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Jesus
said: Whoever drinks of the water that
I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give
him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life
Jn4:14 |
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INDEX PREVIOUS NEXT
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LET EVERY
PERSON
(soul) BE (continuously) IN SUBJECTION TO THE
GOVERNING AUTHORITIES (cp Ac18:2, Titus 2:9,
3:1,
1Pe
2:13): Pasa
psuche exousiais huperechousais (PAPFPD) hupotassestho
(3SPPM):
“Let every soul place
himself habitually in subjection to the higher powers.”
"Every" is pas
(G3956) which
radically means "all" & without the Greek
definite article (as is the case in this verse) it means
"every" (of every kind & variety),
"each & every one", both individually &
collectively. And literally he says "every soul" which was a
Hebraism (the Hebrews said "every soul" whereas we
would say "every one"). No exceptions here. This is a
universal duty. A believer's submission & dedication to
God does not negate or replace his responsibility to the
secular authorities.
Believers might be tempted to
feel that since they were "aliens &
strangers" (1Pe2:11) in this
present world and were citizens of a another kingdom (Php3:20, Heb 12:22),
they did not need to submit to wicked rulers. We are citizens
of heaven, journeying through this earthly time, and heaven is
our home but Spirit filled believers must be subject to
authorities & this verse gives the reason - that authority
is established by God. .
"Be in
subjection" is hupotasso
[G5293] (used
4 other times in Romans: Ro 8:7,8:20, 10:3, 13:5, cf Jesus'
example Lu 2:51, cf also
Js 4:7)
was a military term that meant to line up under, to place
or rank under or to subordinate to. It represented a
logistical term which described the arrangement of military
implements on a battlefield for effective warfare. “To arrange
[troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a
leader”.
Hupotasso
focuses on function, not
essence. In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of
giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying
a burden". The central idea is to be under the authority of
some authority.
Submission
(Webster's 1828 dictionary: "yield, resign or surrender to the
power, will or authority of another") is an act of faith. When
we subject ourselves to an authority, we are trusting God to
direct in our lives & to work out His purposes in His time
(Ep1:11 Ro8:28-29). After all, there is a danger in submitting to
authority -- they might take advantage of us! There is but one
limitation to the believer’s obligation under the Lord to
willing and complete submission to civil authority: namely,
any law or command that would require disobedience to God’s
Word (eg., see Ex1:17-20,
Acts 4:18-20; 5:29).
Regardless of the
failures of government—many of which are immoral, unjust &
ungodly—Christians are to pray (1Ti2:1-3) and
live peaceful lives that influence the world by godly,
selfless living, not by protests, sit ins, and marches, much
less by rebellion.
Every believer is to be subject
to these various authorities, even if the authorities are as
wicked and depraved as Nero (A.D.
54–68), the emperor in power when Paul wrote this section.
Nero's reign brought dark days for
Christians. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
describes the scene as
follows:
In AD 67, Nero ordered the burning of Rome.
The fire lasted for nine days and when the blame turned to
Nero, Nero blamed the Christians. And Nero came at the
Christians with a new vengeance. Nero contrived all manner of
punishments for the Christians that the most infernal
imagination could design. In particular, he had some sewed up
in skins of wild beasts, and then they were attacked by dogs
until they expired; and others dressed in shirts made stiff
with wax, were fixed to stakes, and set on fire in his
gardens, in order to illuminate them. This persecution was
general throughout the whole Roman Empire. In the course of
it, St. Paul and St. Peter were martyred.
We must also understand the
seriousness with which God takes rebellion to governing
authorities as illustrated by Korah's refusal
to subject himself to Moses' authority (Nu16:3,13, 30, 32-35, 41,49). Had not Aaron intervened by making atonement
for the people, the entire congregation of Israel would have
been annihilated (Nu16:46-48).
"Governing" is
huperecho
[G5242] which is
derived from hupér (G5228) above,
over + écho (G2192) have,
hold. So huperecho
literally means to hold over or have above, and figuratively
to be superior in rank which explains the translation as
"governing".
"Authorities" &
"authority" are both exousia
(G1849) (used
3x in this chapter = Ro13:1,13:2,13:3, cf some
other NT uses Mt8:9, Mt9:8, Mt21:23,
Mt21:24,
Mt28:18,
Mk2:10, Lu7:8, Lu12:5, Lu19:17,
Lu20:20,
Lu23:7) which
Vines says evolved "from the meaning of "leave or permission,"
or liberty of doing as one pleases, it passed to that of "the
ability or strength with which one is endued," then to that of
the "power of authority," the right to exercise power...or
"the power of rule or government," the power of one whose will
and commands must be obeyed by others. In short
exousia
is "the right &
the might" (see Ro 9:21).
