“Divination is upon the lips of the king; in his judgment he does not act unfaithfully with his mouth.”
~Proverb 16.10
When I say “authority,” what images come to your mind? Those images have a great deal to do with how you have related to authorities throughout your life. If authorities in your life abused their authority, your reaction will be negative. Any time someone exercises authority, you will connect that with the abuses of the past. If your authorities were negligent, you will believe that authorities can’t be trusted. If you have had good relationships with authorities, you will tend to trust people … maybe even too much.
Though our thinking is inevitably and understandably shaped by our experiences, all of our thinking about authority and authorities must be shaped by the Scriptures.
Proverbs 16.10 assumes a great deal about authority that is reflected throughout the many proverbs that speak to the issue of rule. Solomon teaches his son, the prince, what authority is and how it is to be exercised to bring about God’s wise order. “Divination” refers to a “divine oracle.” The king speaks as a representative of God. In this proverb, Solomon is referring to a wise king who understands that authority, has meditated on the Law of God day and night as he is instructed to do (Dt 17.18-20), and, therefore, reflects the authority of God himself. When he speaks in concert with the Law, the throne of God stands behind his judgments. His mouth is the mouth of God.
Packed into this proverb are many principles about authority. First, all authority comes from God. Authority is not the invention of men, nor is it a necessary evil imposed upon men after the fall. There is an economy of authority within the Trinity that exists for all eternity. This authority is imaged as God creates and establishes authority structures within his creation, whether that be the man over the non-human world or the man in relationship to the woman. Paul tells us, for example, that the authority of the man over the woman is established by when and how the man and woman were created, not because of their sin (1Cor 11.2-16; 2Tm 2.8-15). Authority is an unavoidable reality in our relationships and must be exercised faithfully if we are to complete the mission God gave us.
Second, God has all authority, and he delegates his authority to anyone who has authority. All authorities are his representatives. Authorities may lie or tell the truth about God by the way they exercise authority, but they represent God as authorities. This authority begins with the individual who is created as the image of God. As the image of God, you are given the authority and corresponding responsibility to represent God faithfully. As we increase in authority, the weight of responsibility grows. You will be called to account in the judgment for how you used the authority God granted you. Were you a faithful steward of his authority? Death will be the closing of the books and your court date (Heb 9.27).
Third, granting authority demands responsibilities of authorities and those under authority. For those who have authority over others, there are obvious responsibilities of commanding and enforcing the boundaries God sets up in his word. The magistrate, who is a minister of God (Rom 13.4), must use his authority to punish evil according to God’s standards. Murder, for example, should be punished by capital punishment. Authorities are not free to judge according to their own whims or by consensus vote.
Authorities not only are to act punitively, but they are to also provide everything within their authority so that the people under their authority can play their part in God’s mission. Husbands must provide wives with what they need to fulfill wifely duties. Parents must give instruction and the tools needed for children to obey. Pastors must teach and administer the sacraments faithfully so that God’s people are sufficiently guided to live the lives they ought. Government officials must protect the freedom of citizens or subjects so that they can fulfill their callings. Authorities help create and protect space for those under their authority to assume their authority in God’s mission.
Those under authority have responsibilities as well. God never calls for us to blindly obey earthly authorities. For this reason, it is required of those under authority to have knowledge of what authority is and how it is to be judged by God’s standards. You must think and think with the right standard. Each person will give an account to God (Rom 14.12), and, therefore, is responsible for decisions made relating to authority. You will not be able to lay all the blame on an authority. He will be held responsible for his part, but you will give an account for yours.
Those under authority are also called to obey. When an authority operates within the boundaries God establishes, his is the voice of God. To disobey him is to disobey God (Rom 13.2; cf. also Ex 20.12; Eph 6.1). Mere discomfort in obedience is not the standard by which he is to be judged. Is he within his God-given authority to command or forbid what he is commanding or forbidding? If he is, then he must be obeyed. If he is not, he should be disobeyed even when that brings negative consequences.
Because authority is not merely punitive but is to provide what subordinates need, the proper response to authority is to be a faithful steward. Children are to respond to their parents by conforming to what their parents are shaping them to be. Wives are to be good stewards of the home with what the husband provides. Church members are to listen and apply what they are taught. Citizens or subjects are to take advantage of the freedoms protected in order to cultivate the creation.
Authority structures have mutual responsibilities. When authorities and those under authority understand those responsibilities and work together, peace is the fruit. When there is a defiance of those responsibilities from either side, chaos reigns. Walk carefully and prayerfully in all of your relationships with authority. You will stand before God to give an account of how you used and/or responded to his authority.
Photo by Tomáš Nožina on Unsplash
