ἐξουσία: Contemplative thought on the role of authority as seen in Luke 19:39-48 (Segment 4.A): Bad news for the Pharisees, Jerusalem, and the Temple
“Teacher, order your disciples”
I grew up in a household where both of my parents were teachers. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to be a teacher growing up. In fact, when people asked me what I wanted to be at age four I said I wanted to be a ballerina. At 14, I told inquiring adults that I wanted to be a marine biologist. I became neither. Curiously though, I have never been asked why I never wanted to become a teacher when both of my parents were teachers. Sometimes, the idea to become a teacher was implied when I was floundering in unemployment but I thought how heart sickening it would be to go back to school to become a teacher in the case that my primary bible and then seminary degree did not produce fruit. Later, I realized my bible degree and my seminary degree involved being a teacher and I wanted to be involved in a ministry that would encompass teaching within it. Therefore, teaching was something I did want to do regarding ministry, but it was not the traditional normal teacher whose occupation is found in a traditional public school. I have yet to merge those two types of teaching as an occupational pursuit as some ministers do.
Jesus’ interaction with the Pharisees show that they recognized him as a teacher but they did not consider that he had authority that was greater than theirs. They had no intention of merging Jesus’ teaching with theirs and they were more insistent on asserting their authority over Jesus. Jesus was a teacher but in the eyes of the Pharisees, he had to listen and obey their instruction as priority to his own. Whatever missional understanding that Jesus had from His Father was secondary to their Judaic teaching and was not to interfere with anything that they were teaching.
As we begin this last portion of Luke 19 we begin in verse 39. Here we find out that some individuals in the crowd following Jesus on the colt were Pharisees. We then have a short “teacher’s meeting” going on in verses 39 and 40. The Pharisees have not given up on their agenda to remain in a position of authority and they easily feel it is their place to demote anyone who does not carry their religious credentials. They see here that the disciples have wandered into a position of asserting authoritative power that gloried Jesus publicly but the Pharisees may consider that this may have been their position by religious rights and knowledge. If they, the Pharisees, did not proclaim this then no one should be making this proclamation about Jesus publicly as they approached Jerusalem. By stepping forward and giving praise to God for the deeds God had done through Jesus and by pointing to Jesus as the blessed king who had come in the name of the Lord they were asserting an authority that was not theirs by beckoning through a celebratory prayer for peace in heaven and glory in the highest! The Pharisees saw a problem with this and notified Jesus. The NIV says “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” The NRSV says, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop!” The Greek word ἐπιτίμησον (Lk. 19:39 BGT) is the word rebuke in the NIV and the phrase rendered in the NRSV to “order them to stop”. The Greek word means rebuke or warn. It means to strictly appraise someone, assess a penalty, charge someone as being blamable; hence rebuke, reprove (JU 9); warn, strongly admonish, threaten (MK 3.12; 8.30).[i] The Pharisees were not just saying to Jesus, “Tell your disciples to be quiet and make them walk in a straight orderly fashion since we are nearly at the gates of the great city of Jerusalem!” They were inferring that what the disciples were proclaiming was an offense that could result in a charge or a penalty and so this statement is a threat to them not a kind command given by a teacher to his or her kindergarten students asking for them to line up or get quiet as they get ready to go to another class. The Pharisees rejected the proclamation of the disciples and their response to notify Jesus was a warning issued to Jesus that the disciples were not welcome to continue this behavior. Perhaps the Pharisee’s actions could be compared to a cop who issued a warning to someone who was driving too fast. If the cop catches the driver speeding again then he will give the driver a ticket. “You may continue on your way with the colt but you may not continue with your speech as you ride into Jerusalem!”
Verse 40 is Jesus’ reply! Jesus said, “I will tell you, you will not tell me! My disciples are not ready to keep quiet. If I tell them this, they will pick up stones to stone you loudly.” This is my loose translation of this verse without consulting a commentary. The Pharisees had asked Jesus to rebuke his disciples but instead in verse 40, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for even considering speaking against his own disciples. The disciples were welcomed to their proclamation and were not to be ashamed even if the Pharisees were obstinate and creating opposition. In the Pauline epistles as Paul goes on his missionary journey’s, we see these types of circumstances arise where Paul is proclaiming the gospel and he is beaten or run out of town or facing serious opposition for preaching. Often, we look to Paul for his example in preaching the gospel in the face of opposition. We find that Paul gets that persistence in preaching the gospel despite opposition probably from the example of Jesus himself as this scene gives an example and not necessarily only through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is rebuking false authorities and affirming the true nature of the proclamation of the disciples! He is not trying to warn the disciples to be quiet because they could get in trouble or get arrested but instead he is approving of their being unashamed and further stating that worse will befall if the disciples are resisted. The disciples take on a prophetic type of look here in their authoritative and bold statements which have Jesus’ approval despite the accompanying danger of the listening Pharisees. Prophets usually warned others of sin and wrong doing and told them that they were to turn to God and away from idolatry. The disciples were not warning of sin but they were pointing to Jesus as the blessed king of glory around people that did not look to Jesus in that manner! Perhaps they could be the continuing voice of John who shouted in John 1:29, “Look the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” The disciples themselves proclaimed peace! Peace comes through the forgiveness of sins and John had proclaimed Jesus as the lamb who takes away sin much earlier in his ministry!