Paul well understood "exousia" as illustrated by (Ac 26:10,
26:12)
"A Christian man is the most free lord of
all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful
servant of all, and subject to everyone."—Martin
Luther
FOR THERE IS NO AUTHORITY
EXCEPT FROM GOD (Jn19:10,19:11, Pr8:15-16 Da2:21 4:32
5:18-23): ou gar estin (3SPAI)
exousia ei me hupo theou:
The Authority behind
the authorities is God. This is a lot easier to preach in
America than it would be in China. We like to think that God
is behind governments like America and England, but that He
has nothing to do with governments like China. But recall the
evil government headed by Pilate that unjustly
crucified our Lord (Jn19:11). Pilate
could not have even lifted a finger to crucify Jesus if it
were not permitted by God that he do so. In (Ro9:17) to the
Paul tells us that God raised up Pharaoh, that wicked,
hardhearted king, and set him on the throne of Egypt. God did
that! God made Nebuchadnezzar ("My
servant" Je25:9) the most
powerful ruler in the world & used him to punish His own
chosen people. Cyrus was also God's servant, raised up
and set on the throne by God (Isa44:28 45:1).
All through the OT God
represents himself as the controlling force behind every
government on earth, without exception. Therefore, it isn't
man's elections or his revolutions that
determine the governments of earth. We think it is. In Mexico
they used to do it by the process of revolution -- you never
could change the government there without a revolution. But
neither elections nor revolutions determine who sits in the
seats of power -- it is God Who does so. These things are only
the instruments by which He works His will; and the revelation
of Scripture is that God puts in power the men of his
choosing, whether they be good or evil, whether they are
beneficent rulers or tyrants like Hitler or Stalin or Mao or
any of the others on earth by the permissive choice of God. If
you struggle with that, it is because you don't see what is
behind God's purpose in the world today & that He is El
Elyon, the sovereign Most High God over ALL the earth. The
questioning of why God allows evil comes because we do not
realize that God is not attempting to govern the earth
properly -- He is waiting, He is withholding, He is
restraining evil, He is governing to a limited extent, -- but
He is not trying to do the job as He will someday. We've not
seen the end of "His"story ("HISTORY") yet!. Every government
that exists is held in the palm of God's hand. It can only go
as far as God wills; it is under His control; it has been
instituted by Him.
God instituted the system of human
government immediately after the great flood when He decreed,
“Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed”
(Ge9:5-6). That
decree gave authority to men to judge criminal matters and to
punish offenders. (1Pe2:13-17 Jn19:11) Furthermore, God sometimes may, for His own
purposes, place even wicked men in positions of power
(Nebuchadnezzar Je27:5-7 Da4:17).
The Apostle Paul himself was imprisoned and finally executed
by Emperor Nero, yet he never counseled rebellion or
disobedience.
Paul
says, human government is ordained by God for the benefit of
society. In whatever of the many forms it exists, civil
authority derives directly from God. Like marriage, it is a
universal institution of God, and, like marriage, it is valid
regardless of place, circumstance, or any other consideration.
God sovereignly created and absolutely controls the universe,
with no exceptions or limitations. Also without exception, the
power that any person, group, or society may possess is
divinely delegated and circumscribed. How well or how poorly
that power is used is another matter. The autocratic,
ruthless, and even demonic regimes of Adolf Hitler, Joseph
Stalin, and Mao Tse Tung were no exceptions to God’s command
to be subject to civil authority. The Roman empire, sometimes
ruled by Caesars who proclaimed themselves to be gods, was no
exception. The apostate and heretical “Christian” kingdoms of
the Middle Ages were no exceptions. Shaman ruled primitive and
animistic tribes of South America are no exceptions. Scripture
however does make exception in those situations in which
obedience to civil authority would require disobedience to God
& to God’s Word (eg, Ex1:17 Da3:16-18 6:7,10 Ac4:19-20
5:28-29).
AND THOSE WHICH EXIST ARE
ESTABLISHED BY GOD: ai de ousai (PAPFPN) hupo
theou tetagmenai (RPPFPN) eisin (3PPAI):
"Established"
(tasso)
(G5021) means to
assign or dispose to a certain position or lot or to a
particular task. Perfect tense could be translated
"Have been ordained and the ordinance remains in
force." That is, human government is a permanent
institution brought into being by God for the regulation of
human affairs for He alone is the sovereign ruler of the
universe (Ps62:11 103:19 1Ti6:15).
John MacArthur has an excellent
comment on this section writing that
These seven verses contain the clearest
and most specific NT teaching on the Christian’s
responsibility to civil authority. Every Christian, no matter
what form of government he lives 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. This recurring theme of submission to
society’s controlling power is nowhere more forcefully dealt
with than here....The monumental miracle of salvation impacts
every relationship associated with the believer’s life.
...
First, and most important and obvious, is
the effect on our relationship to God. When we are saved, our
initial response should be to fully present our “bodies a
living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is [our]
spiritual service of worship” (Ro12:1).
The apostle’s next concern is for our
having a right relationship with our brothers and sisters in
Christ (12:3-16) and with
non Christians, including even our enemies (12:17-21).
