Political ideas in the Bible concerning obedience might be summarised as follows:

1. The human beings are usually ruled by kings or emperors. There are very few traces of republican institutions in the Bible (There is one exception: 1 Machabees 8: 14–16 is an admiring description of Roman republican government.)
2. Kings are quite often evil; and are tyrants and enemies of God. The ruled often share the bad deeds of the rulers.
3. The kingship of King David is a model (although David also often sinned).
4. Subjects must obey rulers, even the wicked. It is wrong to disobey, and especially to make any attack on the person of the ruler (2 Samuel 1:14–16).
5. But obedience to rulers is always limited by obedience to the commands of God. That means, the supremacy and the sovereignty of God is thought as superior to any worldly rule or ruler.