Bible in 90, Day 71: You’re not the boss of me!

Matthew 27 – Mark 9

image courtesy of txpotato at stock.xchng

“You’re not the boss of me!”

Did you ever use that one when you were a kid?  I know I did.  We may not have realized it at the time, but when we uttered those words, we were striking at an important concept.

Authority.

You see, there is power, and then there’s authority.  Power can be seized, wielded, and asserted.  Authority is either given by others, or possessed innately by virtue of who one is.  Power is the ability to do something.  Authority is the right to do something.  A dictator who has the power to lead a country may not have the authority to do so and so he leads by fear and not respect.  I may have the power/ability to cut off the electricity to my neighborhood, but I don’t have the authority/right to do so.  An adult may have the power to try and make a child do something, but without the authority to do so she’ll be sure to hear,

“You’re not the boss of me!”

Jesus had power, there is no doubt about this.  Look at the many miracles we read about today (especially Mark 5:30).  But Jesus also had authority.  Did you notice how many times that word kept popping up?  In Matthew 28, Jesus tells the disciples that all authority on heaven and earth had been given to Him.  In Mark 1, the people are amazed because Jesus is teaching with authority.  In chapter 2, Jesus demonstrates that He has authority to forgive sins.  In chapter 6, He gives authority to the apostles over the evil spirits.  You can’t give authority that you don’t already have!

There were also examples of Jesus’ authority where the word itself wasn’t present.  Jesus declares that He is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2).  He appoints 12 men as His apostles, even renaming a few of them (Mark 3).  The wind and the waves obey Him (Mark 4).  A legion of demons ask His permission before they enter the swine heard (Mark 5).

Authority can be given by those who will have it exercised over them, like when we elect the president or some other official.  Authority can also be given by one greater who already possesses authority, like when a manager makes an employee an assistant manager.  Jesus has authority both by virtue of who He is, and He was given His authority by the Father.

Let’s recognize that Jesus not only has power to do things in our lives, He also has the authority.  He is not an omnipotent dictator forcing His will onto our lives.  He is a benevolent King who possesses the authority to back His power.  Let’s recognize this authority, and submit ourselves to it.

originally at Words of Reason