After dealing with those matters, the inspired
writer focuses on the need to have a right relationship
to the human governments under which we live (13:1-7). 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 struggle that many of their
brothers and sisters in Christ face under regimes that
restrict freedom and oppress Christianity....
We are to be the conscience of the nation
through faithful preaching & godly living,
confronting it not with the political pressure of man’s
wisdom—including our own—but with the spiritual power of
God’s Word. Using legislation, adjudication, or
intimidation to achieve a superficial, temporal “Christian
morality” is not our calling—and has no
eternal value....the Christian’s priority [is] of
proclaiming the gospel and living a holy life to demonstrate
that God is a saving God.
Both the Old and New Testament present
illustrations of believers whose earthly role placed them in
civil service, and they were useful to God there. Joseph in
Egypt and Daniel in Babylon are the two supreme Old Testament
examples. After Jesus healed the centurion’s servant, He did
not advise him to leave the army (Mt8:5-13). After
Zaccheus was
converted, he did not leave his civil profession but became an
honest tax collector (see Lu19:1-10).
Cornelius, another Roman centurion, was
saved through the ministry of Peter and continued to serve in
the army (Ac10). And there
is no reason to believe that the proconsul Sergius Paulus did
not remain in his high civil office after he was saved
(Ac13:4-12).
In a message delivered at Oxford
University in 1898, the British theologian Robert L. Ottley
observed:
The Old Testament may be studied . . . as an
instructor in social righteousness. It exhibits the moral
government of God as attested in his dealings with nations
rather than with individuals; and it was their consciousness
of the action and presence of God in history that made the
prophets preachers, not merely to their countrymen, but to the
world at large....There is indeed significance in the fact
that in spite of their ardent zeal for social reform they did
not as a rule take part in political life or demand political
reforms. They desired...not better institutions but better
men. | |
13:2 Therefore
whoever resists authority has
opposed the
ordinance of
God; and they who
have opposed will
receive condemnation upon
themselves.
|
Greek: hoste o antitassomenos (PMPMSN) te
exousia te tou theou diatage anthesteken (3SRAI) hoi de
anthestekotes (RAPMPN) heautois krima lempsontai
(3PFMI) Phillips: Every Christian ought to obey the
civil authorities, for all legitimate authority is derived
from God's authority, and the existing authority is appointed
under God. To oppose authority then is to oppose God, and such
opposition is bound to be
punished. | |
THEREFORE HE WHO
(present
tense = continually, habitually, as their lifestyle)
RESISTS AUTHORITY: hoste o antitassomenos
(PMPMSN) te exousia:
"Therefore" (hoste
[G5620])
introduces a conclusion, the logical result - Because God has
willed that there be orderly states, anyone who sets himself
in opposition rebels against what God has ordained. Paul is
making it clear that the believer is to respect the state
& not make himself the final arbiter. Manson adds
"Resistance to legitimate authority legitimately exercised is
wrong."
To resist the
authorities that God has set in place is to resist what God
has commanded and such resisters will bring judgment on
themselves. As alluded to above, there is an exception. A
Christian is not required to obey if the government orders him
to sin or to compromise his loyalty to Jesus Christ (Ac5:29).
No government has a right to
command a person’s conscience. So there are times when a
believer must, by obeying God, incur the wrath of man. In such
cases he must be prepared to pay the penalty without undue
complaint.
"Resists" (G498)
(antitassomai from antí = against + tásso = arrange)
literally means to "array against" and used only 4 other times
in NT (Ac18:6, Ja4:6, Ja5:6, 1Pe5:5)
In the Middle Voice
antitassomai
means to set oneself
against, to resist or to oppose. This was a military term
found in the papyri and pictured an army arrayed against the
enemy forces.
HAS OPPOSED THE ORDINANCE OF
GOD: te tou
theou diatage
anthesteken (3SRAI):
"Opposed" is
Perfect tense = “so that the one who sets himself in array
against the aforementioned authority, against the ordinance of
God has set himself, with the result that he is in a permanent
position of antagonism (against the ordinance).”
This suggests that the rebellion had hardened into an
established policy.
"Opposed" is
anthistemi (G436) (cf
uses in Gal2:11,
Eph6:13,
2Ti 3:8,
2Ti 4:15,
Jas 4:7,
1Pe 5:9)
means literally
to set one's self against, to resist or oppose whether in deed
or word.
AND THEY WHO HAVE
OPPOSED
WILL RECEIVE CONDEMNATION UPON THEMSELVES: hoi de
anthestekotes (RAPMPN) heautois krima lempsontai
(3PFMI):
Opposed (4368) (anthistemi) from anti = against, opposite +
histemi = stand) means to set one's self against
or arrange in battle against. Anthistemi
suggests vigorously opposing or standing face-to-face against
an adversary. When we oppose the "ordinance of God", this
action involves not only a psychological attitude also a
corresponding behavior. The perfect tense
of anthistemi conveys the idea of a fixed and determined
opposition to authority, not just one slip up.
