Chapter # 13 Paragraph # 1 Study # 4
October 18, 2020
Humble, Texas
(072)
1769 Translation:
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to [
execute] wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore [
ye] must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute [
is due]; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
1901 ASV Translation:
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.
2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
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;
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.
5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake.
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for [
rulers] are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.
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.
- I. The Rationale For The Soul's "Subjection" To "Higher Authorities".
- A. The "issue" of "authority".
- 1. In a former study we made the claim that " On the face of it, 'authority', as Paul addresses it in this paragraph, is the ability to make both the "agenda" decisions, the "methodology" decisions, and the "enforcement" decisions for others.
- 2. Then, in our most recent study, we went back to Paul's use of "authority" in Romans as a highly instructive, deliberate, concept. There are only four such uses, and three of them are in our current text. The one which is not in Romans 13:1-3 is a kind of foundation for our understanding. We saw that Paul's declaration of "authority" in Romans 9:21 is rooted in Isaiah's use of the potter/clay metaphor where he made it abundantly clear that God is The Authority as Potter over all of humanity at the most critical point: Who gets "mercy" and "compassion" from God?
- 3. Now we are going to look into Paul's declarations about the rationale for "authority" in Romans 13:1-3.
- a. As "The" Authority over all other "authorities" (to which we are to be "in submission"), Paul says that God is the Ultimate Foundation for "authority" at all levels. His words are, "...authority is not (does not exist) except 'under God' (translated "from God"). The preposition is significant: "under", as the root of this preposition's identity, is precisely the proper preposition for the "authority" concept. The words "be in subjection", which form the major issue of Paul's statement, is even coined with this same preposition attached to the main verbal idea of "assigning rank". "Rank" is the status of a person as "authorities" within the large concept of "Authority". Militarily, the President of the United States is the "top-ranked" authority, but within the "ranks" of the military are many, many levels of lesser "authorities" that run from a most basic "private", up through "corporal", up through "sergeant", to "lieutenant", etc., etc. so that there are realms of "authority" within the entire concept so that each person has his/her own "realm" of authority, but is "under" all higher "ranks" until we get to "President". Thus, God, Paul says, is the highest ranking "Authority" of all and everyone, without exception, who exercises legitimate "authority", is established in a "pecking order" of "authority".
- 1) Therefore, every "rank" of "authority" is established in "rank" under God/by God, in such a way as to make His "authority", their "authority".
- a) In the days of Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel declared this principle as a way to set the need for both recognition and acceptance before the king.
- i. In Daniel 2:21, he rejoiced in the fact that "the God of Heaven" had clearly let Daniel know that it is He Who possesses wisdom and power so that He makes the alterations in the times and epochs and removes kings and establishes kings.
- ii. Then, in 4:27, Daniel counseled Nebuchadnezzar to "break away now from your sins ... and from your iniquities ... ".
- iii. This is as clear a declaration of the reality that men in authority often abuse their God-given status as will be found in the Word of God.
- b) This, therefore, has to mean that Romans 13 is to be understood in this context: there will be "problems" for those who live "under authorities" whose "authority" is from God, but who abuse it without His immediate correction.
- i. Jesus, Himself, taught the people to "do all that they [the scribes and Pharisees] tell you to do" even though those same scribes and Pharisees did not, themselves, do those very things that they commanded of others (Matthew 23:2).
- ii. He, also, along with others, declared that His disciples would be "handed over to the courts" and "scourged in the synagogues" and "brought before governors and kings" (Matthew 10:18) in direct contradiction to all justice and fairness. Thus, "submission" to authorities has a very limited number of exceptions wherein "submission" is not to be given. That "very limited number of exceptions" is illustrated by the apostles in Acts 5:29 where Peter says, "We must obey God rather than men". In this illustrative passage, the only "exception" to submission is when such "submission" would constitute "disobedience to God".
- 2) Thus, the next claim by Paul: anyone who is rejecting the call to "submission under" is, ultimately rejecting God as "Authority". Even the word translated "resists" (NASB) is the basic word for "assigned rank", and it has a prefix different from "ranked under". This prefix indicates "antagonism" and is translated so that we understand that "resisting the lesser authorities" is tantamount to "opposing the ordinance of God" with the inevitable consequence of all "authority": enforcement through "condemnation". "Authority" sets the agenda, determines the methodology, and enforces both with consequences.
- 3) The particular consequence, in this text, is called "self-inflicted condemnation" which will be enforced.
- b. The rationale for "submission" continued.
- 1) Paul says that "rulers" are not a "fear" to the good work, but to the evil.
- a) This is the general reality, but it is often violated so that those "under authority" are required to endure the abuses established by those "in authority".
- b) In respect to this general reality ...
- i. Those that do the good will have praise from "the authority" for, of God, he is a "deacon" to you for the good.
- ii. But if any should do the evil, be afraid, for that one does not bear the sword in vain so that the evil doer gets away with his evil for, of God, he is a "deacon avenger" unto wrath to the one practicing the evil.
- 2) Wherefore it is a necessity to be in submission, not only on account of the wrath, but also on account of the conscience.
- 3) With these attendant responsibilities...
- a) You must pay tribute (taxes), for, of God, unto this very thing he is constantly attending and, thus, is due his "wages" in the form of taxes.
- b) You must give back to all what is owed.
- i. To the one to whom tribute is owed: tribute.
- ii. To the one to whom toll is owed: toll.
- iii. To the one to whom fear is owed: fear.
- iv. To the one to whom honor is owed: honor.
