The body of the Messiah – Service vs Exercise of Authority

EDITOR: The message of service can be found throughout the Holy Scriptures. Deuteronomy 10 v 20 tells us that we must fear
Almighty Yahweh and give our service to him. Our Saviour when he was tempted by the devil rebuked him at Matthew 4:10
“Then saith Yahshua unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship Yahweh thy Elohim, and him only shalt thou serve.” We must also be ready to serve each other as members of the body of the Messiah.

One principle of this message of service that seemed to have been completely overlooked in the teachings of bible believing organizations relates to the structure and functioning of the body of the Messiah.

With worldly governments and their institutions, positions/offices are arranged in a hierarchical manner where higher ranking offices/positions exercise authority over lower ranking offices/ positions. In this model, the emphasis is power and control.

In the body of the Messiah, it is not so. The apostle Paul tells us that there are offices/positions established within the body of the Messiah : ‘And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Messiah’(Ephesians 4:11-13)
Our Saviour, who is the head of the body (Colossians 1 v 18), made a clear distinction between the functioning of these positions/offices within his body and that of worldly governments and their institutions.

Speaking to his disciples who later constituted the early apostolic assembly, Matthew 20:25-28 records: “But Yahshua called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the
Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

The English word ‘minister’ in the text translates a Greek word which the Strong’s concordance defines as ‘an attendant that is (generally) a waiter’.

Note also that the words ‘exercise dominion over’ translate a Greek word found also at Mark 10 v 42 and 1 Peter 5 v 3 where it is translated ‘exercise lordship over’ and ‘being lords over’ respectively. The Strong’s concordance indicates that it bears the meaning of ‘control or subjugate’.

Our Saviour further demonstrated this important principle of service, just before his death, when he washed his disciples feet as recorded in the book of John 13:4-16. Verses 12-16 state: ‘If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.’

Consequently, our Saviour established the principle of service, i.e., submitting oneself as a servant, rather than as a figure of power and authority, as a key element in the functioning of his body and he is our greatest example.

This principle of service was further reiterated by the apostle Peter when he exhorts the elders (1 Peter 5:1-5) to ‘Feed the flock of Yahweh which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over Yahweh’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.’

The Apostle Paul’s analogy of the body of the Messiah and that of the human body (1 Corinthians 12) should help us to have a clearer understanding of this principle of service that our Saviour has established.

At verse 12 he writes: ‘For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Messiah’. Each member of the body has an important function that should not be regarded as less important than another: ‘The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Yahweh hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked so that there should be no schism (division) in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.’
There are many religious organizations claiming to be the true body of the Messiah on the earth. Do they conform to this principle of service? Are some members regarded less than others? Do their leaders exercise authority over the other members? Are the members required to pay special homage to the leaders? To kiss their rings or to stand when they enter the room?

In the body of the Messiah it is not so. The principle of service, i.e. submitting oneself as a servant to each other, rather than exercising authority over others, distinguishes the functioning of the offices/positions in the body of the Messiah, compared to those in worldly governments and organizations.

S.N Thomas