Charles Ellicott Commentary Romans 12:16

"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." — Romans 12:16 (ASV)

Be of the same mind . . .—In every Christian community, there should be that harmony which proceeds from a common object, common hopes, common desires.

Condescend to men of low estate.—This is probably, on the whole, rightly translated in our version: “Let yourselves be carried along in the stream with those who are beneath you in rank and station; mix with them freely; be ready to lend them a helping hand if they ever need, and do this in a simple and kindly way; do not let any social assumptions keep you at a distance.”

Alternatively, it can mean to “accommodate yourselves,” or “condescend”—of course, without any conscious idea or appearance of condescension. Another rendering would be “condescend to lowly things,” in which case the sense would be nearly equivalent to that of Keble’s well-known and beautiful lines—

“The trivial round, the common task,
Will furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves, a road
To bring us daily nearer God.”

The scholar will observe that in this way of taking the passage, the Greek word for “condescend” (sunapagomenoi) has to be a little forced, or at least is not so expressive and natural as in the other. On the other hand, in the Epistles of a writer like St. Paul, it does not by any means follow that because the word for “high” is neuter, the word for “low estate” must be neuter too.

Be not wise in your own conceits.—Compare to Romans 11:25 and Proverbs 3:7. Humility is necessary for the Christian, not only in his dealings with others but also to keep his mind open and teachable. He sees his errors and learns from them.