Respect & Taxes
Notes
Transcript
A Brief Summary
A Brief Summary
In this next section, Rom. 12 - 15:13, Paul goes into the purpose and calling of all followers of Yeshua. As mentioned before, I have broken up this section of Romans as follows:
Rom. 12:1-8 Ministries of the Congregation
Rom. 12:9-21 Principles governing the Congregation
Rom. 13:1-7 Respect for authority
Rom. 13:8-14 Call to love and hope
Rom. 14:1-12 Respecting one another
Rom. 14:13-23 Pursuing shalom
Rom. 15:1-13 Strengthening one another
Last time we finished the Principles Governing the Congregation, and today we will look at the place of governmental authority, and what our attitude should be towards the government. Let us pick up in Romans 13: 1-7
Let every person submit himself to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are put in place by God. So whoever opposes the authority has resisted God’s direction, and those who have resisted will bring judgment on themselves. For leaders cause no fear for good behavior, but for bad. Now if you do not want to fear the authority, do what is good and you will get his approval— for he is God’s servant to you for your good. But if you do evil, be afraid—for he does not carry the sword for no reason; for he is God’s servant, an avenger who inflicts punishment on the evildoer. Therefore it is necessary to be in submission—not only because of punishment but also because of conscience. For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, attending diligently to this very thing. Pay to everyone what is due them—tribute to whom tribute is due; tax to whom tax is due; respect to whom respect is due; honor to whom honor is due.
Submit to the Governing Authorities
Submit to the Governing Authorities
Paul has spoken about the love that we need to have for one another in the congregation, and he has just reminded the people of Yeshua’s sermon on the mount where we are to love, pray for and bless those who persecute us. Now he takes the next logical step and reminds his listeners that they are to submit to the government. At the time when Paul was writing this, Nero was the emperor of Rome. So you think that the government is bad here, let me give you the 2 min version of the government in Paul’s day.
Nero
Nero
Nero was born in 37 A.D. and his father died when he was young. His mother married her uncle, Emperor Claudius in 50 A.D. and 4 years later, in 54 A.D., Nero became emperor at the age of 16.
Things started well, at least for about 5 years, and then Nero decided to poison his mother in 59 A.D. Things went from bad to worse, and in 64 A.D. was the Fire of Rome.
There are 6 different accounts of the Fire of Rome, and in 5 of the 6, Nero deliberately set the fire, and was singing and playing an instrument. Tacitus, a Roman historian, wrote that Nero then blamed the Christians for starting the fire, and that the Christians were executed by “being thrown to the beasts, crucified and being burned alive.” Jerome writes that 979 Christians were killed by Nero during this time, including Peter and Paul.
Paul’s letter to the Romans was written around 57 A.D. which would put it during the favorable years of Nero. Those who governed, did so by right of birth, or because they had married into the royal family, or because they had ruthlessly advanced themselves. (Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 38B). For the great majority of the people in the Roman empire, there was not possible way that they could ever gain political power, therefore there were no ideas about changing the course of that empire.
Submit as unto God
Submit as unto God
The submission that we demonstrate toward our government needs to come from a place of submitting to God’s direction, and His authority. Paul is acknowledging that all authority is originally from God, just like Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 4:22b
Seven periods of time will pass over you until you know that the Most High is sovereign over the realm of mankind and gives it to whomever He wishes.
If this is still true, then the authorities have power, because Adonai has allowed it. This does not mean that they always wield their authority righteously, or in a Godly manner as was the case with Nebuchadnezzar
Also, we see that when Peter and John stood before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:8-12
Then Peter, filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are on trial today for a mitzvah done for a sick man, as to how this fellow was healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Yeshua ha-Mashiach ha-Natzrati—whom you had crucified, whom God raised from the dead—this one stands before you whole. This Yeshua is ‘the stone—rejected by you, the builders—that has become the chief cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved!”
Now I would like to point out the nature of Peter and John’s “civil disobedience”. If you want to try and take this passage to say that you can simply ignore any of the laws of Australia, simply because you do not like them, you can not use this passage to make your case. Peter and John were arrested for healing a lame man. And then the Sanhedrin said in Acts 4:18-20
So they called them in and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Yeshua. But Peter and John replied, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
By the way, Peter and John had no problem with the rest of the laws, but they had a specific command from Yeshua, to preach, teach and heal in His name. So they were only willing to break the law, when it explicitly contradicted a direction from God.
