“he who restrains.” Think of the empire and the emperor, of justice and the judge, of law and the one who enforces it. c. It (or something on this order) is the most frequently expressed view of the church fathers. Tertullian, commenting on this passage, states: “What obstacle is there but the Roman state?” (On The Resurrection of the Flesh XXIV). d. It receives support from the fact that Paul was proud of his Roman citizenship, which helped him again and again, also right here in Corinth where the