Bible Commentaries
Romans 13

Verse 1

Romans 13:1

Romans 13:1

Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers:— Many hold that this passage refers to church authorities, but this application involves difficulties to my mind inexplicable. So I believe that “higher powers” here refers to civil govern­ment. To be in subjection is to come under the will of an­other, to subject oneself, to obey. The same relation is ex­pressed in the following: “Put them in mind to be in sub­jection to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready unto every good work” (Titus 3:1); and, “Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as sent by him for vengeance on evil-doers and for praise to them that do well” (1 Peter 2:13-14). The term bears no idea of participation or rule, but of subjection to another’s power. The extent of this submis­sion to human governments is clearly defined by Jesus and the apostles. When there was contention as to who should be greatest, he said unto them: “The kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them; and they that have authority over them are called Benefactors. But ye shall not be so.” (Luke 22:25-26). His disciples certainly could not serve in the earthly kingdom, where the principles of service were in direct antag­onism to the principles that must govern his servants in his kingdom. He places in contrast to the earthly kingdom this kingdom he appoints to them, as his Father had appointed to him. This kingdom would be governed by the principles he proclaimed. When the apostles had been imprisoned in Jeru­salem for preaching the gospel and were brought before the council charged with disobedience to the command not to preach in the name of Jesus, “Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29): and as the two governments were in conflict, they chose to obey God and suffer the consequences.

for there is no power but of God;—All power is by the will of God. He permits it. An example of this is given in 1 Samuel 8:1-22. The Israelites demanded a king. God testified that in demanding it they rejected him. Yet he ordained that they should have their desire. This he did to punish them for their rebellion against him.

and the powers that be are ordained of God.—When men refuse to be governed by God, they must be governed by some power, and God ordains other governments to punish them for refusing his. So all power, even this Roman govern­ment, was of God. “The powers that be,” including this idol­atrous government persecuting the church of Christ, were ordained of God. They were ordained to punish evildoers and to take vengeance" on those who wronged his people. This did not imply that the Christians should participate in the management of them. Indeed, Paul had just said (Romans 12:19) that Christians must not take vengeance on evildoers, that God will avenge their wrongs. The higher powers are imme­diately introduced to execute wrath on evildoers—that is, the civil officer is God’s appointed agent to do what he says the Christian cannot do. God’s order is to use persons to do work who in character are suited to it. He uses the wicked to inflict punishment upon the wicked. He uses the devil to punish the obdurately wicked in the world to come, and so orders affairs that in punishing others he, as the chiefest sinner, will be the recipient of the severest punishment. The fact that God ordains human government is no evidence that it is good for Christians to participate in its administration; but it does indicate that it is good for the purpose for which he ordained it, and is to be submitted to by Christians.

Verse 2

Romans 13:2

Romans 13:2

Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God:—To seek to resist or overthrow civil gov­ernment as the institution of God for the punishment of evil­doers would be to resist the ordinance of God.

and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judg­ment.—The government at Rome was used to persecute Chris­tians, and God so overruled that the persecution did not go beyond what was for their good. “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the residue of wrath shalt thou gird upon thee.” (Psalms 76:10). God overrules wickedness, rebellion, and animosity against him and his children, and the wrath that goes beyond this he will restrain. Then it is wrong for Christians to resist or seek to overthrow or destroy the power ordained of God, and they who resist will fall under the con­demnation of this power and of God himself.

Verse 3

Romans 13:3

Romans 13:3

For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil.—All the persecutions that came upon Christians, even in the days of Nero, were needed by them to promote their true and eternal welfare. All the afflictions that came upon them were for their good. They were for their good in the courses they pursued—in the positions in which they placed themselves. In the different courses they would not have been needed for their good. One chief good was to wean them from the kingdoms of the world. How can this wicked ruler be a terror to evil works and not to good? Because God permits only so much affliction to come upon his children as will pro­mote their true good. All the evil that comes upon them is intended by God to restrain and deter them from sin and to encourage them to do good.

And wouldest thou have no fear of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same:—The essentials to all quiet, stable government are such as to make even wicked men in authority prefer goodness, forbear­ance, and industry—the qualities inculcated by the Christian religion—to the turbulent, disorderly, and rebellious spirit— the concomitant of sin and godlessness. And it is only when there is animosity toward good men on account of their fidelity to principle, or to parties that are offensive, and are persecuted for their principles, that even the tyrannical rulers would not encourage and reward the orderly, quiet spirit in preference to the disorderly and wicked. All government, then, is a terror to evildoers and not to the good.