The Pharisees sought to impose a threat upon Jesus and the disciples but Jesus, in that teacher’s meeting, infers that the greater threat was with the Pharisees. Jesus is the teacher and would teach them that the message the disciples gave was truth and regarded as important. We are not told at this point if the Pharisees separate themselves from the fellowship that was approaching the entrance to Jerusalem or if they continued to escort them into the city and into the temple, perhaps going in the same direction. It seems to me that maybe the Pharisees left in anger at this point but it is not known in Luke’s gospel if they remained with Jesus and the disciples and continued on into the temple together.
The next scene, in verses 41-44, is the view of the Jerusalem and Jesus’ words concerning the city and her near future. Perhaps, the previous conversation with the Pharisees struck down whatever pleasant emotional feelings that Jesus had as he rode on the colt with the disciples celebrating the imminent kingdom of God! For in verse 41, Jesus weeps as he finally sees the view of Jerusalem in front of him and grieves that the people of Jerusalem had not recognized and received peace. They had rejected the covenant of God as was found in His Son, Jesus. The Pharisees were not welcoming the disciples or Jesus as they finally arrived in Jerusalem.
Jesus states in verse 42 that Jerusalem did not know on this particular day what would bring her peace and that this was hidden from their eyes. Jesus may have drawn thoughts of Jerusalem from the meaning of her name. The name Jerusalem according to Zondervan’s compact bible dictionary,
“is Semitic, it apparently was not a name given to the city for the first time by the
Hebrew people. Far back in the time of the Tell-el-Amarna (1400 BC) letters, it was
called Urusalim, that is, a city of Salim, generally taken to mean “city of peace.”[ii]
Another source describes the city in this way:
“The earliest attestation of the name appears in the Egyptian Execration Texts of
the 19th and 18th centuries BCE in a form equivalent to urushalim. Some four
centuries later the Amarna Letters write urusalim. There is a wide consensus that
the name is derived from two words, yeru “foundation of” and shalem who may
have been the Canaanite god of twilight. Both etymology and history protest
against the popular interpretation of the name as “city of peace”.”[iii]
Jerusalem is known as the city of David but it is also known theologically as the City of Yahweh. In the Old Testament, it is referred to as Zion in its theological meaning and terms of Jerusalem related to God rather than to David: ‘The house of God’ identified the Temple. The centerpiece of the Temple was ‘the ark of God’. God chose the place of Jerusalem for the “dwelling of His name”.[iv]
After describing destruction that would come upon Jerusalem in verses 43 and 44, Jesus states the reason in verse 44 for the city’s unrest and lack of peace which led to the destruction of Jerusalem that eventually takes place in AD 70 during the first revolt of the Jewish-Roman war. He says of her: “you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you”. God had written his name all over Jerusalem and God was dwelling in Jerusalem but Jerusalem did not recognize God when he was among them as a person in the form of the Son, Jesus. So, she rejected the authority of God in the man, Jesus, the anointed Christ and Messiah of God. Therefore, Jesus, when he stated this, was probably weeping intensely over the city’s rejection of His identity and God’s consequential rejection of the city as he drew closer and closer to Jerusalem and ended his journey from Galilee. One source describes the destruction of Jerusalem, here prophesied by Jesus:
“The destruction of the city, after a siege of 143 days by Roman armies, under the
leadership of Titus, while predicted in the Gospels, is not, strange to say, actually
recorded anywhere in the NT. Before this dreadful event concluded, 600,000 Jews
were slain and thousands more were led away into captivity. “Jerusalem has no
history for 60 years after its destruction (C.R. Conder).”[v]
Another source describes the destruction:
“Although resistance continued in places like Machaerus and Masada, the First
Revolt effectively ended when the Romans took Jerusalem in August of 70 CE. The
inhabitants were killed or taken captive, and fires raged throughout the city. Vivid
evidence of the destruction is found in the Burnt House in the Jewish quarter.”[vi]
As soon as Jesus is in Jerusalem, the first place that Jesus goes is to the temple where he drives out those who were selling merchandise in the temple. His complaint, in verse 46, is, “My house will be a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.” The people’s rejection of God was showing in the temple. Rather than seeking the Lord through prayer, they were trying to make ends meet through gaining a profit and getting wealthy through selling things rather than through listening and obeying the Lord. Jesus compares them to robbers and infers that the people are violent by nature rather than having a humble spirit.
