Romans 13:1

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. In such a state of things as existed at Rome when the apostle wrote, the Christians there must often have been perplexed as to the estimate they were to form, and the duties they owed to "the power" that so tyrannically and degradingly ruled there; especially as the whole fabric of Roman society heaved with the elements of insubordination and insurrection, and as the Jews in particular had, in the days of Claudius, been banished the capital for their restless and insurrectionary tendencies (Acts 18:2). It was natural, therefore, to pass from the social to the political duties of believers; and this accordingly occupies the chief portico of the present chapter. The Relation and Duties of the Christian to the Civil Magistrate ...

1._Let every soul, _(399) _etc. _Inasmuch as he so carefully handles this subject in connection with what forms the Christian life, it appears that he was constrained to do so by some great necessity which existed especially in that age, though the preaching of the gospel at all times renders this necessary. There are indeed always some tumultuous spirits who believe that the kingdom of Christ cannot be sufficiently elevated, unless all earthly powers be abolished, and that they cannot enjoy the liberty given by him, except they shake off every yoke of human subjection. This error, however, possessed the minds of the Jews above all others; for it seemed to them disgraceful that the offspring of Abraham, whose kingdom flourished before the Redeemer’s coming, should now, after his appearance, continue in submission to another power. There was also another thing which alienated the Jews no...

1-7 The grace of the gospel teaches us submission and quiet, where pride and the carnal mind only see causes for murmuring and discontent. Whatever the persons in authority over us themselves may be, yet the just power they have, must be submitted to and obeyed. In the general course of human affairs, rulers are not a terror to honest, quiet, and good subjects, but to evil-doers. Such is the power of sin and corruption, that many will be kept back from crimes only by the fear of punishment. Thou hast the benefit of the government, therefore do what thou canst to preserve it, and nothing to disturb it. This directs private persons to behave quietly and peaceably where God has set them, 1 Timothy 2:1; 1 Timothy 2:2. Christians must not use any trick or fraud. All smuggling, dealing in contraband goods, withholding...

CHAPTER XIII. _Subjection to civil governors inculcated, from the consideration_ _that civil government is according to the ordinance of God; and_ _that those who resist the lawfully constituted authorities_ _shall receive condemnation_, 1, 2. _And those who are obedient shall receive praise_, 3. _The character of a lawful civil governor_, 4. _The necessity of subjection_, 5. _The propriety of paying lawful tribute_, 6, 7. _Christians should love one another_, 8-10. _The necessity of immediate conversion to God proved from the_

LET EVERY SOUL - Every person. In the seven first verses of this chapter, the apostle discusses the subject of the duty which Christians owe to civil government; a subject which is extremely important, and at the same time exceedingly difficult. There is no doubt that he had express reference to the special situation of the Christians at Rome; but the subject was of so much importance that he gives it a “general” bearing, and states the great principles on which all Christians are to act. The circumstances which made this discussion proper and important were the following: (1) The Christian religion was designed to extend throughout the world. Yet it contemplated the rearing of a kingdom amid other kingdoms, an empire amid other empires. Christians professed supreme allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ; he was their Lawgiver, their Sovereign, their Judge. It became, therefore, a question...

EXPOSITION ROMANS 13:1 From admonitions to keep peace, if possible, with all men, whether or not within the Christian circle, and to act honourably and benevolently towards all, the apostle now passes to _the duty of Christians towards the civil government and the laws of the country in which they lived. _It is well known that the Jews were impatient of the Roman dominion, and that some held it to be unlawful, on religious grounds, to pay tribute to Caesar (Matthew 22:17). Insurrections against the government had consequently been frequent. There had been the notable one under Judas the Gaulonite of Gamala (called ὁ Γαλιλαῖος, Acts 5:37), who left followers behind him, called Gaul

LET EVERY SOUL BE SUBJECT UNTO THE HIGHER POWERS,.... The apostle having finished his exhortations to this church, in relation to the several duties incumbent upon both officers and private Christians, as members of a church, and with reference to each other, and their moral conduct in the world; proceeds to advise, direct, and exhort them to such duties as were relative to them as members of a civil society; the former chapter contains his Christian Ethics, and this his Christian Politics. There was the greater reason to insist upon the latter, as well as on the former, since the primitive saints greatly lay under the imputation of being seditious persons and enemies to the commonwealth; which might arise from a very great number of them being Jews, who scrupled subjection to the Heathen magistrates, because they were the seed of Abraham, and by a law were not to set one as king over th...

ROMANS 13:1 pa/sa yuch. evxousi,aij u`perecou,saij u`potasse,sqw {A} Adopting a less formal style, perhaps in order to avoid the Hebraic idiom involved in pa/sa yuch,, several Western witnesses (î46 D* G itd*, g, 61 Irenaeuslat Tertullian Ambrosiaster Speculum) read pa,saij evxousi,aij u`perecou,saij u`pota,ssesqe....

CHAPTER 13 _ 1. Obedience to Authorities. (Romans 13:1 .)_ 2. Love the Fulfilling of the Law. (Romans 13:8 .) 3. The Day is at Hand. (Romans 13:11 .) Romans 13:1 The children of God are strangers and pilgrims in the world. Our citizenship is in heaven. But what is the Christian to do as living under different forms of government? The Christian is to be in subjection to these, for the powers that exist are ordained by Him. Resisting these powers would mean resistance to God who has ordained them. They are God's ministers to maintain order. “Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is d

ORDER AND LOYALTY. On the turbulence of Roman Jews, see Introd. § 3. Romans 13:1 f. Let every soul be subordinate to superior authorities, a general maxim, with two reasons given: that authority is of Divine institution (_cf._ John 19:11; Psalms 82:6, etc.), and that the existing authorities (of the Empire) are ordained by God, so that he who is insubordinate resists the ordinance _of God_ and resisters will incur judgment. There is a play on the idea of _order._ In later and worse times Paul maintained the same attitude toward civil government; see 1 Timothy 2:1 ff.,...