Verse 4

Romans 13:4

Romans 13:4

for he is a minister of God to thee for good,—Whatever is, is ordained of God, and is good for the thing for which it was ordained of God to punish sin, and those he uses to afflict them that are ministers of God to execute wrath. Hell is an ordinance of God to punish in the future state those who persist in sin and rebellion on earth, and is good for the purpose for which God ordained it; and it is not good for any other purpose. The devil is God’s minister to rule in hell, to punish the stubbornly rebellious, and sinful. Hell and the devil are as much an institution and minister of God as heaven and Jesus Christ are. They are not equally good for the same thing, but each is good for that which God ordained it or him. It would be extreme folly for one to conclude that since hell is an ordinance of God, that it is a good place to enter, or that because the devil is a minister of God he is a good being to follow. The devil is a min­ister of wrath through whom God punishes evildoers. He does good to the Christian by deterring from the path that leads to ruin. Jesus is a minister and heaven an ordinance of God to encourage virtue and holiness.

But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil.—As God ordains ministers for wrath as well as for mercy, he ordains institutions of wrath as well as institutions of mercy—his church—and asks the world to enter, do mercy, and receive mercy. Those who accept the invitation act and live in it; it is ordained for them. But for those who refuse to enter and become ministers of mercy he ordains institutions fitted for their rebellious char­acter, in which they work, while rejecting God’s institution of mercy for his children. These institutions of wrath God ordains for wrath. They will be destroyed after serving their purpose here. People build them up unconscious that God is ordaining them for the destruction of the builders—of those refusing his government of mercy. God ordains for people just such institutions as they deserve. If they refuse to obey God’s government, he ordains that they shall be governed by the oppressive rule of man’s own government, of which the devil is the great head. Hence, God ordains these govern­ments of wrath for the children of wrath. The idea is, then, that the powers referred to are civil powers. They are or­dained of God as instruments of wrath for the children of wrath, to be conducted and operated by the ministers of wrath; that God’s children must submit to them as such, not strive by violence to destroy them. When, in the provi­dence of God, they are no longer needed, he will destroy them —cause them to destroy and eat up one another. No Chris­tian, then, can become a partaker or partisan of them, lest he partake of their woes. Quiet, passive submission that in­volves no violation of the laws of the spiritual kingdom is the measure and limit of their connection with them.

Verse 5

Romans 13:5

Romans 13:5

Wherefore ye must needs be in subjection, not only be­cause of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.—Since the civil powers are ordained of God, the Christian is to be subject, not only from fear of punishment, but as a duty he owes to God, that he may keep a good conscience toward God. A conscience void of offense toward God is kept by doing all God commands to be done, so far as they do not command disobedience to God.

Verse 6

Romans 13:6

Romans 13:6

For for this cause ye pay tribute also;—Since God com­mands it, and to keep a good conscience toward God, pay tribute, or taxes.

for they are ministers of God’s service, attending con­tinually upon this very thing.—They are the appointed min­isters of God, attending continually upon the work of punish­ing evildoers and preserving order among the lawless. Human government is ordained of God to rule and punish those who are not subject to God. It is to be used and operated by them.

Verse 7

Romans 13:7

Romans 13:7

Render to all their dues:—Give unto all what is due them in the position they occupy.

tribute to whom tribute is due;—Pay taxes to the rulers. This is what Christ did, although in doing so he classed him­self as a stranger and not a child of human government—the same government concerning which Paul now writes to the Christians at Rome.

custom to whom custom;—“Custom” then, as now, referred to duties imposed upon articles of trade and traffic brought from other countries. There has always been a disposition with men to avoid this tax, but Paul instructs that Christians must pay it as a duty to God. They can neither smuggle goods in so as to avoid his eye, nor can they induce him to wink at a bribe, as is often done with men.

fear to whom fear;—They are to show a proper fear of vio­lating the law and proper respect to those to whom fear is due.

honor to whom honor.—The rulers of the land, though wicked men, are entitled to respect and honor. The Chris­tian must set the example of honoring them.

Verse 8

Romans 13:8

Romans 13:8

Owe no man anything, save to love one another:—This is an extension of the precept to pay taxes and customs and give honor to whom honor is due. He instructs them to pay all debts and obligations, private as well as public, and that they should owe no man anything—should incur no obliga­tions to any one save those which love imposes. This cer­tainly prohibits going in debt and being under pecuniary obli­gations to our fellow men. The obligations that love to our fellow men incurs are lasting.

for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.—Love holds man under obligations to do what the law imposes upon him. Love to God requires him to do what the law requires him to do toward God. Love to his fellow man requires him to do to his fellow man just what the law of God requires him to do. James says: “If ye fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well.” (James 2:8). “The royal law,” as given by Christ, is, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them” (Matthew 7:12); and to love enemies is to bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despite­fully use you and persecute you.

Love, then, beyond all doubt, is doing good to a person. When we do him good, we love him, it matters not whether the good we do pleases or displeases him. Do to him what the divine law commands, and we do him good. It frequently will offend him. Be it so, love demands that we should help him, even if he persecutes us for it. That was the love of Christ to man. He loved him, although his love excited the wrath and enmity of man. Love is doing a man good, and the divine law tells us that it is the only way in which we can do him good; hence, love “is the fulfillment of the law.”

