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"Thou shalt in any wise set him King over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose:
one from among thy brethren shalt thou set King over thee: thou mayest not set a
stranger over thee, which is not thy brother" (Deut. 17: 15).
One of the twelve apostles is referred to as "Simon the Canaanite" in Matt. 10: 4; and
"Simon Zelotes" in Acts 1: 13. These titles do not imply that Simon was a Canaanite in
the sense of belonging to the nations devoted to destruction at the time of Joshua, but
rather that he was one whose watchword was "Palestine for Israel, and down with the
oppressor". Hence he is also named "The Zealot".
The believing Jew would have many qualms of conscience concerning the right
attitude to be adopted toward pagan kings and governors. The converted idolater also
was troubled, as a perusal of I Corinthians will show, particularly with regard to
possible complicity with the idolatry from which he had been delivered.
In Acts 4:, we read that Peter and those with him said to the rulers who threatened
them:
"Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God,
judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard"
(Acts 4: 19, 20).
Paul also gives us a splendid example of uncompromising loyalty to the Lord, and we
must therefore give earnest heed to the tempered and gentle spirit that pervades his
admonitions on this thorny question. If the passage is read through as a whole, it will be
seen that the Apostle does not by any means suggest an abject submission to civil rule
whatever its demands. There is to be no prostration of the conscience before any
successor to Nebuchadnezzar's image, even though that image be now called "The State"
or even "The Church by law established". What the Apostle maintains is that no
Christian is justified in opposing government, or in having the remotest connection with
sedition or rebellion. He cannot be an agitator, or march under the banner of any
company, whatever may be its grievance; neither must he fail to comply with the just
demands for tribute, custom, fear or honour, that necessarily accompany organized
government. And so we read: "Recompense", "provide", "live peaceably", "be
subject", "pay", "render".
"Recompense to no man evil for evil" (Rom. 12: 17).--If we walk according to the
flesh, we shall find ourselves acting in a way which is quite contrary to this principle.
Under the law, it was possible to exact "an eye for an eye"; but under grace we are called
upon to love our enemies--a command more easily written and read than fulfilled, and
yet one which lies at the very root of all true Christian living. In the same verse the
Apostle continues: "Provide things honest in the sight of all men." The English word
"provision" is made up of "pro", before, and vision", to see--and so, to see a need
beforehand and make all necessary arrangements to meet it. The Greek word pronoeo is
made up in exactly the same way--pro, "before", and noeo, "to perceive". Rendered
literally, the passage would read: "Provide beautiful things in the face of all men",
referring to the truly beautiful spirit that suffers without threatening or reprisal, confiding