"Condemnation"
does not refer to "damnation" in the lake of
fire (as might be inferred from the
KJV translation!) but instead refers to punishment from the
government for breaking the law although some feel the
condemnation does include an element of divine judgment. In a
sense the punishment carried out by the governing authorities
is the way divine judgment is meted out. | |
13:3 For rulers are not a
cause of
fear for
good behavior, but for
evil. Do you
want to have no fear of authority ?
Do what is good and you will
have praise from the
same;
|
Greek: hoi gar archontes ouk eisin (3PPAI)
phobos to agatho ergo alla to kako. theleis (2SPAI) de me
phobeisthai (PPN) ten exousian: to agathon poiei (2SPAM) kai
exeis (2SFAI) epainon ex autes Phillips: The honest
citizen has no need to fear the keepers of law and order, but
the dishonest man will always be nervous of them. If you want
to avoid this anxiety just lead a law-abiding life, and all
that can come your way is a word of approval." | |
FOR RULERS ARE NOT A CAUSE
OF FEAR FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR, BUT FOR EVIL: hoi gar
archontes ouk eisin (3PPAI) phobos to agatho ergo alla to
kako:
The authorities do not frighten people
who are doing right, but they frighten those who do wrong.
Rulers hold no terror for those who do right. People who do
what is right don't have to be afraid of the government. The
fear of punishment is not the highest motivation for
obedience, but it is better than having chaos.
Even the
most wicked regimes are at least some deterrent to murder,
theft, and many other crimes of the populace. Although this
truth does not justify brutal dictatorships or totalitarian
regimes, frequently crimes rates under such systems are lower
than those in the free world. Until recently, at least, such
violations as murder, robbery, and rape were all but
nonexistent in communist China. In Muslim nations, severe
punishment continues to be a formidable deterrent of crime.
Civil authorities also realize that basic morality is
essential to a workable society. No society can long survive
wanton murder, theft, dishonesty, sexual immorality, and
violence. Good behavior is essential for any nation’s self
preservation. Without it, society self destructs (cf
Prov 29:18,
Judges 21:25).
DO
YOU WANT TO HAVE NO FEAR OF AUTHORITY? DO WHAT IS GOOD, AND
YOU WILL HAVE PRAISE FROM THE SAME: theleis
(2SPAI) de me phobeisthai (PPN) ten exousian: to agathon poiei
(2SPAM) kai exeis (2SFAI) epainon ex autes:
Generally speaking, peaceful
and law abiding citizens have been favorably treated by their
governments throughout history. With notable exceptions, such
people have no need to fear authority. As long as they do what
is good, they not only will not be mistreated but will have
praise from their government.
The principles of the
Roman law were just, and Paul himself found protection from
its officers and tribunals, whose fairness he had, and had
reason to have, more confidence in than in the tender mercy of
either Gentile or Jewish zealots (Ac19:35 21:31 22:30 24:10 25:10, 11
26:30).
Robert
Haldane comments:
The institution of civil
government is a dispensation of mercy, and its existence is so
indispensable, that the moment it ceases under one form, it
reestablishes itself in another. 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. (Jdg 21:25,17:6;18:1;19:1) | |
13:4 for it is a minister of
God to you for
good. But
if you do what is evil, be
afraid; for it
does not bear the
sword for
nothing; for it
is a minister of
God, an avenger who
brings wrath on the one
who practices
evil.
|
Greek: theou gar diakonos estin (3SPAI) soi eis
to agathon. ean de to kakon poies (2PPAS), phobou (2SPPM): ou
gar eike ten machairan phorei (3SPAI): theou gar diakonos
estin (3SPAI) ekdikos eis orgen to to kakon prassonti (PAPMSD)
Phillips "The officer is God's servant for your
protection. But if you are leading a wicked life you have
reason to be alarmed. The "power of the law" which is vested
in every legitimate officer, is no empty phrase. He is, in
fact, divinely appointed to inflict God's punishment upon
evil-doers." | |
FOR IT IS A MINISTER OF GOD
TO YOU FOR GOOD: theou gar diakonos estin (3SPAI) soi eis to
agathon:
Note that in the Greek
sentence, "Theou" (God) comes first for emphasis. Paul's point
is that the "ruler" is God's servant, no less. And
"servant"
reminds us that he is no more. He is not God even if some
rulers have had very exalted views of themselves and their
roles. This thought is brought out by Paul's choice of
"diakonos"
for servant, as this word emphases menial service as of a
table waiter & thus came to be used of lowly service in
general. However exalted the ruler may be among the people,
before God he is nothing more than a lowly servant. And he is
a servant "to you", which adds a personal touch. The
ruler's function concerns the individual subject, and this
function is "for good".
And so Queen Victoria of
England in the 1800's was prone to refer to herself as
"Victoria, by the grace of God".
All of these ministers of God
will one day give an account for their stewardship of God's
gift of authority. And so we should pray for our leaders
(1Ti2:1-3). David
repeatedly referred to the wicked King Saul as the Lord’s
anointed (1Sa24:6,10 26:9,11,16,23). In spite of Saul’s repeated attempts on
David’s life, the latter would not allow his men to harm the
king. Why? Because Saul was the king, and as such he was the
Lord’s appointee.
