POST SERIES
Introduction
Views of Christian Participation and War
Jesus on Violence and the Kingdom in Matthew 5:38-44
Paul on Empire and Submission in Romans 13:1-7
The Kingdom of Heaven and Christian Identity
Analyzing War and Christian Participation in Light of a Kingdom-Identity
A Christian Response to War
Conclusion
We’ve looking at an important, timely issue the past few weeks: our Christian posture before participation in violence, whether in war or through gun-rights advocacy. The last post saw a great back and forth between two friends of mine, Shane and Jazz. Well worth the read. I haven’t weighed in yet, mostly because I’m more content to let others go at it. But I will soon enough. This post continues our discussion by looking at Paul and an oft referenced portion from his letter to the Romans on government and submission to ruling authorities.
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After establishing the dominant views of war and Christian participation, it is necessary to attend to the perspectives of Jesus Christ and Paul the apostle. In Matthew 5:38-44 Jesus provides the starkest admonition regarding Christians faced with violence: love your enemies. Along side His application of the Shema—love the lord your God with all your heart, soul mind and strength; love your neighbor as yourself—He includes the necessity to do “enemy-love.” How does this work in the context of a democratic nation, though? What are the responsibilities of Christians to the State regarding involvement in war in light of Jesus’ teachings on enemy-love? Paul provides an understanding of that relationship to Empire in Romans 13:1-7. This passage is often used to justify involvement because it instructs Christians to submit themselves to the “governing authorities” and insists those authorities are established to wield the sword. Does this passage instruct Christian participation in war, though? Examining Jesus’ perspective on violence and the Kingdom of God and Paul’s viewpoint regarding Empire submission will bring clarity in order to analyze war and Christian participation.
B. Paul on Empire and Submission in Romans 13:1-7
Traditionally, Romans 13:1-7 has been a bedrock text for establishing a Christian doctrine of Empire, especially that of wartime violence. ((James D.G. Dunn, Romans 9-16(Waco: Word Publishing, 1988), 2:768.)) As Yoder explains, “It seems to be said here quite unambiguously that civil government is established by God and that Christians are therefore to obey their respective rulers, not only because they fear the state’s sanctions but because they conscientiously support its function of repressing evil and encouraging good. When a government thus divinely instituted wields the sword, this action is therefore exempted from the general prohibition of killing.” ((John Howard Yoder, The Politics of Jesus(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1994), 193.)) In his article on just war theory, Holmes makes this exact point: “Here the right to use arms is accorded to the civil authorities inasmuch as they are divinely commissioned to restrain and punish evildoers…government has the right to use lethal force.” ((Holmes, “The Just War,” 122.)) Furthermore, believers have the responsibility to “pervade and transform the political and other earthly tasks,” having a “mandate for full participation in all morally legitimate governmental functions, including military action.” ((Holmes, “The Just War,” 124.)) Is this really the case, however? Is Paul justifying the use of Imperial force and establishing a “mandate” for Christians to serve as appendages of Caesar? A brief exegesis reveals neither are the case.
First, it must be observed that the context of the instructions of Paul to be “subject to the governing authorities” ((Rom. 13:1.)) was simply common-sense wisdom for the great mass of powerless citizens living within the existing power structures of his day. ((Dunn, Romans, 2:770.)) They had no concept of a democratic society in which citizens, even Christian ones, had a voice and the freedom to protest. In short, Paul is saying this: “since you cannot change the terms under which you live, and since your position is already hazardous, remember the political realities of the politically powerless and live accordingly.” ((Dunn, Romans, 2:770.) Furthermore, Paul is encouraging a form of nonresistance and pacifism so that no suspicion would be brought on the Church. ((Ben Witherington III, Paul’s Letter to the Romans(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 2004), 306.)) Far from joining the state as an active participant or resisting the state through active rebellion, Paul is instructing these followers of Christ in light of their new allegiance and declaration of “Jesus is Lord!” ((Rom. 10:9.)) of their responsibilities within the broader society. Though they are living in a new epoch in light of their faith in Jesus Christ, they are still part of this one with its laws and order; this new citizenship does not give license nor a right to civil anarchy and rebel illegitimately. ((Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Romans (New York: Doubleday, 1993), 663.))
Apparently, Paul is concerned that the Christians of Rome had been infected by their fellow citizens and would rebel against paying their taxes, which is the the actual context to which Paul is writing. ((Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1996), 793.)) He was writing them to pay their taxes, do their civic duty, and live at peace with their neighbors in hopes that Nero would keep the peace and govern with justice and fairness. ((Witherington, Paul’s Letter, 306. Witherington reveals, contrary to popular belief, the persecution of Christians under Nero had not yet occurred. At the time of the writing of The Epistle to the Romans, there was relative peace throughout Rome, so the context under which Paul could have written a doctrine of the state is not present. In fact, Paul says negative things about the Empire near the end of Claudius’ reign in 1/2 Thess. (See pg. 305-309).)) Paul states these authorities are established by God, and when they practice justice and mercy, they do so as the servants of the One true God who gave them their authority in the first place. ((Witherington, Paul’s Letter, 306.)) Interestingly, Paul does not instruct these Christians to “obey” these authorities, but instead “submit.” Moo takes note of this difference and reveals that Paul’s seems to be making an important word choice: “To submit is to recognize one’s subordinate place in a hierarchy, to acknowledge as a general rule that certain people or institutions have ‘authority’ over us.” ((Moo, Romans, 797.)) Jesus argued that His followers must “give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s,” ((Matt. 22:21.)) to submit themselves to the tax scheme of the Empire, as Paul also argues. Moo goes on to argue, however, “all subordinate ‘submission’ must always be measured in relationship to our all-embracing submission to him.” ((Moo, Romans, 797.)) Though Christ requires his followers to submit themselves under the legitimate authority of a governing power—in this case paying taxes—that does not negate their responsibility to obey His teachings and prophetically bear witness to His Kingdom, however. We are first citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven and called to deny war.
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