Mark 10:42 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.” (NIV)
The Gentile rulers, to whom Jesus referred, would be Roman. Jesus and His disciples certainly saw and felt the harshness of Roman rule. Understandably, Jews dreamed of a Messianic rule that turned the tables on the Romans and would give them a taste of their own medicine. James and John, the “Sons of Thunder” who offered to send down fire from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village (Luke 9:54), had just asked Jesus to grant them the two highest seats of honor in Messiah Jesus’ kingdom. Jesus told them that the two seats would be seats of suffering (cup and baptism) as they followed His suffering. But, those two seats were for those foreordained to have them.
The other ten disciples were naturally “hacked-off” at James and John, and this led to the words of Jesus (above). Two questions dominated the Roman vision of society:
Who has power and authority?
How is society organized?
The answer to the first was always, “We do!” Who were the “we?” Those who were high ranking among the Patricians would rule. Who were never the “we?” The plebeians, although they may be talented, bright, and even wealthy, would never rule. Roman society was tightly organized to reflect such values with a pyramidal structure, that had the emperor at the top, while down at the bottom were the multitude of Roman slaves (who were considered property without rights).(1) Those views were never to be those of the Jesus community. Sadly, they too often would be.
When Rome finally made Christianity its state religion, moving churches from homes into basilicas,(2) they succeeded in Romanizing the church. Women, and “lower” classes, suffered exclusion. Galatians 3:28 virtually disappeared. Much of that remained, even after the Reformation. The problem wasn’t Rome nearly as much as it was fallen human nature that wills to have power.
The Restoration Movement spent a lot of time and energy on the organization of the church. They eliminated “offices” they did not find in the New Testament (and a couple they did find).(3) Those changes didn’t change human nature, and we have had our share of those who want seats of power. I am now ashamed that, thinking the church needed a good businessman, I helped facilitate an abusive controller to be an elder.
But, we might say, aren’t elders supposed to rule? “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor…” (1 Timothy 5:17a NRSV). The word translated “rule” can carry the idea of authority, but in 1 Timothy it is used of those who lovingly manage their households. Now, notice what comes next, “especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (NRSV). There is no hint of a dictator here!
Here is a great passage from one elder to his fellow elders:
1 Peter 5 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.” (NIV)
It seems that Peter remembered the words of Jesus. What about power and authority? The passage ends with this doxology:
5:11 To him [the God of all grace] be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
That’s Who has power! It’s not very Roman, but it’s very Christian!
Tim Kelley
(1) https://www.twinkl.com/teaching-wiki/roman-social-classes-pyramid
(2) An oblong building ending in a semicircular apse used in ancient Rome especially for a court of justice and place of public assembly. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basilica)
(3) They considered apostles and prophets (Ephesians 4:11) to be active only during the New Testament period.