Metamorphosis Reprise

I love the word ‘Metamorphosis.’
When I was growing up I was amazed when I learned that word.
Besides being really fun to say, c’mon say it with me,
“M-e-t-a-morph-o-s-i-s.”
To me it was another word for “Magic.”

Although there are several different animals that technically go through a metamorphic process in their development, it’s really the Butterfly that catches our imagination.
A caterpillar, a worm for lack of a better term, builds a house and goes to sleep.
In a few weeks, Presto! Changeo! A beautiful winged butterfly emerges!
If that ain’t magic, I don’t know what is.

The change is physical and it is complete. Everything that looked like caterpillar had disappeared. It was transformed into everything Butterfly.

So, imagine my pleasure when I read this,
“Don’t be conformed to this age. But, be metamorphosised in the renewal of your mind.”
(Romans 12:2a trans. mine.)

Most English Bibles translate the Greek word that Paul wrote, “metamorpho’o” with “transformed.” And, while that is an effective translation, I think that it lacks the nuance that Paul was going for.

Once I saw this in the Greek, I decided to look around to see if there were other instances of this language used. For those of us who are kind of geeky about language and stuff, finding other uses helps us put the words into a greater context.

I found two other places that surprised me. But, also made me smile.
These appear in the Gospels according to Mark and Matthew.
In Mk. 9:2 the writer tells us,

Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them.

Matthew 17:2 has,

And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.

In both verses the word “Transfigured” is what translators chose for “metamorpho’o.”

Jesus “metamorphosised” in the presence of his friends.
Paul tells us to be “metamorphosised.”
You can see how this might excite a person!

The whole concept of metamorphosis, though, has to do with an obvious physical change. A crawly caterpillar cocoons and, voilà! Butterfly! Jesus walks up a hill with Peter and Pals and Poof! Transfigured!

But, what was Paul getting at? Because, I’m not seeing how what he said has to do with any physical change.
Truth be told, scholars have spent the better share of two millennia trying to spin this in a way that makes sense. The most acceptable way is to say that Paul was talking about an Inward transformation. A change in character and temperament that, while not as obvious as shining faces and clothes, could still be “seen” by others.
And, I kind of agree with that. For example, I find that anger doesn’t rule me like it once did. So, yeah, I guess that could fit the bill.

But, I was still not convinced that this was what Paul was getting at.
Then, I read the rest of the verse.
” Don’t be conformed to this age.”
Most English Bibles translate this along the lines of,
“Do not be conformed to this world. But…”

Ok, I gotta turn the word nerd loose for a sec.
We could translate this,
“Do not be formed by the pattern and mold of this age.”
Paul seems to view the age, or the culture, or the systems that govern us as some kind of mold that exerts its pressure on us in order to form us.
We see this every day in our lives.
Parents form children. Laws and rules form us into citizens. Cultural mores press us into acceptable players in our lives together.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to say that these are bad things. They may not be. But, Paul did write, “Don’t let the molds of this age form you” for a reason.

Paul wrote this letter to a Church in Rome that had undergone a huge persecution. The people were under tremendous pressure to conform to Roman law and custom. The most important custom, to acknowledge Caesar as Lord and Savior.
Paul encouraged the Church to persevere and to present themselves to God, rather than Caesar, as if they were living sacrifices dedicated to God through Jesus Christ.
They should, therefore, be metamorphosised into something different. That somehow through a renewal of their mind, or thinking, or perception they would actually become a different creature. A physical change would be noticed by those who were molded and formed by the present age. These “New Creations” would stand out like the proverbial sore thumb!

This is my takeaway on this.
God, somehow, I have no idea how, but God is able by God’s Good Grace to cause a renewal of our minds that results in a New Creation being born.
A New Creation that breaks out of the cocoon in which it has been slowly changing; transforming, yes, Transfiguring.
That same Grace and Power is still available to us today. Grace and Power to bring about a true Metamorphosis in our lives.