Romanos 13
Theodoret of Cyrus · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Romanos 13:1
Even priests, bishops and monks must obey the commands of secular rulers. Of course, they must do so insofar as obedience is consistent with godliness. If the rulers demand something which is ungodly, then on no account are they allowed to do it.The holy apostle teaches us that both authorities and obedience depend entirely on God's providence, but he does not say that God has specifically appointed one person or another to exercise that authority. For it is not the wickedness of individual rulers which comes from God but the establishment of the ruling power itself.… Since God wants sinners to be punished, he is prepared to tolerate even bad rulers. — INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS
Romanos 13:5
"For the sake of conscience" means "in order to do what is right." — INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS
Romanos 13:9
If a man is well disposed by love for another person, he will not kill the one he loves, nor will he rape his wife, nor will he steal goods or do anything which might harm them. — INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS
Romanos 13:12
"Night" refers to the time of ignorance, whereas "day" refers to the time after the Lord's coming. — INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS