In the most recent Touchstone magazine (Jan/Feb 2011), Peter J. Leithart writes a short essay in the Quodlibet "Department" of the magazine entitled "Under Authority".
"The humble centurion who comes to Jesus concerning his servant won't let Jesus come to his house. He explains that he knows the power of words, and trusts Jesus to heal his servant with a creative fiat.
"The way the centurion explains his refusal is curious. We would expect him to say, 'I am a man with authority,' but his explanation is different. 'I am a man under authority,' he says, and therefore the soldiers of his regiment obey his words. Because his words are backed up by the might of Caesar himself, they carry weight.
"In our culture of autonomy, we think we gain authority by resisting authority, but the opposite is true. Rebels can exercise power; they can terrorize. But they cannot exercise authority, because true authority requires submission. Jesus himself speaks with authority only because he is 'under authority,' because he speaks what his Father has given him to speak."
Since I think about these things a lot, I look forward to musing more about this thought in the context of being a husband and a father. And how does this relate to authority in the church? Hmm.
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