Corpus-Paul

["Michael Thompson" <mbt2 AT cam.ac.uk>]

--On Thu, May 13, 1999 Neil Elliott wrote: 

> On Romans 13:1-7, a vexing text but one regarding which Jeffrey 
> Gibson has invited my comments--I take the bull by the horns!
> 
>5. I conclude Paul is being diplomatic in a tough spot:  he's
>    perfectly aware (not "naive" at all) that "the ruler does
>    not bear the sword in vain," or more forcefully, "the sword
>    is not an empty threat" (as Nero's propagandists insisted
>    it WAS).  Still Paul (like Philo) wanted to avoid any civil
>    provocation that could elicit Roman repression like that 
>    most recently visited on the Jewish communities (edict of
>    Claudius).
> 
> More details in Paul and Empire; comments, anyone?

I haven't seen the Horsley article, but I'm persuaded by the evidence of
Pohlman, Stuhlmacher etc. that the issue was civil unrest provoked by Roman
tax collectors and that the impetus for 13.1-7 is Paul's desire that Roman
Christians not get caught up in actions that would bring their witness to
the Gospel into disrepute. It's not unusual for Paul to get to his main
point toward the very _end_ of a smaller or longer block of thought (e.g.
eschatology in 1 Thess 4-5), and IMHO something similar is going on in
13.1-7. 

Mike Thompson

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