For the orderly functioning of life we need to have some order and functions. Our world is divided by different hierarchical posts.
In the world of the churches there are also several posts and in many denominations those in such positions often think they are higher than others and people have to listen to them and have to do what church dictates to them.
In Christianity we can see that at the beginning it was part of Judaism.
Jesus was a respected rabbi and considered by his followers as the sent one from God who had received the
authority from the Most High in heaven.
When Jesus was gone the apostles were given
special Holy Spirit powers to exercise authority as well. An outstanding example
was the drama with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11) who told lies to
the Apostles, but Peter said, “You have not lied to men but to God”
(verse 4).
In today’s
reading of the 11th chapter of Mark we read
“as he (Jesus) was walking in the
temple, the chief priests and the scribes and elders came to him and
they said to him,
‘By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority
to do them?’” (verses 27-28).
Priest and scribes were considered as the highly placed ones having authority to dictate to the people. According to them no one was
supposed to teach unless they gave them authority. This is one reason
why John the Baptist went into the wilderness to preach. It was this
exercise of authority that saw the disciples thrown into prison when
they taught in the temple (Acts 4:1-3) although later, such was the
prestige of the Apostles, created by their miracles, that dramatic
scenes unfolded. (Acts 5:12,13,17-20), but “none of the rest dared join
them”.
History shows that as the early believers evolved into
large established churches these churches too began to exercise an
attitude of authority climaxing in the power of the Pope and the
cardinal system. In the Middle Ages, if you were not appointment by
church authorities to minister in a church, you had no authority to
preach.
Some, such as John Bunyan, were put in prison for doing so.
When we look at the gospels we can find examples where it is made clear by Jesus that his followers will have to take up tasks. He also sent them out into the world, something which is too often forgotten today.
We read at the end of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus said,
“Go into all
the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved
…” (16:15,16).
That authority is given to everyone, so we all have the
responsibility to share our faith.
Paul challenges us when he expresses
this responsibility in the bluntest terms,
“Woe is me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16).
- based on the Today's thought “Who gave you this authority?” (February 15) by the Christadelphian
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