Biblical Concept: Authority
Prologue
"If we
resort for a criterion to the different principles on which different forms of
government are established, we may define a republic to be, or at least may bestow
that name on, a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly
from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their
offices during pleasure for a limited period, or during good behavior."
--James Madison, Federalist No. 39
The
government of the United States of America was designed to be different than
the authority described in many / most of the following Bible verses.
Explanatory
end parentheses are mine. There are lots
of them to read, for your understanding and application.
Authoritative
♠NAS Ecclesiastes 8:4 Since the word of the king is
authoritative, who will say to him, "What are you doing?" (Unless the King is the Lord Jesus Christ,
this could be a problem.) (In United States of America, from the early 1900’s
on, the goal of leftist leaders has been the usurping of constitutional
limitations on the federal
government. They do not want others with
the authority to say, “What are you
doing?”)
Authorities
NAS Luke 12:11 "And
when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities,
do not become anxious about how or what you should speak in your defense, or
what you should say; (Religious authorities opposed to the message of Jesus
Christ.)
NAS Acts 16:19 But when
her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas
and dragged them into the market place before the authorities, (Philippi: Religious authorities opposed to
the message of Jesus Christ play the political fear card.)
NAS Acts 17:6 And when
they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren
before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have upset the world
have come here also; (Thessalonica: Religious authorities opposed to the message of Jesus Christ play the
political fear card.)
8 And they stirred up
the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. (Thessalonica: Religious
authorities opposed to the message of Jesus Christ play the political fear
card.)
♠NAS Romans 13:1 Let every person be in subjection to the
governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those
which exist are established by God. (The context discusses Government, good,
and evil. The context supposes that
Government is good. See verses 1-7. Human history documents that government can
become evil. Divine
Regime Change is the
eventuality for evil government. The
government of the United States of America was designed to be different than
the authority described in many / most of the Bible verses in this study. We really can vote out evil leadership. Why do we not do this? Can we not recognize evil? Or, do we love the legalized theft provided
by government? Yes, me thinks. Some, me included, think America is becoming
a fascistic oligarchy—meaning that government is controlling commerce and
commerce is controlling government.)
♠NAS Ephesians 3:10 in order that the manifold wisdom of God might
now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the
heavenly places. (Authority angels.
There appears to be much volitional freedom in the Spiritual Universe.)
♠NAS Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both
in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or
dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created by Him and
for Him. (Authority angels. There
appears to be much volitional freedom in the Spiritual Universe.)
♠NAS Colossians 2:15 When He had disarmed the rulers and
authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them
through Him. (Jesus Christ over fallen
angels authority. There appears to be
much volitional freedom in the Spiritual Universe.)
♠NAS Titus 3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to
be ready for every good deed, (Subject = u`pota,ssw / hupotasso
= under-arrange. So, believers are to
arrange themselves under government for good-deeds. And if the government only allows certain
good deeds? Then: Acts
5:25-29 25 But
someone came and reported to them, "Behold, the men whom you put in prison
are standing in the temple and teaching the people!" 26 Then the captain went along
with the officers and proceeded to
bring them back without violence (for
they were afraid of the people, lest they should be stoned). 27 And when they had brought them,
they stood them before the Council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, "We gave you
strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and behold, you have
filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood upon
us." 29 But Peter and
the apostles answered and said, "We must obey God rather than men . . . 40b-42
and after calling the apostles in,
they flogged them and ordered them to speak no more in the name of Jesus, and then released them. 41 So they went on their way from
the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to
suffer shame for His name. 42 And every day, in the temple
and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.)
♠NAS 1 Peter 3:22 who is at the right hand of God, having
gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to
Him. (Jesus Christ over fallen angels authority. There appears to be much volitional freedom
in the Spiritual Universe.)
Authority
♠NAS Genesis 16:9 Then the angel of the LORD said to her,
"Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority." (Genesis 16:8 Hagar, Sarai’s
maid, mother of Ishmael. Sarai’s authority was harsh, verse 6.)
NAS Genesis 41:35
"Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming,
and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh's authority, and
let them guard it.
