Previous
Chapter 42
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Leviathan, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Nature, War, and Civil Society
Power, Common-wealths, and Monarchies
Religion
Fear
Reason, Fact, and Philosophy
Summary
Analysis
The most frequent cause of civil unrest and war in Christian common-wealths arises from the difficulty that comes from trying to obey God and a sovereign power when their laws are contradictory to one another. Many people believe that when two commands are received, and one of them comes from God, God must be obeyed—even if that command goes against the sovereign power. The trick to avoiding such difficulty, Hobbes maintains, is knowing what is and is not necessary for one’s acceptance into Christ’s Kingdome.
Hobbes implies that it isn’t necessary for one’s salvation to always obey God over their sovereign power. Instead, Hobbes argues one can hold their sovereign power above God without offending God. Hobbes repeatedly argues that God commanded all Christians through the Apostles to obey their earthly sovereigns, which means obeying one’s sovereign even when a sovereign’s law goes against God.
Themes
The command of a sovereign power can be obeyed without forfeiting one’s salvation. To disobey the sovereign for any reason is unjust, Hobbes argues, and his own proof is again Holy Scripture: “Servants obey your Masters in all things.” Therefore, to avoid punishment in this world and the next, it is best to obey one’s sovereign power.
In situations in which a sovereign’s will goes against God’s, Christians usually want to obey God; however, Hobbes argues doing so is actually the greater offense in God’s eyes. God commanded all Christians to obey their sovereigns, and they must always do so.
Themes
There are but two virtues required for salvation and acceptance into Christ’s Kingdome. The first is to have faith in Christ, and the second is to obey laws. Hobbes argues that each and every human being is disobedient in some way, beginning with Adam’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Thus, all that is really necessary to ensure one’s salvation is faith in Christ. Heaven is shut only to sinners. Those who are disobedient and repent are granted entrance to Christ’s Kingdome.
Salvation, or entrance into Christ’s Kingdome, is granted to all Christians who believe in Christ and repent their sins. Hobbes repeatedly illustrates that the subject of a common-wealth can be commanded by a sovereign to follow certain laws (even if those laws are against God); however, a sovereign cannot force a subject to believe or disbelieve in God.
Themes
Next, Hobbes considers whom Christians must have faith in to ensure their salvation. Moses and the other prophets had faith in God, and the Apostles and the Disciples had faith in Christ. Afterwards, people believed in the words of Moses, and they had faith in what Moses said as Christ’s “Supreme Pastor.” In a common-wealth, Hobbes says, the sovereign power is the “Supreme Pastor.” Different people believe any given religious doctrine or piece of Holy Scripture for different reasons. Faith is God’s gift, and it works differently in everyone.
Hobbes again implies that there is not a universal definition of faith that all people follow. Different people have faith in different pieces of Holy Scripture for different reasons. For example, Hobbes finds more authority in in the scripture of the Old Testament, but many others find the same authority in the New Testament. These differences are a matter of individual faith and cannot be reconciled.
Themes
Get the entire Leviathan LitChart as a printable PDF.
In Christian faith, the Bible is considered the “Word of God,” but the reasons why the Bible is believed to be the “Word of God” differ greatly and are quite disputed. It is reasonable to say that Christians do not know that Holy Scripture is the “Word of God”; they believe that Holy Scripture is the “Word of God,” which means they also believe in God. Hobbes again quotes Holy Scripture, this time Romans 10:14-15: “How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a Preacher? and how shall they Preach, except they be sent?” The answer for Hobbes is faith. Faith allows one to believe in that which they cannot prove.
Like many branches of philosophy, Hobbes argues that questions involving religion and faith can never be answered with any real certainty and will always rely largely on opinion. As Holy Scripture can never in itself be considered fact, the power of a sovereign is required to make any piece of Holy Scripture into civil law.
