Romans 12.17-13:4

Reading without unbiblical chapter divisions can really bring things to light:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.

The “Romans 13 passage” (to use the common fiction of passages) is not some anomaly in the Gospel ethic of love and self-giving.  It is essential to it.  Christians are supposed to submit and obey the civil magistrate because God promises to use him or her to bring about justice.  And Christians can be at peace with their neighbors because God has means that they can pray for which will rectify injustice.

We see this in Acts.  Sometimes the powers persecute the Church, but Paul is always respectful (less so with the Israelites, interestingly).  And several times the magistrates vindicate the Church against her attackers.  Luke obviously doesn’t see this as some regrettable barbarism, but as God’s salvation in history.

Thanks to Derrick for pointing this out to me.

2 thoughts on “Romans 12.17-13:4

  1. Paul Baxter

    The logic of the passage also allows for the governing authorities to be equated with the “enemies” of ch12. I don’t know how far we can push things, but it also seems reasonable that Paul would be hesitant to be totally frank about the Roman authorities when writing to Roman believers as he could cause them undue trouble if he wrote incautiously.

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  2. garver

    I also wonder whether Paul’s affirmation of justice in the hands of the civil magistrate might be serving as a corrective. After valorizing the justice of God over against every merely human measure of justice – with an implied polemic against Roman claims to ultimate justice – one might suspect that Paul is a theological anarchist. Rom 13 perhaps then serves to fend off an over-realized eschatology.

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