Romans 13:1-7

"The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart. All His precepts are trustworthy & I will walk at liberty & in freedom  for I seek Thy precepts. I will never forget Thy precepts, for by them Thou hast revived me. From Thy precepts I get understanding. Therefore I hate every false way."  Ps 19:8, 111:7, 119:45, 93, 104

2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.






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13:1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
Greek: Pasa psuche exousiais huperechousais (PAPFPD) hupotassestho (3SPPM) ou gar estin (3SPAI) exousia ei me hupo theou, ai de ousai (PAPFPN) hupo theou tetagmenai (RPPFPN) eisin (3PPAI).

REFERENCES

Albert Barnes
Michael Andrus
Michael Andrus
John Calvin
Tom Constable
Bob Deffinbaugh
Bob Deffinbaugh
Dave Guzik
Greg Herrick
Greg Herrick
John MacArthur
John MacArthur
John MacArthur
John MacArthur
John MacArthur
John MacArthur
William Newell
John Piper
John Piper
Ray Pritchard
Ray Pritchard
A T Robertson
Ray Stedman
Ray Stedman
Ray Stedman
Ray Stedman
Marvin Vincent
Illustrations

Romans 13
Romans 13:1-7: Conscientious Citizenship

Romans 13:8-14: The Unpayable Debt
Romans 13
Romans notes
Reasoning Through Romans

Romans: The Righteousness of God
Romans 13
Romans: Gospel of God’s Righteousness
Romans 13:1-7: Paul and Civil Obedience
Romans 13:1 Christian's Responsibility to Government-Pt 1

Romans 13:1-3 Christian's Responsibility to Government-Pt 2

Romans 13:1-2 Christian's Responsibility to Government-Pt 3

Romans 13:3-5 Christian's Responsibility to Government-Pt 4

Romans 13:6 Paying Your Taxes--Pt 1

Romans 13:6-7 Paying Your Taxes--Pt 2
Romans 13
Romans 13:1-7
Romans 13:8-10

Romans 13:1-7: How to be a Godly Rebel
Romans 13:8-14: Wake Up and Get Dressed!

Romans 13
Ro 13:1-7: Citizen-Saints

Ro13:8-14: Demand of the Hour
Romans 13:1-7: God's Strange Servants

Romans 13:8-14: The Night Is Nearly Over
Romans 13
Ro13:1ff Ro13:1ff Ro13:1 Ro13:8 Ro13:9 Ro13:11 Ro13:11 Ro13:12 Ro13:14

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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Last updated: 04/06/05.

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