Catholic thought justified limited submission to the monarchy by reference to the following: The Old Testament, in which God chose kings to rule over Israel, beginning with Saul who was then rejected by God in favour of David, whose dynasty continued (at least in the southern kingdom) until the Babylonian captivity. The New Testament, in which the first pope, Peter, commands that all Christians shall honour the Roman Emperor, even though, at that time, he was still a pagan emperor. Paul agreed with Peter that subjects should be obedient to the powers that be because they are appointed by God, as he wrote in his Epistle to the Romans. Likewise, Jesus Christ proclaims in the Gospel of Matthew that one should "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's"; that is at first, literally, the payment of taxes as binding those who use the imperial currency.See Jesus told Pontius Pilate that his authority as Roman governor of Judaea came from heaven according to John 19:10–11. The endorsement by the popes and the church of the line of emperors beginning with the Emperors Constantine and Theodosius, later the Eastern Roman emperors, and finally the Western Roman emperor, Charlemagne and his successors, the Catholic Holy Roman Emperors.
caThoLiC ThouGhT JusTIfIEd limITed submission to thE moNArChy BY ReferEncE to tHE FOllowIng: thE oLD teStAMeNt, in which god ChOSe KIngs to rule ovEr isRael, BeGiNning wiTH sAuL wHo waS TheN rEjeCtEd by GoD In faVOuR of david, WhOse dynasTy ConTinUed (at leASt iN the southerN kingDom) untIL tHe babylonIaN captiVitY. the NEw testamEnt, In whIch The FIRst popE, peTer, CommanDs tHat AlL ChrIsTIaNs shalL honouR tHe romAn eMpERor, EvEN ThOUgh, At tHAt time, he was still a pagaN empERor. pauL agreEd wItH PeTer ThAT suBjecTs shoULd be obedIent To thE poWErs thaT be beCausE TheY are appOintED By gOd, as he wROTE In his epistlE tO The RomANS. LIkewISe, jeSuS cHrIsT proClaIMS in tHe Gospel of mattheW thAt One ShouLD "render Unto caESar the thingS WHiCH are caesar'S"; thaT is at First, liteRAllY, The PaYmEnt oF taXEs as bindinG thosE Who uSe The impeRIal CuRrency.SEe jesus toLd POntiUs pilAtE THat His aUthOrIty aS romaN governOr Of judAea Came FrOm heAvEn AcCoRdINg tO john 19:10–11. the endoRsemEnt by The poPes and tHE Church of thE LINe of empErorS beGInnIng wiTH thE EmpeRors Constantine anD THEodosiUs, latER The eAStern roman empErors, anD finalLy the WEsterN roman eMperor, chARLEmaGne anD hIs succesSoRs, the catHolic hoLy romAn EmperoRs.