A Crisis of Authority

Jesus was anti-authoritarian.

His policy on leadership is well known.

"You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:42-45

Jesus points are these:
1. Forced authority isn't acceptable among Jesus' people.
2. Jesus' people will choose people who work to meet the needs of others.
3. Jesus' people will chose people who are downwardly mobile.
4. This is shown by Jesus' example, who works hard for the needs of others and who surrendered his life, thus giving up all earthly authority.

It is the natural desire of most people to seek out an authority to tell them what to do.  This is not because they don't want to have their own choices, but that to live according to our own choices is hard work and most people are happy to pass those choices off to other who actually want to do that hard work.  Yes, this means that there will be bad choices made, even evil choices, but it is easier to complain about the choices of an ultimate authority than to have the burden of leadership ourselves.

Jesus knew this tendency.  After all, there was more than once when groups of people attempted to give him authority over them, and he not only refused, but ran away.  Even after he was resurrected, he reiterated some of his teachings, affirmed his actions and teachings...

And then he disappeared.  Gone.  So the practical, day-to-day decision making of the church couldn't be done by a single dictator, no matter how benevolent.  Authority had to be shared.  Authority was to be given to the merciful.  Authority was to be given to people who didn't pursue authority.  People like Jesus.

But the desire for authority still rules the everyday people.  First, the entire church rested, not on the example and teaching of Jesus, but on the authority of the person.  All of theology is developed not to help us understand what Jesus told us to understand, but to support the place of Jesus being the ultimate authority. 

 Second, practical authority was granted to bishops, church leaders who would decide for others the correct application of Jesus' teaching.  After Constantine, bishops were happy to give certain ethics to the state, who, after all, were Christian now.

Eventually, the church saw itself as its own authority, and the presence of Jesus on earth.  Authority was important for the church to have, and keep, and wield, for it's own purpose, because Jesus was the ultimate authority and the Church is his representative.  And, of course, everything fell apart after that.

Today, the church has what some call a moral crisis.  Active pedophiles in the leadership of the church, adulterers, leaders being abusive, congregations supporting immoral politicians, and police being called on the homeless.  However, I wouldn't call this a moral crisis, but a dependence on authoritarianism.

Christian authority isn't the same as Jesus' authority. When people suffer because we want to protect the church, we aren't protecting Jesus.  When we surrender our authority to a person with charisma and confidence, then we aren't following Jesus.  When we allow leaders to be immoral for the sake of the unity of the church, we aren't helping the kingdom of God.  When we rely on the world's authority of violence and corruption to keep our peace, then we are dependent on the wrong kind of peace. 

The early Anabaptists promoted community authority because they saw what distant, harsh, authoritarian leadership creates-- oppression for common people and destruction for the outcast.  They rightly called this kind of authoritarian leadership of the spirit of the Antichrist.  We need to return back to Jesus' standards: give leadership to people who give of themselves to those in need.

What Did Jesus Resist?

Lots of people repeat the cliche "What would Jesus do?"

That's a pointless question.  We shouldn't speculate as to what Jesus would do when we have so much evidence to indicate what Jesus DID do.  

Jesus DID resist immoral authority.  He made public pronouncements against them, held protests against them and threatened their power to such a degree that he was killed.  What exactly was he resisting?  What is the example of Jesus in resisting authority?

Power for power's sake

Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
Jesus opposed leaders who desired positions of authority simply because of the respect and power they had.  This is one of the forms of covetousness that Jesus warned against-- desiring something that you had not earned.  Jesus taught that power should be given to people who show that they will use their resources or power to help those around them, not to just bolster themselves.

Accumulation of personal wealth
"Woe to you who are rich now, for you have already received your comfort!"  

Jesus rejected all who kept wealth for themselves, because they were flaunting their hatred of the poor.  If one has extra resources and refuses to provide them to those in need, then God rejects them as stewards of His provision.  God does not provide wealth for personal use, but for community use.  To misuse the resources of God, to not give generously to the poor, is to be unworthy of that stewardship. 

