InnerPolitics: Thinking about Romans 13

Well, religion and politics have been back in the news again.  Initially, it was ever so slightly tempting to join the argument and add my 2 cents, but I don't know that I would have said anything that might even approach being worth 2 cents. I read a lot that was worth even less.  

It did strike me, however, that I could not remember off the top of my head what chapter 13 of the Epistle to the Romans even says.  So I pulled out my Bible and started reading.  I promised the good folks at St. Matthias that I would write about what I learned and I had planned to post these pontifications last week.  But it felt a little too soon.  Then there was more media coverage and that pushed it back until now.

The Disclaimer.  I have political views and I have "religion and politics" views.  My thoughts here are not in any way intended to be political.  My opinion of both major political parties, politicians, and all 24-hour "news" channels is about the same.  The idea of actually reading Romans 13 did make sense.  I pulled out several commentaries and a couple of theology books for background.  Most of what you read here is basically my understanding of what I studied and it has been interesting.

Chapter 13 

The Bible is unique in that it may be the only book that is used to prove a point with a random chapter and verse.  We don't generally do this with history, science, or accounting texts.  We start at the beginning of a Stephen King novel and stop at the end.  Who goes to the 2nd sentence in the 5th paragraph of the 10th chapter of a history book and uses whatever is found to back up some random point taken out of context?  Yet, forever the Bible has been used in this way because you can actually support just about any opinion (right or wrong) with a misinterpretation of a verse or chapter if you look long enough.  In the world of biblical study, this practice has a name - Proof Texting!  

So - I thought I would actually read Romans 13 and look in the commentaries on my bookshelves and see what Paul might actually be saying, recognizing that Paul is not actually here to explain for himself.   

It still feels like I am starting in the middle of that Stephen King novel!  

There are 12 chapters before you reach chapter 13 (duh!) and there are 3 more chapters before you reach the end.  You can read it by clicking HERE and going to the Bible Gateway website.  I personally prefer the New Revised Standard translation, but there are many more to choose from.

As you might have guessed, chapter 13, like the other 15 chapters, was written to the early Christian church in Rome (Italy, not Georgia or New York) probably somewhere in the neighborhood of 54 to 58 A.D.  There are a total of 14 verses in the chapter.  The first 7 verses are the part in the news and it is tempting to just split the chapter into 2 equal parts.  But remember, the Bible wasn't divided into chapters until the 13th century and verse numbering started about 3 centuries later.  So the idea here is that Romans 13:1-7 continues a line of thinking that goes on after what we call chapter 13.

So I read the last verse of chapter 12...

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Paul is a Christian - first and foremost.  But he is also a Roman Citizen and a Pharisee.  He was well educated and quite the shrewd thinker.  He knows the politics.  Nero is the Emperor of Rome and he was hardly the nicest of fellows.  He certainly was not a Christian or a Jew.  In fact, he persecuted the early Christians and blamed them for the Great Fire of Rome which was likely started on his orders because he wanted a new palace.  Now with this in mind, go back and read verses 1 through 7.  

The most important thing for Paul was spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ.  If you don't want to cause trouble, then don't bring attention to yourself.  This is what it seems to me that Paul is telling the Church in Rome.  Pay your taxes, do what the Emperor says, and be a responsible citizen.  However, if you break the law and make a big deal about it, then the authorities will come after you and what good does that do for anyone - especially those who are waiting to hear the Gospel.

And then in verse 8, Paul reminds us that everything we do as Christians should be done in LOVE.  Love is our first responsibility and so even when you are paying taxes or revenue or honor to an elected official, do so out of love for all persons.  

Love your neighbor as yourself.  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

Jesus was absolutely clear - everyone is our neighbor and we are to love our neighbor because God first loves us.  If we took every action asking if it fulfills the Great Commandment, might life in our time look different?   I think it definitely would.  Imagine if the politicians used love as their motivation for governing rather than whether or not they will be elected again?  Heck, I'd vote for them - Republican or Democrat.  

In the last 3 verses of chapter 13, Paul reminds the Roman Christians to live a life worthy of the calling of Christ.  It's a little hard to justify drunkenness, reveling, debauchery, and licentiousness with living the Christian life.  If we think about it, love your neighbor and not only do you fulfill all of the commandments, you also tend to live according to the law of the land.  

The Problem

Now I want to know what the rest of Romans says, so I am going back to Chapter 1.  I am not going to promise I will be any quicker than I was with this chapter.  Then again, I doubt that the politicians or the "news" channels will be waiting.