Recently Jeff Sessions, the US Attorney General, quoted the
Bible to defend the US Administration on the family separation issue on the
southern US border. Specifically, the Bible passage he referred is the
following:
“Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there
is no power but of God. Whosoever resists the power, resists the ordinance of
God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves condemnation. For rulers
are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Should you not then be afraid of
the power? Do that which is good, and you shall have praise of the same.”
(Rom.12:1-3)
Paul the apostle wrote these words. It is very important to
note that Paul, although he was Jewish, was also a Roman citizen. Because of
this, he could appeal to the Roman state when he was in trouble. Once when he
was in prison, he was released and sent to Rome because he was a Roman citizen.
(Acts. 25:11,12) We should not then be surprised to read that Paul, when
writing this letter to the Romans, has a very benign view of the role of the
state.
Let us however fast forward to a later time (c. 100 AD)
when another biblical book was written, the book of Revelations. The church is
now growing in influence. The persecution by the Roman state is intensifying.
In this context we have this strange allegorical document written and being circulated
among the churches. In Revelations ch.13 we read about a satanic beast, which blasphemes
God and makes war with the saints.
There have been all kinds of interpretations as to what is
being referred to here. The clearest reference is to an organization that is
persecuting the Christians. What could that be? None other than the Roman state
– the very same government that Paul said we were to obey in Romans ch.13.
There is no mention that the beast is to be obeyed. Quite the opposite!
Some may dispute this interpretation. In fact, there are present
day preachers that claim to find direct applications of these words in the book
of Revelation to present day events. I find this to be preposterous. As with
most prophetic utterances in the Bible, they are best interpreted by events
occurring at the time of writing. There may be some future lessons for us in
these writings, but the main motivation for these writings are events that are occurring
(or at least foreshadowed) at the time in which the author is writing.
One may say – all well and good but why use such
metaphorical language? Why not just state that it is the Roman state that is being
criticized? Why use such bizarre and religiously loaded language?
First of all, from the time of Christ and Paul onwards, believers
believed that they were living in the end times. As such, all events took on a
supernatural glow. Hence the overheated, religious language.
But why is the language so allegorical and hidden? Why is
it so difficult to know what evil entity is being criticized? Remember that the
Christians were beginning to be fiercely persecuted. They would soon be publicly
crucified, like their Master was. They would be accused of being treasonous,
and rebels against the state. The author thus uses hidden language here. The
believers would know who is being referred to. The Roman state authorities
would have great difficulty in knowing what this document was all about.
Even the very author of this document would be hidden. It
is said to be “John, writing to the seven churches which are in Asia…” (Rom.
1:4) It is extremely unlikely that this was the apostle John at this late date.
Writing scriptural texts under pseudonyms was widely practiced in the early
church.
Summary
So, in summary, when the state is treating Christians well,
it is to be obeyed. When the state is persecuting the Christians, in no way is
the persecutor to be obeyed.
Therefore, be aware of anyone who says there is biblical
support for obeying the government, no matter what their policy. There is a
higher loyalty than government decrees. Our stance before government, although
peaceful, is not to be that of total obeisance.
Eric Schiller
June 2018
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