Key Verse: Mt 20:25-26 (Mk 10:42-43; Lk 22:25-26)
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you."
"You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you."
"The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that."
Theme: What is Christ-like Christian leadership like? It is interesting that Jesus' answer begins with a resounding negation.
Christ-like Christian leadership or shepherding does not lord over others or exercise authority over others. It NEVER intimidates, coerces, domineers, or dominates over subordinates, juniors, and "sheep." According to Jesus, there is NO hierarchy, authoritarianism, honorifics, or positional superiority, seniority or any peculiar or particular advantage for any leader in the church, because Christ is the ONLY head of the church (Eph 1:22, 5:23; Col 1:18). Under One Head, One Teacher, One Leader and One Father (Mt 23:8-10), everyone in the church from the oldest leader to the youngest member are all brothers and sisters in a family, which incidentally is the chief metaphor for the church in the NT (Gal 6:10; Rom 8:29; Eph 2:19; 1 Tim 3:15, 5:1-2; 1 Jn 2:12-13).
Notable quotes: Deficient Christian leadership leads to a deficient church. Henri Nouwen says, "Much Christian leadership is exercised by people who do not know how to develop healthy, intimate relationships and have opted for power and control instead. Many Christian empire builders have been people unable to give and receive love." Frederick Buechner (novelist and theologian, born 1926) says, "The church often bears an uncomfortable resemblance to the dysfunctional family. There is the authoritarian presence of the minister--the professional who knows all of the answers and calls most of the shots--whom few ever challenge either because they don't dare to or because they feel it would do no good if they did. There is the outward camaraderie and inward loneliness of the congregation. There are the unspoken rules and hidden agendas, the doubts and disagreements that for propriety's sake are kept more or less under cover. There are people with all sorts of enthusiasms and creativities which are not often enough made use of or even recognized because the tendency is not to rock the boat but to keep on doing things the way they have always been done."
From all three synoptic gospels, Jesus explains three things about Christian leadership and shepherding:
- What it is not.
- What it is.
- How he modeled it.
- what it is not (Mt 20:25-26b; Mk 10:42-43a; Lk 22:25-26a), before he said
- what it is (Mt 20:26b-27; Mk 10:43b-44; Lk 22:26b), and then practically demonstrating/modeling
- what it is in his own life (Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45; Lk 22:27).
What about the early church leaders and apostles? What did they say about Christ-like Christian leadership?
Paul's Christ-like Christian leadership is in being a servant. Paul said, "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants (diakonos), through whom you came to believe" (1 Cor 3:5). "This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants (hypēretēs) of Christ" (1 Cor 4:1). Today, the term "servant of God" or "servant of Christ" has become an honorific title, which may practically and functionally mean that "you are the leader in the church, the head honcho, the top dog." But the Greek word for servant--Paul uses two different words "diakonos" and "hypēretēs" which are both translated into "servants" in English--have no honor in it whatsoever. "Diakonos" means "a waiter, one who serves food and drink," while "hypēretēs" means "an underrower, subordinate rower, an assistant, an attendant." Paul also identifies himself as a servant/slave (doulos) of Christ in most of his epistles (Rom 1:1; 2 Cor 4:5; Gal 1:10; Eph 6:6; Phil 1:1; Tit 1:1), which means "slave, servant, attendant." ("Doulas" occurs 127 times in the NT.) Interestingly, Paul uses three different Greek words for "servant" to identify himself. Do we think of Christian leaders today as waiters, subordinates, assistants, attendants and slaves? This is how Paul thought of himself as a servant of Christ. Thus, he would not "lord it over" the faith of any (2 Cor 1:24). (A wrong view of Christian leadership often causes unfortunate divisions in the church.)
Peter's Christ-like Christian leadership is to not lord over God's flock. Peter did not initially welcome Jesus' servant leadership and violently refused to allow Jesus to wash his feet (Jn 13:6-8). Likely, he felt that he, as the sheep, the younger and the junior, should be the one who washed his leader's feet. But later Peter said to all his fellow elders and church leaders virtually what Jesus had said to him several decades earlier--both negatively and positively: "not lording it (katakyrieuō) over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock" (1 Pet 5:3). Clearly, Christian leadership must be demonstrated as a living example, rather than by commanding subordinates who feel as though they have no other choice but to obey.
