THE BIBLE ON CHURCH COMMUNITY ACTS 2.37-47

THE BIBLE ON POLITICS ROMANS 13

POLITICS & GOD'S WILL & MAN'S WILL

Romans 13

	World English Bible A.T. ROBINSON.S COMMENTARY
1	Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who be are ordained by God. Pa'sa yuch; ejxousivaiß uJperecouvsaiß uJpotassevsqw. ouj ga;r e~stin ejxousiva eij mh; uJpo; qeou', aiJ de; ou\sai uJpo; qeou' tetagmevnai eijsivn: Romans 13 Verse 1 Every soul (pasa psuch). As in 2 Timothy 2:9; Acts 2:43. A Hebraism for paß anqrwpoß (every man). To the higher powers (exousiaiß uperecousaiß). Abstract for concrete. See Mark 2:10 for exousia. Huperecw is an old verb to have or hold over, to be above or supreme, as in 1 Peter 2:13. Except by God (ei mh upo qeou). So the best MSS. rather than apo qeou (from God). God is the author of order, not anarchy. The powers that be (ai ousai). "The existing authorities" (supply exousiai). Art ordained (tetagmenai eisin). Periphrastic perfect passive indicative of tassw, "stand ordained by God." Paul is not arguing for the divine right of kings or for any special form of government, but for government and order. Nor does he oppose here revolution for a change of government, but he does oppose all lawlessness and disorder.
2	Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment. w&ste oJ ajntitassovmenoß th'/ ejxousiva/ th'/ tou' qeou' diatagh'/ ajnqevsthken, oiJ de; ajnqesthkovteß eJautoi'ß krivma lhvmyontai. Verse 2 He that resisteth (o antitassomenoß). Present middle articular participle of antitassw, old verb to range in battle against as in Acts 18:6, "he that lines himself up against." Withstandeth (anqesthken). Perfect active indicative of anqisthmi and intransitive, "has taken his stand against." The ordinance of God (th tou qeou diatagh). Late word, but common in papyri (Deissmann, Light, etc., p. 89), in N.T. only here and Acts 7:53. Note repetition of root of tassw. To themselves (eautoiß). Dative of disadvantage. See Mark 12:40 for "shall receive a judgment" (krina lhmpsontai). Future middle of lambanw.
	3.For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the sam e, oiJ ga;r a~rconteß oujk eijsi;n fovboß tw'/ ajgaqw'/ e~rgw/ ajlla; tw'/ kakw'/. qevleiß de; mh; fobei'sqai th;n ejxousivan; to; ajgaqo;n poivei, kai; e&xeiß e~painon ejx aujth'ß: Verse 3 A terror (poboß). This meaning in Isaiah 8:13. Paul does not approve all that rulers do, but he is speaking generally of the ideal before rulers. Nero was Emperor at this time. From the same (ex authß). "From it" (exousia, personified in verse Isaiah 4).
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4.	For he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn`t bear the sword in vain; for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil. qeou' ga;r diavkonovß ejstin soi; eijß to; ajgaqovn. eja;n de; to; kako;n poih'/ß, fobou': ouj ga;r eijkh'/ th;n mavcairan forei': qeou' ga;r diavkonovß ejstin, e~kdikoß eijß ojrgh;n tw'/ to; kako;n pravssonti. Verse 4 A minister of God (qeou diakonoß). General sense of diakonoß. Of course even Nero was God's minister "to thee (soi ethical dative) for good (eiß to agaqon, for the good)." That is the ideal, the goal. Beareth (porei). Present active indicative of porew, old frequentative form of perw, to bear, to wear. But if thou do (ean de poihß). Condition of third class, ean and present active subjunctive of poiew, "if thou continue to do." Sword (macairan). Symbol of authority as to-day policemen carry clubs or pistols. "The Emperor Trajan presented to a provincial governor on starting for his province, a dagger, with the words, 'For me. If I deserve it, in me'" (Vincent). An avenger (ekdikoß). Old adjective from ek and dikh (right), "outside of penalty," unjust, then in later Greek "exacting penalty from one," in N.T. only here and 1 Thessalonians 4:6.

5.Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience` sake

Verse 5 Ye must needs (anagkh). "There is necessity," both because of the law and because of conscience, because it is right (1 Thessalonians 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 9:1).

dio; ajnavgkh uJpotavssesqai, ouj movnon dia; th;n ojrgh;n ajlla; kai; dia; th;n suneivdhsin.