NAS Exodus 21:8 "If
she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who designated her for himself,
then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a
foreign people because of his unfairness to her.
NAS Numbers 5:19 'And
the priest shall have her take an oath and shall say to the woman, "If no
man has lain with you and if you have not gone astray into uncleanness, being
under the authority of your husband, be immune to this water of
bitterness that brings a curse;
20 if you, however,
have gone astray, being under the authority of your husband, and
if you have defiled yourself and a man other than your husband has had
intercourse with you"
29 'This is the law of
jealousy: when a wife, being under the authority of her husband,
goes astray and defiles herself,
♠NAS Numbers 27:20 "And you shall put some of your
authority on him, in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may
obey him. (God to Moses to Joshua,
new civil and military leadership for Israel.)
NAS Judges 9:29
"Would, therefore, that this people were under my authority! Then I would
remove Abimelech." And he said to Abimelech, "Increase your army, and come out."
NAS 2 Chronicles 23:18
Moreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of
the LORD under the authority of the Levitical
priests, whom David had assigned over the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt
offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses-- with rejoicing
and singing according to the order of David.
NAS 2 Chronicles 31:13
And Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers
under the authority of Conaniah and Shimei his brother by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and
Azariah was the chief officer of the
house of God.
15 And under his
authority were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah in the
cities of the priests, to distribute faithfully their portions to their
brothers by divisions, whether great or small,
NAS Esther 3:1 After
these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son
of Hammedatha the Agagite,
and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were
with him.
NAS Esther 9:29 Then
Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, with Mordecai the
Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter about Purim.
NAS Esther 10:2 And all
the accomplishments of his authority and strength, and the full account of the
greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in
the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia?
♠NAS Job 34:13 "Who gave Him authority over the earth? And who has laid on Him
the whole world? (God already has all authority!—silly humans.)
♠NAS Ecclesiastes 8:8 No man has authority to restrain the wind
with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in
the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it. (Man’s limited authority.)
♠ 9 All this I have seen and applied my mind to every
deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority
over another man to his hurt. (Power-lust is the usual course of events among humans.)
NAS Isaiah 22:21 And I
will clothe him with your tunic, And tie your sash securely about him, I will
entrust him with your authority, And he will become a father to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. (Yet another Hebrew King loses power.)
NAS Isaiah 30:30 And the
LORD will cause His voice of authority to be heard. And the descending of His
arm to be seen in fierce anger, And in the flame of a consuming fire, In
cloudburst, downpour, and hailstones. (One day silly humans will comprehend
God’s authority.)
♠NAS Jeremiah 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, And the
priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what
will you do at the end of it? (False religious authority.)
NAS Jeremiah 38:10 Then
the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying,
"Take thirty men from here under your authority, and bring up Jeremiah the
prophet from the cistern before he dies."
11 So Ebed-melech took the men under his authority and went into
the king's palace to a place beneath the storeroom and took from there
worn-out clothes and worn-out rags and let them down by ropes into the cistern
to Jeremiah.
NAS Daniel 5:7 The king
called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king
spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man who can read this
inscription and explain its interpretation to me will be clothed with purple,
and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third
ruler in the kingdom."
16 "But I
personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and
solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make
its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a
necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler
in the kingdom."
29 Then Belshazzar
gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of
gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had
authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.
NAS Daniel 11:3
"And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and
do as he pleases.
4 "But as soon as
he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four
points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according
to his authority which he wielded; for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given
to others besides them.
♠ NAS Habakkuk 1:6 "For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth To seize dwelling places which are not theirs. 7 "They are dreaded and feared. Their justice and authority originate with themselves.
♠NAS Matthew 7:29 for He was teaching them as one having
authority, and not as their scribes.
♠NAS Matthew 8:9 "For I, too, am a man under authority,
with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to
another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." (Note the Centurion’s authority orientation,
and spiritual wisdom, toward the Messiah in 8:5-13.)
♠NAS Matthew 9:6 "But in order that you may know that
the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins "-- then He said to
the paralytic-- "Rise, take up your bed, and go home." (Messiah’s authority: sins forgiven.)
