Pastor Jesus (Part 2)
(Our Servant Leader)
(Matthew 20:25-28)
I originally had planned to cover this topic in two articles, but it appears that it will now take at least four messages to more adequately communicate the role of “Pastor Jesus” in the Body. As I mentioned in the first message, part of my burden in studying this is my desire to see Christ’s preeminence manifested in His Body, the Church. The other part of my burden is to see Christ’s Body functioning as the Lord intends it to function. I believe these studies about “Pastor Jesus” will help to lay a foundation for Body ministry as we grow in our understanding of how the Head functions.
The subtitle for Part 1 is “Our Good Shepherd,” as Jesus is our true Pastor because He is the one who lays down His life for His sheep, and will never, ever leave them. The subtitle for this message is “Our Servant Leader,” as we need to understand, biblically, how Jesus’ leadership is seen in His Church today.
When we look at all the various forms of church “government” (or “polity”) in the world today, we can surmise that there is much confusion about how Jesus leads His sheep. Some congregations have a highly structured hierarchy (or “chain of command”), others are less hierarchical, but still highly structured, and still others seek to rule themselves through democratic means. But, what do the Scriptures teach concerning leadership within the congregations? I believe an important starting point is to look at the words of Jesus Himself in Matthew 20:25-28.
Since the 16th chapter, Jesus has been reminding His disciples in the gospel of Matthew that His mission was to suffer and die for them, and He brings this up to them again in 20:17-19. Their inability to grasp the true nature of Jesus’ mission is highlighted in the next verse when the “mother of the sons of Zebedee” (v. 20) comes up to Jesus and asks that her two sons (James and John) be given seats in the kingdom on either side of Jesus (v. 21). Jesus, in the context of His impending sufferings, tells James and John that they will have to suffer as well (symbolized by drinking the “cup” that Jesus was about to drink), but that it was up to the Father who would sit next to Jesus in the Kingdom (vv. 22-23).
You could imagine that this request of the mother of James and John did not set well with the other ten disciples. In fact, the text says that they became “indignant” (v. 24). (The account in Mark 10:41-45 is almost identical to this one, but the story in Luke 22:24-27 appears to be a second incident, which occurred during the Last Supper.) In the midst of this dispute, Jesus then calls the disciples to Himself and teaches them the nature of true leadership in the kingdom:
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.” (Matt. 20:25b – ESV)
In verse 25, Jesus describes “secular” leadership by using terms “rulers of the Gentiles” and “their great ones.” This type of leadership is based upon one’s position (“rulers”) in government and upon their greatness (“great ones” could also refer to their credentials) in exercising influence over others. It’s all about control (“lord it over them”) and the exercise of authority. Secular leadership is hierarchical, from top to bottom, with a “chain of command.”
Tragically, Jesus in verse 25 is describing the leadership structure of many churches today. We have brought in “baggage” from the world (“the Gentiles” literally means “the nations”) and have organized Christ’s church after a pagan model, replete with “boards” and “chains of command” and CEO’s (a.k.a., “senior pastors”). But Jesus emphatically states that this type of church government is wrong: “It shall not be so among you” (Matt. 20:26a). This is not to be the way leadership functions in Christ’s kingdom. The Lord then goes on to describe this kingdom leadership:
“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27) and whoever would be first among you must be your slave” (Matt. 20:26b-27 - ESV)
Those who want to be “great” positions of leadership, Jesus said, “must be your servant.” The Greek word translated “servant” is diakonos (from which we get the English word “deacon”). It originally was used of those who did the most menial tasks, such as waiting on tables or house cleaning. It was performed by those who were the “low man on the totem pole.” This Greek word also described the focus of this service: that is, others. A “servant” was not concerned with his or her needs, but the needs of others whom they were serving. Jesus says this type of person was “great among you.”
Jesus also said that if you want to be at the “top” (number one, or “first among you”), then you would have to be a slave. A slave (Greek, doulos) is even lower than a servant, because a slave was owned by someone, whereas a servant “served” because that was their job. A slave served because their owner required them, whereas a servant was not owned by anyone. In other words, a slave had no rights. A slave belonged to others, and served at the whim of their masters.
This must have been a hard saying for the disciples! I’m sure it is a hard saying for us today. How could Jesus talk this way? Why did His description have to be so upside-down when compared with the world’s system of leadership? Because this was HIS style of leadership:
“Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28 - ESV)
Notice that Jesus was always consistent in living out the very things He taught. When He taught us to love our enemies, He loved His enemies (and even died for them). Look at His life: “While being reviled, He did not revile in return” (1 Pet. 3:23). Jesus lived what He taught. And when He taught about servant leadership, it was because this was His style of leadership. He did not come to “be served” but to a servant. He freely gave His life away as a slave to the Father, putting aside all of His “rights” and took the “form of a bondservant” (doulos) (Phil. 2:7).