The government is God's servant
working for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should
be afraid. The civil magistrate, saved or unsaved, 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. Orderly government is part of God's
provision, even in a wicked world. No ruler exercises control
except as God permits (Da2:21 4:17 5:21). Under normal circumstances the Christian is
to be obedient to the law of the land. This does not mean that
he is to obey regulations that are immoral or anti-Christian.
In such cases it is his duty to obey God rather than men
(Ac4:19-20 5:29; cp. Da3:16-18;
6:10ff).
Note that
Ro13:4 supports the concept of using "the sword" by government
when necessary. This would confirm the principle of justified
capital punishment first established in Ge9:6, as well as the
concept of warfare when justified.
In Israel, as in
most other parts of the empire, nationals of the country were
appointed (usually after paying a high fee) as tax collectors and were given specified amounts to collect for
Rome each year. They were free to charge virtually any rate
they wanted and to collect taxes almost as often as they
wanted, under the protection of Roman soldiers. Whatever they
collected over the prescribed amount for Rome, they could keep
for themselves. As would be expected, abuse was rampant, and
because most of them were fellow countrymen, tax collectors
often were more hated than the Roman officials and soldiers.
The gospels vividly reveal how much the tax collector was
despised in Israel (Mt 9:10-11).
BUT
IF YOU (continually, as your
lifestyle) DO WHAT IS EVIL (present tense =
continually) BE AFRAID: ean de to kakon poies (2PPAS),
phobou (2SPPM):
"Be afraid" is
phobeo
[G5399] which in
classic Greek meant to cause to run away & gives us our
English "phobia". If you continually do evil you have a
good reason to have a "phobia" of the authorities!
FOR IT DOES NOT BEAR THE SWORD FOR
NOTHING: ou gar eike ten machairan phorei (3SPAI):
"Sword"
(G3162)
(machaira)
refers to a short sword or dagger in contrast to rhomphaia.
The sword is not just an innocuous
symbol of power; a scepter would have served that
purpose. This figure certainly means that the government
is armed and can
use force.
“The sword” could also refer to the
standard method of execution in this period (beheading); in
earlier times the ax had been used.
Swords were carried in front of Roman
officials to indicate their authority over life and death --
the "ius gladi" or the Roman "law of the
sword" which some feel was more limited during the
first 2 centuries. Irregardless a "sword" certainly does
support that the government is authorized by God to use force
in order to bring law & order. Many commentators feel the
sword speaks of the ultimate power of the ruler—that is, to
inflict capital punishment.
FOR IT IS A MINISTER OF GOD AN
AVENGER WHO BRINGS WRATH UPON THE ONE WHO (present tense =
continually) PRACTICES EVIL: theou gar diakonos estin
(3SPAI) ekdikos eis orgen to to kakon prassonti
(PAPMSD):
Paul for a second time refers
to the rulers as God's servants and again places "Theou" for
"God" first for emphasis. The Emperor on his throne might well
see his power as something to be exercised as he chose. But
Paul is clear that everyone in any position of responsibility
is first and foremost God's servant and that it is to God that
he will one day be forced to render account. The authority is
not an independent operator but an agent of wrath to bring
punishment on the wrongdoer.
"Avenger"
is ekdikos
[G1558] (used only
one other time in 1Th4:6) is
derived from ek
(G1537) from, out
+ dike
(G1349) justice =
literally then one outside of that which is lawful then it
came to mean one who exacts a penalty from a person. Thus
ekdikos
is one who executes justice
so as to exact satisfaction for a wrong by punishing the
wrongdoer in retaliation for an injury or offense.
| |
13:5 Therefore it is
necessary to
(continually) be in
subjection, not
only because of
wrath, but
also for
conscience'
sake. |
Greek: dio anagke hupotassesthai (PPN) ou monon
dia ten orgen alla kai dia ten suneidesin Phillips :
"You should, therefore, obey the authorities, not simply
because it is the safest, but because it is the right thing to
do." | |
THEREFORE (for this cause)
IT IS NECESSARY TO (present tense = continually) BE IN
SUBJECTION (1Pe2:13-15):
dio anagke hupotassesthai (PPN):
"Necessary" (G318) (anagke) means
constraint or the
state of being checked, restricted, or compelled either
because of circumstances or by law of duty to avoid or perform
some action.
Examine the following uses in
context to help understand anagke (
Mt18:17,
1 Cor7:37, 2 Cor9:7, Phile1:14, Heb7:12,27, 9:16, ,23, Jude 1:3).
NOT ONLY
BECAUSE OF WRATH BUT ALSO FOR CONSCIENCE' SAKE : ou monon dia
ten orgen alla kai dia ten suneidesin: (Ac24:16 Ro9:1 2Co1:12 1Ti1:5,19 1Pe3:16 )
Ultimately believers subject
themselves selves because of our reverence for God’s
authority. There is a two reasons submission is a necessity—an
external one, in the wrath which comes upon those who resist
authority & an internal one the conscience. Even apart from the
consequences of disobedience, conscience recognizes the divine
right and function of authority. Believers are citizens of
heaven, but we must not minimize our responsibilities on
earth. We must be exemplary citizens so that the Lord will be
glorified (1Pe2:11-17).
