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Genre a unit is instantiated. For example, Eph 1:3-14 is usually but not always identified as a Eulogy. You may have to read a commentary to get the necessary information. Make a list of the theologically significant words and phrases in your unit. Focus especially on those words and phrases that may be pertinent to the specific issue you.
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Romans 13:1-7 and Christian Submission to CivilGovernment
Introduction
Rom13:1-7 has sometimes been used to teach that Christians should always obey civil government. Thesis of the passage: Christiansshould not reject all civil authority, and innormal circumstances believers should obey civil laws and pay their taxes.This passage was written for a specific circumstance, and is not a rule thathas no exceptions.
Historical context
PartA: geographical and political situation
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Therecent history of Jews in Rome shows tensions with the civil authorities. In A.D. 49, Roman Jews rioted becauseof “Chrestus” (probably a misspelling of Christos)and Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome. The edict was removed when Claudiusdied (A.D.54), and many Jews, probably including some Jewish Christians, moved back toRome.[1] Itwould be natural for these people to resent the anti-Semitism of the Romangovernment. Tensions in Judea were also on the rise, and sympathy for the Zealotsin Judea also may have encouraged Roman Jews to resist the Roman government.
Part B: culturalsituation
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GentileRomans were also susceptible to anti-tax and anti-government feelings. Neroreformed the tax system in A.D.58, probably because of popular resistance to the taxes, and it is likely thatresistance was a problem when Paul wrote, only one year earlier.[2]Gentile Christians could have, in the spirit of the times (i.e., becomingconformed to the world), joined in the resistance and used theological excusesfor resisting taxes.[3] Dunnwrites:
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Thesubject was a particularly sensitive matter in Rome itself. We know fromTacitus (Ann. 13) that the year a.d. 58 saw persistent complaintsagainst the companies farming indirect taxes and the acquisitiveness of taxcollectors (see OCD, “Publicani”), sothat some reform became essential. Presumably these complaints had beenbuilding up, or at least the occasion for them, in the years preceding 58,during the period Romans was written.[4]
Part C: originalsetting
Paulwrote this letter to the Romans from Cenchrea or Corinth approximately a.d. 57. (Rom. 16:1, 23). Despite thenumerous problems that Paul had to deal with in Corinth, they do not seem tohave had any effect on the content of Paul’s letter to the Romans.
However,Paul’s own situation is important. Although Paul preferred to preach in newterritory (15:20), he also wanted to preach in Rome (1:15; 15:23) on his way toSpain. He wanted unity and mutual fellowship among the Roman Christians —partly because he wanted to gather as much support as he could for his missionto Spain (15:24). But a tax revolt would not only harm the Roman Christiancommunity, it would weaken their unity and hamper their ability to support hismission. Since the Jews had already been expelled because of Chrestus-relatedriots, Paul did not want the Christ-followers to be associated withanti-government rebellion.
Setting of the readers:Jewish Christians as well as Gentile Christiansprobably resented Roman taxes and would be sympathetic to tax avoidance and amore general reluctance to submit to Roman laws. This would increase officialhostility to the new religious movement.
Literary setting
Part A: genre
Romansis a letter, and it contains avariety of smaller genres. Romans 13 is hortatory,exhorting readers with verbs in the imperative mood. But it is not merely aseries of commands (such as we see in 12:9-18). Rather, it is one main commandsupported by a tightly structured set of arguments.The Greek word γαρ (“for”) appears seven times in seven verses. Paul isbuilding a case carefully, probably because he expects some resistance to whathe writes. We could call it a parenetic argument, or an exhortation withsupporting argumentation.
Part B: themes of thebook
Themain theme of Romans is given in Rom 1:16: “the good news about Christ.”Aspects of this theme are developed in different sections of the book:
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·Chapters 1-4, “theheart of the gospel: justification by faith”
·Chapters 5-8, “theassurance provided by the gospel: the hope of salvation”
·Chapters 9-11, “thedefense of the gospel: the problem of Israel”
·Chapters 12-15, “thetransforming power of the gospel: Christian conduct.”[5]
Romans13, the focus of this study, is in the section that discusses the theme ofChristian conduct. Paul is telling his readers how the gospel applies to theirinteractions with civil authorities.
Part C: literarycontext
Asection of exhortation begins in 12:1. Thetheme of mutual assistance within the church dominates verses 9-13 and isresumed in 13:8. Rom 12:17-18 discusses a believer’s reaction to evil. Thiscould apply to relationships within the church, but more likely to interactionswith nonbelievers. Verses 19-21 allude to enemies, concluding with the thought,“overcome evil with good.” Rom 13:1-7, in its literary placement, is in thecontext of relationships with unbelievers, and the passage deals specificallywith the Christians’ relationship to the government. Thompson writes, “Thenumerous verbal links between 12:17-21 and 13:1-7 indicate that the latterapplies the principles enunciated in the former.”[6] (IfPaul’s readers had any anti-government sentiment, they would probably considerthe authorities as evil, and it would therefore be helpful for Paul to prefacehis instruction about government with comments about the proper attitude towardenemies and persecutors.)
Afterdealing with taxes (13:7), Paul expands the concept of “owing” to honor andrespect (13:8) and the most fundamental ethical obligation, love (13:8-10).
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Works cited
Dunn, James D. G. Romans 1-8. Nashville:Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988. Print, viewed online: <http://www.amazon.com/dp/0849902525>. 27 December 2011.
Harrison,Sean A., ed., NLT Study Bible. CarolStream, IL: Tyndale, 2008. Visual studio pro 2010 download.
Thompson,James W. Moral Formation According toPaul: The Context and Coherence of Pauline Ethics. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker,2011.
Primary translation: NIV
Secondary translation: NRSV
Secondary translation: NRSV
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[1]The Christian community in Rome existed long before Paul wrote to it (see Rom1:8-10).
[2]James D. G. Dunn, Romans 1-8(Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1988), 132.
[3]For example, they mightconsider Rome to be an opponent of the Messiah and his kingdom.
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[5]Sean A. Harrison, ed., NLT Study Bible(Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2008), p. 1989.
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[6]James W. Thompson, Moral FormationAccording to Paul: The Context and Coherence of Pauline Ethics (GrandRapids, MI: Baker, 2011), 174.