Romans 13 Class Notes

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TLC Women’s Bible Study Romans 13 Paul Spurlock 4/10/18

Introduction: Although the Jews were banished from Rome (allowed to return five years later) during Claudius’ reign (54 - 41 BC), the epistle to the Romans was written during the reign of perhaps the most evil Roman emperors of all time—Caesar Nero! Nero was known for being: • A heartless killer, even of kin (killed his mother & one of his own sons). • A pedophile & abuser of others sexually. • Ruthless with Christians! (he set fire to Rome and blamed Christians as a pretext to persecute them; he had them attacked by wild dogs; he burned them alive in his garden, perhaps during parties!) • Identified as the specific referent to “666” / “beast of the sea” of Revelation 13 by many scholars. The Roman Empire is viewed as the general referent in this (majority) view. • In summary, Nero was a megalomaniacal psychopathic tyrant of the worst sort! And yet it is in this context that Paul teaches that we are to “be in subjection to the governing authorities”!! And we think we have it tough in 2018 America! 13:1 “No authority except from God” This means that not only is all authority providentially granted by God, but also that all authorities are under God. —Jesus to Pilate: “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above” (Jn. 19:11). —Proverbs 8:25 “By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.” 13:2b “receive condemnation” may mean criminal penalties or disfavor before God (the phrase “conscience sake” at verse 5 carries the same notion). 13:4 Rulers are appointed with a particular—or primary—assignment: reward good behavior & punish bad behavior; execute justice. That, and collecting fair taxes (13:5) to support the public servants who govern, is the extent of ideal government in Romans. Unfortunately, most all governments (surely all modern ones) take on all kinds of extra oversight and meddle in areas of life they were never intended to become involved in. As result, liberty is lost. Earlier, at 12:9, Paul had said “vengeance is mine.” Now he says governing authorities are agents of God that are to execute justice. Therefore, they have a legitimate sphere of authority. So then, Christians are to obey governing authorities when they do what God appointed them to do. But when the laws of the land go against God’s higher laws & ways, Christians are to resist (cf. Acts 5:29). The subject of obeying government (or not) can become very complicated. In Paul’s day, everyone was born under an established absolute ruler. But for us in the USA, the governing structure & system is very, very different (ostensibly, authority is in hands of the people😀 ). Key to entire passage thus far is legitimate authority—it is to be obeyed. Magistrates & officers of the government are ministers of God ultimately. But, all authorities themselves only remain legitimate by obeying the source of their authority: God and His standards of justice. 13:7 “Render” here is the same word Jesus used in the gospels (“render unto Caesar…”). The idea is to pay back to the one legitimately owed. (e.g., Caesar can have what his image is on—a mere coin; but the image of God is on every human!—> so all humanity—especially Christians—have an obligation to return back and/or give to all to whom we owe all—God! 1