As stated above, let us consider Christ-like Christian leadership in three parts:
- What it is not (Mt 20:25-26b; Mk 10:42-43a; Lk 22:25-26a)
- What it is (Mt 20:26b-27; Mk 10:43b-44; Lk 22:26b)
- What it is in Christ's own life (Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45; Lk 22:27)
Hierarchical worldly leadership vs. leadership in the kingdom of God. In these three passages from the synoptic gospels, Jesus contrasted the hierarchical leadership style of the Gentile world with leadership in the kingdom of God. The disciples James and John had implored Jesus (through their mother no less) to give them the top power seats in the kingdom they thought Jesus would establish (Mt 20:20-21; Mk 10:35-37). In Lk 22:24 Jesus' disciples were arguing among themselves as to which of them was considered the greatest. In response, Jesus began by telling them without mincing words exactly what Christian leadership clearly IS NOT (Mt 20:25-26b; Mk 10:42-43a; Lk 22:25-26a).
What is hierarchical leadership? It is to have power over another. It should be noted that what Jesus was condemning in these texts is not just oppressive or tyrannical leaders. He was condemning the hierarchical form of leadership itself. What is hierarchical leadership? The phrase "lord it over" (Mt 20:25; Mk 10:42) is from the Greek word (katakyrieuō) that means " to bring under one's power, to subdue, to master, to hold in subjection, to be master of, exercise lordship over." ("Katakyrieuō" is used only four times in the NT and it is always used negatively. Ac 19:16 refers to the evil spirit who "overpowers" the seven sons of Sceva.) The next phrase "exercise authority over" (katexousiazō) is similar and means "to exercise authority, wield power." This verb is only used twice in the NT (Mt 20:25; Mk 10:42). Jesus is clearly describing the leadership style built on a chain-of-command social structure. It is rooted in the idea that power and authority flow from the top down. Hierarchical leadership is rooted in a worldly concept of power. This explains why it is endemic to all traditional bureaucracies. It is present in the vicious form of a master/slave relationship. It is present through out the military and corporate world. It is employed everywhere in secular culture. Should it also exist in the church? No!! according to Jesus. But sadly the church often operates by such a form of hierarchical leadership as well.
Why is hierarchical leadership undesirable for God's people? It reduces human interaction into command-style relationships. Such relationships are foreign to NT thinking and practice. What did Jesus say about this? Jesus did not mince words and emphatically and explicitly denounced hierarchical leadership, saying, "Not so with you. You are not to be like that" (Mt 20:26; Mk 10:43; Lk 22:26). There is no room whatsoever in the teaching of Jesus for the hierarchical leadership model. Hierarchical leadership is worldly and secular and is clearly at odds with NT Christianity. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on Mt 20:20-28, writes, "So hard is it for vain men, even good men, to have such authority, and not to be puffed up with it, and do more hurt than good with it, that our Lord Jesus saw fit wholly to banish it out of his church."
The result of hierarchical leadership is virtually ALL bad. According to Jesus, Christian leadership is nothing at all like that of hierarchical leadership, which can easily morph into a nauseating ego-massaging model for the leader. What does hierarchical leadership do? When Christian leaders exercise "lording over" leadership, they:
- Impede the progress of God's people.
- Suppress the freedom and free functioning of the child of God.
- Discourage critical thinking.
- Create the assumption that others must serve/obey their leader in order to serve/obey God.
- Rupture the image of the church as a loving family.
- Do violence to the leadership that exists in the triune God.
- Functionally replace the Holy Spirit, who is God.
- Place severe limitations on the headship of Christ.
- Emphasize their own status, rank, position, honor, glory and power.
- Promote elitism and exclusivity.
