God’s Government—Power and Authority

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What about Christ’s Church? Does it have power without authority, authority without power, neither or both? Luke 4:36 states that the highly political Scribes and Pharisees “were all amazed” at Christ’s ability to cast out demons, remarking, “What a word is this! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” Here are both terms together, and those observing recognized both at work.

Five chapters later, in Lk 9:1, Jesus transferred this capability to His disciples. Notice what they received: “Then He called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.” Again, both terms together. Yet in the churches built by men, leaders derive their power from those under them—with those who can exercise “the power of the pay check” upon them if they preach other than the usual diet of “love, grace,” and “forgiveness,” etc., along with the other generally comforting subjects that they want to hear.

Ten days before Pentecost, as Jesus was about to ascend to heaven, He told the disciples, about to formally receive office as apostles, “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Later, in Acts 4:33, it confirms, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord…” In fact, the apostle Paul wrote regarding all Spirit-led minds, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Tim. 1:7).

Now notice what Christ had received from the Father, and would shortly give to His soon-to-be-apostles: “And Jesus said unto them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age”’ (Matt. 28:16-20, RSV).

The end of Jesus’ statement explaining that authority would come to the disciples— He had “all authority,” and thus could give it—carries a promise that He would be with them always. Not only would His authority be with them, but there is clear evidence that very real POWER would accompany it. The Greek word translated “authority” in this passage is exousia, and it means BOTH power and authority. In fact, the King James version states, “All POWER is given unto Me…”

It is certainly consistent then that in more of the Matthew 28:1-20 conversation, found in Acts 1:1-26, Christ explained that “power” would be given to the apostles. He was simply reiterating the equation of POWER accompanying AUTHORITY, and vice versa, referenced in Luke 4:36 and 9:1.

Both of these most crucial elements in the apostles’ ministry were to be given to them on the day of Pentecost. This was the Holy Day when the Holy Spirit was to be first given to large numbers of people. Of course, this meant that there would be an immediate need for responsible authority with power to be in place over the governance of the Church, as well as in the preaching of the gospel to every nation. The day of Pentecost symbolized this remarkable beginning, as Christ built His New Testament Church. He had to simultaneously give it the two most important keys to its survival through the ages—POWER and AUTHORITY!

Imagine the administrative challenge of managing 3,000 converts (plus children) arriving on the Church’s first day in existence. Sound government would be necessary!

Jesus instituted, actually re-instituted from the Old Testament, a special ordinance that would symbolize forever the transmitting of authority and power from one person to another. In fact, it happened 3,000 times on the first day of the Church.

“Laying on of Hands”

All power within God’s Church is governed under strict authority, and this is revealed through the doctrine of the “laying on of hands.” Therefore, it is not a strange thing that this doctrine finds its place in Hebrews 6:1-2 among the six most basic doctrines of the Church.

The physical ordinance of the laying on of hands represents or symbolizes the transferring of authority, with power. At the same time, this ceremony shows that all who may be involved in it—for any reason—are coming under authority. In addition, this ordinance shows that God works through human servants, and that His people are to obey and humbly submit to Him through these human instruments. In fact, Pentecost, when truly understood, pictures God’s perfect balance between power (the Holy Spirit) and authority (His government) through the laying on of hands.

It is no accident that this physical ceremony would have been witnessed so many times that day (with the other 3,000 converted). The point would have been ingrained to all observing.

In the Pentecost account, when the Holy Spirit entered all those present (the initial 120), it states, “Cloven tongues like as of fire…sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…” (Acts 2:3-4). This was, in effect, God’s own supernatural laying on of hands, probably on the heads of the recipients.

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