Equality With An Order Of Authority
In Part 1 of these articles on Equality, Lesley Ramsay presented the argument that differences between men and women are an essential part of their God given equality, and that to deny the differences is dangerous to women. In this article I will address the issue of how an order of authority does not undermine equality.
The world and authority
Increasingly “authority” has become a bad word in our society. It conjures up an image of domination and oppression. As our society becomes increasingly polarised to see people as victim or oppressor, we want to favour the oppressed and condemn the oppressor. Subconsciously authority becomes the identifier of the oppressor and inherently wrong.
In contrast, our culture also idolises the powerful and sees authority as desirable. The rich, the famous, the talented, the influencer, those in high powered jobs or positions of authority are seen as the elite and we aspire to be like them.
In the first, authority is negative as it is viewed as oppression. In the second, authority is positive as an attractive form of power. Both views of authority are very different to the model of authority that we see in the Bible.
The Bible and authority
God is the ultimate authority. He made the world and everything in it and so rules the world. Because he made mankind in his image, we rule the creation (Genesis 1:28) under his authority, but the problem is that our rule is now flawed due to sin. The instances of human authority that are damaging to the world, to society and to individuals are due to this flaw. When anyone uses authority to be abusive, authority itself is not the problem – it’s a problem of a sinful heart.
But authority is still a good thing. God gives it to us to exercise (Romans 13:1-2), for the good of his creation (Hebrews 13:17) and eventually we’ll give an account to Him as to how we’ve used it. Delegated authority comes to governing authorities (1 Peter 2:14, Romans 13:4); to congregational leaders (James 3:1, Hebrews 13:17); and to parents (Colossians 3:20-21). In each of these examples it is not absolute power and is exercised in specific contexts and situations. For example, a father has authority over his child, but not authority over all children.
Jesus and authority
Jesus gives us the perfect model of authority that is not damaged by sin.
The Garden of Gethsemane is a good snapshot of Jesus submitting to authority. Firstly, Jesus willingly submitted to the authority of his father, “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36). Secondly, he placed himself under the authority of the Jewish leaders who arrested him, and later the Roman officials who crucified him. He did this for the purpose of saving us and he entrusted himself to the one who has ultimate authority (1 Peter 2:23, 24). Even though Jesus was the creator of the world and could have called on a legion of angels to rescue him, he chose to willingly submit to authority.
We can also see that when Jesus exercises authority, he is completely counter cultural.
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45
Jesus showed this sacrificial use of authority when he washed his disciples’ feet. John 13:3 describes Jesus’ absolute authority, “the Father had given all things into his hands”, and in the next verse he “laid aside his outer garments…and began to wash the disciples’ feet”. This is authority that is used to serve.
Those who are in authority are to serve. This is the opposite of the worldly view of authority where those in authority expect those under them to serve them. Jesus’ view of authority comes with a responsibility to lovingly serve. It involves giving of yourself for the benefit of another.
Equality and Authority
So, can you have equality with authority? With a worldly view of authority, no, because the one in authority is greater than those in submission. But, with God’s view of authority, yes, because the one in authority serves those in submission. It is a beautiful, mutually compatible role of equal people expressing loving authority and willing submission.
As authority is given by God for a purpose, one may be in authority in one context, and in a different context in submission. This does not undermine their equality. For example, a police officer sitting in church is under the authority of the minister. But when the police officer is on duty and pulls over the same minister for speeding, the police officer is in authority. Their equality as people is not limited by either expression of authority.
Equality and the Trinity
The Trinity is the most perfect expression of this equality with authority. Father, Son and Spirit are all equally God. However, within the Trinity there is an order of authority. The Father sends the Son (John 3:16). The Son obeys the Father (Mark 14:36). The Father and the Son give the Spirit (John 14:16, 16:7). The Son glorifies the Father (John 14:13). The Spirit glorifies the Father and the Son (John 16:14). The Father is in authority over the Son and the Spirit, and the Son is in authority over the Spirit.
If the ultimate authority, God the Father, Son and Spirit, can have equality with authority, it is a model that we can too. Granted, our sin damages our expression of authority, but that is not a reason to throw out the Biblical model.
Equality, authority, men and women
So how do these ideas of equality with an order of authority impact our relationships between men and women?
Do all men have authority over all women? No! Authority is expressed in a relational context for a purpose. My husband has authority over me to love me and care for me. My minister has authority over me to teach me. My friend sitting beside me in church does not have authority over me, and I may even have authority over him if we are working together on a church gardening project that I’m responsible for.
Does the authority of my husband or my minister mean that we are not equal? No! We are equal in bearing the image of God. We are equal in worth and dignity and equally need to be treated with respect. The authority that my husband and my minister have is a responsibility for them to self-sacrificially serve me for my good, and the good of the whole body of Christ. Authority is not a badge of power and greater importance. It is a responsibility to be a humble servant.
Let us all, men and women, work together to delight in living out God’s good order of authority with equality.
Sarah Sholl, with her husband Peter and 3 daughters, spent 12 years in Mexico with CMS. Her great delight in those years was reading the Bible with women, talking about Jesus and seeing women grow in their understanding of grace, and training Bible study leaders.
Before that she was doing much the same as a minister’s wife in Sydney. Now a member of Summer Hill Church, she continues to read the Bible with women, mostly CMS missionaries on home assignment.