No Debt, No One Anything

Paul explicitly taught that Christians should not avenge themselves, but here teaches that the authorities can minister God's vengeance. We don't get to bargain about taxes, or to decide what we think that they should be expended on,. Rather, we pay authorities the tribute that we are obligated to give them. Paul now declares, Oh no one anything. No debts means that benefits are always finally referred to a single divine patron. In the community of Jesus, the only debt is the debt of love. That's his owed, but it is owed for rather than two benefactors.