Romans 13

Once again we encounter a passage of Paul's writing that has been misunderstood and misused. Paul argues that all should be subject to the existing authorities and not resist them. He gives two reasons: the first is that all rulers have been instituted by God and it follows that if you resist the rulers you are setting yourself against the will of God and will be judged accordingly; the second is that one has no reason to fear the rulers if what one does is just and right--only the disobedient and criminals have reason to fear.

This passage has been used by dictators, kings, and presidents to mean that no one should oppose them. The people who support the rulers politically put pressure on those who disagree with their policies. In one of my classes many years ago, before the class hour began, one of the students said that, if the US went to war with Iraq, there would be all kinds of problems created and we would regret it. Another student said: "But he is our president and we have to do what he says." I stayed out of the issue, as required of university professors and instructors, but I was very taken aback by the attitude of the second student. We know now that the first student was absolutely correct in her assessment.

The reading I have just described of this passage is an interpretation which takes no account of context, either in the essay itself, in the Biblical teaching as a whole, or in the culture and time in which the essay was written. It is important to note that in ancient Hebrew thought, and to a great extent in the thought of all cultures who believed in one supreme God, this God was the first cause of everything that happened. This being the case, it is not surprising that Paul argues that if a certain emperor is in power, it can only mean that God put him (always a him in the Roman Empire) there.

Another matter is that the idea of the great chain of being, in which God is the first cause and all events, through chain of causes which create effects, and in which the effects in turn become the cause of a next effect and so on ad inifinitum, did not exist in the first century or for many centuries thereafter. The idea is the creation of philosopher/theologians of the Middle Ages.

Finally, it must be noted from history that, at the time Paul wrote this essay, the Roman government was protecting the Jewish religion and with it Christianity, viewed as one expression of Judaism. When Paul later was caught up in a legal accusation and it seemed that he would never get justice at the Palestine province capital Caesarea, he appealed to the Emperor. At the time Roman justice had an enviously positive reputation.

Jesus exploded the idea that all events are directly ordered by God. He famously asked his followers if they really thought that the people who had been crushed and killed by the collapse of a tower (referring to an event in his hearers' memory) were really any more culpable than everyone else? The obvious answer had to be no.

We don't know what anti-government attitudes people in the church in Rome may have had, but Paul is arguing that, things being as they are, they should obey the authorities and be good citizens, thus showing a witness of their love for God. Jesus had said "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." This is what Paul is arguing. He does not say that Christians should do the yearly declaration, required at times and in some places of Roman citizens, to declare that Caesar is Lord. The confession of the Christian is Xristos Kurios: Christ is Lord, that is, the most High God. Implicit in Jesus's saying is that our loyalty to God must come before any other loyalty. We must interpret what Paul is saying in accordance with what Jesus taught.

In the latter half of Chapter 13, Paul reminds his hearers that, as far as human relationships are concerned, the principle to live by is "Love your neighbor as yourself," quoting Jesus, who in turn quoted Leviticus 19:18.

In the final section, Paul urges the church at Rome to put off the works of "darkness" (when the revelation of God was not full--before the coming of Jesus, metaphorically the "light") and to live righteously (according to the will of God) given that the light has come and that each day, the eternal kingdom (described by the word salvation) is one day nearer.

Romans 12

The section we know as Chapter 12 of Romans begins with one of Paul's most quoted and approved lines: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect" (verses 1 and 2, NRSV).

"Therefore" (in Greek just one syllable: oun) indicates that, given all the previous matters discussed in the essay, Paul is going to lay out how the Christian should live. That one little word means a great deal, but it is normally passed over or not assigned much importance. However it is crucial: given that God's purpose is redemption and that God offers salvation (God's love and protection) to all people on the same basis, here is how you should live. So then, how should we live? To the ancient Gentiles: stop giving your bodies over to licentious living. Instead, live an ethical life loving God and your fellow humans. That is, seek the good of others over your own desires and your own good. This message also applies to societies in post-modern times. To the ancient Jews: God does not want your sacrifices or your righteousness, he wants you to live in relationship with him and in obedience, relying on God's righteousness. Living for God and for the good of other people is the sacrifice God demands. This message addresses the self-satisfied people in churches that believe that God's nature requires retribution, but following the rules laid out by the community pleases God. Paul's message, based on that of Jesus, could not have been more counter cultural, then or now. Human wisdom only leads to trouble.

Paul goes on to point out that we must not see ourselves as alone and separate from others. The church is a community, metaphorically the body of Christ. Each of us has a part to play and none of us is the all-in-all, and none is unimportant, either. Christ, none of us, is the head.

Verses 9 to the end of the chapter explain how love (agape, not romantic love) is to be practiced. Never fall prey to schadenfreude, accompany with your emotions those who are in difficulties and those who are happy, persevere when you suffer, meet the needs of fellow Christians and give hospitality to strangers. The latter was a sacred duty in ancient times. As for your enemies, let God deal with them. Meanwhile, feed them if they are hungry, do not treat them as they treat you, give them water if they are thirsty.

All this is clear and easy to understand. It is extremely difficult to practice, because it goes completely against our human nature and what our culture says we should do.