In Canada, this is the Victoria Day weekend. Victoria Day is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday before May 25, in honour of Queen Victoria’s birthday. At a time of civil unrest, from continued reverberations of the 2010 G20 sumit, Vancouver hockey riots, student riots in Quebec, to conflict on provincial and federal legislation, this is a useful time of consider what God calls our relationship with the state to be and why.
Due to the religious freedom that most westerners have enjoyed for many generations, it is difficult for believers living in such countries to fully appreciate the extreme struggle that many of their brothers and sisters in Christ face under regimes that restrict freedom and oppress Christianity .“Holy wars,” such as the Crusades, that are fought in the name of Christianity, are generally and rightly condemned. But historically, Christians have been involved, frequently in the name of their faith, in the forceful overthrow of oppressive and sometimes despotic governments. Democracy and political freedom are commonly identified with Christianity. For such reasons it is difficult for many Christians to be clear, or even objective and honest, about a passage so unambiguously restrictive as Romans 13:1–7.
In Romans 13, the Apostle Paul, a Roman citizen by birth, is writing to a church located in the very capital of the Roman Empire, the heat and center of government. They were people very aware of the operations of government and the effect on the people. In terms of the audience, a considerable proportion, though probably not the majority-of the membership of the Roman church consisted of Jews. Many of the Jews of that day and age were looking for an opportunity to shake off the yoke of subjection to Rome, and were eager to become politically independent once more, with a king of their own. When Paul wrote Romans 13, Nero was Emperor at this time. Christians were killed by dogs by having the hides of beasts attached to them, or they were nailed to crosses or set aflame, and, when the daylight passed away, they were used as nighttime lamps.
Romans 13:1-7 contain the clearest and most specific New Testament teaching on the Christian’s responsibility to civil authority. Every Christian, no matter what form of government they live under, is under command from the Lord to maintain proper and useful submission to that government for the sake of leading a peaceful life and having an effective witness. As such, God declares: 1) The Principles of Authority (Romans 13:1-2) 2)The Purpose of Authority (Romans 13:3-4) 3)The Problems of Authority (Romans 13:5-7) (Briscoe, D. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Vol. 29: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 29 : Romans. The Preacher’s Commentary series (230–231). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.)
1) The Principles of Authority (Romans 13:1-2)
Romans 13:1-2 [13:1]Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. [2]Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment (ESV)
Throughout the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul has described God in authoritative terms. It was His authoritative word that created things that were nonexistent; it is through the obedience of nature to His laws that the visible things portray something of the invisible God; His dealings with His chosen people clearly demonstrate that He is their God and demands their allegiance; and His freedom to deal with them and others as He chooses is defended vigorously, as is His absolute right to judge the world in righteousness. That ultimate authority rests with God is beyond question, but it should be noted that God exercises His authority on earth and in heaven through delegation. The most obvious illustration of this is His appointment of the Risen Lord as Judge. Elsewhere in his writings, Paul teaches that God has delegated His authority to parents, employers, elders, and husbands, but his emphasis here is on the role that government plays in the administration of divine authority. (Briscoe, D. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Vol. 29: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 29 : Romans. The Preacher’s Commentary series (230–232). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.).
The directive begins though an injunction or command: "Let",. Who does this command apply to: "every person", therefore, there are no exceptions. The command is for every person to be "subject to", This is a PRESENT PASSIVE IMPERATIVE meaning, “continue to be made submissive” (Utley, R. J. D. (1998). Vol. Volume 5: The Gospel According to Paul: Romans. Study Guide Commentary Series (Ro 13:1). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International )
This is different from blindly obeying. Subject: is a military term denoting soldiers arranged in order under the commander and subject to his commands. They are lined up The verb here is a passive imperative, meaning first of all that the principle is a command, not an option, and second that the Christian is to willingly place themselves under all governing authorities, whoever they may be.
The same term for being subject is used in Eph 5:21 with our obligation to one another, wives to husbands and in Eph 6 with children to parents. As an application, consider out actions in broader spheres: When we do what we can to avoid proper government submission, fail to go a proper job at work, lie to the police, why should we then expect godly obedient children. We’ve just taught them what we actually believe through our actions. We experience difficulties in our family dynamics because we fail to practice other forms of godly submission.
