets with words souls that are disturbed by sorrow or anger. Therefore the one who exhorts, he says, let him remain in exhortation, doing his work, and not exalt himself before another.”

In Apostolic times there were in the Church special orders of prophets and teachers, apart from the Apostles, and special orders of those serving in the Church. But was there a special order of those who exhorted and set on the right path? Certainly there was, when the Apostle speaks specially of the gift for this. Their work could have been oversight of morality and persuasion of the undisciplined to become disciplined, before the ecclesiastical authority would take up the matter. – Is there not a trace of this order in ό ευταξίας – the one who oversees good order in the Church?

“He who gives, with liberality.” If you are “he who gives” – received the gift of stewardship and are appointed to distribute what is necessary to those in need in the name of the Church; then give “with liberality,” that is, not suspecting the one who presents his needs of deceit, but in the simplicity of your heart believing his word that he truly needs as he says – or in the simplicity of your heart give to him, not grudging, not regretting, with a generous heart. In the primitive Church the Christian communities supported their own poor, and for this each according to his ability gave from his means to the common ecclesiastical fund what he could and as he was zealous. For the distribution of aid special persons capable of it were chosen. In the Jerusalem Church the Apostles chose seven deacons for this. Thus we must suppose it was done in all Churches. Later, when the deacons withdrew to serving in the performance of the sacraments, special stewards were chosen for distributing what was necessary to those in need, on whose care were all the poor, widows, orphans, the sick, and all kinds of those in need. That the skill to conduct such affairs is a special gift, everyone knows from constant experience. The Apostle speaks here of this gift, but not as of a natural ability, but as of a gift of grace, giving to understand that such a gift manifested itself then in persons who by nature did not show special disposition toward it. But even if we suppose in someone such a disposition, we must still suppose that God’s grace, when it came, awakened, elevated, and directed it.

That the Apostle understands here a special gift – to manage church property – is indicated by the fact that this: “he who gives” – stands among them between: “the teacher” – and: “he who exhorts,” – on one side, and: “he who leads,” – on the other – that is, in the order of those conducting proper order in the Church. Our interpreters speak here more about the dispositions with which one should give to those in need – yet in such a way that all they say can be applied not only to the general virtue of giving alms, but also to special church stewards. Here are their words: of holy Chrysostom: “It is not enough to give, but to give abundantly; for this is understood everywhere by the word: ‘liberality.’” of blessed Theodoret: “‘he who gives, with liberality,’ – not seeking glory for yourself from others, but satisfying the need of the one in need and not reasoning whether it will be sufficient or insufficient for yourself, but relying on God and giving abundant aid”; of blessed Theophylact: “Having spoken of teaching and exhortation, that is, of what pertains to concern for souls, he now speaks of the bodily, which holds the second place. By ‘liberality’ he means generosity; consequently he teaches to give with generosity. For no virtue is a virtue if performed improperly. Thus the virgins, although they had oil, had it insufficient, therefore were rejected (Mt. 25:1–12).” All these instructions can apply to distributors both of their own and of church property.

“He who leads, with diligence.” If you are a leader, conduct the work of leadership with diligence. The Apostles, wherever they planted faith, everywhere appointed priests or even bishops with ordination to rule the formed Christian community or Church in all things pertaining to faith and salvation. Leaders were also appointed for each gathering of believers. There were no churches yet; they gathered in houses. If the community of believers was large, they did not gather in one house. For each such gathering there was a special leader with full authority of leadership. This was the beginning of many parishes in one place of residence – a city, town, or large village. To every such leader, great or small, the Apostle commands to lead with diligence. What way to lead and direct and how to act was known. Only do not be lazy, and all will go well. This is the same as holy Paul impressed on holy Timothy: “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery” (1 Tim. 4:14). “It is not enough to be a leader, but one must lead with zeal and earnestness” (holy Chrysostom). “To the one who received prayerful oversight of the brethren, it behoves along with authority to assume also careful concern for them, so that those under his leadership make progress and he have in them fruit and for himself as well” (Ambrosiaster).

“He who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” – “With cheerfulness,” εν ίλαρότητι, – which should be expressed fully thus: with a joyful heart and a cheerful countenance – heartily. But who is this “he who shows mercy?” Since he stands in the order of those building and maintaining order in the Christian community, it is fitting to understand him as some office. Perhaps this is the one caring for the sick. He, together with “he who gives and he who exhorts” healed all the wounds of the believing community, one with aid, another with word, another with care for health. And they should do this heartily, but especially the one going about to the sick.

