“For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”” -Romans 13:9 What Paul is emphasizing here is not an orderly treatment of the Mosaic Law, but the […]
Owe No One Anything
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” -Romans 13:8 Paul makes a brilliant turn of phrase here to demonstrate how the law is fulfilled in our exciting love toward one another. Beginning in verse 7, he says to the believers, pay what you […]
Pay What is Owed
“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.” -Romans 13:7 Having worked through the logic of this last exhortation to obey the rulers and pay the taxes, Paul concludes with a […]
You Also Pay Taxes
“For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.” -Romans 13:6 The demonstrative pronoun this is neuter and likely refers to the whole of what Paul is saying, namely that rulers are ministers of God executing judgment on evildoers so you should obey them […]
Two Reasons
“Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.” -Romans 13:5 Paul gives two reasons to obey the magistrate: to avoid God’s wrath and to avoid a guilty conscience. In this case God’s wrath is understood as magistrate’s work of carrying out God’s wrath on […]
The Servant of God for Good
“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.” -Romans 13:4 One of the most clear declarations in Scripture that the civil magistrate […]
Seeking Approval of the Highest Authority
“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. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. […]
Resisting Authority Incurs Judgment
“Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” -Romans 13:2 From the time Israel first became a tribute nation (subservient to Gentile nations) to the time of Paul’s writing, there have always been zealots who’s goal was to raise enough support to overthrow the occupying armies. […]
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 […]
Heaping Burning Coals
“To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” -Romans 12:20–21 Instead of what seems natural to the flesh—to take vengeance on […]