How does Jesus contrast hierarchical leadership from Christian leadership?
| Hierarchical Leadership | Christ-like Christian Leadership |
| "Over" others. Control others. Elite. Exclusive. Top down. | "Among" others. Respect others. Common. Inclusive. Bottom up. |
| Based on their position, rank, status and honorific titles. | Based on godly character. |
| Measured by prominence, external power and political influence. | Measured by humility and servitude. |
| Exploits their position to rule over others. | Shuns special reverence; regard themselves as "the younger." |
| Operates on a political chain-of-command social structure. | Flows from childlike meekness and sacrificial service. |
| Plants the fear of man. | Causes awe, wonder and freedom. |
Christ-like Christian leaders act like they possess the least claim to lead others. Once, the disciples argued about "which of them was considered the greatest" (Lk 22:24), which may be every man's perennial problem with no exception. Every man defaults to wanting to be great, or at least greater than some others. This may inadvertently cause us to project an image of greatness about ourselves, such as being a strong and powerful person, or even as a kind and caring person. Leaders may be particularly prone to project their own greatness as a great leader. In response, Jesus said, "the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves" (Lk 22:26). "The greatest among you" may be the church leaders and those with status and power, and "should be like the youngest" may be those who possess the least claim to rule others. A leader will not lord over others when they know that they have the least claim to lead others.
Christ-like Christian leaders practices mutual submission toward others. Christian leaders are not called to rule over and lord over God's flock but to practice mutual submission one to another (Eph 5:21). Not only should young men submit to older men, but older men too are called to "clothe (themselves) with humility toward one another" (1 Pet 5:5). Paul, the great leader, did not rule over others, but "made himself a slave to everyone" (1 Cor 9:19).
III. How Christ Modeled Christian Leadership (Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45; Lk 22:27)
Living and dying, Jesus served (not lord over) us for our ultimate good. Mt 20:28 says, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." After clearly stating what his disciples should not do and what they should do as Christian leaders, Jesus modeled the example of humility and condescension as the way of true leadership. When he arrived, Jesus, as the Son of Man and the King of kings, should have been served by all. Yet, he not only lived as a servant but he also died as a sacrifice. In serving he went about doing good to all, but in dying he did the greatest good of all. It was his intention all along to come to this world to give his life as a ransom (Mk 10:45).
Jesus did not exercise his right to lord over others. If ever there was anyone who could rightfully lord over others and exercise authority over them, it would be Jesus. Yet, Jesus did not come to exercise his right as the God and King who can rightfully rule over all of his subjects, including the church. He said, "For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves" (Lk 22:27). Jesus who could rightly be served, served others instead like a waiter, waiting on tables. Jesus' condescension was so complete that few recognized him for who he truly was, since he made himself nothing and became subject and obedient unto death, even death on the cross (Phil 2:5-8). As he was dying he was mocked and ridiculed as one who had no power and no influence.
Only knowing Jesus who did not lord over me enables me to not lord over others. We cannot change ourselves. If we have been lording over others for decades, how can we suddenly no longer do so? We cannot. Yet, we are fully responsible to do so. We cannot and can never ever change ourselves. Yet, when we behold Jesus who became a ransom in order to ransom me, something mysterious and majestic and marvelous and awesome touches my heart in a way that cannot be denied or resisted. Only Jesus became a ransom for me (Mt 20:28, Mk 10:45) that I may be delivered, liberated and freed. Only Jesus was cursed instead of me (Gal 3:13) that I may be blessed. Only Jesus became sin for me (2 Cor 5:21) that I may become righteous. Only Jesus paid the costly price of sin that I should have paid (Rom 6:23a) that I may begin to live a full life. Only Jesus died for my sins (1 Cor 15:3; 1 Pet 3:18) that I who should have died the most brutal death may live. Only knowing Jesus who did not lord over me enables me and empowers me to not lord over others or intimidate them, but love and respect them from my heart.
May God bless you to be a good shepherd after our Chief Shepherd who does not lord over others, including you.
Reference:
Viola, Frank. Reimagining Church: Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook U.K., Kingsway Communications. 2008.
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