Conscience (G4893)
(suneidesis from sun = with +
oida = know) literally means "a knowing
with" or a co-knowledge (with oneself) which is the witness
borne to one's conduct by their conscience. Suneidesis is found 25 times in the
NAS (3x in Rom, 7x
in 1Cor, 3x in
2Cor, 4x in
1Ti, 5x in
Heb, 3x in
1Pet)
Click here for an in depth word study
of suneidesis.
Conscience is the "soul as
distinguishing between what is morally good and bad, prompting
to do the former and shun the latter".
Conscience is that faculty by
which we apprehend the will of God, as that which is designed
to govern our lives.
A. W. Tozer defined "conscience" this
way:
"Conscience singles you out as though nobody
else existed. God has given us a faithful witness inside of
our own being. . . . It is able to single a man out and reveal
his loneliness, the loneliness of a single soul in the
universe going on to meet an angry God. That’s the terror of
the conscience. Conscience never deals with theories.
Conscience always deals with right and wrong and the relation
of the individual to that which is right or wrong. Remember
the conscience is always on God’s side! It judges conduct in
the light of the moral law, and as the Scripture says, excuses
or accuses."
Conscience is that inner
judge that accuse & condemns us when we have done wrong
and approves and commends us when we have done right
(Ro 2:14,15).
It is possible to sin against
the conscience so that it becomes “defiled” (Titus 1:15).
Repeated sinning hardens the
conscience so that it becomes “seared” like scar tissue
(1 Tim. 4:2).
To continually reject God’s truth
causes the conscience to become progressively less sensitive
to sin, as if covered with layers of "unspiritual scar
tissue".
Daniel Webster said:
"Whatever makes men good Christians makes
them good citizens."
| |
13:6 For because of
this you
also pay taxes, for rulers
are servants of
God, devoting
themselves to
this very thing.
|
Greek: dia touto gar kai phorous teleite(2PPAI):
leitourgoi gar theou eisin (3PPAI) eis auto touto
proskarterountes (PAPMPN) Phillips: It is
right, too, for you to pay taxes for the civil authorities are
appointed by God for the good purposes of public order and
well-being. | |
FOR BECAUSE OF THIS YOU ALSO
PAY TAXES : dia touto gar kai phorous teleite
(2PPAI): (Mt17:24-27 22:17-21 Mk12:14-17
Lu20:21-26)
So part of what is means to
"subject" one's self to governing authorities is to pay taxes.
The Roman historian Tacitus noted that in the A.D. 58 there
were persistent complaints against taxes & the
"acquisitiveness" of tax collectors.
Vincent says
teleo
(G5055) (cf uses
in Mt 17:24, Jn19:28,19:30 ["paid in full"], Jas 2:8), carries "the sense of
the fulfillment of an obligation.”
The point is that
taxes are the means of carrying on responsible government--the
state could not exist without them. Notice that this matter of
paying taxes, among other things, is put under the matter of
the realm of conscience. ("for because of this" referring to
what he had just stated in [v5]). That is, Christians (for
this whole passage concerns the attitude of Christians to
government) are under a higher law than the world in regard to
the demands of government. The worldling pays his taxes and
obeys the laws largely because he fears the penalty, or he
realizes that this is the only way that law and order can be
maintained. But the Christian is put under a far higher
responsibility; he is told to pay these things for the sake of
conscience. That is, he knows that to fail to do this will
affect his own relationship with God.
If he cheats on
his income tax, he has grieved the Holy Spirit (Eph4:30) and can
no longer manifest the indwelling life of Jesus Christ in that
ministry of power and conviction that glorifies God and makes
the invisible God visible to man. If he is unjust in his
treatment of government authorities, rude or crude in his
dealings with them, or disrespectful (not giving "respect to
whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due" even through
he doesn't like the man or his motives or methods) he is
affecting his conscience and is under the disapproval of the
grieved Holy Spirit within. Christians then in one sense pay
taxes not to the government but to God. The way you treat
government officials is a testimony of whether you are a
Christian or not. The way you pay your taxes, if you pay them,
and the way that you pay other revenues, custom duties, and
fees of various sorts, is a testimony -- one way or another --
of your Christian life.
