The nature of “authority”
Posted by owner on July 10, 2009The other day I gave an initial review of Charles H. Kraft’s book, I Give You Authority. The basis for the book is found in Jesus’ statement, “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me (Matthew 28:18) and on verses such as Luke 19:18 where Jesus says to 72 representatives he sends out to preach and teach, “I have given you authority…to overcome all the power of the enemy.”
Contemporary and ancient teaching on healing and exorcism depend significantly on such statements by Jesus about delegated authority. While some argue that these passages do not apply today, its important to ask just what “authority” means and/or implies. To answer that question, I turn to my NIV International Encyclopedia of Bible Words (Zondervan) Because of the length of the article there, I can only quote part of the article.
“With few exceptions, the word “authority” in the NIV and NASB is a translation of the Greek word exousia. Unlike the OT terms with their wide range of meaning, this Greek word conveys a basic concept that has important connotations for the understanding of the nature of authority.
“The basic idea in the word exousia is freedom of action. The greater the exousia, the greater the possibility of unrestricted freedom of action. A person without exousia has little freedom of action, for others maintain a right to control him and determine what he does. A person with maximum exousia will have total freedom of action and thus the right to control the actions of others. It is easy to see why, when used of secular authorities, this word commonly means “the power to give orders” (Matt. 8:9; Lk 7:8; 19:17;20:20; Acts 9:11;26:10,12; 1 Pe 2:13).
” When used of God’s overarching authority, exousia makes no claims about his inherent strength or nature as God. But it does claim for God ultimate freedom of action that cannot be frustrated by any natural or personal power in the universe.” (p.92)
In some English versions the Greek word for power, dunamis, is also translated “authority.” It’s important however not to confuse the underlying concepts. Dunamis emphasizes the inherent strength or power, the might of an individual or God. While a human’s freedom of action might be based on his strength or power or might, the emphasis of dunamis is distinct from that of exousia.
When Jesus speaks of his follower’s being given authority over demons, he is saying that believers are free to limit the freedom demons have to operate in other’s lives. This does not mean that humans are more powerful than angels or demons. It does mean that in certain areas Christians have been granted by Jesus the authority to limit what demons can do.
In future posts we’ll examine this issue more thoroughly, and try to identify what demons can do to harm humans, and where believers have been given authority …freedom of action…to limit demonic activities.