ACC ~ Romans 13 v1 - 7

OVERVIEW:

The problem of church-state relations was an acute one for the early Christians. How could they accept that a government that persecuted them had been ordained by God? Nevertheless, the Fathers consistently supported the New Testament idea that the civil authorities were divinely ordained within their own sphere. They had every right to exercise restraint on the body but not the soul. Christian obedience out of conscience must be serious in the temporal realm, but if the secular ruler transgressed his authority, it was the duty of believers to attest the truth by peaceful means. Secular rulers are entitled to punish criminals, and Christians accept this. Likewise, they obey the law of the land, paying their taxes and respecting those in authority, whether they agree with them or not.

13:1 | Authority Instituted by God

GOD WILL JUDGE THOSE WHO ABUSE AUTHORITY. ORIGEN: What does Paul mean when he says that “there is no authority except from God?” Is an authority which persecutes the children of God, which attacks the faith and which undermines our religion, from God? We shall answer this briefly. Nobody will deny that our senses—sight, sound and thought—are given to us by God. But although we get them from God, what we do with them is up to us. … God will judge us righteously for having abused what he gave us to use for good. Likewise, God’s judgment against the authorities will be just, if they have used the powers they have received according to their own ungodliness and not according to the laws of God. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

THE ILLUSION OF REVOLT. APOLLINARIS OF LAODICEA: “Judas the Galilean revolted in the days of the census,” says Gamaliel in the Acts of the Apostles, and “drew away some of the people after him,” refusing to obey the order of the Romans and register their goods, for which reason Quirinius had been sent to Syria. … But as Judas’s decision was the cause of domestic murders and of a rebellion against the authorities which did much harm to the people, it seems to me that here the apostle is condemning any attempt to imitate him based on the illusion that it is a godly thing to disobey rulers. He has a good deal to say about this, condemning it as a mistaken way of thinking. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

THROUGH ME KINGS REIGN. DIODORE: The book of Proverbs teaches us that kings do not come to rule apart from the dispensation and will of God: “Through me kings reign and princes decree justice.” PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

NO RULER SAVED BY POWER. BASIL: The ruler is saved not through much power but through divine grace. EXEGETIC HOMILIES 15.9.

EARTHLY LAW AS TUTOR FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. AMBROSIASTER: As Paul has already ordered that the law of heavenly righteousness be followed, he now commends earthly law as well, so as not to appear to be slighting it. For if the earthly law is not kept, the heavenly law will not be kept either. The earthly law is a kind of tutor, who helps little children along so that they can tackle a stronger degree of righteousness. For mercy cannot be imputed to anyone who does not seek righteousness.

Therefore, in order to back up the authority and fear of the natural law, Paul bears witness to the fact that God is the author of both and that the ministers of the earthly law have God’s permission to act, so that no one should despise it as a merely human construction. In effect, Paul sees the divine law as being delegated to human authorities. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

BE SUBJECT TO THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul has a good deal to say on this matter in his other epistles also, placing subjects under their rulers in the same way that household servants are under their masters. He does this to show that Christ did not introduce his laws for the purpose of undermining the state but rather so that it should be better governed.

He does not speak about individual rulers but about the principle of authority itself. For that there should be rulers and ruled and that things should not just lapse into anarchy, with the people swaying like waves from one extreme to the other, is the work of God’s wisdom. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 23.

NO SECULAR AUTHORITY OVER FAITH. AUGUSTINE: Most rightly, Paul warns against anyone who is puffed up with pride by the fact that he has been called by his Lord into freedom and become a Christian, and therefore thinks that he does not have to keep the status given to him in the course of this life or submit to the higher powers to whom the government of temporal things has been confided for a time. For because we are made of soul and body and as long as we are in this life we make use of temporal things as a means of living this life, it is fitting that, as far as this life is concerned, we be subject to the authorities, i.e., to the people who with some recognition administer human affairs. But as far as the spiritual side is concerned, in which we believe in God and are called into his kingdom, it is not right for us to be subject to any man who seeks to overturn in us the very thing which God has been pleased to grant us so that we might obtain eternal life.

So if anyone thinks that because he is a Christian he does not have to pay taxes or tribute nor show the proper respect to the authorities who take care of these things, he is in very great error. Likewise, if anyone thinks that he ought to submit to the point where he accepts that someone who is his superior in temporal affairs should have authority even over his faith, he falls into an even greater error. But the balance which the Lord himself prescribed is to be maintained: “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s but unto God the things which are God’s.” For although we are called into that kingdom where there will be no power of this world, nevertheless, while we are on the way there and until we have reached that state where every principality and power will be destroyed, let us put up with our condition for the sake of human affairs, doing nothing falsely and in this very thing obeying God, who commands us to do it, rather than men. AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 72.

SECULAR AUTHORITY FROM GOD, EVEN IF UNJUST. PELAGIUS: This is an argument against those who thought that they were obliged to use their Christian freedom in such a way that they gave honor or paid taxes to nobody. Paul wants to humble such people in any way he can, so that they will not suffer reproach on account of their pride instead of on account of God.