Why did Jesus come “to serve” and why did Jesus take the “form of a bondservant”? In order to purchase for Himself (“a ransom for many”) His Church with His own blood (Acts 20:28). He poured out His “life” (lit., “soul”; Greek, psuche) for us. He gave no thought of Himself, but thought of us. He did not insist upon His rights, but freely gave everything for us. This is true servanthood, and, according to Jesus, this is also true leadership.
I realize that this is not easy to comprehend. You mean I become a leader by becoming a slave? How does that work? Here is how I believe servant leadership “works”: Jesus said that all authority had been given to Him (in heaven and on earth) in Matthew 28:18. I think all Christians would agree with that. So, wherever Jesus manifests Himself in this world, so also His authority manifests itself.
This is so important: As we pour our lives out as slaves and servants to one another, the life of Christ is manifested in our midst. As this life of Christ is manifested in our midst, so also is His authority. As we wash each other’s feet, as we tend to each other’s needs, as we pour our lives out for each other, then we see Christ’s authority manifested through those acts. In these acts, Christ receives the preeminence, and we must submit to His authority as He manifests Himself through others.
All authority has been given to Christ. That authority is seen wherever Christ is seen. And Christ is seen in the lives of His disciples who love one another and serve one another. This authority has absolutely nothing to do with position or greatness. It has everything to do with Christ working through yielded vessels, through servants who no longer insist on their own “rights” and no longer live for themselves. What a contrast to the “pagan” style of leadership so popular today!
Although it is quite clear that kingdom leadership is not positional (i.e., based upon one’s “position” in the world or in an organization), the Bible does teach that positional leadership exists outside of the Church, and that we are to submit to this position-based leadership. Of course, this submission has boundaries, as we can never obey anyone who is telling us to disobey God (see Acts 5:29).
We are clearly commanded to obey human government. Romans 13:1 states, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (ESV). The Greek word “submit” means to “rank oneself under” and the phrase “governing authorities” literally means “higher powers.”
Peter gets even more specific and lists examples of governmental leaders: “Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14) or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good” (ESV).
It is God’s will that we be good citizens and that we obey our governments.
And notice that it is their positions to which we submit (“every human institution”; “governing authorities”). The individuals in these positions could be the most godless and immoral people in the world. And yet we are still commanded to obey them (as long as they don’t command us to disobey God). Are obedience is to their positions regardless of the character of the individuals in those positions. Their authority comes from their position and not from any special life manifesting itself through them.
We also see, to some degree, position leadership had existed in the Old Covenant. There were kings, and priests, and high priests. Spiritual leaders then were also governmental leaders. In fact, if you read Paul’s encounter with the Sanhedrin in Acts 23:1-5, you see him backing off from his comments to Ananias who just had him ordered to be punched in the mouth by saying “I was not aware, brethren, that he was the high priest.” Paul then quotes Exodus 22:28 about not speaking evil of a “ruler of your people.” So, Paul had endeavored to respect and obey the position of the high priest, even though the individual was obviously not worthy of respect based on his character.
We also see positional leadership existing within the family. Children are commanded to obey their parents (Eph. 6:1). As long as parents are not commanding them to disobey the Lord, children are to submit to their parents, regardless of the character of their parents. A believing child is to submit to an unbelieving parent. This is because family leadership is positional. In other words, authority comes from the position of being a father or mother.
But, again, in the kingdom of God, leadership is not positional. Christ is our leader, and He exercises His authority as He manifests His life through those who pour out their lives in service to Him and to others. It is the life of Christ to which we submit, regardless of position. If a child is manifesting Christ to me, then I must submit to that life of Christ that is showing itself through that child.
I will not deny that God has ordained “leaders” within the Body. God intended for groups of men to function within each congregation that He calls “elders.” I will discuss biblical eldership, Lord willing, in Part 3 of this series. But I do want to point out the leadership “style” that these elders are to have, which we see described in 1 Peter 5:1-4:
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2) shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3) not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4) And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory (ESV).
Notice the preposition that is used to describe the relationship of the elders to the “flock.” It is not “under” but “among.” This is not a positional, hierarchical model of leadership. Elders are to exercise “oversight” and are to “shepherd” the flock. I will explain these words in more detail in Part 3, Lord willing. But notice that Peter writes, “not domineering.” This is the same Greek word that Jesus used in Matthew 20:25 when He said that the Gentiles “lord it over them.” Peter is echoing Jesus’ words, and he tells the elders in essence to not lead like the pagans.