Those who support the killing of the innocent
At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant. And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully. He sent yet another whom they killed. So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed. He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’  

According to the Mosaic law, killing the innocent will infect the land.  According to Psalm 82 killing the innocent is the one thing a nation can do which God will step in and destroy a government.  Jesus recognized that although the leaders of his day praised the martyrs, they were actually acting like those who killed the martyrs-- retaining power at any cost, even the cost of the lives of the innocent.

Political or religious oppression of the poor
"Beware of the scribes: They devour the houses of widows. They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

Jesus pointed out how the temple encourages the poorest to give their last cent to a project that will not benefit them.  Thus, they are making the vulnerable homeless and hungry, while not providing for them at all. Jesus condemns all who have power-- the wealthy, lawmakers, religious and political leaders-- for using their power to be poverty pimps-- people who take from the poor for their own benefit.  These, Jesus says, deserve the worst punishment.

Selecting certain groups as outcast
The Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them....”  "I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance."

Jesus stepped out to welcome those whom his society refused to welcome, and then rebuked the leadership for rejecting them.   Jesus' society dehumanized tax collectors and those who did not follow their purity laws, as well as the disabled, lepers, gentiles, the poor and women, considering them all unclean, and in some cases outcast from their society.  Jesus rejected leadership that rejected people according to standards of ethnicity, class, sex or arbitrary purity standards.


Hypocritical leadership
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’  Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred?" 
When Jesus claimed that leadership is hypocritical, it is usually because they claim to represent the God of love and justice, but they reject love and justice in their lives, allowing themselves to be the exception of the rules they are imposing.  But leadership Jesus opposed also would establish laws which give their disciples special knowledge as loopholes for justice.  In this way, those with this special knowledge could avoid the obligations that those without knowledge have to follow.


Systems which perpetuate inequality
"It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers."

Jesus held a protest at the temple, because they were excluding worship for women and gentiles in order to establish support for worship for adult men.  Jesus rejected this practice, even though it was approved by the high priest, the mediator of the people to God.  Jesus resisted authority that made no space for all people. 

Lawmakers that only create burdens for people

And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

Jesus opposed those who wrote laws for ideologies, without considering how that would negatively affect the average person.  Such people become narrow-minded to their own tribe or class, ignoring how they harm society as a whole. 

Because he rejected this kind of leadership, publicly and authoritatively, he was forced to carry a cross, to die as a revolutionary, as an outcast of his people, as much as a leper or traitor.   Jesus, in turn, said that if we were his followers, we too would have to carry the cross of punishment from the powers that be for resisting them.  If we resist authority for hating the poor and weak and for their hypocrisy, Jesus tells us we will be rejected and punished.  

Amen, Lord, let it be so. 

True and False Teachers

If there is one thing that Christianity produces a lot of, it is teachings and teachers. In a way, this is as it should be—the Great Commission of Jesus to the church is to “teach”, “proclaim” and “evangelize.” However, everyone agrees that not all teaching is equal, and some teaching is acceptable, while others are not. But how are we to evaluate teaching? How can we determine what is “good Christian teaching” and what needs to be rejected as false?
The primary understanding we have of anything “Christian” is whether they follow the teaching and example of Jesus and the apostles. This is not to say that there might not be many models of Christian education, but it is on the basis of Jesus’ principles that we can call something “Christian” or not. Here are some principles that Jesus taught was characteristic of teaching that represents Jesus:

1. Jesus’ teaching and life is the basis of the content of the teaching
Jesus alone is the one who explains the teaching of God and helps us know what we are to believe and how we are to live. Jesus alone is our teacher (Matthew 23:10), and whether a teaching’s content is true or false is based on whether it is in agreement with the teaching of Jesus or not (I Timothy 6; II John). The commands we are to teach are the commands of Jesus.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
 Is Jesus only one source of many equals that one gains knowledge from?
 Is Jesus’ teaching secondary to a theology, philosophy or practice?
 Is right or wrong determined by community standards, not the New Testament?

2. Only well-trained disciples should teach.
Jesus said that a fully trained teacher is one who acts like the Teacher, Jesus (Luke 6:40). The main characteristic of a teacher should be Christ-likeness. A teacher should not only teach well, but have a life to back it up.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
 Is the main requirement of a teacher their education?
 Is the main requirement of a teacher that they be popular?
 Is the main requirement of a teacher that they have a particular philosophy?

