Matthew 11:28. ‘A Man under Authority’
A recent e-mail from a student worker analysed the thinking of students today. One striking factor was,
“They dislike all authority.”
Another youngster said of his generation,
“They’re not impressed by authority. So for instance they don’t see why they should be interested in the Bible.”
‘Anarchism’ is a political philosophy and movement that rejects all involuntary, coercive forms of hierarchy. Radically it calls for the abolition of the state which it holds to be undesirable, unnecessary and harmful. It became a ‘worker’s’ movement, alongside Marxism, and at times was also violently militant. Both Marxism and Anarchism developed because people wanted to live without being under authority - but this is not possible, all that happens is the ruler changes. We saw from communism that it has given rise to even worse forms of tyranny than that which was replaced. Eastern European countries thought they were being liberated in 1917 but the effect was the very opposite.
The problem is that man is naturally selfish and without some pressure, either from coercion or from retribution, civilisation would be destroyed. Some form of policing and judicial system is essential. We do need strong governments, weak governments are a disaster for a society. Alan Richardson said in his fine little book, ‘The Political Christ’,
“Without strong government, human life would be, as Thomas Hobbs and the biblical realists agree, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.”
William Temple, who was one of the most astute Archbishops of Canterbury once said,
“It is desirable that government should be just, it is essential that it should be strong.”
Some may prefer to change what is desirable and what is essential in this statement but surely both strength and justice are needed for good government.
The point is that all people need to live under authority and yet naturally we don’t like this because we want to be independent. Parents, schoolteachers, bosses at work and governments must have the authority to rule. Many of us have suffered under unfair and even cruel authorities and that can further exacerbate our dislike of authority but nonetheless, some authority over us is clearly vital. For example, driving on our roads would be chaotic if there were no authority and rules.
Leith Samuel was one of the great Christian teachers of students in the 1960s. He deliberately chose as the title of his autobiography,
“A Man Under Authority.”
To become a Christian means to voluntarily submit to the authority of God over our lives. Just as a young horse has to be ‘broken in’ or disciplined to be of any use, so do human beings. A spoilt child is not only unpopular but will become a real problem unless learn to live under authority. I have just been re-reading Dr James Dobson’s book “Straight Talk to Men and their Wives” where he stresses the need for all children to be brought up under loving constraint. He claims that, without this, they will not understand how to live happily in society. He tells the story of a strong willed, rambunctious child who was taken see a paediatrician. Before the consultation a nurse weighed and measured the boy and took a short medical history.
“Tell me, Mrs Ortlund, how is he sleeping?”
The boy interrupted and answered on his own behalf,
“I sleep very well.”
“How’s his appetite, Mrs Ortlund?”
Again the boy took over,
“I eat everything.”
“And how are his bowels, Mrs. Ortlund?’
The boy responded,
“A, E, I, O, U.”
There is an independence that is important, but when this becomes wilful and selfish it becomes dangerous and must be curbed.
Yokes
Jesus said,
“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-29
A yoke is some form of authority. Originally it was a wooden device used to harness two oxen together to enable them to pull a plough together. Jesus probably used this idea because it comes in the Old Testament. God told Jeremiah to go up and down the streets of Jerusalem and search everywhere,
“If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.” Jeremiah 5:1
People were still a bit religious but this did not influence the way they lived,
“Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, still they swear falsely.” Jeremiah 5:2
Jeremiah wondered if this was because the people were poor and ignorant,
“I thought, ‘These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.” Jeremiah 5:4
“ ‘So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.’ But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke and torn off the bonds.” Jeremiah 5:5
Clearly the ‘yoke’ was what God requires of people, however they wanted to be just as independent of God as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden. If we are to live peaceful, happy, victorious, fruitful ives we must accept the yoke that God places us under.
Jesus himself lived under three yokes.
1. The Yoke of human authority
As Jesus was growing up he was tempted ion every way that we are. Yet we read,
“Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.” Luke 2:51
The New English Bible is a patchy translation, probably because it was made by a committee, some bits are good and other parts not so good, but here it translates the Greek very well,
“ . . . under their authority.”
