THE angel Gabriel told the Jewish virgin that her son was to be called Jesus: "This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will be king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom." This advice agreed with previous prophecies that the Supreme Authority, Jehovah God, had arranged for his Son to be the Permanent Heir of the Kingdom covenant made with David and to have a heavenly kingdom at God's own right hand. Satan the Devil tried to lure the Son of the Most High away from this heavenly prize. He took Jesus up into a high mountain and pointed to all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth in an instant of time. Proudly he said to Jesus: “I will give you all this authority and the glory of them, because it has been delivered to me and to whomever I wish I give it. You, therefore, if you do an act of worship before me, it will all be yours.” Jesus refused this glamorous offer of the Devil. He chose to continue worshiping Jehovah and holding onto the divine offer, the heavenly kingdom to which he has been anointed with Jehovah’s spirit. -Luke 1:31-33 and 4:5-8, NW.
    2. For taking, this course, it cost Jesus his earthly life, in a most disgraceful style. Yet it vindicated Jehovah’s sovereignty over all the universe and it won for Jesus a place in the universe higher than he had before, second only to that of the Most High God himself. "When he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake. For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, and every tongue should openly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." To which Peter adds: "He is at God's right hand, for he went his way to heaven, and angels and authorities and powers were made subject to him." (Philippians 2:8-11 and 1 Peter 3:22, NW). By this divine arrangement the glorified Jesus stands in a position next to Jehovah, and so the Most High God and this highly exalted Jesus stand as the Superior Authorities over all the universe. This is so in spite of Satan the Devil and all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth.
    3. Jesus refused the kingdoms of the earth because they were never ordained by God but are all man-made. When the aged apostle John was a prisoner exiled by the Roman government, the glorified Jesus disclosed to him the source from which all these kingdoms of this world derived their great power over the earth:
    4. "And I saw," says John, "a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy. . . . And the dragon gave him his own strength, and great power. . . . And all the earth was in admiration after the beast. And they adored the dragon, which gave power to the beast; and they adored the beast, saying: “Who is like to the beast? and who shall be able to fight with him?" - Apocalypse 13:1-4, Douay.
    5. Note this beast that came up out of the abyss of the sea. The Roman Catholic edition of the Bible (by John Murphy Company, Baltimore, Maryland, 1914) says in its footnote on it: "This first beast with seven heads and ten horns, is probably the whole company of infidels, enemies and persecutors of the people of God, from the beginning to the end of the world. The seven heads are seven kings, that is, seven principal kingdoms or empires, which have exercised, or shall exercise, tyrannical power over the people of God; of these, five were then fallen, viz.: the Egyptian, Assyrian, Chaldean, Persian, and Grecian monarchies: one was present, viz., the empire of Rome; and the seventh and chiefest was to come, viz., the great Antichrist and his empire. The ten horns may be understood of ten lesser persecutors." At Apocalypse 12:9, 12 the Revelation says that the "dragon" is Satan the Devil.
    6. Religious interpreters of Scripture thus agree that the visible ruling system in control of the earth received its power and strength from the great dragon, "that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world." Revelation 17:12 says; "The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which . . . receive power as kings one hour with the beast." Revelation, chapters 12, 13, 17, 19, also shows that the dragon and the beast from the sea and their allies all range themselves up against Jehovah God and his kingdom by Jesus Christ. This pushes into the place of chief dispute the issue of universal sovereignty, Who is the Most High and whose sovereignty must the universe acknowledge and obey?
    7. Jesus Christ on earth set the right example for his followers to copy in deciding this issue. For his faithfulness to a martyr's death in favor of Jehovah's rightful sovereignty Jesus was exalted to the place of superior authority with only Jehovah God as Head over him. Just before his betrayal and death Jesus said to his faithful apostles: "The ruler of the world is coming. And yet he has no hold on me, . . . the ruler of this world has been judged." (John 14:30 and 16:11, NW) The ruler of this world, the dragon, and the visible ruling system which he put in power range themselves up in opposition to God and his Kingdom Heir. So there is often a clash between the commands and laws of God and those of the visible ruling system of this world. Under such circumstances, to whom must the believing soul be subject in unwavering obedience? The answer is so simple: To the Authorities superior to men and devils. Subjection to them means eternal life.
    8. Rome was the dominant world power in Paul's day, and this apostle wrote a letter to the Christian believers there: "to all those who are in Rome as God's beloved ones, called to be holy ones." (Romans 1:1-7, NW) He did not address his letter to souls outside the Theocratic organization to discuss worldly politics with them. In chapter twelve of this letter he shows the Theocratic organization is like a human body with Jesus Christ as the God-appointed Head, and then he answers the question on universal sovereignty for us, saying:
    9. "Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good. Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. Therefore he who ranges himself up against the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will receive judgment to themselves. For those ruling are an object of fear, not to the good deed, but to the evil. Do you, then, want to have no fear of the authority? Keep doing good, and you will have praise from it; for it is God's minister to you for your good. But if you are doing evil, be in fear: for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword: for it is God's minister, an avenger to express wrath upon the one practicing evil." - Romans 12:21 to 13:4, NW.
