In the book of Luke, the Pharisees tell Jesus he should leave the area he is in because Herod (Antipas) is going to kill him. Jesus tells them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach my goal. Nevertheless, I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day, for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.” Jesus goes on to grieve over Jerusalem and warn them of their loss.
How has Jesus characterized Herod, a king, a wicked one, and why. Leon Morris in his Tyndale commentary on Luke writes:
The fox was used by the Jews as a symbol of a sly man, but more often for an insignificant or worthless one (SB). It was sometimes a symbol of destructiveness. T.W. Manson says , “To call Herod ‘that fox’ is as much as to say he is neither a great man nor a straight man; he has neither majesty nor honour.’ The expression is thus contemptuous. Herod is the only person Jesus is recorded as having treated with contempt.
This picture of Herod is also an explanation of why Jesus used the term fox. Morris reminds his readers that when Jesus during his trial was sent to Herod, he never spoke a word to him. Herod was not worthy of Jesus words. Herod was a man who simply encased himself in pride and offered up human life if it bettered his life. He allowed John the Baptist to be beheaded for the sake of not losing face with his dinner guests. He had James killed and was ready to kill Peter because he found it pleased the Jews. He allowed the people listening to his speech to praise him as a god and was judged by God.
In this case Jesus is not only the Savior, the Redeemer, as usual he is the model. In this interaction Jesus simply outlines His planned actions, healing, casting out demons and going forward with the purpose his Father had given him, to suffer and die at Jerusalem. Herod has no meaning, no part, good or bad in Jesus’ holy calling. Just continue on with the Father’s plans but be honest about the adversary.
On the other hand, Jesus faced the religious authorities with truth. The truth of their sinfulness and their needs. They burdened their people, they changed the word of God with tradition, they failed to grasp who Jesus was. But Jesus didn’t treat them with contempt—he named them but with truthful names that spoke to their sin and their need to repent. They were empty tombs full of dead men’s bones, they were greedy and wanted power and wealth. Jesus cared for them, contended with them, pled with them, brought some of them to faith in himself. His response to them was not different then his response to all who are hard hearted against the redemptive work of God.
When they attempted to maim or kill Jesus he simply disappeared out of their reach and went on toward his calling.
Jesus’ disciples had to also come to terms with how they should respond to authoritarian rulers and leaders. Their first confrontation was with religious authoritarian leaders. They were told to no longer preach in Jesus’ name—to no longer preach the reality of His death and resurrection. Two things here, in preaching the gospel it was necessary to speak of those who had wickedly and foolishly killed Jesus. And authoritarians do not like to hear of their own sins, just the sins of others. They do not like to see the goodness and righteousness that is gifted to Jesus’ followers.
So, what is the disciple’s answer to those who demanded their silence concerning Jesus?
But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20)
The disciples made three important points here: not only would they obey God rather than these leaders but would place on the leaders the burden of decerning how people should act when God’s authority is attacked. Thirdly when knowledge of truth is seen and known we are compelled to speak out about it. More importantly when it is knowledge that concerns the truth of who Jesus is and what He calls His followers to, whether that is speaking of salvation or helping the needy we must speak truth.
Undoubtedly the strongest words in the New Testament concerning Christians and their obedience to authority comes from Paul in the book of Romans:
Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise of the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
Paul goes on to write of obeying for the sake of the authority’s wrath but also because of your own conscience’s sake. He adds to this the need to be obedient by paying taxes.
I add the statement about taxes because I want to take a bit of a rabbit trail in order to come back and seek more clarity on the word of God. During my years of writing about some racists groups who were called Identity because they thought the white races were ancestors of ancient Israel and the Jews were literal children of Satan I discovered that they did not legally marry or pay taxes. They had clearly divorced themselves from the government by not participating in any civil requirement. They considered the government illegal calling it ZOG—Zionist Occupation Government.
This is exactly what is happening with the extreme right, they do not consider the government legit and wish to rid themselves of what they call the establishment or the deep state. So, considering the word of God and its admonishment to be in subjection to the authorities there is a need for obedience. And yet there are nuances because obedience to God is the greater obedience.
And there is another part of this admonition, a description of the main duty of the authority. That is that the ruler bears toward the law breaker God’s wrath. But and this is very important, the Christian is not under God’s wrath. In exegeting these passages F.F. Bruce in the Tyndale commentary on Romans writes:
For the sake of conscience. The Christian has a higher motivation for obeying the ruler than the unpleasantness of the consequences of disobedience, the Christian knows that such obedience is in accordance with God’s will, and by rendering it will preserve a good conscience in relation to God.
What must be added to this is that a law or action, given by an authority which requires disobedience to God must be disobeyed in order to also preserve a good conscience in relation to God. This is where the two kingdoms split, one earthly, one pervasive of both heaven and earth, eternal, and the Christian is placed in a worrisome position. When to obey and when not to obey.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer suffered this decision. A pacifist he joined the military since some top generals were against Hitler and were actually helping Jews flee Germany—for this crime Bonhoeffer was arrested. He was martyred but it is still unknown whether it was because he was part of the plot to kill Hitler or simply because he was part of the plot to work against Hitler. But nonetheless he suffered these questions of obedience as many others have throughout history.
So, here are several of my thoughts on Christian obedience to authoritarian leaders. Jesus is the first example. Jesus in the midst of lies, oppressiveness and persecutions continued on obedient to his Father—nothing deterred Him from the purposes of God, the redemption of sinners. In fact, the Scripture states that it was with joy he continued. (Hebrews 12:2) In living through this he ignored the one, that fox, who gave no meaning either bad or good to his purpose. He contended and pled with those opposed to Him, speaking truth because evil in humanity must be addressed not hidden, not ignored. Speak truth for the sake of both victim and the oppressor.
Jesus did not call for an army of angels available to him but endured His calling of suffering. (Matthew 26:53)
The disciples were obedient when it was necessary, but disobedient when ordered to not preach about Jesus. They also spoke the truth unafraid to name evil when necessary. The first martyr Stephen called his listeners stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and always resisting the Holy Spirit. (Acts: 7:51) Paul when attempting to explain the gospel to the proconsul Sergius Paulus but was being thwarted by a magician accused him of being full of deceit and fraud and called him son of the devil, and enemy of all unrighteousness. (Acts 13: 6-11)
Also the disciples refused to be unlawfully misused by authorities. When Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison and the authorities discovered they were Romans fearfully told the jailer to have them leave. But Paul insisted that instead they come themselves and release them:
“They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now they are sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” (Acts 16: 37)
Biblical truths allow us to speak truth about evil, to point out unlawfulness used against victims, to attempt to draw evil doers away from their lifestyles, their hunger for power, their greed and abusiveness. And since we are all sinners, we must turn that speech towards ourselves as well.
And while we cannot obey orders that cause us to disobey God, we must obey orders that do not cause evil to others. This is the final understanding of our actions and attitudes toward authoritarian leaders, we are a people living under the cross. Speak the truth, do not be afraid to name evil, but pray for and plead with those who hurt the vulnerable. Attempt to protect and speak up for the vulnerable. Go on, with joy, following the One who has called you to this moment. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
