Romans 13 · Robertson's Word Pictures
1Every soul (pasa psuche). As in 2:9; Ac 2:43 . A Hebraism for pas anthropos (every man).
To the higher powers (exousiais uperechousais). Abstract for concrete. See Mr 2:10 for exousia. Huperecho is an old verb to have or hold over, to be above or supreme, as in 1Pe 2:13 .
Except by God (e me upo theou). So the best MSS. rather than apo theou (from God). God is the author of order, not anarchy.
The powers that be (a ousa). "The existing authorities" (supply exousia). Art ordained (tetagmena eisin). Periphrastic perfect passive indicative of tasso, "stand ordained by God." Paul is not arguing for the divine right of kings or for any special form of government, but for government and order. Nor does he oppose here revolution for a change of government, but he does oppose all lawlessness and disorder.
2He that resisteth (o antitassomenos). Present middle articular participle of antitasso, old verb to range in battle against as in Ac 18:6 , "he that lines himself up against."
Withstandeth (anthesteken). Perfect active indicative of anthistem and intransitive, "has taken his stand against."
The ordinance of God (te tou theou diatage). Late word, but common in papyri (Deissmann, Light, etc., p. 89), in N.T. only here and Ac 7:53 . Note repetition of root of tasso.
To themselves (eautois). Dative of disadvantage. See Mr 12:40 for "shall receive a judgment" (krina lempsonta). Future middle of lambano.
3A terror (phobos). This meaning in Isa 8:13 . Paul does not approve all that rulers do, but he is speaking generally of the ideal before rulers. Nero was Emperor at this time.
From the same (ex autes). "From it" (exousia, personified in verse 4).
4A minister of God (theou diakonos). General sense of diakonos. Of course even Nero was God's minister "to thee (so ethical dative) for good (eis to agathon, for the good)." That is the ideal, the goal.
Beareth (phore). Present active indicative of phoreo, old frequentative form of phero, to bear, to wear.
But if thou do (ean de poieis). Condition of third class, ean and present active subjunctive of poieo, "if thou continue to do."
Sword (machairan). Symbol of authority as to-day policemen carry clubs or pistols. "The Emperor Trajan presented to a provincial governor on starting for his province, a dagger, with the words, 'For me. If I deserve it, in me'" (Vincent).
An avenger (ekdikos). Old adjective from ek and dike (right), "outside of penalty," unjust, then in later Greek "exacting penalty from one," in N.T. only here and 1Th 4:6 .
5Ye must needs (ananke). "There is necessity," both because of the law and because of conscience, because it is right (2:15; 9:1 ).
6Ye pay (teleite). Present active indicative (not imperative) of teleo, to fulfil.
Tribute (phorous). Old word from phero, to bring, especially the annual tax on lands, etc. (Lu 20:22; 23:1 ). Paying taxes recognizes authority over us.
Ministers of God's service (leitourgo theou). Late word for public servant (unused leitos from Attic leos, people, and ergo, to work). Often used of military servants, servants of the king, and temple servants (Heb 8:2 ). Paul uses it also of himself as Christ's leitourgos (Ro 15:16 ) and of Epaphroditus as a minister to him (Php 2:25 ). See theou diakonos in verse 4.
Attending continually (proskarterountes). Present active participle of the late verb proskartereo (pros and kartereo from kartos or kratos, strength) to persevere. See on Ac 2:42; 8:13 .
7Dues (opheilas). Debts, from opheilo, to owe. Often so in the papyri, though not in Greek authors. In N.T. only here, Mt 18:32; 1Co 7:3 . Paying debts needs emphasis today, even for ministers.
To whom tribute is due (to ton phoron). We must supply a participle with the article to like apaitount ("to the one asking tribute"). So with the other words (to whom custom, to to telos apaitount; to whom fear, to ton phobon apaitount; to whom honour, to ten timen apaitount). Phoros is the tribute paid to a subject nation (Lu 20:22 ), while telos is tax for support of civil government (Mt 17:25 ).
8Save to love one another (e me to allelous agapain). "Except the loving one another." This articular infinitive is in the accusative case the object of opheilete and partitive apposition with meden (nothing). This debt can never be paid off, but we should keep the interest paid up.
His neighbour (ton eteron). "The other man," "the second man." "Just as in the relations of man and God pistis has been substituted for nomos, so between man and man agape takes the place of definite legal relations" (Sanday and Headlam). See Mt 22:37-40 for the words of Jesus on this subject. Love is the only solution of our social relations and national problems.