Themes
Teaching Holy Scripture is often the cause of faith, but not everyone who is taught Holy Scripture believes. Again, Hobbes claims that faith is God’s gift, and God does not give it to everyone. Therefore, Hobbes argues, the only virtue necessary for salvation and entry into Christ’s Kingdome is the faith that “JESUS IS THE CHRIST.” This, too, is reflected in Holy Scripture. In John 11:26, Christ says: “Whosoever liveth and bleeveth in mee, shall not die eternally.”
Again, Hobbes reiterates that the only thing necessary for a Christian to gain entrance into Christ’s Kingdome is a belief in Christ. In other words, one’s salvation is not dependent upon obeying God over the sovereign when the sovereign’s will conflicts with God’s. In such cases, a Christian should obey the sovereign—they will still be admitted to Christ’s Kingdome as long as they are true believers.
Themes
There is, of course, the “Allegoricall” parts of Holy Scripture that claim that “They shall be saved, but so as by fire, or through fire.” But, Hobbes says, there is nothing in Holy Scripture that defines the fires of Hell as an actual place. Hobbes points out that it may also be reasonable for one to say that belief in God’s omnipotence and his role as creator is every bit as important to salvation as belief that Jesus is the Christ. To counter such an assumption, Hobbes maintains that God’s omnipotence and the creation is implied within one’s belief in Jesus. One cannot possibly believe that Christ is the Messiah without also believing Christ is the son of the all-powerful God.
This passage further reduces all other arguments regarding the requirements of salvation into Hobbes’s opinion that a belief in Christ is all that is needed to gain entrance into Christ’s Kingdome. As God’s power is implied in the belief in Christ, Hobbes maintains that belief in God is not explicitly required. The belief in Hell is not needed to gain entrance into Christ’s Kingdome either, Hobbes implies, because there is no real evidence to suggest Hell exists in the first place.
Themes
Next, Hobbes cites several passages of Holy Scripture that reflect his argument that faith and obedience are necessary for salvation and entrance into Christ’s Kingdom. He begins with Acts 2:37: “Repent, and be Baptized every one of you, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” He also cites Mark 1:15: “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdome of God is at hand, Repent and Beleeve the Evangile.”
In both passages Hobbes cites, the belief in Christ is all that is needed for salvation. To repent and be baptized is to believe in Christ and accept him as one’s savior, which ensures their entrance into Christ’s Kingdome. In these biblical passages, there is no mention of obeying God, only the belief in Christ.
Themes
It is possible to reconcile one’s obedience to God with their obedience to their sovereign power, even if that sovereign is not a Christian. If one’s sovereign is a Christian, such a sovereign already allows Holy Scripture and likely considers it law. Furthermore, obedience to civil laws is commanded by the Laws of Nature, which are the Laws of God. But, supposing a Christian sovereign misinterprets Holy Scripture and passes a law that is contrary to God’s Word, obeying a sovereign over God will not hinder one’s salvation. St. Paul said everyone must obey their teachers and follow commands; however, St. Paul also said that one must only believe a “lawfull Teacher.” If a sovereign’s interpretation of a Holy Scripture is against the Law of God, that teacher is not lawful and need not be believed, even if they must be obeyed.
Again, Hobbes argues that a sovereign power must always be obeyed over God, even if the sovereign’s will is against God’s. To obey a sovereign who goes against the will of God is not to disobey God, Hobbes contends. On the contrary, since God commanded all Christians obey their earthly sovereigns, this includes obeying a sovereign that is technically wrong. To obey a sovereign who does not believe in God does not mean that a subject must also reject God.
Themes
And if the sovereign power is not a Christian, one can still obey the sovereign without offending God, even if that sovereign requires subjects to publicly renounce God. Faith is “internall, and invisible,” Hobbes says, and God does not expect one to put their life on the line to prove their faith to nonbelievers.
A Christian subject can follow a non-Christian sovereign and still believe in Christ. A sovereign has the power to make and enforce laws, but they do not have the power to dictate faith. Faith is a gift from God and cannot be infringed upon by any earthly power. Furthermore, the Laws of Nature (which are given by God) ensure that one cannot be forced to put their life on their line to believe one thing or another.
Themes
