2 Whosoever therefore G5620 resisteth G498 the power, G1849 resisteth G436 the ordinance G1296 of God: G2316 and G1161 they that resist G436 shall receive G2983 to themselves G1438 damnation. G2917
But, The LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 which brought up H5927 and which led H935 the seed H2233 of the house H1004 of Israel H3478 out of the north H6828 country, H776 and from all countries H776 whither I had driven H5080 them; and they shall dwell H3427 in their own land. H127 Mine heart H3820 within H7130 me is broken H7665 because of the prophets; H5030 all my bones H6106 shake; H7363 I am like a drunken H7910 man, H376 and like a man H1397 whom wine H3196 hath overcome, H5674 because H6440 of the LORD, H3068 and because of the words H1697 of his holiness. H6944 For the land H776 is full H4390 of adulterers; H5003 for because H6440 of swearing H423 the land H776 mourneth; H56 the pleasant places H4999 of the wilderness H4057 are dried up, H3001 and their course H4794 is evil, H7451 and their force H1369 is not right. For both prophet H5030 and priest H3548 are profane; H2610 yea, in my house H1004 have I found H4672 their wickedness, H7451 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Wherefore their way H1870 shall be unto them as slippery H2519 ways in the darkness: H653 they shall be driven on, H1760 and fall H5307 therein: for I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon them, even the year H8141 of their visitation, H6486 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 And I have seen H7200 folly H8604 in the prophets H5030 of Samaria; H8111 they prophesied H5012 in Baal, H1168 and caused my people H5971 Israel H3478 to err. H8582 I have seen H7200 also in the prophets H5030 of Jerusalem H3389 an horrible thing: H8186 they commit adultery, H5003 and walk H1980 in lies: H8267 they strengthen H2388 also the hands H3027 of evildoers, H7489 that none H376 doth return H7725 from his wickedness: H7451 they are all of them unto me as Sodom, H5467 and the inhabitants H3427 thereof as Gomorrah. H6017 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 concerning the prophets; H5030 Behold, I will feed H398 them with wormwood, H3939 and make them drink H8248 the water H4325 of gall: H7219 for from the prophets H5030 of Jerusalem H3389 is profaneness H2613 gone forth H3318 into all the land. H776 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 Hearken H8085 not unto the words H1697 of the prophets H5030 that prophesy H5012 unto you: they make you vain: H1891 they speak H1696 a vision H2377 of their own heart, H3820 and not out of the mouth H6310 of the LORD. H3068 They say H559 still H559 unto them that despise H5006 me, The LORD H3068 hath said, H1696 Ye shall have peace; H7965 and they say H559 unto every one that walketh H1980 after the imagination H8307 of his own heart, H3820 No evil H7451 shall come H935 upon you.
So that none of the remnant H7611 of Judah, H3063 which are gone H935 into the land H776 of Egypt H4714 to sojourn H1481 there, shall escape H6412 or remain, H8300 that they should return H7725 into the land H776 of Judah, H3063 to the which they have H5375 a desire H5315 to return H7725 to dwell H3427 there: for none shall return H7725 but such as shall escape. H6405 Then all the men H582 which knew H3045 that their wives H802 had burned incense H6999 unto other H312 gods, H430 and all the women H802 that stood by, H5975 a great H1419 multitude, H6951 even all the people H5971 that dwelt H3427 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 in Pathros, H6624 answered H6030 Jeremiah, H3414 saying, H559 As for the word H1697 that thou hast spoken H1696 unto us in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 we will not hearken H8085 unto thee. But we will certainly H6213 do H6213 whatsoever thing H1697 goeth forth H3318 out of our own mouth, H6310 to burn incense H6999 unto the queen H4446 of heaven, H8064 and to pour out H5258 drink offerings H5262 unto her, as we have done, H6213 we, and our fathers, H1 our kings, H4428 and our princes, H8269 in the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and in the streets H2351 of Jerusalem: H3389 for then had we plenty H7646 of victuals, H3899 and were well, H2896 and saw H7200 no evil. H7451
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Romans 13
Commentary on Romans 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
Ro 13:1-14. Same Subject Continued—Political and Social Relations—Motives.
1, 2. Let every soul—every man of you
be subject unto the higher powers—or, "submit himself to the authorities that are above him."
For there is no power—"no authority"
but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God—"have been ordained of God."
2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power—"So that he that setteth himself against the authority."
resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation—or, "condemnation," according to the old sense of that word; that is, not from the magistrate, but from God, whose authority in the magistrate's is resisted.
3, 4. For rulers are not a terror to good works—"to the good work," as the true reading appears to be
but to the evil.
4. he beareth not the sword in vain—that is, the symbol of the magistrate's authority to punish.
