Romans 13

The first instance required of devotedness to God, is nonconformity to the world—its pleasures, its hopes, and its pursuits: and it is only by a “transformation”—not conforming to the world, but under the temper and spirit of Christ Jesus, Christianity, however despicable it may appear to carnal men the rendering good for evil. “Tender and kind be all our thoughts; Through all our lives let mercy run: Pharisees in the insidious net which they had spread for him, by directing, in answer to their ensnaring question, that the things which belonged even to their sovereign whom they detested [the Roman emperor] should be rendered to him. “St. Paul exhibited at once a striking proof of the soundness of his own principles, and of the peaceable character of Christianity, in his full and explicit exposition of the allegiance due to the ruling powers.

It is observable, that in the very short period from the origin of Christianity, under Augustus, to the time at which St. Paul wrote, there were four successive Roman emperors, each of whom was worse than the preceding, as if it had been providentially so determined, as a test of the meek and quiet spirit of Christianity, whose followers never manifested resistance to any of these oppressive masters. St. Paul knew how to unite a respect for the government with a just abhorrence of the vices of the governor.” In this instance, Mrs. More farther remarks, no governor is named; and as the Roman emperor and senate did not always act in concurrence, with his usual exquisite prudence, in addressing the people of Rome, Paul makes choice of an ambiguous expression, “the higher powers,” without specifically determining what those powers were.”

i. In citing these remarks from Mrs. More, we would add with her, that “we are not advocating the cause of passive obedience; for it would be quite inconsistent with the mild and peaceable spirit of Christianity, to advocate the cause of arbitrary power in a land of liberty, as ours happily is. Our obedience, therefore, while nothing contrary to our consciences is enforced, ought to be voluntary, cheerful, and uniform; and as St. Paul, as well as his Divine Master, enjoin the paying tribute to Cesar, we should scorn to avoid, by any mean evasion, our just proportion to the expenses of the public revenue, by encouraging smuggling or any illicit commerce.

Such practices, however lightly attempted to claim the protection of the government to their persons and their property, is utterly unaccountable. Next to obedience to governors, St. Paul enforces the principles of equity between man and man, comprehending the pore of the second table, all of which the apostle comprehends, as his Master had before done, in one word, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” The conclusion of the chapter is particularly animated and beautiful. Considering mankind, and even in a great measure professing Christians, as sleeping in ignorance and sin, the apostle admonishes them that their night is nearly ended, and the hour is come to awake to the service of God, and cast off the works of darkness (as the rising sun dissipates the shades of night,) and clothe themselves with the armour of light, that is, with the suit of Christian graces: ((Ephesians 6:13), &c.:) as he afterwards expresses it, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Chrysostom {the most eloquent of the Greek Fathers) has been cited to show, that, to put on another person, was to imitate his character. The allusion appears to us theatrical. To put on Cesar or Cato, is to act his part, the hero or the patriot; and to put on Christ is to copy his tempers and his ex- We cannot close our exposition without remarking that this verse and the preceding, as himself tells us, were mainly instrumental to the conversion of St. Augustin, in the fourth century, by inducing him to put away the works of darkness, and “put on the Lord Jesus.”

Notes on the verses

Chap. XIII. Ver. 1. The higher powers—i. e. “the supreme authority,” whether it be vested in the people, or the nobles, or the sovereign, or be shared among these three orders, or whatever form of government may be established—one power but of God—i. e. derived from him, and ordained by him. Ver. 2. They that resist—Namely, the lawful exercise of authority, of whatever nature the government may assume or receive…. damnation.—(Gr. krima.) Doddridge and Cox, “Condemnation.” Macknight, “Punishment.” Boothroyd, “Judgment.” Ver. 3. Rulers are not a terror—i. e. such is not the design for which they are appointed. Ver. 4. A revenger.—Doddridge, “An avenger.” Ver. 6. Upon this very thing.—Doddridge, “To this one affair.”

Ver. 7. Fear to whom fear.—Doddridge, “Reverence to whom reverence.” Ver. 11. It is high time.—Macknight, “It is already the hour.” Our salvation is nearer—i. e. the completion of it—than when we believed—i. e. than when we [first] believed. So Doddridge, Cox, &c. Ver. 13. Let us walk honestly.—Doddridge, “honourably.” Not in rioting.—Macknight, “revelling.” The Greek (komos) denotes feasting, with lascivious songs and dances in honour of Bacchus. Ver. 14. But put ye on.—This is a Greek phrase, signifying to assume the interests of a person, to enter into his views, to imitate him.—Bagster.