tion to ceremonial and external observances. Compare the phrase * milk suited, or pertaining to the mind,' 1 Pet. 2 : 2. Others understand these words as expressing the difference between the sacrifices under the Christian dispensation and those under the Old. Formerly animals destitute of reason were offered unto God, but now men possessed of a rational soul. But this interpretation is neither so well suited to the meaning of the word, nor does it give a sense so consistent with the context.
(2) And he not conformed to this world, hut he ye transformed hy the renewing of your mind, &c. Not only is God to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, as required in the preceding verse, but there must be a corresponding holiness of life. This idea is expressed in the manner most common with the sacred writers. Regarding men universally as corrupted and devoted to sin, the world is with them equivalent to the wicked; to be conformed to the world, therefore, is to be like unrenewed men in temper and in life. The word accurately rendered conformea expresses strongly the idea of similarity in character and manners ; and that rendered transformed expresses with equal strength the opposite idea. This world. The origin of this term, as used in the New Testa- ment, is no doubt to be sought in the mode of expression so common among the Jews, who were accustomed to distinguish between the times before, and the times under the Messiah, by calling the former period this world, or this age, and the latter, the world, or age to come. The former phrase thus naturally came to designate those who were without, and the latter those who were within the kingdom of Christ; they are equivalent to the expressions the world and the church ,- the mass of mankind and the people of God ; com. 1 Cor. 2 : 8. Eph. 2 : 2. 2 Cor. 4 : 4.
By the renewing of your mind. This phrase is intended to be ex- planatory of the preceding. The transformation to which Christians are exhorted, is not a mere external change, but one which results from a change of heart, an entire alteration of the state of the mind. The word rendered mind is used, as it is here, frequently in the New Testament, Rom. 1 : 28. Eph. 4 : 17, 23. Col. 2 : 18, &c., in all these and in similar cases it does not differ from the word heart.
That ye may he ahle to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The logical relation of this clause to the preced- ing is doubtful, as the original admits of its being regarded as express- ing either the design or the result of the change just spoken of. Our translators have adopted the former view, ' Ye are renewed, in order that ye may be able to prove, &c.' The other, however, gives an equally good sense, ' Ye are renewed so that ye prove,' &c. ; such is the effect of the change in question. The word rendered to prove signifies also to approve; the sense of this passage, therefore, may be either 'that ye may try or prove what is acceptable to God,' i. e. decide upon or ascer- tain what is right ; or, ' that ye may approve what is good,' &c. The words goodf acceptahk) and perfect, are by many considered as predicates