♠ 8 But when the multitudes saw this, they were
filled with awe, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. (God-Man-Messiah-Healer, not authority to men.)
NAS Matthew 10:1 And
having summoned His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean
spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of
sickness. (Impressive Apostolic
authority.)
♠NAS Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them to Himself, and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great
men exercise authority over them. (In
the United States of America we could
vote them out.)
NAS Matthew 21:23 And
when He had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the
people came to Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are
You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?"
24 And Jesus answered
and said to them, "I will ask you one thing too, which if you tell Me, I
will also tell you by what authority I do these things.
27 And answering
Jesus, they said, "We do not know." He also said to them,
"Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
♠NAS Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them,
saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (The Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ = all and
everywhere authority.)
NAS Mark 1:22 And they
were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having
authority, and not as the scribes.
♠ 27 And they were all amazed, so that they debated
among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He
commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." (Jesus Christ = authority over demons.)
NAS Mark 2:10 "But
in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to
forgive sins "-- He said to the paralytic--
NAS Mark 3:15 and to
have authority to cast out the demons.
♠NAS Mark 6:7 And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs; and He
was giving them authority over the unclean spirits; (Apostolic authority.)
NAS Mark 10:42 And
calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, "You know that those who are
recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men
exercise authority over them.
(Democracies could vote them out.)
NAS Mark 11:28 and began
saying to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things, or who
gave You this authority to do these things?"
29 And Jesus said to
them, "I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I
will tell you by what authority I do these things.
33 And answering
Jesus, they said, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them,
"Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
NAS Luke 4:32 and they were
amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority.
36 And amazement came
upon them all, and they began discussing with one another saying,
"What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the
unclean spirits, and they come out."
NAS Luke 5:24 "But
in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to
forgive sins,"-- He said to the paralytic-- "I say to you, rise, and
take up your stretcher and go home."
NAS Luke 7:8 "For I,
too, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one,
'Go!' and he goes; and to another, 'Come!' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do
this!' and he does it."
NAS Luke 9:1 And He
called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the
demons, and to heal diseases.
NAS Luke 10:19
"Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions,
and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you.
♠ NAS Luke 12:4-5 4
"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the
body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 "But I will warn you whom
to fear: fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell;
yes, I tell you, fear Him! (Fear
the Authority of the Triune God of the Bible.) (Recall: Fear God.)
NAS Luke 19:17 "And
he said to him, 'Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a
very little thing, be in authority over ten cities.'
NAS Luke 20:2 and they
spoke, saying to Him, "Tell us by what authority You are doing these
things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?"
8 And Jesus said to
them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
20 And they watched
Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might
catch Him in some statement, so as to deliver Him up to the rule and the
authority of the governor.
NAS Luke 22:25 And He
said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have
authority over them are called 'Benefactors.'
(Benefactors in the Greek text
is a doer of good. America is filled with leftist leaders who
retain power because they do good for the people.)
NAS John 5:27 and He
gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.
(Father to Son authority.)
♠NAS John 10:18 "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own
initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up
again. This commandment I received from My Father." (Jesus Christ
authority over life and death.)
NAS John 17:2 even as
Thou gavest Him authority over all mankind, that to
all whom Thou hast given Him, He may give eternal life. (Jesus Christ authority of eternal life.)
♠NAS John 19:10 Pilate therefore said to Him, "You do not speak to me? Do You not
know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify
You?" (Roman Provincial Government:
Arbitrary Police State.) (The Thirteen
United States of America and their Declaration of Independence and the United
States Constitution protect the individual from arbitrary authorities—in
theory.)
♠ 11 Jesus answered, "You would have no authority
over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who
delivered Me up to you has the greater sin." (Greater sin for Jews than Romans.)
NAS Acts 1:7 He said to
them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has
fixed by His own authority; (Only God
has authority over time.)
NAS Acts 8:19 saying,
"Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my
hands may receive the Holy Spirit."
(New convert, Simon the magician.
Erroneous request.)
♠NAS Acts 9:14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call
upon Thy name." (Saul, authorized
religious persecutor.)
NAS Acts 26:10 "And
this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints
in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when
they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. (Saul, authorized religious capital
persecutor.)