It seems that Paul is speaking of secular authorities, not all of whom will be just, even if they received their authority from God. … The ruler is set up by God to judge with righteousness, so that sinners might have reason to be afraid should they sin. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

OBEY INSOFAR AS OBEDIENCE IS CONSISTENT WITH GODLINESS. THEODORET OF CYR: Even priests, bishops and monks must obey the commands of secular rulers. Of course, they must do so insofar as obedience is consistent with godliness. If the rulers demand something which is ungodly, then on no account are they allowed to do it.

The holy apostle teaches us that both authorities and obedience depend entirely on God’s providence, but he does not say that God has specifically appointed one person or another to exercise that authority. For it is not the wickedness of individual rulers which comes from God but the establishment of the ruling power itself. … Since God wants sinners to be punished, he is prepared to tolerate even bad rulers. INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS.

13:2 | Resisting Authority Incurs Judgment

NOT APPLICABLE TO PERSECUTORS OF THE FAITH. ORIGEN: This injunction does not apply in the case of authorities who persecute the faith. It only applies to those who are going about their proper business. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

THE OBEDIENCE OF SUBJECTS. BASIL: True and perfect obedience of subjects to their superior is shown not only by their refraining from every untoward action in accordance with his advice but also by their not doing even what is approved without his consent. AN ASCETICAL DISCOURSE.

THOSE WHO RESIST WILL INCUR JUDGMENT. DIODORE: Those who disobey the king have committed a crime and will face judgment. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

COMBATING THE REPUTATION OF SUBVERSIVENESS. CHRYSOSTOM: In saying this, Paul was more likely to draw civil governors who were unbelievers to accept the Christian faith and to persuade believers to obey them. For it was commonly rumored in those days that the apostles were guilty of plotting sedition and revolution, aiming in all that they did and said at the subversion of the received institutions. However, when we see that Christ’s command is that we should obey the authorities, all rumors of this kind will be shown to be false. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 23.

SIDESTEPPING THE LAW. AMBROSIASTER: Paul writes this against those who believe that because of their own power they cannot be apprehended and so therefore they can play fast and loose with the law. He shows them that this is the law of God and that those who by some subterfuge escape it for a time will not escape God’s judgment. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

PELAGIUS: As it was said to Rahab: “Whoever goes outside will be responsible for himself.” PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

13:3 | Rulers to Enforce Good Conduct

INSOFAR AS A DIVINE COMMAND NOT VIOLATED. BASIL: It is right to submit to higher authority whenever a command of God is not violated thereby. THE MORALS 79.1.

THE TASK OF RULERS. AMBROSIASTER: Rulers here are kings who are created in order to correct behavior and prevent bad things from happening. They have the image of God, because everyone else is under one head. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

PRAISE COMES FROM GOD, NOT AUTHORITIES. AUGUSTINE: This can upset some people, when they think that Christians have often suffered persecution by these authorities. They say: “Were these Christians not doing good, since not only did the authorities not praise them, they punished and killed them!” The apostle’s words must be carefully considered. He does not say: “Do what is good and the authorities will praise you,” but: “Do what is good and you will have praise from him.” Whether someone in authority approves what you do or persecutes you, “you will have praise from him,” either when you win it by your obedience to God or when you earn your crown by persecution. AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 73.

NO FEAR OF ONE IN AUTHORITY. PELAGIUS: The wicked should be afraid of the authorities, but the good have no reason to fear, for they come into glory if they are killed unjustly. Paul says: “Take my advice and you will never be afraid.” Condemnation of the wicked is in itself commendation of the good. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

13:4 | Rulers as Servants of God

THE HUMAN JUDGE ACTS AS GOD’S SERVANT FOR YOUR GOOD. ORIGEN: In what sense is a judge in this world the servant of God? … It seems to me that this question is answered by that passage in the Acts of the Apostles where the decision was taken to impose only certain ritual obligations on Gentile believers. They were told to abstain from eating what had been sacrificed to idols, from blood and from fornication, but nothing was said about murder, adultery, theft, homosexuality or other crimes which are punished by both divine and human laws. Now if what was explicitly forbidden to the Gentiles was all they had to do, then it would seem as if these other things were all right. But look at how the Holy Spirit has organized everything. Because these other crimes are already punished by secular laws, it seemed superfluous to add a divine prohibition as well. All that he decreed concerned matters which seemed right from the divine point of view but which were not covered by human laws. It is in this way that a human judge acts as a servant of God. For God wants these crimes to be punished by human judges and not by representatives of the church. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

TUTORS ORDAINED. AMBROSIASTER: Since God has ordained that there will be a future judgment and he does not want anyone to perish, he has ordained rulers in this world who, by causing people to be afraid of them, act as tutors to mankind, teaching them what to do in order to avoid future punishment. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

MAKING VIRTUE EASIER. CHRYSOSTOM: The civil power makes virtue easier for the Christian by chastising the wicked, by benefiting and honoring the good and by working together with the will of God. For this reason he is even given the name of “God’s servant.” … Even when he administers punishment, it is God’s will that he is carrying out. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 23.

FOR YOUR GOOD. AUGUSTINE: When Paul says: “He is God’s servant for your good,” though it be for his own evil, this should be understood in the same way as the above. AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 73.

