Paul's response to the Empire in Romans 13.1-7 in the context of the New Exodus as a paradigm of deliverance

• Main Author: Hanc, O.
• Published: Queen's University Belfast 2014
• Subjects: 227
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.676495

In Romans 13.1 -7, Paul wrote the most emphatic New Testament passage on civil authority. The purpose of this thesis is to reread Paul's response to the Empire by integrating this response into the New Exodus paradigm as the archetype of salvation. The first chapter deals with introductory aspects, a survey of recent research and the methodological approach. The second chapter argues that Paul's political parenesis is rooted in the training he underwent, and mostly in his high view of Scripture. There are substantial arguments for positing Paul's use of the Old Testament as the major framework for his theology in general and for his theology of the state in particular. The language that Paul uses echoes rather the Jewish Scriptures than Roman imperialism. There is no direct or indirect evidence that Paul's language or political diplomacy is a sign of a political agenda. In the third chapter, it is argued that the distinctive element of the New Exodus paradigm at the socio-politicallevel is the ethic of non-retaliation. The deliverance is an exclusive divine act. Similarly, as it is argued in the following chapter, Romans 13.1-7 is in line with the New Exodus theme. Paul's message is not anti-imperial because an intentional covenantal-reading supersedes the potential political-reading. The fact that the Christian community and civil authority can coexist as God appointed social entities, authenticates that the kingdom of God does not usurp the Roman Empire. Moreover, the recognition of God ordained civil authority is to be doubled by proactive acts of euergetism. The last chapter retains a subordinate, comparative role for other two New Testament writings that present a response to the Empire. The New Exodus theme is common in both Luke and Revelation; therefore, this corroborative commonality of themes contributes and authenticates Paul's political theology and his ethic of non-retaliation.