Jesus learned to live under the authority of his parents. Obedience to the Lord Jesus is axiomatic of Christian discipleship in the New Testament. Jesus repeatedly said,
“If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” John 14:21
“If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.” John 14:23
It is no coincidence that after stressing the need for obedience that he talks about the peace that his followers will experience. This is the peace that comes from living under God’s authority.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
Our peace and security comes when we are living as God wants us to. We are meant to live under God’s yoke. This is how we can bring peace to people. Peace in the New Testament is usually an inner peace. Surely this is why Jesus said in the Beatitudes,
“Blessed are the peace-makers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9
To introduce people to their Lord and help them live under his authority is the task of the church. No wonder Jesus goes on to say that his people will be persecuted, people naturally hate the idea of God’s authority over them.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” Matthew 5:11
Ephesians
Successful families have to learn to live subordinately to each other. Paul expounds this idea at some length in Ephesians 5, a chapter often preached on at wedding services. It includes a sentence that some feminists object to,
“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:22
But Paul wisely prefaces this teaching with,
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:21
He also follows it with a directive for husbands,
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for here, to make her holy . .” Ephesians 5:25
In the following chapter Paul emphasises the need for obedience of children to their parents and of slaves to their masters, but adds that even those who own slaves must treat them respectfully because we know that everyone is living under God’s authority. Whoever we are, we are all to ‘submit to one another out of reverence for Christ’ (Ephesians 5:21).
1 Peter
Peter also emphasises the importance of submitting to authorities. When discussing how Christians should live in this world, he begins with the problem of sin,
“Dear friends, I urge you, as strangers and aliens in this world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against you soul.” 1 Peter 2:11
Christians must not be weak in our battle against sin but singleminded and clear thinking.
Christians must live in society so as to win the respect of those around us. We must not live as recluses but be seen to live honourably,
“Live such good lives among the heathens that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:12
This will mean being law-abiding citizens. Being under grace does not mean we are not under the laws of our society.
“Submit yourselves to every authority instituted among men, whether to the king, as th supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.” 1 Peter 2:13
The same goes at work,
“Slaves (or servants), submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.” 1 Peter 2:18
The same goes in families,
“Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behaviour of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.” 1 Peter 3:1
The same goes for church elders,
“Be shepherds of God’s flock, serving as overseers . . .” 1 Peter 5:2
Even the presbyters, those with responsibilities for controlling and teaching the churches, must be its servants.
The same goes for the young men in the church, those perhaps most prone to be independent,
“Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.” 1 Peter 5:5
Dean Selwyn wrote in his brilliant commentary on 1 Peter,
“The New Testament ethic is a subordinationist ethic.”
We must all serve each other.
Modern Society
This emphasis in the Bible is not popular in modern societies. Feminism longs for equality and independence. Anarchism seeks to do away with authorities. The bible stresses that men and women are of equal worth in God’s eyes but are complementary to men, both in homes and churches.
The Children’s Rights movement considers that authority is harmful to children. Their objectives are outlined in a ‘Child’s Bill of Rights’ have been paraphrased thus,
1. Children should have the right to make all their own decisions. Thus it proposes the abolition of parental leadership
2. Children of any age should have the right to live where they chose. A three year old would have the right to live with a neighbour who bought him sweets.
3. Children of any age should have the right to vote and be involved in any decisions that affect their lives (whether governmental, ecclesiastical, educational, medical or familial.)
4. Children should have access to any information that is available to adults. No pornography or violence should be shielded from a child.
5. Children should be permitted to engage in any sexual activity that is legal for their parents.
6. Children should never be spanked under any circumstances, whether at school or at home.
This list goes on and can be read in Dr Dobson’s ‘Straight Talk to Men and their Wives’ page 61.
You might think this is a list of radical extremists but it is now being slowly absorbed into the west. In 1979 the Swedish government passed a law in their parliament, by 259 votes to 6, that prohibits ‘any act, which, for the purpose of punishing, causes the child injury or pain, even if the disturbance is mild and passing.’ This means parents may not spank or otherwise punish their children! This doctrine is slowly spreading. The next thing will be that children should be able to divorce their parents. Dr Dobson says that Sweden has passed this law too!
Such changes are attacking a God-given pattern of life. Parents must train their children and teach them to respect authority. Are we not beginning to reap what we have sown =in our school classrooms and in the behaviour of some youngsters today. How cruel can we be to them.
Dr Dobson also recounts the story told him by an American attorney about his six year old son.
“Last Friday night, my wife, Becky, told him to pick up some orange peelings he had left on the carpet, which he knows is a ‘no-no.’ He failed to respond, and as a result received one slap on his behind, whereupon he began an obviously defiant temper tantrum.
Since I had observed the whole episode, I then called for my paddle and applied it appropriately, saw to it that he picked up and properly disposed of the orange peelings, and sent him straight to bed, since it was already past his bedtime. After a few minutes, when his emotions had had a chance to settle down, I went to his room and explained that God had instructed all parents who truly love their children to properly discipline them, etc., and that we truly love him and therefore would not permit such defiant behaviour.