    10. The Superior Authorities are the Most High: God Jehovah and his exalted Son Jesus Christ. By Jehovah's own Theocratic arrangement these existing Authorities stand placed in their relative positions, first, God Supreme, and second, Jesus Christ his anointed King. God the great Lawgiver has committed to his royal Son the full power to judge, together with authority to execute judgment rendered. (John 5:22, 27-30) These existing Superior Authorities are the proper objects of fear above all others. Said Peter: "Be in fear of God, have honor for the king," and the King Jesus Christ said to Peter and other disciples: "I will indicate to you whom to fear: Fear him who after killing has authority to throw into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear this One." (1 Peter 2:17 and Luke 12:4, NW) And to set forth his own superiority over the worldly rulers of earth, Jesus gave the Revelation in which he pictured himself as gaining the final victory over them, because "he is Lord of lords, and Kings of kings". - Revelation 17:14; 19: 16.
    11. Supreme Authority, Jehovah God is the source of al1 delegated rightful authority. He is not the source of authority for totalitarian dictators, but these derive their unrighteous power from the one the Revelation pictures by the dragon. Jehovah has given rightful authority to his Son, by whom he made all other things. Jesus proved his integrity to God as Universal Sovereign under the most painful test, so that "angels and authorities and powers were made subject to him". (1 Peter 3:22, NW) The apostle Paul says that authority was also given to him as apostle in the visible Theocratic organization of God's people: "the authority which the Lord gave us to build you up and not to tear you down." In warning disorderly ones he said: "That is why I write these things while absent, that, When I am present, I may not act with severity according to the authority which the Lord gave me, to build up and not to tear down." (2 Corinthians 10:8 and 13:10, NW) So while they existed during the first century the twelve apostles of the Lamb were authorities appointed by God over their brothers for the proper conducting of the visible organization. Such apostolic authorities would especially be meant when the request is made to the brothers "to have regard for those who are working hard among you and presiding over you in the Lord and admonishing you, and to give them more than extraordinary consideration in love because of their work". - 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13, NW.
    12. We are to have a proper fear toward the Superior Authorities in the sense of not wanting to displease them. If we do good by carrying out the divine will we have no need to be afraid, because the Superior Authorities are against only the evildoers. Authority from God and through Christ is exercised for the good of Christians who pursue righteousness: "it is God’s minister to you for your good." It praises those who do God's will. It does not persecute, ban, imprison and kill them. But if we do wrong by acting against the divine will, then we have reason to fear punishment, for the Superior Authorities have the power to execute judgment upon wrongdoers. This power of execution is symbolized by the "sword". The King of kings and Lord of lords is pictured with it: "And out of his mouth there protrudes a sharp long sword, that he may smite the nations with it, and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron." (Revelation 19:15, 16, NW) In that sense divine authority, being rightly exercised, "is God's minister, an avenger to express wrath upon the one practicing evil." - Romans 13:3, 4, NW.
    13. People of this world often conform outwardly to the laws of the land simply for the sake of escaping legal punishment. But a lover of righteousness does not subject himself to the Superior Authorities just to spare himself the divine wrath and execution of judgment. He does it because it is right and it gives him peace of heart. One's own conscience, says the apostle, should be a force stronger than fear to move Christians to do right. "There is therefore compelling reason for you to be in subjection, not only on account of that wrath but also on account of your conscience." This matter of conscience should also apply to the question of paying tribute or taxes to worldly rulers. The apostle was writing to God's holy ones living in Rome, and Rome was one of the great taxing powers of ancient times. (Daniel 11:20) The holy ones at Rome were paying taxes, and that with good conscience: "For that is why you are also paying tribute." (Romans 13:5, 6, NW) The apostle was also well acquainted with haw at the time that Jesus was about to be born "a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus for all the inhabited earth to be registered; . . . and all people went traveling to be registered, each one to his own city". And Luke, Paul's close companion, records how Jesus' foster father Joseph and his human mother Mary complied with that decree of Caesar and were registered. Luke 2:1-5, NW.
    14. To pay the taxes levied is Christlike and therefore can be done with good conscience toward God. Jesus resolved the question for us of whether it is lawful to God to do so: "Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar or not?" Shown a denarius with Caesar's image and inscription upon it, Jesus said to his questioners: "Pay back, therefore, Caesar's things to Caesar, but God's things to God." (Matthew 22:17-21, NW) Caesar coined his own money and did not accept Jewish coins as tax money; and so we must pay back Caesar or worldly political powers the coins made and which are required in tax payment. Through governmental operations "Caesar" renders us numerous services and we owe it therefore to pay cur taxes. Thus we pay him back for the services he renders and from which we get earthly benefits, such as public service utilities and facilities, public schooling, postal service, fire prevention and protection, police service, roads and streets, etc. So pay him conscientiously for earthly services rendered. But none of such ser vices require our worshiping Caesar and none are worthy of it. He cannot buy our worship with such things. None of such things buy or provide for us everlasting life, and none of such things are worth our lives, so that we should lay down our lives for "Caesar" in any cause. Our life now and in the future is from the great Lifegiver: "With thee is the fountain of life." "Salvation belongeth unto Jehovah." (Psalms 36:9; 3: $, ASV) "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life."-John 3:16, NW.