13:8 Paul is essentially saying that we’re not to let any debt go unpaid (he’s not saying that temporary debt is always a sin). After all, all of us purchase our electricity on credit! (the bill comes at the end of the use-period). The Bible has examples of legitimate borrowing (e.g., Exo. 22:14). Take note of Luke 6:34-38 too. Lending is described as a compassionate thing to do (so all debt cannot be wrong—even if being the borrower is to be in an undesirable position as Proverbs 22:7 makes clear (“The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave”). Luke 6:35 actually says to “Lend, expecting nothing in return.” The point is make the goal to help another in need—and in a way we’d like to be helped ourselves. So if you’re the loaner, treat the borrower like you’d like to be treated; if you’re the borrower, treat the loaner as you’d like—pay the debt! Finally, giving back that which is borrowed should be returned promptly & soon as possible. To be able to pay back a debt and yet be tardy in doing so is a form of theft. See also 8:4 (“that righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled” is summed up in love of neighbor). Do this and all the “rules” will be fulfilled (cf. Gal. 5:22 “against such things there is no law”). 13:11-12 What is meant by “salvation is nearer than when we first believed” and “the day is near”? And, does “darkness” refer to the present time (and our work in it) before the return of Christ (since Christ is ultimate “light” and we, until He returns, are referred to as “the light of the world”)? Is the odd-sounding verse at John 9:4 obliquely connected to this?: (“We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work”). Whatever the meanings, here are the top suggestions: 1) With every passing day, we are nearer to the day of Christ’s return and the fulfillment of our salvation! (Critique: while surely true, this seems to merely state the obvious, so why say it?) 2) Paul is an apostle of the first order (personally installed by Jesus). He wrote Scripture via revelation from the Holy Spirit—and he never erred on doctrinal matters (Gal. 1:11-13). But here he is speaking from his humanity about the question of “salvation is nearer to us than we believed,” and he got the timing wrong. In other words, was Paul just speculating on the matter of Christ’s return, and doing so imprecisely? It would seem so. But no worries. This is similar to Jesus Himself, who voluntarily veiled Himself in His humanity to some degree from certain particulars of knowledge of what was to come to pass— that is, He admitted ignorance (referring to His return) when He stated that “no man knows the hour, only the Father…” (Mt. 24:36 & Mk. 13:32). So then, in a similar, albeit less obvious sense, this could be a moment of ignorance for Paul (again on non-doctrinal matters). On another occasion Paul rebuked Peter in Galatians 2:11ff. for acting in error. (Peter was wrong in behaving hypocritically, but, again, there was no erring on doctrine). Additionally, Paul talks in chapter 15 as if he’s certain how his journey to Rome will be sooner than later—but he’ll go on to be imprisoned two times (two years each time) before he gets to Rome! So regarding non-doctrinal travel matters, Paul was mistaken (and his mistake is recorded for us in the Bible). Finally, there’s the curious line Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:16 - “Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know

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whether I baptized any other.” So wrapping up, while Paul pens Scripture via “received” revelation1 he never errs. But when he’s just being Paul (& on non-essential matters), he is human too and evidences a lack of perfect knowledge on non-doctrinal matters. The nature and timing of the “the day” of Christ’s return is apparently one such matter. (Critique:What does all this do to the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy?) 3) The “day” being “near” refers to the judgment coming of Jesus at 70 AD. So, relative to when Paul penned Romans (late 50s), the judgment “day” was indeed near, especially for those who persecuted the infant Church! But after 70 AD, the Judaistic religious structure in power was obliterated by the fall of Jerusalem due to the Roman conquest and the baby Church was able to grow locally as well as throughout the known world due to the flight from Israel after its destruction. (Critique: Does it make more sense to understand the “salvation” in the text here as meaning being freed from temporal persecution after 70 AD or is ultimate salvation that is fully realized when Christ returns the topic?). 13:12 To better understand Paul’s use of the “armor of light” compare this with similarly themed texts: (Isa. 59:15b-17; 2 Cor. 6:3b-7; Col. 3:9-10; 1 Thes. 5:5-8; Eph. 6:14-17). Note how the “pieces of the armor” are not so neatly matched or exactly described. Does this mean we’ve made more of the imagery than Paul intended? This is not to say that we are to make less of spiritual warfare. But, is Paul simply addressing a very serious topic but with images common in his day that are not intended to be applied (as some say) in a ritualistic & formulaic manner? 13:13-14 Compare with1 Thessalonians 5 (“we are not of the night nor of darkness”). 13:14 “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” = put on all the “armor” which is not described a complicated formula for “advanced Christians only.” So, rather than an “extra special skill set” that has to be learned by special training, techniques or teachings, to “put on the armor” / “the Lord Jesus” simply means to exhibit Christlikeness.

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Galatians 1:11-13 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Referring to the OT Scriptures, see 2 Tim. 3:16 and 2 Pt. 1:21. In the OT see Exo. 4:22, Dt. 5:27, 1 Sam. 2:27, Jer. 2:2, etc.

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Q. 1: According to Romans 13, what is the responsibility of the Christian toward government?

Q. 2: Does the ending of verse 1 mean that everything the government declares is to be obeyed? Pastor & author John MacArthur argues that even though he’s glad for the American Revolution, it was unbiblical. Agree?

Q.3: Which of the Three Views on the meaning of “the day is near” do you favor? Why?

Q. 4: After viewing all the “armor” texts, has your understanding of what it means to “put on the full armor of God” changed or remained the same?

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