Subject to the Governing Authorities

“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.” -Romans 13:1

The word translated person in this place is the Greek word, psyche, or soul. Paul says, Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. This begins his next series of exhortations to the new humanity, the gospel-people, the church. He moves from the general exhortation to love one another genuinely to loving one another politically. 

The question that most conflicts believers about this exhortation is to what extent? Does Paul mean believers are to obey the human magistrates without qualification, without exception? The first principle that must be established, Paul says, is that without God, there is no authority, and all authority that does exist has been instituted by God. In subsequent verses, he will unpack this further, but here let us be mindful of the fact that Paul was a Pharisee, formerly, and therefore an astute student of the Old Testament Scriptures. 

He would be precisely familiar with the stories of both Pharaoh and Daniel. As a matter of fact, he quotes the following passage about Pharaoh earlier in this letter (Romans 9:17).

“But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” -Exodus 9:16

“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” -Daniel 6:10

It is from Scriptural passages like the former that Paul would derive the principle of recognizing all authority is from God. He raises up one and puts down another. (Cf. 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Psalm 75:7).

But we should not make the mistake of thinking he has forgotten or neglected the latter. He undoubtedly knew the story of the disciples who resisted the unlawful law of preaching in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:1-22 & Acts 5:29).