Voices: ‘Be in subjection’ and ‘Go tell that fox’—biblical attitudes to rulers

What should be Christians’ attitude and action toward their rulers? The most common answer given to that question is likely going to be based on passages from the Apostle Paul’s letters (Romans 13:1-7, Titus 3:1-2), which talk directly about rulers and governing authorities and command believers to be in subjection. This biblical counsel is presented as a general rule or principle.

Patrick Adair

There are other possible Biblical answers to the question, however. Richard Hays, in The Moral Vision of the New Testament identifies four ways in which Scripture guides our moral thought and action:

• Rules—direct commands

• Principles—a more general framework for making decisions, such as “Do unto others ….”

• Paradigms—positive or negative examples

• Creating a “symbolic world”—a worldview that that helps us see who we are as humans and who God is

If we apply these categories to the question of Christian attitude and action toward government and rulers, we discover a range of possibilities.

Rules and principles

1. “Be in subjection”—Romans 13:1-5, Titus 3:1-2

Both the letters to the Romans and Titus instruct believers to be subject—obedient—to government. Paul includes commentary in the passage in Romans that describes human government as instituted by God to punish evil. It is important to note Paul here assumes the government in question—the Roman Empire, in his case—generally acts to reward good and punish evil.

2. Pay taxes—Mark 12:13-17, Romans 13:6-7

Both Jesus and Paul affirm paying taxes. Additionally, in Romans 13, believers are instructed to give custom and honor to those to whom they are due.

3. Pray—1 Timothy 2:1-2

Timothy is instructed, and it is implied, he should instruct others, to pray for rulers, specifically for the sake of peace.

Paradigms or examples

1. Denouncement—In the Old Testament, the examples of figures stepping up to denounce immoral behavior and injustice in government are nearly too many to name. Calling out rulers on their sin or on their apathy toward the poor—especially orphans, widows and immigrants—is practically at the top of the job description for a prophet. The prophets Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Zephaniah, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, among others, all did this.

In the New Testament, John the Baptist condemned the sin of Herod Antipas, son of Herod “the Great” (Matthew 14:3-4). Paul implicitly condemns the Roman Empire in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, quoting the boasts of the emperors who claimed to bring peace and safety. His description of the “man of lawlessness” in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 may be a reference to the Emperor Caligula, who planned to place a statue of himself in the Jewish temple. Paul’s general principle of following the law does not contradict his ability to critique the idolatry of empire.

Most interestingly, Jesus denounces Herod Antipas as well. Warned by the Pharisees—in an attempt to scare him into silence—that Herod Antipas planned to kill him, Jesus responded, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons today and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach my goal’” (Luke 13:31-32). This was not a compliment. It was, at the least, a critique of Herod’s character and a comparison of their power in which Herod came up short.

2. Defiance—In the Old Testament, the Hebrew midwives disobeyed Pharaoh’s command to kill male Hebrew babies. Moses kept returning to the court of Pharaoh to seek the release of the Hebrew slaves each time he was expelled. Rahab hid the Hebrew spies. Jonathan defied his father Saul’s foolish order. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego defied the idolatrous orders of kings. And Esther defied custom and thereby risked her life to save her people.

In the New Testament, Jesus’ statement on paying taxes also contains a limit to what can be offered a ruler. “Give to God what is God’s” means there are claims no human ruler has the right to make on a person. Jesus refuses to answer the Sanhedrin, Herod Antipas and Pilate at his various trials. Peter and John explicitly refuse to stop speaking in Jesus’ name (Acts 4:18-20). Each time Paul proclaimed “Jesus is Lord” or named Jesus as Lord was a defiance of the Roman custom of honoring Caesar as Lord. It even was printed on their money, “Caesar is Lord.” Again, Paul’s general counsel to obey the law does not contradict his ability to mark out some practices as idolatrous.

3. Violence—The issue of violence in the pursuit of justice in the Old Testament is too large a topic to treat here. In the New Testament, though, there is exactly one example of violence used against authorities, and it is a negative one. Peter’s clumsy sword swipe—nobody tries to cut off someone’s ear in a sword fight; he was aiming for his neck—at the high priests’ servant at Jesus’ arrest results in Jesus telling Peter to put away his sword and his healing of the servant (Luke 22:20-21, John 18:10-11).

Even in Revelation, a vision filled with violent imagery, it is noteworthy that the righteous never are called to take up arms. Although they repeatedly are challenged to “overcome,” their conquest lies in being faithful to follow the Lamb by holding to the truth and being willing to give up their lives rather than worship anyone else (Revelation 12:11).

Worldview

At the worldview level, the Bible is clear God is sovereign in history, and the resurrected Christ is the only true Lord of the world. The people of God are commanded to proclaim the gospel, to be salt and light, faithful to follow Christ’s example in loving God and their neighbor and speaking the truth.

The world as a whole does not recognize Christ’s Lordship, and so it is to be expected it will put in place rulers who are immoral, laws that are unjust or idolatrous, and customs not appropriate for the believer to follow. There will be Herods and Herodians who follow them until every knee bows and every tongue confesses Christ’s lordship.

The following is one attempt at a short summary of the range of biblical witness on a believer’s attitude and action toward rulers: Christians’ responsibility to government and rulers is to subject themselves to the authorities, provided that the law is for good and not for evil. This requires knowing the difference between good and evil! Christians are to pay their taxes. Christians are to pray that rulers would be instruments of peace. It is not a biblical mandate to denounce evil and immorality in government and in rulers or defy unjust law, but the Bible is filled with examples of such.

These examples are by no means exhaustive. Denunciation and defiance are not to be undertaken for the believer’s own sake or for any opposing party’s sake, but for God’s sake and the sake of the truth. The Christian is not to resort to violence. And the Christian must be ready to pay the consequences for any and all such behavior. Note how many of the examples were persecuted for their actions.

One final word on denouncing rulers: Those most interested in propping up a ruler will insist the only proper Christian response is the simplest. “Follow the rule! Honor those in authority and be subject. Simple.” We often prefer simple answers to complex questions. But, for grim humor, try to imagine the Herodians quoting something like Romans 13:1-5 to Jesus after he called Herod Antipas a fox. “Now, now, Jesus! Herod is your king. He may not be perfect, but we should try to support him instead of criticize him.” Not all rulers are equal.

We often prefer the simplicity of straightforward rules. If we find ourselves longing for such a thing in these days, I recommend 2 Timothy 3:1-5: “Realize this, that in the last days, difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of religion, although they have denied its power. Avoid such men as these.”

Patrick Adair is pastor of Central Baptist Church in Marshall, Texas.