Therefore you must be
subject,
not only because of
wrath
but also for
conscience sake.
For because of this
you also pay
taxes, for they are
God’s ministers
attending continually
to this very thing.
Romans 13:5–6
Paul in
writing to the Roman Christian we must be once again reminded this simply fact:
Christians were living in the capital city of the Roman Empire, a place where
the Caesars and emperors lived and reigned. The people of Rome lived in times
whereby many changes in emperors occurred with some only ruling for short
periods, some only 1-year, others 3-4 years. Grecian gods renamed and
introduced as Roman gods and people were to submit to these gods and to the
emperors who often claimed to be gods. Gaius (Caliguala: 37-41 A.D.) wife Julia
Drusilla died in 38 A.D. deified by the state and was the first Roman woman to
receive this honor. Gaius came close to deification as a god in his own
lifetime (many emperors received this deification after their death). This
deification and demand for the Roman people to accept and to pay homage to the
deified emperors, or to admit and submit to the emperors who ruled as divines
led to the rejection and uprising of the Jews. The Jews did not submit to the
emperor that they should go against their religious principles that made it
impossible for them to sacrifice to a man, even an emperor. The Jews in their
explanation to the emperor stated that they would sacrifice for him, but would
not give a sacrifice to him. After a major uprising over this issue in the city
fo Jamnia where Jews destroyed an altar that the Greeks had set up in honor of
the emperor Gaius gave a decree that the country’s places of worship should all
be converted into shrines of the imperial cult. An army was set up to enforce
this command although eventually canceled. This cancellation came from a Jewish
friend Julius Agrippa. Gaius assassinated shortly after this cancellation. We
can see that even the Jewish people who were under tremendous distress still
attempted and at times were successful having the government, or in this case
the emperor to change an order. The Jews, did not think it unwise to approach
the government, when the decrees of the government were in opposition to their
religious beliefs. Claudius (41–54 A.D.), ruled after the assassination of
Gaius who set four stringent security measures, and attempt to suppress
conspiracies launched against him. Claudius had to deal with the problems left
to him by Gaius, that is, the rebellion, and conflicts between the Jews of
Alexandria and the Greeks. These disputes were often violent and bloodthirsty
prompting Claudius to deal with this issue and to reply with a strong and
impartial admonition:
“As fo the question which party was
responsible for the riots and feud (or rather, if the truth be told, the war)
with the Jews….I was unwilling to make a strict enquiry, though guarding within
me a store of immutable indignation against whichever party renews the
conflict, and I tell you once and for all that unless you put a stop to this
ruinous and obstinate enmity against each other, I shall be driven to show what
a benevolent princeps can be when turn to righteous indignation.”
After the death of Claudius he was deified being the first
after Augustus to receive this honor. Nero (54–68 A.D.) became emperor and due
to good guidance by sound government under Senecca and Burrus. Unfortunately
Senecca and Burrus disappeared from the political scene in 62 A.D.; Burrus died
from a throat tumor or some abscess prompting the appointment of Rufus and
Gaius Ofonius who were sinister rulers and aided Nero’s evil genius and
encouraged his excesses. Senecca found these men too difficult to world with so
he resigned and to enjoy his amasses wealth. Nero lavished upon the people with
many benefits and yet with all this Rome was taking a turn for the worse. One
crucial event was the Great Fire of Rome (64 A.D.) that destroyed many Roman
homes and caused widespread discontent. Tacitus wrote that Nero tried to pin
the blame upon the city’s small Christian community, a group that he regard as
a dissident group of Jews and burnt many of them alive, and it is by tradition
we find the martyrdom of Peter and Paul. Further stated Nero probably started
this fire in order to annex some land he wanted for the erection of his Golden
House. When the Golden House was completed, Nero cried out, “Good, now I can at
last begin to live like a human being!”
Why take
the time to write some historical facts? It is because if we do not understand
the times and seasons we may not be able to understand the need for a writing.
Paul wrote to the Roman Christians who lived under all goings on in the city of
Rome and the Roman Empire. How some of the Emperors considered them to be, some
as just another group of Jews which were antagonistic towards the Emperors, and
as a lunatic group of people believing in a man, Jesus Christ and too would not
give the homage they demanded. How were the Christians to handle this problem?
Were they to be simply submissive and be in total subjection the government? What
was the role of Christians then and now? Christians lived under the rule of a
government that did not fulfill that they are ministers for God and they had a
responsibility to rule under the guidance of God’s law and will. Are Christians
simply to allow government to be unlimited in power or is there a need for
government to be limited? How are we to understand submission? This will be
what will be considered next week in my blogs and this by examining Scripture.
Enjoy the
weekend and prepare now for the Sabbath (Sunday, not Saturday as some suppose)
and give to God one day just for Him.
God reigns over the nations;
God sits on
His holy throne.
The princes of the people have
Gathered together,
the
People of the God of Abraham.
For the shields
of the earth
Belong to God; he is greatly exalted.
Psalm 47:8–9
Grace is poured upon you by God
Richard L. Crumb
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