1. This, like the two preceding epistle lessons, is admonitory, and
directs our attention to the fruits of faith. Here, however, Paul sums
up briefly all the fruits of faith, in love. In the verses going
before he enjoined subjection to temporal government--the rendering of
tribute, custom, fear and honor wherever due--since all governmental
power is ordained of God. Then follows our lesson: "Owe no man
anything," etc.
2. I shall ignore the various explanations usually invented for this
command, "Owe no man anything, but to love one another." To me,
clearly and simply it means: Not as men, but as Christians, are we
under obligations. Our indebtedness should be the free obligation of
love. It should not be compulsory and law-prescribed. Paul holds up
two forms of obligation: one is inspired by law, the other by love.
Legal obligations make us debtors to men; an instance is when one
individual has a claim upon another for debt. The duties and tribute,
the obedience and honor, we owe to political government are of this
legal character. Though personally these things are not essential to
the Christian--they do not justify him nor make him more
righteous--yet, because he must live here on earth, he is under
obligation, so far as outward conduct is concerned, to put himself on
a level with other men in these things, and generally to help maintain
temporal order and peace. Christ paid tribute money as a debt (Mt 17,
27), notwithstanding he had told Peter he was under no obligation to
do so and would have committed no sin before God in omitting the act.
3. Another obligation is love, when a Christian voluntarily makes
himself a servant of all men. Paul says (1 Cor 9, 19), "For though I
was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all." This is
not a requirement of human laws; no one who fails in this duty is
censured or punished for neglect of legal obligations. The world is
not aware of the commandment to love; of the obligation to submit to
and serve a fellow-man. This fact is very apparent. Let one have
wealth, and so long as he refrains from disgracing his neighbor's
wife, from appropriating his neighbor's goods, sullying his honor or
injuring his person, he is, in the eyes of the law, righteous. No law
punishes him for avarice and penuriousness; for refusing to lend, to
give, to aid, and to help his wronged neighbor secure justice. Laws
made for restraint of the outward man are directed only toward evil
works, which they prohibit and punish. Good works are left to
voluntary performance. Civil law does not extort them by threats and
punishment, but commends and rewards them, as does the Law of Moses.
4. Paul would teach Christians to so conduct themselves toward men and
civil authority as to give no occasion for complaint or censure
because of unfulfilled indebtedness to temporal law. He would not have
them fail to satisfy the claims of legal obligation, but rather to go
beyond its requirements, making themselves debtors voluntarily and
serving those who have no claims on them. Relative to this topic, Paul
says (Rom 1, 14), "I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians."
Love's obligation enables a man to do more than is actually required
of him. Hence the Christian always willingly renders to the state and
to the individual all service exacted by temporal regulations,
permitting no claims upon himself in this respect.
5. Paul's injunction, then, might be expressed: Owe all men, that you
may owe none; owe everything, that you may owe nothing. This sounds
paradoxical. But one indebtedness is that of love, an obligation to
God. The other is indebtedness to temporal law, an obligation in the
eyes of the world. He who makes himself a servant, who takes upon
himself love's obligation to all men, goes so far that no one dares
complain of omission; indeed, he goes farther than any could desire.
Thus he is made free. He lives under obligation to no one from the
very fact that he puts himself under obligation to all. This manner of
presenting the thought would be sustained by the Spirit in connection
with other duties; for instance: Do no good work, that you may do only
good works. Never be pious and holy, if you would be always pious and
holy. As Paul says (ch. 12, 16), "Be not wise in your own conceits";
or (1 Cor 3, 18), "If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in
this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise." It is in
this sense we say: Owe all men that you may owe no man; or, "Owe no
man anything, but to love one another."
6. Such counsel is given with the thought of the two obligations. He
who would perform works truly good in the sight of God, must guard
against works seemingly brilliant in the eyes of the world, works
whereby men presume to become righteous. He who desires to be
righteous and holy must guard against the holiness attained by works
without faith. Again, the seeker for wisdom must reject the wisdom of
men, of nature, wisdom independent of the Spirit. Similarly, he who
would be under obligation to none must obligate himself to all in
every respect. So doing, he retains no claim of his own. Consequently,
he soon rises superior to all law, for law binds only those who have
claims of their own. Rightly is it said, "Qui cedit omnibus bonis,
omnibus satisfecit," "He who surrenders all his property, satisfies
all men." How can one be under obligation when he does not, and
cannot, possess anything? It is love's way to give all. The best way,
then, to be under obligation to none is, through love to obligate
one's self in every respect to all men. In this sense it may be said:
If you would live, die; if you would not be imprisoned, incarcerate
yourself; if you do not desire to go to hell, descend there; if you
object to being a sinner, be a sinner; if you would escape the cross,
take it upon yourself; if you would conquer the devil, let him
vanquish you; would you overcome a wicked individual, permit him to
overcome you. The meaning of it all is, we should readily submit to
God, to the devil and to men, and willingly permit their pleasure; we
are to insist on nothing, but to accept all things as they transpire.
This is why Paul speaks as he does, "Owe no man anything," etc.,
instead of letting it go at the preceding injunction in verse 5,
"Render therefore to all their dues," etc.