12 "While thus
engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of
the chief priests,
NAS Romans 13:1 Let
every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no
authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
(Government or anarchy.)
2 Therefore he who
resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed
will receive condemnation upon themselves. (Government or anarchy.)
3 For rulers are not a
cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of
authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; (Government
or anarchy.) (Government is supposed to promote good.)
♠NAS 1 Corinthians 7:4 The wife does not have authority over her
own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not
have authority over his own body, but the wife does. (Mutual authority
in marriage sexuality.)
37 But he who stands
firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own
will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter,
he will do well. (Authority over your free will is a powerful gift from God. Free will sentience is a powerful gift from
God.)
♠NAS 1 Corinthians 11:10 Therefore the woman ought to have a
symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. (Humans, authority, and angels a
relationship.) (Do you not know we shall judge angels?)
♠NAS 1 Corinthians 15:24 then comes the end, when He delivers
up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all
authority and power. (Jesus has judged
the authority of angels.)
NAS 2 Corinthians 10:8
For even if I should boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord
gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I shall not be put to
shame, (Apostolic authority.)
NAS 2 Corinthians 13:10
For this reason I am writing these things while absent, in order that when
present I may not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord
gave me, for building up and not for tearing down. (Apostolic authority.)
♠NAS Ephesians 1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and
dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the
one to come. (Jesus Christ superior
authority.)
NAS Colossians 2:10 and
in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and
authority; (Jesus Christ superior authority.)
♠NAS 1 Thessalonians 2:6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from
you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted
our authority. (Apostle: Superior spiritual authority.)
♠NAS 1 Thessalonians 4:2 For you know what commandments we gave you
by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
(Apostle: Superior spiritual authority.)
NAS 1 Timothy 2:2 for
kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and
quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
(Authority promotes good.)
12 But I do not allow
a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
(Humans, authority, and angels a relationship.)
NAS Titus 2:15 These
things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard
you. (Apostolic authority for Timothy.)
NAS 1 Peter 2:13 Submit
yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as
the one in authority, (Context: 1 Peter
2:14 14 or
to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of
those who do right. Government authority
promotes good over evil. In the United
States, when authorities become evil, we can theoretically vote them out. Elsewhere, revolution against evil government
is the historical norm. Too often it is
just evil overthrowing evil.)
NAS 2 Peter 2:10 and
especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and
despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile
angelic majesties, (Spiritual anarchy
despises authority.)
NAS Jude 1:8 Yet in the
same manner these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject
authority, and revile angelic majesties. (Spiritual anarchy despises authority.)
25 to the only God our
Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and
authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (God is the authority.)
♠NAS Revelation 2:26 'And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My
deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; (Spiritual
reward: future authority. Note: As we
have seen elsewhere in this study--Matthew 20:26-27--authority will be given to
those not wanting it now.)
27 and he shall rule
them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as
I also have received authority from My Father; (Amen, come Lord Jesus.)
NAS Revelation 6:8 And I
looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death;
and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth
of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the
wild beasts of the earth. (Angels, powerful authority.)
NAS Revelation 11:3
"And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will
prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." (Moses and Elijah, two powerful authoritative
lives.)
NAS Revelation 12:10 And
I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power,
and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the
accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God
day and night. (Amen, come Lord Jesus.)
NAS Revelation 13:2 And
the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of
a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his
power and his throne and great authority. (Angels, powerful authority.)
4 and they worshiped
the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the
beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with
him?" (Angels, powerful authority.)
5 And there was given
to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies; and authority to act
for forty-two months was given to him. (Angels, powerful authority.)
7 And it was given to
him to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every
tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. (Angels, powerful
authority.)
12 And he exercises
all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth
and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was
healed. (Angels, powerful authority.)
NAS Revelation 17:12
"And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, who have not yet received
a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.
(Angels, powerful authority.)
13 "These have
one purpose and they give their power and authority to the beast. (Angels,
powerful authority.)
NAS Revelation 18:1
After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great
authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. (Angels, powerful
authority.)