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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath but also for conscience sake." What is the meaning of, "not only for wrath?" It means not only because thou dost resist God by not being subject, nor only because thou art procuring great evils for thyself, both from God and the rulers, but also because he is a benefactor to thee in things of the greatest importance, as he procures peace to thee, and the blessings of civil institutions. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
It is necessary for you, he says, to obey not only so that you do not experience the wrath both of God and of the ruler, as one who is insubordinate, and do not undergo unbearable punishment, but also so that you do not prove to be unconscionable and ungrateful to your benefactor. The authorities provide great benefits to states. Through them our well-being is maintained, and if they did not exist, everything would have long since been overthrown because the strongest would have swallowed up the weakest. …
Western Saints
Thomas Aquinas
Then when he says, therefore, one must be subject, he draws the main conclusion, saying: therefore, i.e., for the reasons given, one must be subject to rulers of necessity, namely, because this is necessary for salvation, or be subject voluntarily to the necessity whereby the ruler's power inclines you to do right of necessity; not only for wrath, i.e., to avoid vengeance, which pertains to the second reason, but also for the sake of preserving a good conscience, which pertains to the first reason, because he who resists authority …
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