Content of the thirteenth chapter: The Apostle teaches subjects to be obedient to their masters and give them love and assistance.
Believers Should be Subject to Governments for the Sake of God and Conscience Let every soul he subject unto the higher -powers. For there is no power hut of God: the powers that he are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, hut to the evil. Wilt thou then not he afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shall have the praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, he afraid; for he heareth not the sword in vain; for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs he subject, not only for wrath, hut also for conscience sake.
For, for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour (13:1-7).
Here in this passage the Apostle teaches Christians how they should conduct themselves toward those who are without, in particular toward such as have the rule. In contradistinction to the Jewish conception, he teaches that Christians must subject themselves also to the wicked and unbelievers. So also we read in I Peter 2:13-15: "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake. . .for so is the will of God." Even though rulers are wicked and unbelieving, yet is their governmental power good (in itself) and of God. So our Lord said to Pilate, to whom
180 Commentary on Romans He submitted Himself as a pattern for us all: "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above" (John 19:11). Christians should not, under the pretense of Christian religion, refuse to obey men (in authority) even if they are wicked. So the Jews thought, as we read in John 8:33:
"We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man."
The Apostle therefore commands that Christians should honor the power of governments and not use their liberty of grace as a cloak for their maliciousness. So St. Peter says in I Peter 2:16: "As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God."
In the preceding chapter the Apostle taught that Christians must not throw into disorder the institution of the Church. Here he teaches that they must not violate the temporal government; for both these institutions are of God. The former serves the guidance and peace of the inner (spiritual) man and his concerns; the latter serves that of the outward (earthly) man and his concerns.
(That is, the Church directs people as Christians; the state, as citizens.) In this life the inward man cannot be without the outward. (That is to say, the believer serves Christ in His kingdoms of grace and of power.)
Let every soul he subject unto the higher powers (13:1). Is there (perhaps) a hidden meaning in the use of "every soul" for "every person"? Perhaps he means to stress the thought that Christians must show a sincere subjection that comes from the heart. Again, he speaks in this way because the soul is between the body and the spirit. He thus shows that the believer once for all is exalted over all things, and yet at the same time subject to all things. As a dual being, he (the Christian) thus bears two forms in himself, just as did Christ. According to the spirit, he
(the believer) is lord of all things, as the Apostle writes in I Corinthians 3:21,22: "All things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos. . . or things present, or things to come; all are yours."
By faith the Christian makes all things subject to himself; for he is neither ruled by them, nor does he put his trust in them. He compels them to serve his (eternal) glory and salvation. That is what it means (for us) to serve God and to rule (with Him) as Commentary on Romans 181 kings. That is the spiritual rule, of which we read in Revelation
5:10: "Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth."
The world is conquered and subdued in no better way than by despising it. The spirit of the believer therefore is subject to no one, nor can it be subject to anyone. It is exalted with Christ, and all things lie subdued at his feet. The "soul" is the same as the "spirit" of man, but inasmuch as it lives and works, and serves the visible world and earthly things, it must be subject "to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake" (I Peter 2:13). By this subjection it obeys God and desires the same as God. By this subjection it overcomes this temporal world even now.
The powers that he are ordained of God (13:1). Faber Stapulensis explains this thus: "Wherever there are governments of God, there they are ordained." In connection with this he speaks of a twofold (governmental) power: one (divinely) instituted and the other not (divinely) instituted. This exposition, however, I do not favor; for there is no government that is not (divinely) instituted. Governments (at times) are only usurped and managed in ways not ordained (hy God). So also other blessings (of God) are misused, and yet do not lose their value (hy such misuse). Money, for example, does not become evil through (the evil use) of theft.
Hence we must explain the words thus: Wherever there is governmental power, there it is instituted by God. That is, wherever governments exist, they are ordained solely by God. The meaning is the same as (that of the sentence): "There is no power, but of God." Therefore, wherever powers exist and flourish, they exist and flourish because God has ordained them.
Rulers are not a terror to good works, hut to the evil (13:3).
They (the rulers) deter us not from good works, as though these should not be done, but from evil. That justifies governments and iflaudably commends them. Why should we despise rulers, even
(hy this) we would not displease God? For they do not compel us to do what is evil, but what is good. if He is the minister of God to thee for good (13:4). Even evil persons (rulers) do not desire to serve God, He directs all
182 Commentary on Romans things in such a way that the good which they possess and which they misuse — (their ordained governmental power) — must serve
Him. For this reason the King of Babylon, though a wicked idolater, is divinely called "my servant" by the prophets, (that is, by God through His prophets) (cf Jer. 25:9; 27:6).