    15. Jehovah God is the Supreme Authority. Jesus Christ is a Superior Authority and said his followers must pay God what belongs to God. This comes before paying back Caesar Caesar's things. So a believer dedicated to God through Christ conscientiously asks: "If I pay back Caesar more than belongs to him just because he demands it, and if I surrender my life in unquestioning obedience to Caesar and lay down my life for him, what life will I have left to pay to God, who bought me with the ransom price of his Son's blood? How, then, could I live my life in full devotion to God by following Christ's steps? The Scriptures tell me, 'That one surrendered his soul for us; and we are under obligation to surrender our souls for our brothers.' (1 John 3:16, NW) How could laying down my life for Christian brothers for whom Jesus died agree with my using carnal weapons for Caesar and hating and killing my brothers in lands against which Caesar wages untheocratic warfare?" This Scriptural position may not by understood or appreciated by modern worldly authorities, but neither was that of the Bible Christians of the first century, concerning whom we read:
    “Early Christianity was little understood and was regarded with little favor by those who ruled the pagan world. Pagan writers referred to it as "a new and vicious superstition" and to Christians as "misguided creatures" practicing "moral enormities," creatures guilty of "hatred of the human race," "criminals who deserved the most severe punishment." . . . Christians refused to share certain duties of Roman citizens. The Christians were regarded as anarchists hoping to destroy the state; as pacifists who felt it a violation of their faith to enter military service. They would not hold political office. They would not worship the emperor." On the Road to Civilization, A World History by Heckel and Sigman (1937), pages 237, 238 - An American high-school textbook in Indiana, 1935-1943.
    16. The inspired Scriptures show our lives, our worship and our unquestioning obedience belong to the Supreme Authority, Jehovah God, and we must pay them back to Him because owing to him. When faced with the question of obeying the unrighteous commands of worldly rulers against the will and orders of the Supreme Authority, the apostles Peter and John said to the Jewish Sanhedrin: "Whether it is righteous in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, make your decision. But as for us, we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard. . . . We must obey God as ruler rather than men. . . . And we are witnesses of these matters, and so is the holy spirit which God has given to these obeying him as ruler." - Acts 4:19, 20 and 5:29-32, NW.
    17. As for the Theocratic organization, those in it who have divine authority serve God in a public way far the good of the organization. They are to be respected, and Theocratic submission is to be rendered in connection with them. "For they are God's public servants constantly serving this very purpose. Render to all their dues, to him who calls for tribute, the tribute; to him who calls for tax, the tax; to him who calls for fear, such fear; to him who calls for honor, such honor. Do not be owing anybody a single thing, except to love one another; for he that loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law." - Romans 13:6-8, NW.
    18.  For obeying these Theocratic instructions Jehovah's witnesses cannot truthfully be called "anarchists" against the governments of this world. The Bible account shows that the apostle Paul, who wrote Romans, chapter 13, was respectful to earthly kings and considered their position, power and responsibility. And so were other servants of God who are reported on. Hence all the charges that they were seditionists, upsetters of the world, propagandists of unlawful customs, etc., were proved false. (Acts 16:19-21; 17:6-8; 24:10-13; 25:8, 10, 11; 26:1-3, 7, 19, 30-32) We conscientiously render to "Caesar" what belongs to such, worldly ruling power. But we know, too, that Caesar is not first in his claims. We put first things first. We have come to know that Jehovah God is the Supreme Authority of heaven and earth and that he appointed Jesus Christ to be a Superior Authority; and faithful subjection to these Superior Authorities means everlasting life to us.
    Questions for study
1. How was it foretold at Jesus' conception that he would come into a kingdom? and against what offer did he hold fast to it?
2. How did Jesus get to be exalted to be second-highest Authority?
3, 4. How did Jesus reveal symbolically the source from which the worldly kingdoms derived their power?
5. From whom do religious interpreters agree the visible world system received its power?
6, 7. (a) Against whom do the world powers range themselves and force what issue? (b) In the clash to whom must we be subject?
8. To whom did Paul address Romans, chapter 13? On what question?
9. What does he say, for us to benefit from existing authorities?
10. Who are the "superior authorities"? So whom must we fear?
11. (a) Who is the source of delegated rightful authority? (b) To whom did he delegate authority in the first century?
12. (a) In what way is the authority God's minister to us for our good? (b) What is the sword it bears? For use against whom?
13. (a) Besides wanting to escape wrath, on account of what else should we be in subjection to Authority? (b) So what do we pay?
14. (a) What did Jesus say on payment of tax to Caesar? (b) What do we owe "Caesar" in payment, and what not?
15. As to rendering our lives, who has rightful claim?
16. Faced with unrighteous human commands, whom must we obey?
17. (a) Who are God's public servants? (b) With what exception should we not be in debt to anybody?
18. What proces we cannot truthfully be called "anarchists" for obeying such Theocratic instructions? what do we know on this?