Romans 13:1-7 (NRSV)
“13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; 4 for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. 6 For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.”
There are two disciplines clergy are introduced to on their first day of seminary—hermeneutics and exegesis.
Hermeneutics is the discipline that studies the principles and theology of how a text should be interpreted. Hermeneutics concerns itself with the relationship between the author, the text, and the original and subsequent readers.
EVERYONE HAS A HERMENEUTIC! That is to say everyone has a lens through which they read scripture and a way that they interpret it.
Exegesis literally means “drawing the meaning out of.” This is the process of reading in order to seek to understand what a text means or communicates.
SO, EVERYONE HAS A HERMENEUTIC THROUGH WHICH THEY EXEGETE SCRIPTURE!
Most people however give little thought to these two disciplines. But, it’s important because not all ways of reading scripture and meaning pulled out from them is equal. There are better ways to read scripture than others.
As Lutherans we unapologetically read all of scripture through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son…” We recognize that other voices from God are recorded in scripture, but Jesus Christ is the last Word through which we interpret every other word.
Historically Romans 13 has been used to justify government action that are horrendous and plainly seen as evil today. This scripture has been used to justify government actions during slavery, the holocaust, and apartheid. Most recently it was used by someone in our government to justify separating children from their parents.
But, this scripture must be read through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Who taught us that the greatest commandment was to love God and love our neighbor. Jesus Christ’s life has to be our hermeneutic when reading scripture in order to draw out the true exegesis of all of scripture and that is the greatest commandments. Love is the driving force of scripture and any interpretation that limits, hinders, or acts outside of love is not Christian.
In fact we have an obligation to read scripture properly for ourselves and correct these abuses of scripture in the public sphere when we see it. That means standing up to our own government officials especially when they use our scripture to justify atrocity.
Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “Therefore, your ultimate allegiance is not to the government, not to the state, not to nation, not to any man-made institution. The Christian owes his ultimate allegiance to God, and if any earthly institution conflicts with God’s will, it is your Christian duty to take a stand against it…”
It is my hope that we read scripture here at Good Shepherd through God’s last Word—Jesus. If you need help with that, my door is always open.
Peace,
J.P. Serrano