3. The teaching encourages disciples to enact righteousness
The content of Jesus’ teaching was to “repent” and the disciples taught that right belief was represented by right action. Even as teachers should provide an example of proper living, they should also teach this in line with Jesus’ teachings.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
 Do teachers encourage people to act in opposition to Jesus’ commands?
 Does the teaching never talk about correct action or righteousness?

4. Teachers have control over their speech at all times
A person’s action and speech reflects who they really are. A teacher of Jesus would take care over every word they speak, not just while they are teaching. Jesus taught that we would be judged for every “careless word” we speak (Matthew 12:33-37)—and this is especially true for those who claim to be speaking for God.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
 Does the teacher say foolish, hurtful or rude things on a regular basis?
 Does the teacher use humor as excuse to use evil speech?
 Does the teacher participate in gossip?

5. Teaching is offered to everyone, especially the lowly.
Jesus specifically sought out the outcast and needy to receive his message. Jesus said that God has chosen the poor and foolish to accomplish his purposes in the world. Disciples are specifically to be made up of the lowly, as well as others.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
 Does the ministry exclude some because of economic or social inabilities?
 Does the teaching specifically put down or exclude people based on economic or social lowliness?
 Does the ministry show favoritism for the wealthy or popular?

6. The teaching is in a context of mercy, not judgement
Jesus said that we would know true or false teachers by whether they were focusing on condemning others or if they are interested in showing mercy to all, offering God’s forgiveness and grace to everyone (Luke 6:36-42).
 Is the teacher only interested in condemning people?
 Does the teaching offer hope for everyone?
 Is the teaching prejudiced against some social groups?
 Does the teaching refuse forgiveness for some sins?

7. The teaching is given without cost.
Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give.” Jesus gave his teaching without cost to all who wanted it, and insisted that his disciples do the same. Anyone who charges for their teaching up front is opposed to Jesus’ methods of teaching.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
 Is money required up front before you can receive the teaching?
 Does the teacher have an extravagant lifestyle?
 Does the ministry give to the needy of their excess or do they keep the money for its own benefit?

8. Teachers are supported by the people of God.
Jesus said in reference to his teachers, “the laborer deserves to be paid.” (Luke 10:7). A teacher gains his livelihood from the people of God in gratitude for the message he or she is giving. This is offered by donations.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
 Does the teacher receive a commission for sales of his teaching?
 Does the teacher require a salary, payment and/or benefits package?
 Is the teacher not allowed to receive gifts or donations from those who benefit from the teaching?

9. The goal of the teaching is to create disciples of Jesus
Jesus said that the purpose of the ministry of the disciples is to “make disciples of all nations”. (Matthew 28:18-20). This is the only work that builds the kingdom of God, and the work Jesus wants us to do.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
 Does the ministry have goals other than building a community of disciples?
 Is the heart of the ministry other than making disciples, such as a building program, a political agenda, etc.?
 Does the ministry do anything, which discourages believers from being disciples?

10. Teaching is to be done with authority.
Jesus’ teaching was accompanied by healings and exorcisms. He said that the teaching of the disciples would be accompanied by healings and greater works.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
 Does the ministry or teacher try to stop works of the Spirit?
 Is there opportunity given for prayer for the sick or exorcisms?
 Is there evidence of the power of the Spirit among those in the ministry?
 Does the teacher speak with authority, or on the basis of scholarship?

11. Teaching is to be done in humility
Jesus taught against the Pharisees who loved titles and wanted the best places at the banquets. The true teacher of Jesus is humble, not seeking praise of men, but looking for God’s approval and reward alone.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
 Does the teacher allow his titles to be emphasized?
 Is the teacher trying to be popular?
 Does the teacher try to give himself positions of power?


12. Teaching is done in the context of service
Jesus said that the leaders of His church are to be servants, not "lords". This means that all in leadership need to be focused on the needs of the people and all leaders-- including teachers-- need to be participating in the lowly service of ministry.
Signs that a teaching ministry is not Christian:
Does the teacher refuse to do service because it isn't his "job" or "gifting"?
Does the teacher hold the poor in disdain?
Does the ministry not offer any real help to the needy?