Romans 13:5

Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) It follows, from this divine authority and title enjoyed by the magistrate, that he ought to be obeyed, not only from fear of the punishment that he is empowered to inflict, but also from the respect due to legitimate power. Of this respect conscience is the natural guardian.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

13:1-7 The grace of the gospel teaches us submission and quiet, where pride and the carnal mind only see causes for murmuring and discontent. Whatever the persons in authority over us themselves may be, yet the just power they have, must be submitted to and obeyed. In the general course of human affairs, rulers are not a terror to honest, quiet, and good subjects, but to evil-doers. Such is the power of sin and corruption, that many will be kept back from crimes only by the fear of punishment. Thou hast the benefit of the government, therefore do what thou canst to preserve it, and nothing to disturb it. This directs private persons to behave quietly and peaceably where God has set them, 1Ti 2:1,2. Christians must not use any trick or fraud. All smuggling, dealing in contraband goods, withholding or evading duties, is rebellion against the express command of God. Thus honest neighbours are robbed, who will have to pay the more; and the crimes of smugglers, and others who join with them, are abetted. It is painful that some professors of the gospel should countenance such dishonest practices. The lesson here taught it becomes all Christians to learn and practise, that the godly in the land will always be found the quiet and the peaceable in the land, whatever others are.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wherefore - διό dio. The "reasons" why we should be subject, which the apostle had given, were two,

(1) That government was appointed by God.

(2) that violation of the laws would necessarily expose to punishment.

Ye must needs be - It is "necessary" ἀναγκή anagkē to be. This is a word stronger than what implies mere "fitness" or propriety. It means that it is a matter of high obligation and of "necessity" to be subject to the civil ruler.

Not only for wrath - Not only on account of the "fear of punishment;" or the fact that wrath will be executed on evil doers.

For conscience' sake - As a matter of conscience, or of "duty to God," because "he" has appointed it, and made it necessary and proper. A good citizen yields obedience because it is the will of God; and a Christian makes it a part of his religion to maintain and obey the just laws of the land; see Matthew 22:21; compare Ecclesiastes 8:2, "I counsel them to keep the king's commandments, and "that in regard of the oath of God."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath—for fear of the magistrate's vengeance.

but also for conscience' sake—from reverence for God's authority. It is of Magistracy in general, considered as a divine ordinance, that this is spoken: and the statement applies equally to all forms of government, from an unchecked despotism—such as flourished when this was written, under the Emperor Nero—to a pure democracy. The inalienable right of all subjects to endeavor to alter or improve the form of government under which they live is left untouched here. But since Christians were constantly charged with turning the world upside down, and since there certainly were elements enough in Christianity of moral and social revolution to give plausibility to the charge, and tempt noble spirits, crushed under misgovernment, to take redress into their own hands, it was of special importance that the pacific, submissive, loyal spirit of those Christians who resided at the great seat of political power, should furnish a visible refutation of this charge.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

q.d. Seeing things are so as I have said; that magistracy is of God, that it is his ordinance, that it is for the benefit of mankind, and that it is armed with the sword; therefore there is a necessity of subjection, and that for a double reason: first, from fear of wrath, or punishment from the magistrate. Secondly, and more especially, from the obligation of conscience, because God hath so commanded; and to err in this particular, is to offend God, and to wound our own consciences: see 1 Samuel 24:5 Ecclesiastes 8:2 1 Peter 2:13.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Wherefore ye must needs be subject,.... To the higher powers, to the civil magistrates; there is a necessity of it, because magistracy is God's ordinance, it is for the good of men; and such that oppose it will severely smart for it: but subjection to it from Christians should be,

not only for wrath; through fear of punishment, and for the sake of escaping it; either the wrath of men or of God, in this or the other world:

but also for conscience sake: to keep conscience clear, to exercise a good one void of offence towards God and men; for natural reason, conscience itself, dictates that there ought to be such order among men, that civil government should take place, and ought to be submitted to.

Geneva Study Bible

{7} Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but {d} also for conscience sake.

(7) The conclusion: we must obey the magistrate, not only for fear of punishment, but much more because (although the magistrate has no power over the conscience of man, yet seeing he is God's minister) he cannot be resisted by any good conscience.

(d) So far as we lawfully may: for if unlawful things are commanded to us, we must answer as Peter teaches us, It is better to obey God than men.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Romans 13:5. The necessity of obedience is of such a character, that it is not merely externally suggested (by reason of the punishment to be avoided), but is based also on moral grounds; and these two considerations are exhibited by διό as the result of all that has been hitherto said (Romans 13:1-4). It is clear, accordingly, that ἀνάγκη is not specially the moral necessity, but is to be taken generally, as it is only with the second διά that the moral side of the notion is brought forward.

διὰ τὴν ὀργήν] on account of the magistrate’s wrath, Romans 13:4.

διὰ τὴν συνείδ.] on account of one’s own conscience, διὰ τὸ πληροῦν τὰ προσήκοντα, Theodoret. It is with the Christian the Christian conscience, which as such is bound by God’s ordinance. Hence 1 Peter 2:13 : διὰ τὸν κύριον. Aptly Melanchthon: “Nulla potentia humana, nulli exercitus magis muniunt imperia, quam haec severissima lex Dei: necesse est obedire propter conscientiam.” Both definitions given with διά belong, however, to ἀνάγκη (sc. ἐστί), which bears the emphasis, like Hebrews 9:23.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Romans 13:5 f. διὸ ἀνάγκη ὑποτάσσεσθαι: there is a twofold necessity for submission—an external one, in the wrath of God which comes on resistance; an internal one, in conscience. Even apart from the consequences of disobedience conscience recognises the Divine right and function of the ἐξουσία and freely submits to it. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ φόρους τελεῖτε. διὰ τοῦτο seems to refer to the moral necessity to which appeal has been already made in διὰ τὴν συνείδησιν. It is because conscience recognises the moral value of the State as an ordinance of God that we pay taxes. φόρος is often used of the tribute paid by a subject nation: Nehemiah 5:4, 1Ma 8:4, Luke 20:22; but here is probably used indefinitely of any imposts made for the support of the Government. λειτουργοὶ γὰρ θεοῦ εἰσίν: the use of λειτουργοί here instead of διάκονοι emphasises the official character of the service which they render. In the LXX λειτουργεῖν is the regular rendering of שֵׁרֵת, and therefore refers frequently to the service of the priests and Levites, a usage the influence of which is seen in chap. Romans 15:16 and Php 2:17; but this was by no means exclusively the case in the O.T. (2 Samuel 13:18, 2 Kings 10:5) nor is it so in the New (chap. Romans 15:27, Php 2:25; Php 2:30). It is not a priestly character that the word assigns to the magistracy, but only an official character; they are in their place by God’s appointment for the public good. εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο means “to this very end”—the end described in Romans 13:3-4. As προσκαρτεροῦντες is elsewhere construed with the dative (Acts 1:14; Acts 6:4, chap. Romans 12:12) it seems necessary here to take εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ with what precedes, and προσκ. by itself as, e.g., in Numbers 13:21 : spending all their time on the work.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5. As regards the special question of despotism, it is treated here not by explicit condemnation, but by the statement of principles which will peacefully undermine its own distinctive principles. It is dealt with precisely as elsewhere the ownership of slaves is dealt with. Just as the Gospel bids the slave submit to his master, yet meanwhile (above all by bringing out the value and dignity of every human soul) withers the root of slavery, so it bids the subject obey the despot, yet withers the root of despotism.

5. Wherefore] Because of the ruler’s Divine credentials. The Christian is accordingly a good subject not only on account of the wrath, (so lit.; i.e. the ruler’s wrath in case of crime,) but also on account of the conscience, (so lit.; i.e. the Christian’s knowledge and sense of the ruler’s right to be angry).

Bengel's Gnomen

Romans 13:5. Ἀνάγκη) Baumgarten remarks that this word is wanting in some MSS. It is only wanting in the Graeco-Latin, which are unworthy of the name of MSS. where they have no Greek copies agreeing with them (as also happens, Romans 1:19). I do not mention this for the sake of contention, but because I am well assured of the advantage conferred on the Greek New Testament by him, who lessens the authority of the bilingual copies in any passage.—διὰ τὴν ὀργὴν, for [on account of, through fear of] wrath) which hangs over the evil-doer, Romans 13:4. Hence we have another manifest connection of this with the preceding chapter, in which see 13:19, [give place] unto wrath.—διὰ τὴν συγείδησιν, for conscience’ sake) which expects the praise of a good action from the minister of God, Romans 13:3.

Romans 13:5