Rather, the form of leadership that elders are to exercise is by “being examples to the flock.” Leadership in the Body is to be by example. As others see the life of Christ manifested in the lives of the elders, they will desire to follow that life. And Peter then identifies the “Senior Pastor” of the Body: Pastor Jesus is the “Chief Shepherd.” He is the “pastor” that everyone follows, including the elders. It is not surprising, therefore, that Peter has already told us that Christ did “leave an example for you to follow in His steps” (1 Pet 2:21). Jesus must have the preeminence in His Church!
The final passage of Scripture I want to look at is a rather well-known “obey-your-leaders” verse in Hebrews 13:17. But remember the context of this epistle. The writer has been exhorting his Jewish Christian readers to not go back into Judaism. As part of this exhortation, he points to the example of those whom he calls leaders. If you want to properly interpret verse 17, you need to first look at verse 7 of this chapter:
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith (Heb. 13:7 – ESV).
These are the same leaders referred to in verse 17 (the ones whom we are to “obey”). The writer is saying, “Look at their lives.” The word translated “outcome” literally means “exiting.” In other words, look at how some of them died. They finished the race, without having to fall back into Judaism. Look at how they lived, and look at how they died. These are the ones whose faith you are to “imitate.” A more literal translation of “imitate” would be to “mimic” them. In other words, may your life look like theirs!
The writer again refers to these “leaders” whose lives we are to “imitate” in the oft-quoted verse 17:
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you (Heb. 13:17 – ESV).
The KJV translation is even more emphatic in its description of “your leaders”: “them that have the rule over you.” This is not surprising, seeing that the KJV is the official (“authorized version”) of the very hierarchical and structured organization known as the Church of England. Sadly, this sense of “rule over you” is still carried through many modern translations.
In order to properly interpret this verse, we must look at the various Greek words that have been translated (or interpreted by the translators based on their theological biases). The Greek word translated “obey” is peitho which means “to persuade.” It is in the middle voice, which probably means absolutely nothing to most folks. You are probably familiar with the active voice of a verb, which refers to an action we do to others, and with the passive voice, which refers to an action done to us. But the middle voice refers to an action that we do to ourselves. So, the middle voice of peitho would be more properly translated in this verse: “allow yourselves to be persuaded.”
Who are these “leaders” by whom we are to allow ourselves to be persuaded? The Greek word is hegeomai, which literally means “those who go ahead.” In other words, these are those who have gone before us in the faith. This could include those who led us to the Lord, but describes all believers who have known the Lord longer than us and with whom we have a relationship.
The Greek word translated “submit” is not the same word translated “submit” in other verses that deal with positional leadership. The word in verse 17 is hupeiko and it means “to yield.” In other words, we are to listen to the wisdom of those who are before us in the Lord and yield to their examples.
And what does “keep watch over your souls” mean? The Greek word translated “keep watch” is used to describe sleeplessness. In other words, spiritual “leaders” are those who lose sleep over their concern for the rest of the flock. They love you and they are very concerned for you.
They will “give an account” for how they lived their faith before others. If they do not see others “mimicking” that faith (v. 7), then this will rob them of their joy. This also doesn’t bode well for those who do not yield to their example and who are not persuaded by their lives. If these “leaders” are manifesting the life of Christ, then, like Christ, they have poured out their lives for others. To not see fruit of this labor will indeed lead to “groaning.” So, let us pay heed to their lives!
So, what is the whole point of this message? Quite simply, we must drop the baggage that we have brought from the world into the Church concerning our understanding of human leadership. Leadership in the kingdom is not based upon one’s position, but upon the authority of Christ that is displayed wherever Christ is manifested. As Christ manifests Himself in your life, I must yield to His life expressing itself through you.
Here then is the challenge: First, is the life of Christ manifesting itself in you today? Are you submitted and yielded to Him. Have you reckoned yourself crucified with Christ? Have you poured out your life for His sake? Second, are you looking to see His life manifested in others? And, if you do see His life in others, are you allowing yourself to be persuaded by that life? Are you yielding to that life in others?
I believe that as we grow in our understanding and experience of true Body life, we will see this submission to the manifested life of Christ increase as well. We know that the world has its way of looking at leaders, but Jesus said, “It shall not be so among you.” To which voice will you listen?
Dave Lilligren
March 2007