Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Power
John 19:10
Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”
The resurrection settled the power question once and for all.
The powers that be who put Jesus to death were a combination of the Jewish religious leaders, with much political influence and pressure, and the Roman Officials who held the real political power at the time. Much of the final exercise of power in hours leading up to the cross was focused on the Roman official named Pontius Pilate.
Pontius Pilate was a Prefect given authority to govern the Roman province of Judea. Pilate had a history of conflict with the religious rulers among his subjects and was eventually recalled to Rome for one such confrontation. Pilate’s problems were caused by the way he exercised power.
Our key verse today brings us to the heart of the problem of Pilate. In his final confrontation with Jesus, Pilate asked a question that Jesus refused to answer.
Pilate was taken aback that Jesus was not mounting a defence in the face of someone who had real power to save Him. Pilate sought to remind Jesus of the power he possessed as Prefect. He was military representative, he was tax collector, and he was magistrate and interpreter of Roman law in the province. As such, he thought, he had power to put Jesus to death.
It’s the power question that made Jesus talk again. Essentially telling Pilate that he had no power over Him whatsoever. Pilate was overestimating the power of the office He had in his failure to discern that Jesus is the Son of God.
Power is peculiar in the way it affects those in authority who use it. In a famous quote from Lord Acton “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Power is corrosive in its effect on an individual or group and on the relationships in which they are involved. Too many relationships, too many conversations, too many negotiations, and too many other human interactions get quickly reduced to power terms.
Power is often derived from authority. Those in authority have the power to enforce what they desire to do in pursuit of the exercise of that authority. Power is not a bad thing in itself, rather it is the way that power is exercised that is always an issue. Understanding the nature of power and its exercise is important if we are going to keep our balance, and to keep balance in our critical relationships.
Here’s a good example of another powerful Roman military official who met Jesus. We don’t know his name except that he was a Roman centurion with a big problem. In Matthew 8:5-9, we have the record of the centurion explaining the nature of power – derived from authority, being under authority, and being in authority – and used this as a basis of appealing to Jesus for the exercise of His own authority and power. However, this judicious understanding and use of power is very rare.
In the letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul establishes a structure for the home and family. Women don’t like it because experience has taught them to fear it, with good reason. But here is what it says there in Ephesians 5:23, “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.”
Authority structure. Authority gives power. Power, unrestrained and unmanaged, has that corrosive corrupting effect we referred to. So conscious is the Word of God about this that the same husband who is placed in authority in the family is warned and chastened to manage that exercise of authority and power in the best interest of his wife and family.
There is a long explanation and charge given to the husband to ensure that this power is not used to destroy his wife and family but that rather it is used to push him to create an enabling environment for his wife and children to flourish. Ephesians 5:25 – 6:4.
Spend any time today in a counseling office, in any social services agency, or church, or NGO, or police station, or courtroom and you hear more than anything else, the complaints of those in the family who have been raped and abused and beaten, and ill-treated and made to feel like nothing right in our homes and families.
The resurrected Jesus gives to you today the same answer that He gave to Pontius Pilate. “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.” John 19:11.
The people in your life have no power over you. Your abuser has no power over you. Your supervisor has no power over you. Your husband (or that man) has no power over you. No one has power over you because Jesus suffered, died, and resurrected already just for you.
Jesus was confident before Pilate because He knew His mission “I lay down My life that I may take it again.” John 10:17.
And now that Jesus has paid the price, laid down His life and taken it up again we are not to fear those who seek to exercise power that they do not truly have. The resurrected Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Matthew 28:18
While there may have been suffering in your life so far, or in the life of someone you know. While some of us may have at some time misused or abused power and caused the suffering of others. We know that a time is coming when Jesus will change all of that. For some today is the day of deliverance. For some another day.
But for all of us, “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” 1 Corinthians 15:24
Think on these things:
- Are you in any position of authority if so, how do you exercise that authority?
- Are you in any situation where you are being abused by someone in authority?
- How does the authority of Jesus shape your views about authority structures?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today for those who are victims of the abuse of power and that we would be able to help those who we encounter.
In His Grace
Pastor Alex