THIS WEEK FROM REV FRANK GIFFEN

    Jesus and his disciples travelled to Capernaum and there, on the sabbath, Jesus went to the synagogue and taught. Those who had gathered to worship there were very impressed with his teaching, because, Mark tells us, "he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." [Mark 1:22] In the synagogue that day Jesus had already convinced the people of his authority, but when a deranged man called out for help and Jesus was able to cure him they marveled even more at the authority of Jesus' teaching.
    If we were visiting the village of Capernaum back in Jesus' day and asked people: "Who has authority here?" we would probably be told that there are some local governing officials who exercise a good deal of authority over people's lives, that there are some learned elders of the community who are greatly respected and whose words are usually heeded, but that in Capernaum, as it is everywhere in the Mediterranean world, real authority rests with the occupying Roman army. In the final analysis any question about authority goes all the way to Rome where the emperor exercises the highest authority. The emperor holds the ultimate authority because it is backed up by the power of his armies, by the threat of meting out severe punishment if anyone is foolish enough to challenge his authority. That is the usual way of measuring authority. Those who have power have authority. In any society there is bound to be some sort of police force that has an authority which can be exercised, if necessary, by physical force. On an international scale ultimate authority is wielded by war or the threat of war.
    Needless to say, Jesus' authority is very very different. Those folk in Capernaum who heard him speak in their synagogue remarked that he spoke with an authority which was not like the scribes. The scribes' authority came from their office. They had the right, the authority, to pronounce on what they deemed to be true by virtue of their position in the synagogue and in the community. Jesus' authority was not based on his rank or position, certainly not on his ability to wield physical power. In fact the physical power of the emperor was eventually thrust directly against him and resulted in his untimely death by crucifixion. The emperor had an authority based on coercive power, the scribes had an authority based on the deference given their position, but Jesus' authority was grounded in something very different. In fact Jesus' authority was based on him being exactly the opposite of the emperor. The emperor exercised his authority by physical threats and coercion. Jesus exercised his authority by giving up any claim he might have to power or title.
    In his letter to the Philippians Paul describes Jesus' non coercive authority in this way: "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God." [Philippians 2:5‑11] Paul says that Jesus has been exalted by God and has the highest authority in heaven and earth, but not because he exercised power over others. Jesus is highly exalted because he was humble and obedient and lived a life of servanthood.
    There is a place in Matthew's gospel where the writer quotes Isaiah in order to describe the sort of authority Jesus exercised. [Matthew 12:18‑21] It is a passage in Isaiah where the prophet is describing a faithful servant of God who carries full authority from God but in the gentlest and most non violent way. This is how Isaiah describes God's gentle servant: "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; [yet] he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth." [Isaiah 42:1‑4] Matthew realized that Jesus embodied the same spirit of gentle servanthood which Isaiah described, fulfilling the role of the servant of God who does exercise authoritative leadership, who brings God's justice to the earth, but who does so in a completely non aggressive way, without any force or coercion. This servant of God is so gentle, so lacking in any physical force, that he cannot so much as break a bent reed or blow out a dimly burning wick.
    This is the way in which Jesus exercises authority and, more importantly for every one of us, it is the way in which Jesus invites his disciples also to exercise their responsibilities as his followers. In Matthew's gospel Jesus says this to his disciples: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." [Matthew 20:25‑28]
    Jesus spoke and acted with the authority of humility and service to others, and he invited his disciples to exercise that same style of authority in carrying forward his ministry. In the gospel of Luke we read that, "Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal." [Luke 9:1‑2] And in John's gospel Jesus commissions his disciples with these words: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." [John 20:21] Jesus sent out his first disciples to carry forward his ministry and Jesus continues to send his disciples into the world to be the bearers of his gospel of love. What Jesus wants of his disciples in all generations is that they carry his gospel into the world by exercising the same style of authority which he commended in his teachings and demonstrated in his life. Unfortunately Christians have all too often fallen into the trap of thinking that the emperor's authority is the one to be imitated, because it is real authority, and so in the name of Jesus Christians and the Church have employed coercion and intimidation and physical force and even the ultimate violence of war under the woefully false conception that they are doing God's will and furthering God's kingdom.
    Jesus has an authority that is based on absolutely no coercion or
intimidation or use of force or even the threat of force. And yet his authority is persuasive and compelling because he leads by example, showing the world that there is a profound depth of truly effective authority in turning the other cheek when challenged, in loving ones enemies when spitefully used, in always treating others with humility and gentleness. St. Paul says that we should have the same mind in us that Jesus had who did not boast of his equality with God in order to exert his authority. Instead he preached and practiced a life of humility and service and obedience, even to the point of sacrificing his life. It is this self emptying and humility that is the source of his authority and also the pattern for our lives.