False Independence by John R.W. Stott
The Pharisees loved to be given deferential titles. It flattered them. It gave them a sense of superiority over other people. In contrast to them, Jesus said that there were three titles his disciples were not to assume or be given, 'Rabbi' (that is, teacher), 'father' and 'master'. What did Jesus mean by it?
Well, the father exercises authority over his children by reason of the fact that they depend on him. I suggest that what Jesus is saying is that we are never to adopt towards a fellow man in the church the attitude of dependence which a child has towards his father, nor are we to require others to be or become spiritually dependent upon us. [bold added] That this is what Jesus intended is confirmed by the reason he gives, namely 'for you have one Father, who is in heaven'. - John R.W. Stott
I would add to that since Christ is the head of the church, we should not have any other head over us. We are the body, and there is supposed to be leadership in the elders, but there should be no "spiritual dependance" upon another man.
Well, the father exercises authority over his children by reason of the fact that they depend on him. I suggest that what Jesus is saying is that we are never to adopt towards a fellow man in the church the attitude of dependence which a child has towards his father, nor are we to require others to be or become spiritually dependent upon us. [bold added] That this is what Jesus intended is confirmed by the reason he gives, namely 'for you have one Father, who is in heaven'. - John R.W. Stott
I would add to that since Christ is the head of the church, we should not have any other head over us. We are the body, and there is supposed to be leadership in the elders, but there should be no "spiritual dependance" upon another man.
posted by Xana Ender @ 9:00 AM
2 Comments:
At 8:19 PM,
TeaLizzy said…
And yet Christ acknowleges spiritual authority and instructs his disciples to obey those who "sit in the seat of Moses". Paul refers to himself as a father to many 'spiritual children.'
I understand what Stott is saying here, but I doubt there are any sane people on the planet who could honestly say that they depend on no one.
I think it is for very, very few to depend on someone as a small child does on his father--but I pity the man or woman who has no one he can respect and go to for guidance and perhaps even obey, as an adult child can the father that he knows, loves and respects.
At 1:45 PM,
Fr. A said…
What do you mean by spiritual dependence? I am not sure whether to agree with you or to disagree--because I can see different ways of understanding what you're saying.
As Christians, we are commanded to "obey them that have the rule over [us], and submit [ourselves]: for they watch for [our] souls, as those that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for [us]" (Heb. 13:17.
That asserts a fairly intense level of spiritual "dependence" on the authorities within the Church, one which is comparable to and perhaps exceeds the dependence of a child upon its father.
Conversely, submission, obedience and humility to the Church authorities is distinct from an actual spiritual dependence upon them as opposed to God. Properly, the authority and direction of a spiritual father/elder/priest/bishop is that of a guide in the relationship with God. There is a danger to both the "leader" and the layman of a sort of transference in which the cleric takes the place of God in the relationship--and this is certainly bad (and, I would argue, precisely what Christ is warning against here). Not even the most literal understanding of the granting of the power to bind and loose sins establishes or legitimizes such a relationship. Rather, leadership in the Church is a position of service, of sacrifice and of love, in which the leader guides his flock as a shepherd towards a deeper relationship with God. To quote Paul again, "For though you have ten thousand teachers in Christ, yet you have not many fathers; for to Christ Jesus, through the gospel, I have begotten you" (I Corinthians 4:15).
It is interesting to me to note that, as my wife pointed out, Christ does not, throughout this entire diatribe against the Pharisees, attack their authority to teach, but rather their abuse of that authority. The problem is not the existence of spiritual authority within the Church, but rather the usurpation of that authority for self-aggrandizement rather than service.
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