Submission and Authority
By
I
think it is important to understand just what the Scriptures say about
submission and authority. I believe one can only gain this understanding by
actually studying what the Bible says for themselves and not what one has been
taught by most Pastors and Churches.
Having
experienced several less than positive interactions with Churches and Pastors
myself in regard to these issues I decided to be as those in Berea (Acts
17:10-11) whom the Scripture says “Were more Noble”, because they “Searched the
Word out” and I began to study this Topic for myself to really conclude in my
heart and mind what God has to say in His Word about these very important
issues. This short article is a synopsis of my findings. The verse most often
used by Pastors to support their idea of “obeying the pastor” is as follows:
Hebrews
13:17
Obey them that have
the rule over you, & submit yourselves : for they watch for your souls, as
they that must give account , that they may do it with joy, & not with
grief; for that is unprofitable for you.
Of
course, many Christians like myself are all to familiar with this verse and how
it has been wielded over the years by Pastors and churches in an effort to get
Christians to Submit to, & do as their Pastor says because He himself,
believes that He is God’s man Placed over them to “Speak all Spiritual Guidance
& direction into their lives”.
Here
is an excerpt of my study in hope that you will come to the same understanding
and freedom that I have in regard to these issues.
There are six words in
the New Testament translated as “obey”. To make this easy to follow I will use
only the Strong’s Concordance Dictionary numbers instead of including the
actual Greek words.
544- willfully
disbelieve – unpersuadable
3980 – persuaded by
ruler (a ruler is one in political rank or
power
3982
– persuade by argument
5218 – compliance –
submission
5219 – conform to
command or authority
5255 – submissive –
listen attentively
Hebrews
13:17 uses 3982 (persuade by argument)
NOT 5219 (conform to command or authority),
NOR is it 3980 (persuaded
By ruler), as many Pastors lead
Christians to believe.
I
have also included a short quote out of Vines Expository Dictionary in regard
to the subject of “obey” in reference to Strong’s number 3982
“2.
peitho ^ 3982 ^ “to persuade, win over,” in the passive &
middle voices , “to be persuaded, to listen to, to obey” is used
with this meaning in the middle voice, e.g.,
in (in, passive
voice,” they agreed”);. The “obedience”
suggested is not by
submission to authority, but resulting from
persuasion.”
(from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of
Biblical Words)
(Copyright© 1985 , Thomas Nelson Publishers)
I
find it interesting that the negative aspect of obey (544 – “willfully
disbelieve”)is not used. I think one could safely make the argument that to be
as the “Bereans” & yet honestly be unpersuaded does not automatically
qualify you as being unpersuadable ( # 544 “willfully disbelieving”). Yet there
are only a few instances where this term is used & it refers to not being
persuaded by, as actively disbelieving, the truth(of God).
To
label someone as unpersuadable simply because they have not been convinced your
arguments are correct (or line up with scripture) is wrong….& simply the
most wrongful
application
of Hebrews 13:17 one could devise.
Hebrews
13:17 does NOT mean you must follow everything a Church or Pastor hands down as
Doctrine or “God’s word’s Spoken into your Life”. It just means that you should
rightly submit AFTER you have been “Berean” & been convinced they are
correct.
I
will add, that I quickly perused the Englishman’s Concordance & found that
#3982 (Persuade by argument) was
More
frequently translated as some tense of “persuade”. The translation to “obey” is
by far the least used translation of this word in the King James.
Contrast
most Pastors’ usage of Hebrews 13:17 to the following passage.
Mark 10:39-45
And they said unto
Him, “we can.” And Jesus said unto
them, “Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; & with the baptism
that I am baptized withal shall ye be
baptized: but to sit on my right hand & on my left hand is not mine to
give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be
much displeased with James & John.
But
Jesus called them to Him, & saith unto them, ye know that they which are
accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; & their
great ones exercise authority upon them.
But
so shall it not be among you; but whosoever will be great among you , shall be
your minister:
And
whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
For
the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, & to give
his life a ransom for many. (KJV)
Also
a study of the following companion verse to Mark 10:42
Would
shed further enlightenment on the subject.
Luke 22:25
And He said unto them,
“The King of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; & they that exercise authority upon them are called
benefactors.” (KJV)
I
believe a whole separate study could be done on “exercise authority” &
“benefactors”
In
summary, I believe that most Pastors’ interpretation of Hebrews 13:17 is
summarily done away with by these passages in Mark & Luke all by
themselves.
Return to BAS Homepage · Craig's Bible Studies · E-mail Craig · Write Us · Writings & Links to BAS Friends · Q & A · Return to Top of This Page