FOR RULERS
ARE SERVANTS OF GOD: leitourgoi gar theou eisin
(3PPAI):
"Servants" (3011) (leitourgos) is employed everywhere in the NT for priests
-- "ministering priests" {cp the other use in Ro15:16}
Note that this is the
third time (Ro 13:1,4) that
Paul has stressed that the authority of civil authorities
comes from God but in this verse Paul does not use diakonos, “a
servant seen in his activity,” as in verse four, but leitourgos (Paul
used it of himself in Ro 15:16, of Epaphroditus in Php 2:25, cf Heb 1:7) “a public minister, a
servant of the state”, descriptive of military servants,
servants of the king, and of the sacred religious service of
the priests in the Jerusalem Temple (Heb 8:2).
In classical Greek
leitourgos
denotes peculiarly persons performing public duties, or works
of public use and this appears to be it's primary meaning in
(Ro13:6). Thus
this describes a public servant such as those in Athens who
performed or administered the leitourgía
(G3009), the
public functions.
Vincent says;
“The word here brings out
more fully the fact that the ruler, like the priests,
discharges a divinely ordained service."
One is reminded of
Cyrus, the Persian emperor, anointed by God to be His servant
to carry out His will (Isa44:28 45:1).
In the
OT, one of the duties of the priests was to receive tithes and
offerings and sacrifices from the people. They were acting as
God's agents in receiving these tithes and offerings and
sacrifices. Paul simply transfers that ministry and that work
to the government, and says that governments have this right
given to them by God to collect taxes, and that, in paying
your taxes, you are paying properly authorized revenue to God
-- for these are his agents in carrying out this ministry. In
other words, the power to tax is a God-given power.
DEVOTING
THEMSELVES (continually) TO THIS VERY THING (the collection of
taxes): eis auto touto proskarterountes (PAPMPN):
The authorities
continually make "this very thing", tax collection, their
business.
"Devoting" (G4342)
(proskartereo from pros = before +
kratos = strength) (Click here for an in depth word study on
proskartereo) conveys the primary idea "to
persevere". Thus it means to be steadfastly attentive to, to
give unremitting care to a thing, persevere and not to faint,
be in constant readiness for, wait on constantly. It is used
of the attitude of the early church to the teaching of the
apostles, to prayer and to the breaking of bread (cf.
Ac2:42, 2:46, 6:4 ; 1:14 , cf Col 4:2).
Paul also uses
proskartereo elsewhere of the believer’s
attitude to prayer (Ro12:12).
His most suggestive use of
the word is found here in Ro 13:6 where the word describes the
unceasing activity of the tax collector. Modern citizens need
no clearer illustration of continuous energy. If the church
today would demonstrate in its prayer life the dedication and
persistence of the government in its collection of revenue,
then the church would indeed have little to fear from the
gates of hell! There would be no question of the truthfulness
of the stanza,
“Satan trembles when he sees the
weakest saint upon his
knees.” | |
13:7 Render to
all what is due them:
tax to whom tax is due;
custom to
whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to
whom honor. |
Greek: apodote (2PAAM) pasin tas opheilas, to
ton phoron ton phoron, to to telos to telos, to ton phobon ton
phobon, to ten timen ten timen. Phillips: Give
everyone his legitimate due, whether it be rates, or taxes, or
reverence, or
respect! | |
RENDER TO ALL WHAT IS DUE
THEM: apodote (2PAAM) pasin tas opheilas:
"Render" (591)
(apodidomi
from apó = from, off, away from +
didomi = give) (used earlier in Romans Ro 2:6, cf "render" in Re 22:12) literally means to "give off" from
one's self and so it conveys the idea of paying back something
that is owed, and that meaning is reinforced by the phrase
what is due them. The verb is in the Aorist tense, imperative
mood and thus is a command meaning "do this, do it now and do
it effectively!"
In the papyri borrowers used
apodidomi in the formula "I will repay" what
has been borrowed.
Jesus used apodidomi
when He
instructed His followers to "Render to Caesar..." (Mk12:17).
Taxes are not voluntary or optional
offerings given for the support of government, and paying them
is the unqualified obligation of every citizen. Christians not
only have a moral but a spiritual responsibility to pay taxes,
because they know, or should know, that God requires it of
them. Cheating on taxes is a crime against government and a
sin against God.
TAX TO WHOM TAX IS DUE: to
ton phoron ton phoron (phoros [G5411]):
Taxes, levies placed on us by
governing authorities, such as income and social security
taxes & especially the annual tax levied upon houses,
lands, and persons. Robertson says that phoros refers "to
the tribute paid to a subject nation (Lu 20:22), while
custom (telos) is tax for
support of civil government (Mt 17:25)." It
was a tax that subject people paid to their conqueror. Phoros
was then generally considered a direct tax (eg, property tax
or poll tax) and telos as an indirect tax such as customs (TLB
paraphrases it "import duties").
CUSTOM TO WHOM CUSTOM: to
to telos to telos:
Customs, tolls and tariffs
arising from trade and business, such as highway tolls,
airport landing fees, and import fees.
The custom (G5056)
(telos) was a
form of toll or goods tax, paid directly to Roman governors or
procurators or to their vassals, such as King Herod.
Telos then was a
toll, custom or tribute and particularly was
what was paid for public purposes for the maintenance of the
state (Mt 17:25).
