AUTHORITY
— the power or right to do something, particularly to give orders and see
that they are followed. The word “authority” as used in the Bible usually
means a person’s right to do certain things because of the position or
office held by that person. This word emphasizes the legality and right,
more than the physical strength, needed to do something.
The two basic forms of authority are intrinsic authority
(belonging to one’s essential nature) and derived authority (given to one
from another source). Since “there is no authority except from God” (Rom.
13:1), every kind of authority other than that of God Himself is derived and
therefore secondary to God’s power (John 19:11).
God’s authority is absolute and unconditional (Ps. 29:10;
Isaiah 40). He has authority over nature (Job 38), governments (Dan. 4:17,
34–35), and history (Acts 1:7; 17:24–31); and He has the power to send
people to hell (Luke 12:5). Jesus Christ has the same intrinsic authority as
the Father (John 10:25–30), although this authority is said to be given to
Christ from His Father, just as the authority of the Holy Spirit is given to
Him from the Father and the Son (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13–15).
Christ has the authority to forgive sins (John 5:26–27),
to lay down His life and take it up again (John 10:17–18), and to give
eternal life (John 17:2). The people were astonished at the authority Jesus
revealed when He taught and performed miracles (Matt. 7:28–29; 8:27; Luke
4:36).
In addition to the intrinsic authority of God, the Bible
speaks of many kinds of derived power. Some of the most important of these
are the authority of civil governments (Rom. 13:1–7), parents (Eph. 6:1–4),
employers (Eph. 6:5–9), church leaders (Heb. 13:7, 17), angels (Luke
1:19–20), Satan (Luke 4:6), and evil spirits other than Satan (Eph.
6:11–12). There are vast differences among these kinds of authority. Some
are permitted by God only for a time.
One derived authority is above every other kind of
derived authority, and that is the Bible. Because the Bible is inspired by
God (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20–21), it has divine power and authority. God
did not give the Scriptures to be read only, but to be believed and obeyed.
Christians are often given certain authority to exercise.
This includes the authority of a parent or a church leader. The most noble
use of authority is for serving others. “Let him . . . who governs,” Jesus
said, be “as he who serves. . . I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke
22:26–27). The Christian who seeks to follow Christ’s example will learn to
use authority with others more than over others. The wise Christian
remembers that all derived authority will one day be returned to the God who
gave it (1 Cor. 15:24–28). But the rewards of faithful service will endure
throughout eternity (1 John 2:17).
Youngblood, Ronald F. ; Bruce, F. F. ;
Harrison, R. K. ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nelson's New
Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville : T. Nelson, 1995