Godly submission is to the one who ultimately owes honor. Government, and other representatives are merely representatives. It is not because of a particular character that we are to honor them, but because of the office they hold.
Every person is to be subject to the "governing authorities". The "governing" (exousia) is not a specific or technical term; it simply means those who are over others. In terms of "authorities" (archōn v. 3), we find Josephus using it, as Paul does, with reference to Roman rulers, but specifically those who ruled in the name of Rome over the Jews in Palestine (Jewish War II, 350). (Harrison, E. F. (1976). Romans. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 10: Romans Through Galatians (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (137). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
In it’s broadest context: it applies to anyone who is in a position of authority over us. The authorities are in the plural form, it applies to the authority as a whole. The specific reference in this text is to elected officials: Prime minister, Premiers, Mayors, clerks etc. The civil magistrates to whom Paul refers, from the emperor down to the rulers of the lowest rank, in the final analysis owed their appointment and right to govern to God. It was by His will and in His providence that they had been appointed to maintain order, encourage well-doing, and punish wrong-doing (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Vol. 12-13: New Testament commentary : Exposition of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. New Testament Commentary (433). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
No particular form of authority is specified: imperial, monarchical, oligarchical, republican, democratic. Whether this authority is exercised in a noble or in an oppressive manner, whether it was attained in a legitimate or in an illegitimate way, neither limits nor qualifies the Christian’s position. One implication is plain: anarchy is not according to the will of God (Lenski, R. C. H. (1936). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Espistle to the Romans (786). Columbus, Ohio: Lutheran Book Concern.).
Please turn to 1 Peter 2 (p.1015)
How to be subject to these governing authorities is the issue for us. It is not blind obedience, but a specified duty.
• Just as a soldier who is subject to a commander is obligated to only obey lawful orders and obligated to prevent unlawful actions, so too we must look at our orders.
1 Peter 2:13-17 [13]Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, [14]or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. [15]For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. [16]Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. [17]Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. (ESV)
Human government is a divine institution, instituted/ordained by God when Noah came out of the ark, a basic law of which is capital punishment for the murderer duly convicted of his crime (Gen. 9:5, 6). “Instituted/ordained” is tassō (τασσω), is in the perfect tense, “have been ordained and as a result remain ordained.” That is, human government is a permanent institution brought into being by God for the regulation of human affairs. The powers or authorities here are seen, not in their individual personalities, but as officers of the law, whose positions are ordained by God (Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader (Ro 13:1). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.)
Daniel said that God “sets up kings and deposes them” when he praised God in prayer for revealing to him the meaning of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan. 2:21). When Daniel conveyed the dream and its meaning to the king, he said plainly, “The God of heaven has given you [Nebuchadnezzar] dominion and power and might and glory … he has made you ruler” (Dan. 2:37–38). Daniel continued illustrating Paul’s point: “After you [Nebuchadnezzar], another kingdom will rise. … Next, a third kingdom … will rule. … Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom” (Dan. 2:39–40). Then, “the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Dan. 2:44).Daniel’s point is conclusive: from Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom to God’s final kingdom, God is in control, setting up and taking down kings to accomplish his perfect will. Later, Nebuchadnezzar recounted another dream he had in which he was told by “holy ones” (angels) that “the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men” (Dan. 4:17). Unfortunately, Nebuchadnezzar was to become a living illustration of his own dream as he was driven from his throne for seven years (Dan. 4:24–27) (Boa, K., & Kruidenier, W. (2000). Vol. 6: Romans. Holman New Testament Commentary; Holman Reference (392). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
Therefore, as a general principle we are called not to resist the authorities in verse two, what type of obedience is called for? The authority of the state is a delegated, and not an absolute authority. That authority must always be respected, but an uncritical obedience must not be followed. Anything in the directions given by authority that is manifestly not from God shows that the authority has exceeded its lawful function (Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (461). Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.).
This standard applies to the authority itself: This is not to be understood, as if magistrates were above the laws, and had a lawless power to do as they will without opposition; for they are under the law, and liable to the penalty of it, in case of disobedience, as others; and when they make their own will a law, or exercise a lawless tyrannical power, in defiance of the laws of God,
Please turn back to Romans 9 (p.945)
Civil government is a divine institution, and those that are entrusted with the administration of it are appointed or have a commission from Christ; it is a branch of his kingly office that by him kings reign; from him to whom all judgment is committed their power is derived. They reign by him, and therefore ought to reign for him It is power that has been given from above (John 19:10-11) Look at the nature now of appointment and judgment. Since there is authority from God: Government, Elders, husbands, parents, when we defy legitimate authority we rebel against God.
