Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 13:6

"For this cause ye pay tribute also; for they are ministers of God`s service, attending continually upon this very thing." — Romans 13:6 (ASV)

For this cause. Because they are appointed by God; for the sake of conscience, and to secure the execution of the laws. As they are appointed by God, the tribute which is necessary for their support becomes an act of homage to God, an act performed in obedience to his will, and acceptable to him.

Tribute also. Not only be subject (Romans 12:5), but pay what may be necessary to support the government. Tribute properly denotes the tax, or annual compensation, which was paid by one province or nation to a superior as the price of protection or as an acknowledgment of subjection. The Romans made all conquered provinces pay this tribute; and it would become a question whether it was right to acknowledge this claim and submit to it. This question would especially be agitated by the Jews and by Jewish Christians.

But on the principle which the apostle had laid down (Romans 12:1, 20), it was right to do it and was demanded by the very purposes of government. In a larger sense, the word tribute means any tax paid on land or personal estate for the support of the government.

For they are God's ministers. They are his servants, or they are appointed by him. As the government is his appointment, we should contribute to its support as a matter of conscience, because we thus do honour to God's arrangement. It may also be observed here that the fact that civil rulers are the ministers of God invests their character with great sacredness and should impress upon them the duty of seeking to do his will, as well as on others the duty of submitting to them.

Attending continually. As they attend to this and devote their time and talents to it, it is proper that they should receive suitable support. It then becomes a duty for the people to contribute cheerfully to the necessary expenses of the government. If those taxes should be unjust and oppressive, yet, like other evils, they are to be submitted to, until a remedy can be found in a proper way.