Purpose of Government
Purpose of Government
Although not Paul’s primary focus for the letter, he covers the major purpose of governments. That purpose is summed up in verses 3 and 4, where Paul states that the governmental leaders should encourage good behavior and punish bad behavior. I could summarize what Paul says, by saying, “If you don’t want to get a ticket from the police, then don’t speed.” To the extent that Governments allow bad behavior or suppress good behavior, those leaders will be judged by God. But we should still demonstrate respect and honor towards authority, not simply because of the fear of punishment, but as Paul says in vs 5, also because of our conscience sake.
Yeshua tells us in Matt. 6:1-2
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before others to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you do tzedakah, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Amen, I tell you, they have their reward in full!
Living righteously, respecting authority, and honoring the government, should be done as unto the Lord.
Pay your Taxes
Pay your Taxes
Paul is absolutely clear on this point, and in fact, repeats it 3 times. You will probably remember that Yeshua had said the same thing in Matt. 22:15-22
Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might trap Him with a word. And they sent to Him some of their disciples, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are honest and teach the way of God in truth. And what others think doesn’t concern You, for You do not look at men’s appearance. Tell us therefore, what do You think? Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Yeshua, knowing their wickedness, said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they said to Him. Then He said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And hearing this, they were amazed. So they left Him and went away.
Somebody once said, that “Taxes are the cost of living in a civilized nation.” You can go to nations where there are no taxes, but I’m not sure that you would enjoy it.
Yeshua’s response is also interesting for another reason. We know that Caesar’s image was on the denarius, so when Yeshua said, Matthew 22:21b “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Here is my question: What should we be giving to God? Well in Gen. 1:26-27
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness! Let them rule over the fish of the sea, over the flying creatures of the sky, over the livestock, over the whole earth, and over every crawling creature that crawls on the land.” God created humankind in His image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.
Who’s image do we all have? So what should we be giving to God? … Ourselves.
Application
Application
Many times I have heard some of these verses used both to defend the wicked actions of an ungodly government as well as condemning the actions of a government seeking to protect its people. I do not think that either approach is helpful. Last week I read from Richard Wurmbrand’s book Tortured for Christ, and I would like to read another passage that addresses wicked governments.
There is a human level on which communism must be utterly fought against. On this level we have to fight against Communists, too, they being the supporters of this cruel, savage ideal. But Christians are more than mere men; they are children of God, partakers of the divine nature. Therefore, tortures endured in Communist prisons have not made me hate Communists. They are God’s creatures; how can I hate them? But neither can I be their friend. Friendship means one soul in two breasts. I am not one soul with the Communists. They hate the notion of God. I love God. If I were asked, “Are you for the Communists or against them? my answer would be a complex one. Communism is one of the greatest menaces to mankind. I am utterly opposed to it and wish to fight it until it is overthrown. But, in the spirit, I am seated in heavenly places with Jesus....Therefore, my aim is to spread the gospel to the Communists, to give them the good news about Christ, who is my Lord and loves the Communists. He has said Himself that He loves every man and that He would rather leave ninety-nine righteous sheep than allow the one that went astray to remain lost....St. Macary said, “If a man loves all men passionately, but says only about one man that him he cannot love, the man who says this is no more a Christian, because his love is not all-embracing.”
I read this to you, because I don’t think that anyone here would think that a Communistic government should be obeyed, especially when they actively arrest believers simply for following Yeshua. The same would apply to an Islamic government or any government that actively rejects Yeshua and persecutes His followers.
And Richard actively shared the Good News with people in Romania, which is why he was arrested. But even though we should actively resist Communism and Islamization of the world, we need to be more like Richard in that we should have a deep enduring love for all people. And if we are going to be arrested, it should be because we have obeyed Yeshua and share the Good News of Yeshua to others. Peter would write the following 1 Pet. 4:12-19
Loved ones, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal taking place among you to test you—as though something strange were happening to you. Instead, rejoice insofar as you share in the sufferings of Messiah, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be glad. If you are insulted for the name of Messiah, you are fortunate, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. For let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or evildoer or as a troublemaker. But if anyone suffers for following Messiah, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with the house of God. If judgment begins with us first, what will be the end for those who disobey the Good News of God? Now, “if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what shall become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will—let them trust their souls to a faithful Creator while continuing to do good.