Romans 9:17-23 [17]For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." [18]So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. [19]You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" [20]But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" [21]Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? [22]What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, [23]in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory-- (ESV)
• When the ruler is an instrument of justice, he shows the nature of God.
While the Christian has his citizenship in heaven (Philippians 3:20), he is not on that account excused from responsibility to acknowledge the state as possessing authority from God to govern him. Those who refuse submission are in rebellion against what God has ordained. To ground refusal on the fact that the believer is not of the world (John 17:14) is to confuse the issue, because the state cannot be identified with the world no matter how “worldly” its attitude may be (Harrison, E. F. (1976). Romans. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 10: Romans Through Galatians (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (137). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House).
Paul specifies in Romans 13:2 that those who resist will incur judgment (not damnation) - This is not necessarily the meaning of the word which is used here κρίμα krima. It often simply denotes “punishment;” Since God has appointed human rulers, the person who opposes them is opposing, is “in a state of rebellion against,” the “ordinance” of God. And such opposition will ultimately lead to eternal condemnation (Moo, D. J. (1996). The Epistle to the Romans. The New International Commentary on the New Testament (799). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.).
If you look at the outward chaos in society, this is a judgment from God because of rebellion. We suffer from higher costs due to fraud (economy), more expensive justice (police, courts, prisons) and family turmoil (divorce, personal unrest).
Utilizing the benefits of a citizenship is not resisting authority.
In Acts 22:24-29, Paul used his Roman citizenship to avoid physical punishment (i.e., flogging).
In Acts 23:12-31, Paul used his Roman citizenship to acquire Roman protection from a Jewish assassination plot.
In Acts 25:9-12, Paul used the rights of his Roman citizenship to avoid a trial before the Jews and to gain a judiciary hearing before Caesar himself.
Illustration: In the early nineties, the leaning Tower of Pisa began to lean too far. Seeing that the 180-foot-high tower would soon become dangerous, engineers designed a system to salvage the twelfth-century landmark by holding the lean constant. First the engineers injected supercold liquid nitrogen into the ground to freeze it and thereby minimize dangerous ground vibrations during the work that followed. Then they installed cables to pull the structure more upright. The aim was that the underground cable network will pull the tower toward center by at least an inch. Left to itself, our world resembles the leaning Tower of Pisa: tilting and heading to catastrophe. To prevent total anarchy, God establishes governments to maintain order. Governments and their laws function like the steel cables that will hold the leaning tower. The tower still leans. It’s not perfect. But the cables prevent total destruction (Larson, C. B. (2002). 750 engaging illustrations for preachers, teachers & writers (211). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.).
2)The Purpose of Authority (Romans 13:3-4)
Romans 13:3-4 [3]For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, [4]for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. (ESV)
Please turn to 1 Timothy 1 (p.991)
It is generally true that they who are virtuous have nothing to fear from the laws. It is “universally” true that the design of their appointment by God was, not to injure and oppress the good, but to detect and punish the evil as Romans 13:3 indicates. The law is a tool against the lawless (1 Tim. 1:8-11).
1 Timothy 1:8-11 [8]Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, [9]understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, [10]the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, [11]in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. (ESV)
In Romans 13, Paul is presenting the norm, laying down conditions for living in a state in normal times, not covering every eventuality. And, of course, no ruler ever favors wrong and punishes what he regards as right. Paul’s point is that Christians are not to see themselves as free to obey duly constituted authority or not, just as they please. Submission to duly constituted authority is a divinely instituted good...Paul wants his readers to be law-abiding citizens, assuring them that then they will be commended (Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (463). Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.).
Under circumstances involving a collapse of justice (where the good has not been enforced), the Christian community is obliged to voice its criticism of the state’s failure, pointing out the deviation from the divinely ordained pattern. Subjection to the state is not to be confused with unthinking, blind, docile conformity (Harrison, E. F. (1976). Romans. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 10: Romans Through Galatians (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (138). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).