But perhaps the Apostle ended the enumeration of ecclesiastical orders and special gifts for them with the preceding: “he who leads, with diligence,” – and from this word he begins to prescribe virtues common to all Christians, placing first cheerful mercy toward those in need. Our interpreters understand here the general virtue of mercy. Holy Chrysostom speaks at length about this virtue: “It is not enough to show mercy, but one must do it abundantly and without grief; or rather, say, not only without grief, but even with a cheerful and joyful spirit. For to be not grieved and to rejoice are not the same. Paul proved the very same thing with great diligence also in the Epistle to the Corinthians. For, urging them to generosity, he said: ‘He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; but he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully’ (2 Cor. 9:6) and, teaching with what disposition one should show generosity, added: ‘not grudgingly nor of necessity’ (2 Cor. 9:7). In the one showing mercy there should be both, and generosity, and a cheerful disposition. Why do you weep while giving alms? Why do you grieve while showing mercy, and thereby deprive yourself of the fruit of your merits? If you grieve, then there is no mercy in you; on the contrary, you are cruel and inhuman. If you yourself grieve, how can you cheer the one who is in sorrow? It is not easy to prevent in him a bad suspicion when you give to him even with joy; for it seems to man nothing more humiliating than to receive something from another. If you do not turn away the suspicion by special cheerfulness of your disposition and show that you yourself are under obligation more than you obligate; then sooner will you diminish than restore the receiver. Therefore the Apostle says: ‘he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.’ Who receives royal power with a sad face? Who remains with downcast eyes when receiving forgiveness of sins? Look not at the loss of money, but at the fruits of that loss. If the sower rejoices, even though he sows at random; how much more should the worker of heaven rejoice. If you give even little with joy, you give much. Similarly, if you gave much but with sorrow; then you made little out of much. Thus the two widow’s mites (Mk. 12:41–44) surpassed many talents, because her disposition was not stingy. You say: how can the one show mercy cheerfully who himself lives in extreme poverty, whose all is exhausted? Ask the widow, from her you will learn how this is possible, and you will find that not from poverty comes soul’s distress, but that one’s own will produces both this and all the contrary. One can be magnanimous even in poverty, and wavering in wealth. Therefore the Apostle requires simplicity in giving, cheerfulness in mercy, diligence in leadership. He wishes us to help those in need not only with money, but with words, deeds, bodily labor and all else. And, first having mentioned the main kind of help – teaching, advice – which are so necessary for they feed the soul, only then does he pass to help with money and all else.”

Having pointed out how persons managing the affairs of the Christian community should act, the Apostle now writes:

Bb) Rules, how all other Christians should act (Rom. 12:9–21)

Here he presents an enumeration of dispositions and actions in which the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, indicated at the beginning, must be expressed – in each Christian (Rom. 12:9–21).

Rom. 12:9. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Sincere love must constitute the soul of all the actions shown before this, as holy Chrysostom explains: “The Apostle, teaching how one can make progress in those virtues, presents their mother – love. If you will have love, then you will not feel loss from money, nor bodily labor, nor the heaviness of teaching others, nor sweat in serving; on the contrary, you will bear all manfully, whether help be needed for a neighbor through bodily labors, money, word, or something else.” But it must constitute the soul of all Christians in all their actions, serving as the distinctive mark of true Christianity, as the Lord Himself pointed out: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:35). The consciousness that this should be so lies deep in the heart of Christians, and all strive to show themselves loving others both in word and deed. But since the showing of oneself as loving does not always proceed from a loving heart, the Apostle adds: let love be without hypocrisy, that is, do not show love only outwardly, but, most importantly, nourish it in your heart. Holy Chrysostom also says further: “Just as the Apostle requires not simply giving, but with simplicity, not simply leading, but with diligence, not simply showing mercy, but with cheerfulness; so neither does he simply require love, but love without pretense. For such is true love; and if it is such, all else will follow of itself.”

The Apostle does not prescribe a commandment of love: this is an acknowledged truth for him. But he indicates the quality of love, as a warning against deviating to wrongfulness in this principal matter. Love is stamped on the heart together with the reception of rebirth, which is built on the destruction of self-will, as the Apostle writes elsewhere: “The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 5:5). But afterwards it is possible that self-will again creeps into the heart and, leaving on the surface external affability, weakens the love of the heart or drives it out entirely and takes its place. Then love, although visible in deeds, will already be hypocritical. It is from this that the Apostle warns.

“Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” By evil and good are not understood people, but evil and good – deed, word, thought, all wickedness and all good. That in the conduct of Christians there should be nothing bad, shameful, and disgraceful, and that they should be holy and blameless in all their life, about this there is nothing to say. But there is required not only conduct free from sin and full of virtue, but a heart that with horror turns away from all that is bad and burns with love for all good. Since this is not always the case, the Apostle reminds of this with a special commandment. – Holy Chrysostom says: “The Apostle commands not merely to abstain from evil, but to hate it, and not simply to hate it, but to turn away from it with horror. Since many, although they do not do evil, harbor evil desires; the Apostle said: turn away with horror. He wishes our thoughts to be pure, that we declare open enmity, hatred, and war against vice. Since I have prescribed to you, says the Apostle, to love one another; do not conclude from my words that I command you also to cooperate in evil deeds. I prescribe to you the opposite: shun evil not only in deed, but in disposition; and not only shun evil dispositions, but turn away from evil and hate it in every way. And with this Paul is not yet satisfied, but requires the exercise of virtue, saying: ‘Cling to what is good.’ He did not say: do good – but: be devoted to it; for this he expressed by commanding to cling to good. Thus God, joining man and woman, said: ‘A man shall cleave to his wife’ (Gen. 2:24).”