# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1890_S16
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

16 Proceedings of the thirteenth convention

be angry; as it also says at the close, not "Blessed are the kings," but "Blessed are all who trust in him." — So a king's concern is to be that he save his own soul; his being king does not dispense him from this; this does not lie in his kingly office either, but is assigned to him as his holy duty, inasmuch as Jesus has dearly bought him with his blood, that he may be his own and live under him in his kingdom and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness. And in the second place a Christian king now also has the task, as a distinguished Christian, of considering well what opportunity is given him to serve Christ; and he is not to think that he may command: so it must be —, but how much more opportunity he has than many another to speak a word with effect. The great scholars and great doctors, when the king has them called, at least listen to him, whereas if an old little mother were to come and make representations to a German scholar about his last sermon, she would probably be turned away with scornful words. Before the king they would stand ready to answer. Consider that, you king, says Scripture and says the Symbol: you have much opportunity to serve the church. Therefore consider also that you are king and guard well that you do not neglect your duty, and also against taking for your royal duty something that belongs to you alone as a Christian.

In the further course of the discussion attention was then called to the word of Christ: "Render to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's," as a principal proof of the correctness of the thesis. Jesus spoke these words, you know, when he was asked, by way of a test, the question: Is it right to give tribute to Caesar or not? Among the Jews there were many of the opinion that, as members of God's holy, chosen people, they really had no obligation to give tribute to Caesar, all the less since the Romans had wrongly seized the holy land. Jesus has the tribute coin shown to him and proves from it, that the coin bore the image and the inscription of the Roman emperor, that it was the Roman emperor who had power over the Jews, so that they must also obey him as their rightful government: "Render to Caesar what is Caesar's." So he says. But he adds: "and to God what is God's." In adding this, Jesus limited the power of the emperor. What is God's, he means, that we are not to give to government. But "God's" is surely indisputably the kingdom of God on earth. This kingdom is not of this world; it also does not come to us with outward show. There are also in this kingdom no human superiors; One is your Master, Christ, but you are all brethren. This kingdom has, then, only One King, Christ, who will give his honor and his kingdom to no other; he wants rather to rule it himself through his Word. And what belongs to this spiritual kingdom we are by no means to transfer to the worldly authority.