[PSEUDO-]CONSTANTIUS: By saying that the ruler is “God’s servant for your good,” Paul shows that we must obey the authorities in those things which are right but not in things which are unlawful or which go against the faith. THE HOLY LETTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

THAT NONE PROFIT FROM SIN. PELAGIUS: The authorities are concerned for your safety. They also have the responsibility to see to it that if you sin you do not profit thereby, because God does not love the wicked and hates all who “work iniquity.” PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

13:5 | Subject for the Sake of Conscience

PUNISHMENT FOR CRIMES. ORIGEN: Paul tells the church not to do anything against the princes and powers of this world so that it may live in peace and quiet. For if the church rebels … then it will be punished, not because of its faith but because of its crimes, and instead of dying for a worthy cause people will die for an unworthy one. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

BE SUBJECT. AMBROSIASTER: One must be subject … because of the coming judgment, for whoever escapes now will be punished then, his own conscience accusing him. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

AVOID GOD’S WRATH. CHRYSOSTOM: What is the meaning of “not only to avoid God’s wrath”? It means not only because you resist God by not being subject, nor only because you are bringing great evils on yourself both from God and from the ruler, but also because the ruler is a benefactor to you in things of the utmost importance, because he brings you peace and the blessings of civil institutions. States receive countless blessings through these authorities, and if they were taken away, everything would go to pieces. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 23.

FOR THE SAKE OF CONSCIENCE. AUGUSTINE: This is helpful for understanding that because of this life we must be subject and not offer resistance if anyone wants to take something from us, if it is in his power to do so, because authority has been given to him over temporal things, which will pass away. We are not to be subject in those good things which remain forever but only in the needs of this age.

But when he says “one must be subject,” lest anyone submit to the authorities halfheartedly and not from pure love, Paul adds: “not only to avoid … wrath but also for the sake of conscience.” That is to say, you should not submit simply to avoid the authority’s anger, which can be done by pretense, but so that you might be assured in your conscience that you are doing this out of love for him. For you submit at your Lord’s command. AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 74.

[PSEUDO-]CONSTANTIUS: Those who do wrong and who live in opposition to the commandments, are subject to the authorities for their punishment, but those who live rightly are subject for conscience’s sake, because the things which they are commanded to do are just and good. THE HOLY LETTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

PELAGIUS: You must be subject, not only because the authorities can become angry even without cause but also so that you may not be condemned for the consciousness of some sin. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

THEODORET OF CYR: “For the sake of conscience” means “in order to do what is right.” INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS.

13:6 | Paying Taxes

BEARING WITNESS THROUGH TAXES TO THE BENEFITS OF CIVIL ORDER. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul is saying here that we bear witness to the benefits which the ruler gives us by paying him a salary. The taxation system may seem to be burdensome and annoying, but Paul turns it into proof that rulers care for their people. Why, after all, do we pay taxes to the emperor? Is it not because he provides for us? We would not have paid it in the first place if we did not know that we are the ones who benefit from this government. It was for this reason that the men of old agreed that rulers should be maintained by the people, because they neglect their own affairs in order to devote themselves entirely to the public welfare, spending all their energy in order to protect us. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 23.

RENDERING WHAT IS DUE. PELAGIUS: Taxes can also mean taxes for the priests, which were set up for them by God. Or this may mean that you pay taxes to rulers because, in possessing the world, you subjected yourselves to them willingly. Paul calls them “God’s servants,” so that people might render to them what they owe, lest it seem that Christ taught his followers pride. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

13:7 | Paying What Is Due

KEEPING FREE OF IDOLATRY. TERTULLIAN: So far as concerns the honors due to king or emperor, we have a clear ruling to be subject in all obedience, according to the apostle’s command, to magistrates and princes and those in authority, but within the limits of Christian discipline, i.e., so long as we keep ourselves free of idolatry. ON IDOLATRY 15.

TAXES TO WHOM TAXES ARE DUE. ORIGEN: The authorities demand taxes on our property and revenue from our business transactions. What can I say? Jesus Christ himself was obliged to pay taxes, not because he owed anything but so as not to cause scandal. If he who owed nothing to Caesar and who had every right to refuse to pay taxes nevertheless agreed to pay them, who are we to refuse to do so? COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

GIVING HONOR. AMBROSIASTER: Giving honor to the powers that be in this world may have the effect that, if they see the humility of Christ’s servants, they may praise rather than curse the gospel’s teaching. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

RESPECT TO WHOM RESPECT IS DUE. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul urges the people to give their rulers not only money but honor and fear as well. Fear in this context means very great honor, not the kind of fear which comes from a bad conscience. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 23.

REVENUE TO WHOM REVENUE IS DUE. PELAGIUS: Even alms can be called a due. Revenue is ours to give to those who are passing by or to those who are seated by the roadside while we pass by. … Fear as well as honor must be given to those who are your superiors but only honor to your peers. PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: “Taxes” refers to property taxes; “revenue” refers to sales taxes. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.

GENNADIUS OF CONSTANTINOPLE: “Taxes” and “revenue” are the same thing. PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH.