Something very interesting is happening in many Christian circles (particularly here in the US, where I live): the church is starting to look more and more like a political movement.
We see this in the way many Christians pray for or against certain political leaders, the way they respond to current events, and even the way many believers now consider themselves part of the ‘Christian right’.
Without treading into the controversial minefield that is politics, I’d like to simply remind us of several crucial commands we see in scripture — along with a chronological timeline of what was going on when they were written.
These verses are helpful reminders in and of themselves, especially in these politically-charged times. But when you realise the historical setting they come from, they may take on an entirely new level of meaning.
[Note: Some of these dates are estimates, but they still bring fresh colour to the verses we’re about to see.]
AD 49: Claudius, Emperor of Rome, expels all Jews from Rome (Acts 18:2). Christianity, seen as a subset of Judaism, begins to see increased hostility from the empire.
AD 54: 16-year-old Nero becomes Emperor of Rome.
AD 57: The Apostle Paul writes a letter directly to Christians in Rome (the capital of the empire — like the Abu Dhabi or Washington DC of his day). He says:
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority?” Romans 13:1-3
AD 59: Just two years after Paul tells Christians in Rome to be subject to the government, Nero murders his own mother, Agrippina. After he kills her, as one historian put it, “He lost all sense of right and wrong.” Nero also kills his first wife and, later, his second wife.
When we realise the historical setting the epistles were written in, they take on an entirely new level of meaning
AD 62: Nero executes two of his political rivals.
AD 63: Peter, most likely while in Rome, writes to his fellow Christians:
“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. …Honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:13-17
AD 64: One year after Peter tells Christians to honour the emperor, Emperor Nero dresses as a woman and marries a man named Pythagoras.
AD 64: That same year, the Great Fire of Rome destroys vast swaths of the city and devastates Rome’s economy. Nero blames the fire on Christians and begins torturing and killing hundreds of believers in its aftermath.
AD 65: With Rome still in ruins, Paul, who is himself between his first and final Roman imprisonments, writes to his friend Timothy:
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.” 1 Timothy 2:1-3
AD 65: That same year, Paul writes to another friend:
“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.” Titus 3:1-2
Frankly, it’s hard to know exactly what to say after remembering this early history of the church, and the sheer brutality and destruction so many Christians faced under the Roman Empire. But I’ll leave you with a few obvious takeaways that come to mind:
Garrett Haley is a native Texan and serves as a deacon at his local assembly in Lubbock, TX. He enjoys reading, writing blog posts, leading church discussion groups, and pondering life’s deep questions. Preaching on occasion and organising church get-togethers are a couple of his other favourite areas of service.
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