How are they, as Romans 13:4 indicates, the servant of God or God’s Ministers? In the administration of public justice, the determining of quarrels, the protecting of the innocent, the righting of the wronged, the punishing of offenders, and the preserving of national peace and order, that every man may not do what is right in his own eyes - in these things it is that magistrates act as God’s ministers.
Paul does not say that “the rulers” are God’s servants/ministers, for they may abuse the authority, may wreck the state. He calls the authority (διαταγή, institution, v. 2) “God’s servant/minister,” for he refers to its exercise which accords with God’s own arrangement (Lenski, R. C. H. (1936). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Espistle to the Romans (791). Columbus, Ohio: Lutheran Book Concern.).
“God’s servant/minister,” (diakonos διακονος), is the civil magistrate, saved or unsaved, who is a servant of God in the sense that since God has instituted human government as a means of regulating the affairs of the human race, a magistrate who carries out the law, acts as a servant of God (Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English reader (Ro 13:3). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.)
How then is the government ``God’s servant for your good?``
Quote: Robert Haldane comments that: "The institution of civil government is a dispensation of mercy, and its existence is so indispensable, .... The world, ever since the fall, when the dominion of one part of the human race over another was immediately introduced (Gen. 3:16), has been in such a state of corruption and depravity, that without the powerful obstacle presented by civil government to the selfish and malignant passions of men, it would be better to live among the beasts of the forest than in human society. As soon as its restraints are removed, man shows himself in his real character. When there was no king in Israel, and every man did that which was right in his own eyes, we see in the last three chapters of the Book of Judges what were the dreadful consequences. (An Exposition of Romans, p. 581)
To restrain the evil in humanity, the governments tool is the sword. How do they not bear the sword in Vain? The “sword” represents the ability to enforce law and punish evil doers (Gen. 9:5-6). The sword is often connected with the idea of putting to death ( Lk. 21:24, Acts 12:2, 16:27, Rev. 13:10, Heb. 11:3) War is the most severe use of the sword by the state (Ps. 144:1; Eccl. 3:8). But his reference to the extreme penalty includes all lesser penalties (Lenski, R. C. H. (1936). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Espistle to the Romans (792). Columbus, Ohio: Lutheran Book Concern.).
Paul has spoken of the eschatological wrath (2:5) and of God’s wrath in the present (1:18). Now he adds the thought that civil government can be an agent of the divine wrath when it punishes wrongdoing. It is as the punisher of evil that the authority is viewed as God’s servant (Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (464). Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.).
Quote: Richard Halverson, present chaplain of the United States Senate, wrote:
``To be sure, men will abuse and misuse the institution of the State just as man because of sin has abused and misused every other institution in history including the Church of Jesus Christ, but this does not mean that the institution is bad or that it should be forsaken. It simply means that men are sinners and rebels in God’s world, and this is the way they behave with good institutions. As a matter of fact, it is because of this very sin that there must be human government to maintain order in history until the final and ultimate rule of Jesus Christ is established. Human government is better than anarchy, and the Christian must recognize the “divine right” of the State``. (Richard Halvorsen, Prologue to Prison (Los Angeles: Cowman Publishers, 1964), p. 223.).
3)The Problems of Authority (Romans 13:5-7)
Romans 13:5-7 [5]Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. [6]For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. [7]Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. (ESV)
The distinctive message of Paul concerning the Christian’s response to secular authority is to be seen as a call to Christians to demonstrate their renewed lives by responsible behavior. By honoring authority structures because they are divinely established and by challenging corrupt systems because they are aberrations of the divine intention, the Christian living in secular society is uniquely equipped to glorify God and enrich society (Briscoe, D. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Vol. 29: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 29 : Romans. The Preacher’s Commentary series (236). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.).
It is significant that Paul says in verse five, that one must be "in subjection/submit” here instead of the word "obey"
• Submission/subjection is to recognize an authority over us, it’s acknowledging our subordinate place in a hierarchy of authority, like a soldier to his commanding officer.
Is it possible to be properly and conditionally loyal to the civil authorities in obedience to Romans 13 and at the same time be critical of certain acts or policies of government officials? Jesus felt free to criticize not only the Jewish civil leaders (John 18:23), but also the Roman ruler Herod Antipas in referring to him as the “fox” (Luke 13:32). These examples are few but are sufficient to show that the principle of a critical attitude toward certain evil acts and policies is not foreign to Christianity. Such criticism should always be aimed at improving and not subverting the government or aimed at questioning whether a particular officer rightly represents a government (Johnson, A. F. (2000). Romans (237). Chicago: Moody Press.).
Please turn to Acts 5 (p.913)
Paul mentions obedience for the sake of conscience. Christians (submit/subject themselves) to the authorities not only because of what will happen to them if they do not but because it is right. They give positive and enthusiastic cooperation to promoting the right things the state does. The failure to do one’s duty in relation to the state is to violate one’s conscience as well as to invite punishment. Conscience is a powerful reinforcement of the outward directions to submit to the state. But once conscience is brought in, there is a limit: what is against conscience cannot be done. The believer may have to refuse obedience on the grounds of conscience. This is what members of the early church did (cf. Acts 5:29). Conscience at one and the same time obliges us to be obedient and sets a limit to that obedience (Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (465). Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.).
Acts 5:17-29 [17]But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy [18]they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. [19]But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, [20]"Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life." [21]And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought. [22]But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, [23]"We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside." [24]Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. [25]And someone came and told them, "Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people." [26]Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. [27]And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, [28]saying, "We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us." [29]But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men. (ESV) (cf. Acts 4:19)
• Chapters 1, 3, and 6 of the book of Daniel show that God rewards those who, in extremely difficult circumstances, remain faithful to himself, and who therefore deliberately disobey their earthly ruler (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Vol. 12-13: New Testament commentary : Exposition of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. New Testament Commentary (433). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
Generally speaking, the church historically has differentiated between governing authorities forcing versus allowing a moral or spiritual condition contrary to the laws of God. If the position is commanded (such as Herod’s killing of male children two years old and younger, or Hitler’s decree that Jews and other minorities were to be eliminated, or the prohibition against religious activities), then the injunction is to be resisted in all possible ways. If the position is allowed but not commanded (such as modern laws allowing abortion), then resistance is to be voiced by the church in an attempt to have immoral standards changed; to restore God’s standards to society (Boa, K., & Kruidenier, W. (2000). Vol. 6: Romans. Holman New Testament Commentary; Holman Reference (394). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers).
The principle in verse six is that the issue of paying taxes to Caesar revolves NOT around what Caesar will do with them, BUT around what God requires. Both honor and money are necessary for public officials to carry out their tasks. Part of what it means to submit to the authorities is to pay taxes. Believers are to carry out this particular civil obligation because those who levy taxes are ministers of God. They devote their time and energies to governing. They are “ministers of God” in the sense that it is God who has granted them the authority with which they secure and maintain civil order (Mounce, R. H. (2001). Vol. 27: Romans (electronic ed.). Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (245). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
The “direct taxes” (phoros”), refer to the direct tribute paid to Rome by a conquered nation, including the property tax and the poll tax collected by such men as Levi/Matthew (Mk 2:14 and parallels). Roman citizens did not have to pay such taxes. In addition, there are “indirect taxes” (telos, “revenue”), referring to sales tax, customs duty, tolls and so on. Everyone had to pay these (Osborne, G. R. (200). Romans. The IVP New Testament commentary series (347). Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.).
Please turn to 1 Timothy 2 (p.991)
Some argue (Amish, JW’s) that since they are Christians, the earthy state does not matter. They cite: Phi 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, but the text of Rom 13 gives very active requirements. How then are we to show respect and honor?
1 Timothy 2:1-4 [2:1]First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, [2]for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. [3]This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, [4]who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (ESV)
Illustration: The former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was an unusual politician in that she understood the limits of government and called for its renewal by people able to live a life of true faith. Addressing the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, she said, “The truths of the Judaic-Christian tradition are infinitely precious, not only, as I believe, because they are true, but also because they provide the moral impulse which alone can lead to that peace … for which we all long.… There is little hope for democracy if the hearts of men and women in democratic societies cannot be touched by a call to something greater than themselves. Political structures, state institutions, collective ideals are not enough. We parliamentarians can legislate for the rule of law. You, the church, can teach the life of faith.” (Quoted in Charles Colson, with Ellen Santilli Vaughn, Against the Night: Living in the New Dark Ages (Ann Arbor, Mich.: Servant Publications, 1989), p. 120.)
(Format Note: some base commentary from MacArthur, J. (1996). Romans. Chicago: Moody Press. )
