About this Episode

Craig is joined by Matt Mouzakis, worship pastor and co-host of Expedition 44, a popular theology podcast where the ancient languages and context of the Bible are discussed. Matt is doing his doctorate in New Testament studies, specializing in the passages often cited by Christian statists when they want to defend strict obedience to the government.

Matt explains how words like submit (hypotassesthō), and concepts like paying taxes take on very different meanings when placed in their proper context. Read Romans 13 through the eyes of a first-century Jew, see it in a fresh new light, and be prepared to confound the next statist who asks you, "But what about Romans 13?".

In fact, the only one to whom people owe allegiance and should be under the authority of is Jesus Himself. When we desire to put another into power over ourselves and our neighbors, it is a sin because humans are not to have authority over one another.

Craig and Matt delve into those passages used against women in ministry. Again, we discover that read in the context of the time and in their original language, nothing suggests women are to be subject to men in God's kingdom. We find God's ideals at the beginning and end of the Bible, and that is God alone reigning over humanity.

Expedition 44:

YouTube

Website

Covenant Theological Seminary

Expedition 44 episode on Romans 13

Ryan's book: This is the Way

Episode Timestamps:

1:54 – Who is Matt Mouzakis?

Worship pastor at "Bapticostal" church
Father of 4
Theology geek doing Doctorate in New Testament
Co-host of Expedition 44 podcast with Dr Ryan (Head Chair of Biblical Studies at Covenant Theological Seminary
Expedition 44

Discuss the ancient context of the Bible
Salvation is a journey "expedition"
The separatist ancient Essene community gave themselves the number 22

God doubles the portion, which is where the 44 comes from

8:15 – The Church of Nationalism

American pastors don't speak against the entanglement of Christians and the state

Sometimes they advocate for candidates
The early church was outspoken against the Roman Empire

But it is glossed over these days

Churches seek power through the state now
There's no basis in the Bible for Christians to be seeking any power

We need no king but Christ

Politics comes into your theology
Some would say that representative government is different from serving another king
In the first two pages and last two pages of the Bible is where you find God's ideals

Everything in the middle is messed up

Humans are not to have authority over one another

Not even men over women

The hebrew word "Tsela" should be translated as "side" rather than "rib"

On the last page of the Bible, you see men and women under God's authority

That's God's ideal
That should inform our politics

We are ambassadors from another King

Our government has its own kingdom

The fall is the "defilement of all of creation"

There are multiple falls in the Old Testament
When people usurp God's authority, humans rule other humans

That is not a part of God's ideals

18:58 – Women in Ministry

A topic that is spoken about on Expedition 44
Women were the first to tell of Jesus' resurrection

The men were in hiding

Paul was very egalitarian
When we don't look at the Bible in context, it gets confusing
If Genesis 3 is reversed in Jesus, the church should reflect that
The local context of Paul telling women to be quiet was an all-women-led cult
Right before that, he tells the men off for being angry

None should have authority over others in the church

The women were trying to teach before they had learned
Greek tenses matter in better translation
Keith Giles's episode about women and the church
Women stayed at home and were less educated in Paul's day

Women were to learn but not interrupt the service

1 Corinthians 14: 34-35 might be an error added to the text based on a scribble by a scribe

Philip Payne's book – One In Christ
Expedition 44 episode – Women Must Be Silent?

26:16 – Romans 13

The words "submit" and "obey" are two different words
Romans 13 is the go-to for opponents of "No King but Christ"
Romans 13 should be read in light of Romans 12

The chapter breaks weren't there originally
Romans chapters 12-16 should be read as a chunk
All the things that Jesus said about enemy love do not fit with Romans 13

Romans 13:1 & 5 Submit is hypotassesthō

Defined as voluntary yielding

Obey God is hupakouó
David Bently Heart – New Testament

It is necessary that we obey God rather than man

The Bible should be read as a whole

The whip that Jesus used was a common tool to heard animals

He didn't harm any people
He was angry at the extortion in the temple

The gospel spreads by word of mouth too
"Governing authorities"

A common expression for anyone with authority

Not necessarily government

The people of the day were in Rome

A place of multiple layers of governing
Neighborhood watch role, rather than law enforcement
Rome wasn't taxed at the time when Romans was written

Romans 13:1 - exousia means evil powers

And appears in Ephesians 6:12
Paul understood demons controlled the empires
Jesus didn't rebuke Satan when he offered Him the kingdoms of the world
Deuteronomy 32 – Moses says God divided mankind and gave them to the sons of God

42:18 – Is voting a sin?

1 Samuel 8
Craig has concluded that voting is a sin

Jesus said the gentiles lorded power over others, but we were not to be the same
God said it was not Samuel that was rejected, rather it was God Himself