The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 391

EXPOSITION. seem to themselves above the po,ren and CHAPTER XIIl. institutions of the unbelieving world. which Vere. 1-8.-From admonitions to keep were so soon to pass away. Sl Paul him- peace, if possible, with all men, whether or self condemned resort to heathen tn1nma.ls not within the Christian circle, and to act in matters which Christiane might settle honourably and benevolently towards all, e.mong themselves (1 Cor. vi. 1, etc.); e.nd the apostle now pa.sees to tM duty of many might go so far as to ignore the Christians towards the cim"T, government and authority of such tribunals over the eaints the laws oj the country in which they li?Jed. at all. Peter and John had at the first It is well known that the Jews were im- defied the authority even of the Sanhedrin patient of the Roman dominion, and that in matters touching conscience (.A.cta iv. some held it to be unla.wful, on religions 19); and many might be slow to distinguish grounds, to pay tribute to Cmsar (Matt. between temporal e.nd spiritual spheres of :nii. 17). Insurrections against the govern- jurisdiction. St. Paul, therefore, lays down ment had consequently been frequent. There the rule that the civil government, in what- had been the nota.ble one under Judas the soever hands it might be, was, no less than Gaulonite of Gama.le. (called 6 rClll.1;\a1os, the Church, a Divine institution for the Acts v. 37), who left followers behind him, maintenance of order in the world, to be called Gaulonites, and to whose tenets submitted to and obeyed by Christians Josephus nttribu_tes a.ll subsequent insurrec- within the whole sphere of its legitimate tions of the Jews (' Ant.,' xviii. 1. § 1). authority. He does not refer to cases in Recently one had broken out in Rome, which it might become necessary to obey which had caused Claudius to order the God rather than man: his purpose here expulsion of all Jews from the city (Acts does not call on him to do so; nor were xvii. 2; of. Suetonius, 'Claud.,' 25; Dio the circumstances so for 1111ch as to bring Cassius, Ix. 6). The Christians, being re- such cases into prominence ; for he W11S garded as a Jewish sect, and known for writing in the earlier part of Nera's reign. their aoknowledgment of a Messiah and before nny general persecution of Christians their refusal to comply with heathen usages, had begun. Nor does he touch on the were not unno.turally confounded with suoh question whether it may be right in some disturbers of the peace (of. Aots xvi i. 6, 7: co.sea for subjects to resist usurped power or x.xi. 37). It was, therefore, peculiarly need- tyranny, or to tnke part in political revolu- ful that the Christian communities should tions, and even figM for freedom. Snch a be cautioned to disprove suoh accusations quest.ion was apart from his subject, which by showing themselves in all respects good is the general duty of obedience to the law law-nbiding subjects. They might e!IBily be and government under which we are placed under C\ tempto.tion to be otherwise. Feel- by Providence. This is the only passage ing themselves already subjects of Christ's in which be treats tho subject at length new kingdom, o.nd regarding the eeoond and definitely. In a doctrinal and pmotice.J. advent o.e probably no0,r nt ho.nd, they might treatise like this Epistle, o.ddressed 8S I\Il 1 On this "Christinns' Conflict with Lifo,'' eco Rothe's 'Sermons for th() Christian Year,' p. 187; 11lso Book's' 0hristliohe Raden,' ii. s. 826: Ce.spari's • Von Jeuseit dL'S Gn~~s,' i. a. 114: lloflloker's • Prodigten,' a. 783 ; and Barrow's 'Sermons,' vol. i. pp. 25::i, JJJ, etc.  390 THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [oH, xm. 1-14.