5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath—for fear of the magistrate's vengeance.
but also for conscience' sake—from reverence for God's authority. It is of Magistracy in general, considered as a divine ordinance, that this is spoken: and the statement applies equally to all forms of government, from an unchecked despotism—such as flourished when this was written, under the Emperor Nero—to a pure democracy. The inalienable right of all subjects to endeavor to alter or improve the form of government under which they live is left untouched here. But since Christians were constantly charged with turning the world upside down, and since there certainly were elements enough in Christianity of moral and social revolution to give plausibility to the charge, and tempt noble spirits, crushed under misgovernment, to take redress into their own hands, it was of special importance that the pacific, submissive, loyal spirit of those Christians who resided at the great seat of political power, should furnish a visible refutation of this charge.
6, 7. For, for this cause pay ye—rather, "ye pay"
tribute also—that is, "This is the reason why ye pay the contributions requisite for maintaining the civil government."
for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing—"to this very thing."
7. Render therefore to all their dues—From magistrates the apostle now comes to other officials, and from them to men related to us by whatever tie.
tribute—land tax.
custom—mercantile tax.
fear—reverence for superiors.
honour—the respect due to persons of distinction.
8. Owe no man anything, but to love one another—"Acquit yourselves of all obligations except love, which is a debt that must remain ever due" [Hodge].
for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law—for the law itself is but love in manifold action, regarded as matter of duty.
9. For this, &c.—better thus: "For the [commandments], Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and whatever other commandment [there may be], it is summed up," &c. (The clause, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," is wanting in all the most ancient manuscripts). The apostle refers here only to the second table of the law, as love to our neighbor is what he is treating of.
10. Love worketh no ill to his—or, "one's"
neighbour; therefore, &c.—As love, from its very nature, studies and delights to please its objects, its very existence is an effectual security against our wilfully injuring him. Next follow some general motives to the faithful discharge of all these duties.
11. And that—rather, "And this [do]"
knowing the time, that now it is high time—literally, "the hour has already come."
to awake out of sleep—of stupid, fatal indifference to eternal things.
for now is our salvation—rather, "the salvation," or simply "salvation."
nearer than when we—first
believed—This is in the line of all our Lord's teaching, which represents the decisive day of Christ's second appearing as at hand, to keep believers ever in the attitude of wakeful expectancy, but without reference to the chronological nearness or distance of that event.
12. The night—of evil
is far spent, the day—of consummated triumph over it
is at hand: let us therefore cast off—as a dress
the works of darkness—all works holding of the kingdom and period of darkness, with which, as followers of the risen Saviour, our connection has been dissolved.
and let us put on the armour of light—described at length in Eph 6:11-18.
13. Let us walk honestly—"becomingly," "seemingly"
as in the day—"Men choose the night for their revels, but our night is past, for we are all the children of the light and of the day (1Th 5:5): let us therefore only do what is fit to be exposed to the light of such a day."
not in rioting and drunkenness—varied forms of intemperance; denoting revels in general, usually ending in intoxication.
not in chambering and wantonness—varied forms of impurity; the one pointing to definite acts, the other more general.
not in strife and envying—varied forms of that venomous feeling between man and man which reverses the law of love.
14. But—to sum up all in one word.
put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ—in such wise that Christ only may be seen in you (see 2Co 3:3; Ga 3:27; Eph 4:24).
and make no provision—"take no forethought."
for the flesh, to fulfil the lust thereof—"Direct none of your attention to the cravings of your corrupt nature, how you may provide for their gratification."
Note, (1) How gloriously adapted is Christianity for human society in all conditions! As it makes war directly against no specific forms of government, so it directly recommends none. While its holy and benign principles secure the ultimate abolition of all iniquitous government, the reverence which it teaches for magistracy, under whatever form, as a divine institution, secures the loyalty and peaceableness of its disciples, amid all the turbulence and distractions of civil society, and makes it the highest interest of all states to welcome it within their pale, as in this as well as every other sense—"the salt of the earth, the light of the world" (Ro 13:1-5). (2) Christianity is the grand specific for the purification and elevation of all the social relations; inspiring a readiness to discharge all obligations, and most of all, implanting in its disciples that love which secures all men against injury from them, inasmuch as it is the fulfilling of the law (Ro 13:6-10). (3) The rapid march of the kingdom of God, the advanced stage of it at which we have arrived, and the ever-nearing approach of the perfect day—nearer to every believer the longer he lives—should quicken all the children of light to redeem the time, and, seeing that they look for such things, to be diligent, that they may be found of Him in peace, without spot and blameless (2Pe 3:14). (4) In virtue of "the expulsive power of a new and more powerful affection," the great secret of persevering holiness in all manner of conversation will be found to be "Christ IN US, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27), and Christ ON US, as the character in which alone we shall be able to shine before men (2Co 3:8) (Ro 13:14).