Verse 9

Romans 13:9

Romans 13:9

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet,—The law given to Moses requires the things to be done that bring no evil, but good, to others. It forbids all wrong to his neighbor.

and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy­self.—All the duties and obligations man owes to his fellow man are summed up by Jesus in the statement: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” You are to be as careful to do no wrong to your neighbor as you are to do none to yourself. Observance of these laws of God prevents man from doing evil to his neighbor. Obeying a command of God never brought evil to any man.

Verse 10

Romans 13:10

Romans 13:10

Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.—The perfection of love is to fulfill the law of God in all things toward God, toward our fellow men, and toward ourselves. To fulfill, or come up to, the law of God in all things is to love—is the highest possible good to every being in the universe and is eternal in its nature. Love may exist independent of emotions or the fleshly. One sees it his duty to do good to his enemy; to return good for evil, blessing for cursing. All his fleshly emotions and feelings may demand that he should return evil for evil, cursing for cursing. With a resolute will he restrains these feelings and does him good, a kindly deed; he prays for him; blesses him. It may be mechanical and outward as we call it; that is, fleshly feelings do not enter into it. Yet it is love, love of the highest type; love that springs wholly from the purpose and will of the spirit—the inner man. This is the battle be­tween the flesh and the spirit within man. The flesh de­mands the railing and cursing for cursing; the spirit good for evil.

Verse 11

Romans 13:11

Romans 13:11

And this, knowing the season,—This refers to the duties already enjoined, and urges on them to live a holy and exem­plary life.

that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep:— [Since a glorious day had dawned upon them in their recep­tion of the gospel, there is brought upon them the grave responsibility of strenuous effort and activity in the service of God. The image of awakening out of sleep is often used in order to designate the rousing up from a state of comparative inaction to one of strenuous effort. (See 1 Corinthians 15:34; Ephesians 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:6).]

for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed. —[The salvation is not from sin, which the Romans already had (Romans 6:3-4; Romans 6:17), but the completion of it in the glorifica­tion awaiting them when the Lord should come (1 Peter 1:4-5). The constant expectation of the Lord is the very attitude of mind which Christ himself enjoined in his re­peated warnings. That expectation had from the first been modified by the caution: “Of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven.” (Matthew 24:36). In Paul’s mind the expectation was vivid (1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:17), but the caution was not forgotten (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2; 2 Thessalonians 2:1). We should be prepared for the light of eternal day, just as one might say death is always near and live in the power of such a sentiment, though the death is long post­poned. The language here, as elsewhere on this topic, is adapted to every generation of believers who, not knowing the time, can at least say salvation is nearer.]

Verse 12

Romans 13:12

Romans 13:12

The night is far spent, and the day is at hand:—The day of deliverance draws near.

Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.—Let us, therefore, cast off, or cease to follow, the works that pertain to a life of darkness and idol­atry, and let us clothe ourselves with the works that pertain today.

Verse 13

Romans 13:13

Romans 13:13

Let us walk becomingly, as in the day;—To live a life of purity and holiness rather than what is usually called “fleshly” is what is meant here. [Avoid every word or action even remotely tending to evil; do our best to commend our faith to others by remembering such words as: “Let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16) ; “Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22) ; or, “Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).]

not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy.—That life that be­comes the day of the gospel life is here contrasted with the licentiousness, drunkenness, and degrading lusts, strife, and envyings that pertained to the life of idolatrous darkness. Only a life of responsibility toward God can deliver man from the degrading rule of fleshly lusts and passions.

Verse 14

Romans 13:14

Romans 13:14

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ,—They put him on in desire, in purpose, in profession, and in covenant obligation, in their baptism. “For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:26-27). But they put him on actually in their subsequent life. So we are made one with Christ in conversion, in sentiment, in feeling, in princi­ple, as well as in covenant interest; but even these are as yet in the germ, and the convert is but “a babe” in Christ. (Hebrews 5:13). “My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you.” (Galatians 4:19). “For I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2). But the growth into full fellow­ship with Christ is the result of patient culture. “As there­fore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6-7). There is genuine spiritual life in the true convert, but it is in “newness of life”—the life of infancy. It must be fed, nour­ished, and trained until full manhood is attained, for we put him on in life and character by living the life he lived.

and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts there­of.—[The word “flesh” is here used to denote the corrupt propensities of the body which he had specified in the pre­ceding verse. It is the seat of all the sins mentioned, and is a bundle of lusts. The gratification of the flesh was the main object among the Romans. Living in luxury and licen­tiousness, they made it the great object of study to multiply and prolong the means of licentious indulgence. But they that are Christ’s do not take forethought for their gratifica­tion, for they “have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.” (Galatians 5:24). They that are his have daily needs for which God has made bountiful provision. (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:8; Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:30-31). The real wants are few, and with a heart disposed to be pure and under the control of Christ, the necessary wants of life are easily satisfied.]