Kehillah in Rome 13:3

3 For rulers are not a cause of pachad (terror) to hitnahagut (conduct) that is of HaTov but HaRah. Do you want to be without pachad of memshalah (government)? Do HaTov, and you will have the commendation of the representative of the memshalah.

Kehillah in Rome 13:3 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 13:3

For rulers are not a terror to good works
That is, to them that do good works in a civil sense; who behave well in the neighbourhoods, towns, cities, and countries where they dwell. The apostle seems to anticipate an objection made against governors, as if there was something very terrible and formidable in them; and which might be taken up from the last clause of the preceding verse; and which he removes by observing, that governors neither do, nor ought to inject terror into men that behave well, obey the laws, and keep a good decorum among their fellow subjects, not doing any injury to any man's person, property, and estate. The Jews ^F1 have a saying,

``that a governor that injects more fear into the people, than is for the honour of God, shall be punished, and shall not see his son a disciple of a wise man.''

But to the evil;
to wicked men, who make no conscience of doing hurt to their fellow creatures, by abusing their persons, defrauding them of their substance, and by various illicit methods doing damage to them; to such, rulers are, and ought to be terrors; such are to be menaced, and threatened with inflicting upon them the penalty of the laws they break; and which ought to be inflicted on them by way of punishment to them, and for the terror of others. R. Chanina, the Sagan of the priests ^F2, used to say,

``pray for the peace of the kingdom, for if there was no (harwm) , "fear", (i.e. a magistrate to inject fear,) one man would devour another alive.''

Wilt thou not then be afraid of the power?
of the civil magistrate, in power and authority, to oppose him, to refuse subjection to him, to break the laws, which, according to his office, he is to put in execution.

Do that which is good:
in a civil sense, between man and man, by complying with the laws of the land, which are not contrary to the laws of God; for of doing good in a spiritual and religious sense he is no judge:

and thou shalt have praise of the same;
shall be commended as a good neighbour, a good citizen, and a good commonwealth's man; an honest, quiet, peaceable man, that does not disturb the peace of civil society, but strengthens and increases it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 T. Bab. Roshhashana, fol. 17. 1. Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrin, c. 25. sect. 1.
F2 Pirke Abot, c. 3. sect. 2.

Kehillah in Rome 13:3 In-Context

1 3 Let kol nefesh (every soul, person) be subject to the official governing authorities. For there is no memshalah (government) except given by Hashem, and the powers that be have been established by G-d.

2 So then, he who opposes the authority has resisted the ordinance, official decree of G-d; and those who resist shall receive mishpat (judgment) on themselves.

3 For rulers are not a cause of pachad (terror) to hitnahagut (conduct) that is of HaTov but HaRah. Do you want to be without pachad of memshalah (government)? Do HaTov, and you will have the commendation of the representative of the memshalah.

4 For he is the mesharet (minister, servant) of Hashem to you for HaTov. But if you do HaRah, be afraid. For he does not bear the cherev (8:35) to no purpose. For he is the mesharet of Hashem, an avenger for Charon Af (1:18 2:8; 3:5; 4:15; 5:9; 9:22; 12:19; 13:4) against the evildoer.

5 Wherefore it is necessary to be subject, not only on account of the Charon Af of Hashem, but also on account of matzpun (conscience).