One is amazed at the impenetrable gross darkness that prevails today. There is nothing that angers the clerics, these widely opened mouths avariciously coveting temporal things, more than when the freedom of the churches, with their rights, their possessions and their powers is attacked. Against such "trangressors" they hurl their anathemas. They declare them to be heretics and publicly and with an alarming arrogance condemn them as enemies of God, of the Church, and of Peter and Paul. Meanwhile they are not at all concerned whether they (themselves) are friends of God, or at least whether they are no greater enemies of His than those
(who question their rights and powers'). So greatly have they identified faith and obedience with the preservation, enlargement and defense of (their) earthly possessions! One may be proud, lascivious, miserly, contentious, irascible, and ungrateful; indeed, one may be guilty of the whole catalog of vices described in II Timothy
3:2 ff.; one's transgressions may even cry to high heaven; nevertheless, he is a most pious Christian, as long as he protects the rights and liberties of the Church. But if anyone should ignore them, then he is no longer a faithful son and friend of the Church.
This practical application (of this verse) to present-day circumstances is very profitable for the understanding of the text. I say this at the same time because of my apostolic authority (Luther's appointment as an official Doctor of Scripture), since I am invested with the office of teaching. It is my duty to witness wherever I see that wrong is done, even by those who rule.
But here one may ask why the apostle in Galatians 5:13 writes:
"Ye have been called into liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another"; or in I Corinthians 7:23: "Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men."
To this I reply that the words "liberty" and "servitude" are used in different meanings. He speaks of servitude in a figurative sense,
Commentary on Romans 183 by which a person forfeits his liberty if he engages with others in temporal matters and business transactions.
Again, there is a servitude which is very precious. Of this the Apostle speaks in Galatians 5:13: "By love serve one another." This
(liberty') the Apostle has in mind also when he says that though he was free, yet he made himself a servant of all, in order that he might gain the more, as we read in I Corinthians 9:19. This servitude is the greatest freedom, which demands nothing, takes nothing, but (only) gives and distributes. Therefore the most glorious, indeed the only freedom that is truly found alone among Christians.
This the Apostle states also in this chapter, where he writes: "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another" (13:8). This is spiritual servitude in a good sense. All things serve man (Christians), for "all things work together for good to them" (8:28).
They themselves, however, are servants of none, for they are in need of no one, as already said.
There is yet another servitude of a spiritual nature, and that is the worst. p Against this servitude the Apostle fights with all his might on behalf of the Christians. It is this, that people believe that Christians are subject to the whole Law and all its burdens.
That is, they are of the opinion that such external works of the Law are necessary for salvation. Those who think and believe this remain servants and will never be saved; for they serve the Law, and the Law rules over them because of their foolish belief and their perverted conscience. To this class belong all those who desire to be saved in any other way than alone by faith in Christ.
With anxious care they seek to satisfy the Law by their many works and deeds of righteousness. It is true, also the Apostle and (other) spiritual persons have done such works; and they are being done even today, not because they must be done, but because (such believers) regard it as their privilege to do them. But those hypocrites bind themselves so tightly to works, as though these were necessary for salvation. They do them from coercion and not of their free will. And yet, they wish it would not be necessary for them to do them, although they believe this. This servitude is widely spread in our time.
On the basis of this (principle of liberty) we readily understand, 184 Commentary on Romans as we read the Book of Acts, why the Apostle desired to purify himself (Acts 21 :26) and why he circumcised Timothy (Acts 16:3), though he preached the very opposite of this (the keeping of the ceremonial Law). Those who are in the spirit (the believers*) need not do all these external works.
With reference to temporal government, however, the Apostle does not consider the question of (Christian) liberty; for this is not a (spiritual) servitude, but rather concerns all men.
Believers Should Love One Another Owe no man anything, hut to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery,
Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not hear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there he any other commandment, it is hriefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (13:8-10).
Owe no man anything, hut to lave one another (13:8). That is: Disengage yourselves from all things except from (brotherly) love. That (love) indeed must remain; and that you must follow ever more and more.
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (13:9). Man (by nature) loves himself in a wrong way; in fact, he loves only himself. This perverse disposition cannot be corrected, unless he puts the neighbor in his place.
Love worketh no ill to his neighbor (13:10). Love does much more, for it does good to him whom it loves. This is the nature of love that it is kindly disposed and does good, even then when it endures evil and is hated.
Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (13:10). This command can be understood in a twofold sense. First, we are commanded to love both our neighbor and ourself. Again, the command can be understood in the sense that we love only our neighbor, and this alone for love's sake. I like this latter interpretation much better, because man on account of the evil corruption of his nature loves himself above all things. So he seeks himself in all things and loves all things on account of himself even when he loves his neighbor and friends. In all things he looks out for himself only.
Commentary on Romans 185 This command therefore is immeasurably deep, and every Christian should thoroughly explore himself with respect to it, as he conscientiously examines himself. By the words "as thyself all hypocritical love is ruled out. Hence, whoever loves his neighbor on account of his money, honor, learning, favor, power and comfort, and would not love him if he would be poor, lowly, ignorant, hateful, submissive and boorish, would manifestly have (cra/y) a hypocritical love. He does not love the neighbor as such, but on account of what he has, and this is his own interest and so not "as thyself/' He who loves himself would love himself also if he would be poor, foolish and an absolute "nobody." For who could be so good-for-nothing as to detest himself?
Therefore this command demands of us something that is most difficult, if only we would study it rightly. No one wants to be robbed, harmed, murdered, have his marriage disrupted by adultery, suffer through perjury, be defamed, and have someone else covet what is his own. But if he is not so disposed that he does not want his neighbor to suffer all these wrongs, then already he is guilty of transgressing this command. For this reason this command embraces that of our Lord in Matthew 7:12: "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."
This command might seem very paltry to those who consider it only superficially and according to its general application. But if it is applied to special cases then we can gather from it an unlimited measure of salutary instruction; indeed, then we may draw from it the most dependable guidance for all circumstances.
But that people do not observe it, but transgress it ever so much, even in ignorance; indeed, that even such transgress it as do not desire to heed it, all this stems from the fact that they do not apply this standard to their actual conduct, but are satisfied with their
The rich, for example, accumulate treasures in order that the priests may erect churches and monuments. If they would carefully consider the poor, then they would know of themselves what to do, even if the poor would ask nothing for themselves, but desire to have everything given to the Church. Similarly princes and 186 Commentary on Romans bishops compete with one another to acquire relics; and all wish to be given priority. Yet both {classes) continue (in their search for relics) and no one yields to the other, though carefully observing the show of piety. Just so the Observantines, (who most strictly follow the rules of St. Francis), fight one another for God's sake; yet they do not obey the commandment of love.
But whoever desires seriously to consider this commandment (of love) and to apply it (to his life) must not depend on "acts awakened within himself/' but must measure according to this command, as according to a rule, all works, words and thoughts in his whole life, and must always ask himself, with reference to his neighbor: "What do I want him to do for me?" Keeping that in mind, he would try to act in the same way with regard to his neighbor. Then all wrangling, defamation and discord would soon end, and a whole host of virtues would follow. Every kind of grace, every kind of holiness, and as the Apostle here says, "the fulfilling of the law" would then take place.
He who desires to do this will thoroughly learn to know his faults, humble himself, and fear God; otherwise he will wrongly regard himself as holy. Then also he will very often find himself sluggish in helping his neighbor, although he greatly desires everyone else to be kindly disposed to him, attend to him, and serve him.
Then also he will find that he is an enemy and a traitor of his brethren, a slanderer, and full of sins from top to bottom. For this reason the Apostle commands this (love) also in Philippians
2:4: "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things — (the profit)— of others"; and in I Corinthians
13:5: "Love seeketh not her own." That is, love moves us to deny ourselves and to regard the neighbor, to put off affection for ourselves and put on affection for others, to put ourselves last and the neighbor first. In addition, we would then consider what we would want the neighbor to do for us, and what we or others could do for the neighbor. Then we would know what to do, instructed by this infallible and reliable principle (of love).
As many blessings, both temporal and spiritual, as we desire and ask of ourselves, and as much as we do to bring about the fulfilling of our wishes, namely, the utmost, just of so many faults we
Commentary on Romans 187 become guilty by our very desires. For all these things we owe to the neighbor, and yet we find that we are not willing to do them for our neighbor. Or, if we would deny ourselves and desire of others nothing for ourselves that is good, then we would owe no man anything. So deep and far does this commandment reach!
Believers Should Cast Off All Works of Darkness And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof (13:11-14).
It is high time to awake out of sleep (13:11). After the Apostle has instructed us, he now admonishes us, just as before he distinguished between indoctrination and exhortation. Indoctrination is for those who are ignorant; exhortation for those who know.
For this reason the Apostle also uses metaphorical and figurative expressions which are not suited for those who first must be taught.
In I Corinthians 15:34: we read: "Awake to righteousness, and sin not"; and in Ephesians 5:14: "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give thee light." There is no doubt that by these words, as also in this verse, the Apostle speaks of that spiritual sleep, in which the spirit, as it were, is asleep by living in sin and being inactive (in good works). Against such (spiritual) sleep Christ frequently admonishes us in the Gospel where He commands us to be watchful. And indeed
He does not speak of those who are (altogether) dead in sin and unbelief, nor of (nominal) believers who are living in mortal sins, but of Christians who are sluggish in good works and, overcome by the feeling of security, are falling asleep. The Apostle desires that they should advance (in sanctification) by serious effort, just as we read in Micah 6:8: "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."
Those who are not concerned (about their Christian life), nor 188 Commentary on Romans watch with fear (of the Lord), begin, but do not progress; they put their hand to the plow, yet look back (Luke 9:62). They have "a form of godliness, but (deny) the power thereof (II Tim. 3:5).
With their body they leave Egypt, but in their hearts they return to it. Secure and without the fear of God, they go their way, without feeling, without reverence, but hardened. St. Bernard says of them: "He who does not hurry to repent without ceasing, declares in reality that he does not need repentance." But if he does not need repentance, he also does not need divine mercy; and if he does not need divine mercy, then also he does not need salvation.
For this reason it is a most fitting admonition by which the Apostle here exhorts Christians to awake out of their sleep; though indeed, they would not be Christians, if they were still sleeping
(the sleep of spiritual death). But to stand still on God's way means to go back; and to go forward means ever to begin anew. So St. Arsenius used to pray: "Help me, O Lord, that I may begin to live to Thee." In I Corinthians 8:2 the Apostle says of wisdom:
"If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." In the same way we may conclude with regard to individual virtues: if any one thinks that he already has apprehended, or that he has already begun, he knows nothing yet as he ought to begin.
Today this class of Christians is represented very numerously and conspicuously. They have changed the repentance which Christ proclaimed into temporal works and external obligations; and if they have done these works, they regard themselves as righteous.
Therefore confession (of being righteous*) often results in damnation, for it is based upon disastrous trust in oneself. Such a confession does not remove the evil (of sin and guilt) in spite of the arrogant boasting (of work-righteous persons who regard themselves as holy).
"Sleep" in Scripture has various meanings. Thus it denotes bodily sleep, as in John 11:11: "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth." So especially in the Old Testament, as in I Kings 2:10; II Chronicles 9:31, and other passages. In its spiritual meaning it is often used in a good sense, as in Psalm 127:2: "He giveth his beloved sleep." To Commentary on Romans 189 sleep in this sense means to disregard temporal gifts and to look upon them as a show and shadow rather than as real, in order to gain the blessings that are everlasting. Those who so sleep have by faith become fully awakened and enlightened; so they sleep with regard to earthly matters, that is, they are indifferent to them.
But the word "sleep" is used figuratively also in a bad sense, and this in contrast to the meaning just given. In I Thessalonians
5:6, 7 the Apostle thus writes: "Let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night." Here the word "night" denotes the spiritual night, which is evil. To sleep in this sense means to disregard and despise the blessings that are eternal. Over against these, such sleepers are very indifferent, because they are held captive by the temporal gifts which, wide awake, they see with great greed. What is night for the former
(the believer') is day for the latter (the unbeliever). What the former regards as an awakening, the latter looks upon as sleep, and vice versa. As' the gifts differ, so also do the opinions of men.
As Scripture speaks of sleep in a threefold sense, so also it speaks of day and night and of other matters that might be applied in a figurative sense. The spiritual day is faith; the spiritual night is unbelief. So, then, it is clear that the Apostle here does not speak of bodily sleep, nor of the sinister life of sensuality, which is most active at nighttime, (but of the spiritual sleep of indifference and inactivity in good works).
The works of darkness, then, are the works of those who sleep spiritually, and that in a bad sense; that is, of those who are asleep in the lusts of the flesh. These works of darkness are not merely such as are commonly regarded as evil— (fornication, adultery, etc.)
— but also such as are regarded as good. The latter are evil because of the inward (spiritual) darkness; that is, because they are not done in faith which is awake.
For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed (13:11).