The next morning, after I had gone to work, David presented his mother with the following letter, together with a little stack of ten pennies.
“From David and Deborah to Mom and Dad
Dear Mom and Dad
here is the 10 cints for patteling me when I really neded and that goes for Deborah to I love you
Love your son David and yur Doter Deborah
Throughout the world we are being taught a ‘me first’ philosophy. Frank Sinatra said it musically in his song,
“I did it my way.”
Sammy Davis Jnr followed this sentiment with,
“I’ve gotta be me.”
Robert Ringer followed this up with his book ‘Looking out for Number 1’ which became a best seller in the USA for nearly a year. Now there are so many books, articles and films encouraging promiscuity, open marriages and a self centred lifestyle. No wonder people are increasingly unhappy and relationships are increasingly unstable. We need to take God’s yoke back on us.
Political Christianity
Christians were at the forefront of the abolition of the slave trade and slavery. They were at the forefront of the abolition of child labour and the introduction of schools for all. Hospitals and caring for the sick were spearheaded by Christians.. there must be political implications of God’s rule in our lives, but the gospel is not political, it is about the Lord Jesus and his redemptive work for us on the cross and his Lordship of his world. Everything then comes out from this. Liberation theology does not emphasise that the good news is about who Jesus is, about the rule of Jesus in our hearts and establishing his kingdom. It is largely political about changing who rules but is seldom centred on putting Jesus Christ at the centre of people’s lives.
2. The Yoke of Holy Scripture
When the devil tempted Jesus when he was alone in the wilderness for forty days, he suggested,
“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Matthew 4:3
Jesus answered by emphasising that he live under the authority of God’s word,
“It is written: Man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
Jesus believed in the verbal inspiration of Scripture, he talks of: “ . . . every word that comes form the mouth of God.”
Jesus is not attacking satan with a bible text, as if it were a bullet, Jesus is speaking to himself, he is saying that Scripture is the yoke that he lives under. Jesus clearly loved and studied the Jewish Scriptures and he often quotes from it. This quotation is from the book of Deuteronomy, which describes the time God’s people spent forty years being tested by God in the wilderness!
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you. Deuteronomy 4:2-5
Jesus knew, because he knew his Bible, that this was a lesson for himself. When he wondered why he was there in the desert, so soon after his baptism and his commissioning by his Father, the answer was clear, it was to test him to see if he would really go god’s way when the pressure was on him. Jesus was soaked in Scripture. It is a lesson we all need to learn,
“. . . to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 4:3
This is the yoke for all God’s people. Today physical needs such as food are considered to be more important that spiritual food, but the bible stresses that we can depend on our heavenly Father. If he wants us to live we will live, if he doesn’t want us to live, however careful we are we cannot prevent our death. Of course we must be wise but ultimately everything is in his hands. We are totally dependant on God. Didn’t Jesus say,
“So do not worry, saying, what shall we eat? or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ for the pagans run after all these things and you heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well.” Matthew 6:31-33
Many people’s lives today are full of fear and phobias. The life of faith frees us from fear. Our lives are not in our hands, our heartbeat is not under our control.
If we, like Jesus are living under the yoke of Scripture, reading it, studying it, coming to understand the mind of God and then obeying what he teaches, then we have learned the secret of life.
3. The Yoke of His Heavenly Father
Jesus always lived in tune with the wishes of his Father. Jesus said to some Jews who were persecuting him,
‘I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself.; he can only do what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. . . that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father.” John 5:19
In one respect only Jesus could say this because he alone was perfectly obedient. However this is what Christians should aspire to. Jesus goes on to say,
“. . . for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” John 5:30
“When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” John 8:28-29
This perfect man says that everything he has known has been taught him by God and everything he does is dependant on his Father. He did not do anything outside his Father’s will. In contrast we are like an untrained dog, always pulling on the lead to go our own way. We are like that with our heavenly Father but when I keep in close step with my heavenly Father, then I will experience what it means to be full of the Holy Spirit.
This is a lesson and example for us. We will repeatedly fail to live in obedience to Christ but we need to keep coming back to our heavenly father, admit where we have gone wrong and start again. We need to keep asking for his help to make us want to surrender to him.
What a great ideal this is, to learn to live, like Jesus, under these three yokes,
1. The Yoke of Human Authority
2. The Yoke of Holy Scripture
3. The Yoke of our heavenly Father
BVP
