Romans 13:1-5, re obedience to government: commentary
Some declare, that Christians and non-Christians are obliged to obey the government, and are damned, if they do not obey the government. They cite Romans 13:1-5 from the New Testament. Yet what most biblical commentators miss in scriptures such as the "let every soul be subject unto the higher powers" section of scripture, is, that the style of the writing in the New Testament is such, that the New Testament contains emphatic declarations that contradict each other, contradictions that the reader must balance out in his own mind.
Though Romans declares that those who resist the higher government powers are damned, the Book of Revelation is one of the sections of scripture that portrays refusal to worship strange Gods commanded to be worshipped by governments, and refusal to verbally repudiate Christ although comnanded to do so by government, as ideal forms of conduct.
Thus the scripture enjoining obedience to government, taken hyper-literally, contradicts scriptures advocating or implying disobedience to government as the ideal.
Christ did not deny himself when accused but kept silence. Stephen, Paul, Peter, and others after them were martyrs; most probably, they could have escaped martyrdom by obeying the government by repudiating the Christian faith. The early church considered disobedience to governments that commanded the worship of strange gods or the repudiation of Christ, to be honorable disobedience, more honorable than obedience to such commands.
Although Romans commands obedience to government, Moses, is celebrated for having slain an Egyptian while living as a Hebrew slave in Egypt; and Rahab the harlot, is celebrated for having cooperated with the invading ancient Israelite spies.
Romans enjoins obedience to governments that terrors to evil works, and revengers punishing evil-doers. Romans does not demand subservience to governments that do NOT terrorize evil works and take revenge on evil-doers. At the time Romans was written, the Roman government, WAS a government that terrorized evil-works and punished evil-doers.
Not just the obedience-to-government section of Romans, but other scriptures also, indicate that the words translated as damned by translators such as those who generally did an excellent job of producing the King James version of the Bible, were originally meant to indicate something other than irrevocable, eternal damnation to hell.
Rom 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.
Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
Rom 13:3 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:
Rom 13:4 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.
Rom 13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
@2005 David Virgil Hobbs
Though Romans declares that those who resist the higher government powers are damned, the Book of Revelation is one of the sections of scripture that portrays refusal to worship strange Gods commanded to be worshipped by governments, and refusal to verbally repudiate Christ although comnanded to do so by government, as ideal forms of conduct.
Thus the scripture enjoining obedience to government, taken hyper-literally, contradicts scriptures advocating or implying disobedience to government as the ideal.
Christ did not deny himself when accused but kept silence. Stephen, Paul, Peter, and others after them were martyrs; most probably, they could have escaped martyrdom by obeying the government by repudiating the Christian faith. The early church considered disobedience to governments that commanded the worship of strange gods or the repudiation of Christ, to be honorable disobedience, more honorable than obedience to such commands.
Although Romans commands obedience to government, Moses, is celebrated for having slain an Egyptian while living as a Hebrew slave in Egypt; and Rahab the harlot, is celebrated for having cooperated with the invading ancient Israelite spies.
Romans enjoins obedience to governments that terrors to evil works, and revengers punishing evil-doers. Romans does not demand subservience to governments that do NOT terrorize evil works and take revenge on evil-doers. At the time Romans was written, the Roman government, WAS a government that terrorized evil-works and punished evil-doers.
Not just the obedience-to-government section of Romans, but other scriptures also, indicate that the words translated as damned by translators such as those who generally did an excellent job of producing the King James version of the Bible, were originally meant to indicate something other than irrevocable, eternal damnation to hell.
Rom 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.
Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
Rom 13:3 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:
Rom 13:4 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.
Rom 13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
@2005 David Virgil Hobbs
posted by David Virgil at 1:31 AM
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