9For this (to gar). For the article (to) pointing to a sentence see 8:26, here to the quotation. The order of the commandments here is like that in Lu 18:20; Jas 2:11 and in B for De 5 , but different from that of the Hebrew in Ex 20; De 5 . The use of ou with the volitive future in prohibitions in place of me and the imperative or subjunctive is a regular Greek idiom.
And if there be any other (ka e tis etera). Paul does not attempt to give them all.
It is summed up (anakephalaiouta). Present passive indicative of anakephalaioo, late literary word or "rhetorical term" (ana, kephalaion, head or chief as in Heb 8:1 ). Not in the papyri, but kephalaion, quite common for sum or summary. In N.T. only here and Eph 1:10 .
Namely (en to). See to gar at the beginning of the verse, though omitted by B F. The quotation is from Le 19:18 . Quoted in Mt 5:43; 22:39; Mr 12:31; Lu 10:27; Ga 5:14; Jas 2:8 it is called basilikos nomos (royal law).
Thy neighbour (ton plesion sou). Plesion is an adverb and with the article it means "the one near thee." See on Mt 5:43 .
10The fulfilment of the law (pleroma nomou). "The filling up or complement of the law" like pepleroken (perfect active indicative of pleroo, stands filled up) in verse 8. See 1Co 13 for the fuller exposition of this verse.
11And this (ka touto). Either nominative absolute or accusative of general reference, a common idiom for "and that too" (1Co 6:6,8 , etc.).
Knowing (eidotes). Second perfect active participle, nominative plural without a principal verb. Either we must supply a verb like poiesomen (let us do it) or poiesate (do ye do it) or treat it as an independent participle as in 12:10f .
The season (ton kairon). The critical period, not chronos (time in general).
High time (ora). Like our the "hour" has come, etc. MSS. vary between emas (us) and umas (you), accusative of general reference with egerthena (first aorist passive infinitive of egeiro, to awake, to wake up), "to be waked up out of sleep" (ex upnou).
Nearer to us (enguteron emon). Probably so, though emon can be taken equally well with e soteria (our salvation is nearer). Final salvation, Paul means, whether it comes by the second coming of Christ as they all hoped or by death. It is true of us all.
12Is far spent (proekopsen). First aorist active indicative of prokopto, to cut forward, to advance, old word for making progress. See Lu 2:52; Ga 1:14; 2Ti 2:16; 3:9 .
Is at hand (engiken). Perfect active indicative, "has drawn nigh." Vivid picture for day-break.
Let us therefore cast off (apothometha oun). Aorist middle subjunctive (volitive) of apotithem, to put off from oneself "the works of darkness" (ta erga tou skotous) as we do our night-clothes.
Let us put on (endusometha). Aorist middle subjunctive (volitive) of enduo, to put on. For this same contrast between putting off (apotithem and apekduo) and putting on (enduo) see Col 3:8-12 .
The armour of light (ta opla tou photos). The weapons of light, that belong to the light (to the day time). For the metaphor of the Christian armour see 1Th 5:8; 2Co 6:7; Ro 6:13; Eph 6:13f. .
13Honestly (euschemonos). Paul is fond of the metaphor "walk" (peripateo), 33 times though not in the Pastoral Epistles. This old adverb (from euschemon, graceful) occurs also in 1Th 4:12; 1Co 14:40 . The English word "honest" means honourable (Latin honor) and so decent. Wycliff translates 1Co 12:32 by "unhonest," "honesty," "honest" for "less honourable, honour, honourable."
Not in revelling (me komois). Plural "revellings." See on Ga 5:21 .
Drunkenness (methais). Plural again, "drunkennesses." See on Ga 5:21 .
In chambering (koitais). Plural also. See on Ro 9:10 .
Wantonness (aselgeiais). Plural likewise. See on 2Co 12:21; Ga 5:19 .
Not in strife and jealousy (me erid ka zelo). Singular here, but some MSS. have the plural like the previous words. Quarrelling and jealousy go with the other vices (Shedd).
14But ye on (endusasthe). The same metaphor as in verse 12. The Lord Jesus Christ is the garment that we all need. See Ga 3:27 with baptism as the symbol.
Provision (pronoian). Old word for forethought (from pronoos). In N.T. only here and Ac 24:2 .
For the flesh (tes sarkos). Objective genitive.
To fulfil the lusts thereof (eis epithumias). "For lusts." No verb.
Romans 14