In verse 47, Jesus, after clearing the temple, takes over temporarily by teaching there the next few days. He seeks to restore proper order to the temple rather than allowing them to continue in the manner and habits which had led to their improper use in the temple. As he sought to adjust their understanding of the temple and of their actions, the chief priests, scribes and leaders sought to find a way to kill him but were unsuccessful because the people were hanging on to his words. They were listening intently to what Jesus said. The very act of their listening to Jesus hindered his opposers from being able to conspire against him any further at this point.
As we consider the role of authority, let me remind us again of the meaning of the Greek term for authority: ἐξουσίαν. The noun form of exousia means authority, right, or power. It refers to the power of decision making. It can also refer to the unlimited possibility of action proper to God, the limited authority given to Satan, Jesus’ divinely given and unrestricted exercise of freedom to act, authority imparted to a community to act in ordering relationships within it, and those in whom authority to rule rests, both supernatural and human[vii]. As we paint this picture of false authorities and rebelliousness, of misplaced purpose and understanding, of obedience and destruction, take a few moments with me to consider three lessons that we may conclude with concerning authority through Luke 19:39-48.
Group discussion/Questions for Contemplation:
First, true authority from God judges, perseveres and endures in the midst of unrest, opposition, and sin. When we accept correction from God, we receive His judgements, and choose to persevere and endure like Jesus rather than oppose and resist His will like the Pharisees or like Jerusalem. God does not want us to go our own way but to trust in Him and not give in to sin. Has God revealed anything to you about yourself or others? Is there anything that He wants to correct in your spiritual life? If so, what sins and temptations are associated with that and how can you guard yourself against them so that you are able to be faithful to God?
Second, those who hold a false authority over others are rebuked and must repent in order to avoid destruction while God’s protection is on disciples who act in the authority of Christ because they recognize the reality of Christ. The Pharisees held a false authority over the disciples and Jesus condemned and rebuked them for that. This tells me that Jesus’ authority directly confronts false authority and He protects disciples that are acting in the power of His authority through His Word. As a believer I can find faith in God when my authority is questioned only when that authority comes from the Lord. What that means is that, if I exercise or misuse authority that is not from God then as a believer I must repent and turn back to Christ. True authority recognizes the reality of Christ (in me) and leads me to believe and trust in the authority of His Word. Can you describe a time when you encountered false authorities that asked you to do something contrary to what you know Jesus would want you to do? What did you do-did you listen to those in authority or did you make a stand against them? How did your response make you feel? Have you ever given anyone bad advice or been rebuked for something that you thought was right? Describe that situation and how you felt! What do you think you should have done? What do you think Jesus would have wanted you to do? Have you ever sensed a time in your life when you followed Jesus and went against the crowd and you felt Jesus’ protection on your life?
Thirdly, when the challenge of authority questions the integrity of Christ I must stake my claim in Christ rather than the self or worldly authority. True authority brings peace, cleanses inwardly, and makes one whole. To stake my claim in Christ is to be a faithful follower of Christ Jesus and to be a faithful follower of Christ Jesus I must be set free from sin and from condemnation in order to live for Christ. What do you think it looks like when someone “stakes their claim in Christ” in comparison to someone who does whatever they please or whatever the world says is right? Can you describe a situation that you were in when you felted pressed or confused by life but God gave you peace in the situation? What made that change for you in life in which you began to experience the peace of God? Have you ever come to a point in your life where you realized the authority that you were acting in was not from God or not displaying godliness toward others? What should believers do when we realize this or how should we treat a brother who needs forgiveness because of an abuse of authority?
Take a few minutes and spend some time in prayer about what God has impressed on your heart while you read or while considering the discussion questions! Did reading this article help you to make a decision regarding your own personal life? If so, leave me a message and let me know or if you would rather, let me know how I can be praying for you at this time!
[i] Bible Works, ἐπιτίμησον
[ii] “Jerusalem”, Zondervan’s Compact Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993), 275.
[iii] “Jerusalem”, I-Ma of The New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible Vol 3 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008), 246.
[iv] Ibid., 246-258.
[v] “Jerusalem”, Zondervan’s Compact Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapaids: Zondervan, 1993), 279.
[vi] “Jerusalem”, I-Ma of The New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible Vol 3 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008), 255-256.
[vii]Bible Works, ἐξουσίαν
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