In another sense among the
Greeks, public officers and magistrates were called tá
téle; hence telones
(G5057), a
publican, a collector of taxes.
Assessments such as those are to be
paid without begrudging the one to whom they are legally
due.
Ray Stedman tells the following interesting
story:
When I was in England, a man told me about an
American speaker who came over there to speak. He was a
prominent American Christian and he had been scheduled for a
series of meetings. This man said that he met the speaker at
the plane when he came in. As they were riding in from the
airport to town, the man looked at his watch to see the time,
and this fellow noticed that he had three watches on his arm.
So he said to him, "What is the trouble? Do you have trouble
telling time by one watch? Do you add them all up, or what?"
And the man said, "No, I'll tell you: I found out there is a
customs duty on the import of watches, so rather than put them
in the suitcase where they would be found, I simply slipped
them on my arm, and nobody noticed that they were there, and I
came right through." The Englishman said, "You know, from that
moment on, that man's ministry was a dead thing as far as I
was concerned, and I noticed that there was nothing of
blessing in his meetings all the time that he was here." You
see, this sort of thing immediately touches the spiritual life
of a believer and renders him inoperative as far as a
testimony and a witness for Christ is concerned.
Dr. Stedman adds another story:
A great many Christians have been greatly
blessed by the reading of books by Bishop O.H. Hallesby of
Norway. I have been challenged and blessed by them myself, and
Bishop Hallesby had a great ministry of writing that was a
help and a strength to Christians around the world. His books
were sold in many countries of the world. But, a few years
ago, he was brought into court because of an income tax
discrepancy, and it was proved that he had cheated on his
income tax. As a result, his ministry absolutely ceased. Few
of his books were sold any longer. Only those who hadn't heard
of this bought his writings, but it was publicized in Time
Magazine and around the world, so that one act of attempting
to evade his justified responsibility absolutely cut off his
ministry; and he was placed on the shelf for the few remaining
years of his life. He is dead now, but this is such a sharp
testimony of what happens when we cheat, or don't play fair,
in this area of life.
FEAR TO
WHOM FEAR: to ton phobon ton phobon:
Fear, the respect we owe to
those who enforce the law, such as police officers and
military personnel. These last two obligations do not relate
to paying taxes but to a Christian’s attitude toward public
officials. "Fear" is phobos
(G5401) was used
to refer to everything from awe to abject terror. In this
context, it probably means having sincere respect for civil
authorities who collect taxes.
HONOR TO WHOM HONOR: to ten
timen ten timen:
Honor (G5092)
(time) the
praise we owe to those in high authority, such as judges and
elected officials, not because they are powerful &
influential, but because they have been appointed by God.
We are to show honor for the
names and offices of all civil servants (even if they can’t
always respect their personal lives). In this connection,
Christians should never join in speaking in a derogatory way
of the President or the Prime Minister. Even in the heat of a
political campaign they should refuse to join in the verbal
abuse that is heaped upon the head of state. It is written,
“You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people”
(Ac23:5).
In sum a Christian is simply a body in which Christ
walks through this life. When our Lord Jesus was here, he paid
taxes. You remember he sent Peter down to the seaside to catch
a fish once to take the money out of the fish's mouth to pay
his tax {Mt17:24-27}. He
didn't have any money of his own, so this was the way his need
was supplied. On another occasion he took a penny and asked,
"Whose is this superscription? Whose is this picture?"
{Mt22:17-21 Mk12:14-17}. And they said, "It is Caesar's." He said,
"Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the
things that are God's."
Now, when Jesus was paying
taxes, was He not just as Spirit-filled and Spirit-empowered
as when He raised Lazarus from the dead, or did any of His
other miracles? Of course He was. Did He not need the fullness
of an indwelling Father for that task as much as He needed it
for anything else? Of course He did. We also are to do all the
necessary tasks of our life in the fullness of the indwelling
life of Jesus Christ. We need the Spirit of God for everything
that we do: If we pay our taxes and fill out our income tax
report, if we treat government officials with respect, if we
pay our fees and so on, and if we do this in dependence of the
life of the Lord Jesus Christ within us, this becomes a
powerful, potent testimony that will have eternal effect in
the lives, not only of these officials, but of those who
observe us in our acts and our relationships to them. Thus, it
becomes a powerful instrument to transform and change the
society in which we live, and arrest the corruption and dispel
the darkness that is about us.
The Christian, as we
have seen here, is called to God-likeness. That is, as Major
Ian Thomas said,
"making God visible in human life through the
outworking of His indwelling life."
As we, even in little things, display
honesty, and respect, and honor, and carefulness (not for the
sake of some better relationship between the government and
us, but because we are God's men from head to foot), this
thing becomes an instrument and a channel by which the Spirit
of God opens doors, right and left. Thus, the influence of a
Christian becomes a potent, vibrant, powerful testimony -- a
vigorous thing in the life of his community and beyond to that
of the nation as
well. | |
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