The sense of this verse is the same as that of II Corinthians 6:
], 2 (Isa. 49:8): "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of 190 Commentary on Romans salvation have I succoured thee . . . behold, now is the day of salvation.)" What the Apostle here (in Rom. 13:11) touches upon in passing, he there (in 11 Cor. 6:1,2) presents in far greater details. He also describes what he means by "works of darkness" and "armour of light" (v. 12); for in II Corinthians 6:3 ff. he writes: "Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses."
Then in II Corinthians 6:7 he says: "By the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left." Here (Rom. 13:12) he speaks of the "armour of light"; there (II Cor. 6:7) of the armor of righteousness. So, then, "light" and "righteousness" are the same thing.
Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light (13:12). It is a strange antithesis by which the Apostle places in contrast "light" and "darkness," "works" and "armor." And no wonder! For the life of the new Law — (the new spiritual life in Christ^) — means war and warfare; and for this we need armor (cf. Eph. 6:10-20).
Let us walk honestly as in the day (13:13). This is the text by which St. Augustine was converted.
Not in rioting and drunkenness (13:13). The Greek word kosmos means banquet, or rather a sumptuous feast, including the extreme waste when such feasts were prepared and managed. What the Apostle here teaches in a negative way, he positively expands and makes clear in II Corinthians 6:5 ("in watchings, in fastings''^).
He desires that Christians should show zeal in fasting and eagerly strive after moderation and temperance.
And indeed, all who study history, at least that of St. Jerome, will find that the six vices (mentioned in Roth. 13:13) at that time had gained the ascendancy in Rome and exerted an almost tyrannical sway. For this reason the Apostle wanted to deter the believers, in order that in view of such maniacal patterns of impious
Rome they might not be inclined to yield.
So also St. Peter does not pass over the vices of this city, but writes: "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousCommentary on Romans 191 ness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you" (I Pet. 4:
And in II Peter 2:13, 14, he says: "They . . . count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their owti deceivings while thev feast with you; having eyes full of adulterv, and that cannot cease from sin." Indeed, he even calls this city Babylon, because there even-thing was in chaotic confusion. Alas, modern Rome surpasses ancient Rome bv yet greater voluptuousness, so that it seems as though the Apostles were again necessarv. Indeed, thev are much more necessary now than they were at that time.
In his fight against such vices the Apostle commands that the bishops, the deacons, the men, the elders, the young men and the women should be sober (I Tim. 2:8 ff.; 3:2 ff.; Titus 1:7 ff.;
2:2 ff.). To all he forbids gluttony and drunkenness as though these w rere a pestilence. So, as we compare our passage (in Rom.
13) with those (in Tim. and Titus) we gain a correct understanding (of the words') of the Apostle. Here (in Rom. 13) he points out what he does not want; there (in Tim. and Titus) w yhat he demands.
Not in chambering and wantonness (13:13). That is, they (the believers) should be watchful and chaste, as in the passages above he commands chastity and watchfulness, above all, to the bishops, but then also to the elders and all others. This is an excellent sequence; for gluttony and drunkenness are the fertile soil in which unchastitv or debauchery thrive. For this reason the pious Fathers declared that whoever desires to serve God, must root out, above all, the vice of gluttony. That is a prevailing vice which causes much trouble. If this vice is not altogether extirpated, it makes the soul dull for divine things, even if it should not lead to unchastitv and debauchery as among aged men.
Hence fasting is a most excellent weapon for the Christian, while gluttony is an outstanding pit of Satan.
N<# in strife and envying (13:13). After having instructed the Christian for his own benefit to be temperate, watchful and chaste,
192 Commentary on Romans the Apostle now instructs him with reference to the neighbor.
Christians should live in concord and love with one another. This commandment the Apostle inculcates in all his Epistles, as in I Timothy 2:8; 3:2 ff.; Titus 1:7.
"Strife" is a fight by means of words in which everyone presumes to be true, honest and right, while all others are regarded (as wrong). So no one is willing to yield to the other.
The word "envying" allows many applications. "Envying" means loving jealousy or jealous love, both being mingled in it: love and jealousy. It is a bitter love and bitterness permeated by love.
However, the word is not always used in the same sense in Put ye on the Lord ]esus Christ (13:14). (We do this) by following Him and by being renewed in His image, in suffering, fasting and (other) good works.
Make not 'provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof (13:14). The Apostle desires that Christians should take care of their bodies in such a way that no evil desires are nurtured thereby. St. Victor says: "He who nurtures the flesh, nurtures an enemy"; and again: "He who destroys the body, destroys a friend."
We should not destroy the body, but crucify its vices or evil passions.