Good Lord! The Question of Sovereignty, Allegiance and Authority

ChatGPT-generated image of Moses holding the tablets with the Ten Commandments...

Part I: By the Authority Vested in _________ (Fill in the Blank)

The other day – by the authority vested in him by his elected office -- Louisiana governor, Jeff Landry signed a bill requiring the Ten Commandments be posted in public school classrooms. "If you want to respect the rule of law, you've got to start from the original law-giver, which was Moses," Landry declared at the signing ceremony.

Among those Ten Commandments the governor wants displayed in Louisiana schools is the one "Thou shalt not murder." (Deut. 5:17, Ex. 20:13). The Jesus figure in Matthew’s gospel regurgitates the same inhibition as he seems to rattle off a few commandments from rote memory; when asked what is required to “inherit eternal life” (Mt. 18:20). There is debate with different translations and portions of authorized scripture whether there’s a distinction between killing and murder; since the Old Testament has plenty of passages allowing for retaliatory violence (per my last commentary).

But, putting all that aside, the same Louisiana governor – by the same authority of his office -- signed into law only three months ago another bill allowing executions by nitrogen gas and electrocution, opening the door for Louisiana to revive capital punishment 14 years after it last used its death chamber.

It does pose the question, if those in authority in Louisiana want to make an exception for one of Moses’ “original” commandments, are there any other ones?  Like, say, an adulterous former president? Hey, we’ve all broken a commandment, or two.

But moreso, does more than a little hypocrisy by the governor call into question the whole legitimacy of any, and all, claims of authority; and the fealty to which one might bear allegiance?

Part II: The Question of Sovereignty, Allegiance and Authority

It is commonly assumed that the Jesus “tradition” is based upon what is commonly accepted as the “authority of holy scripture.” Why? The Sunday School answer, plain and simple, is because the Bible tells me so! 

But with only a precursory review of our history we know a compendium of miscellaneous writings was once sorted out by human hands; with some being deemed to be the divinely inspired “word of God;” while other contenders were relegated to “non-canonical” status; or rejected out of hand.

What may sound like a dry, academic debate, the questioning of any authority is actually a common, regular occurrence. The Louisiana law-enforcer cited above serves as just one, ludicrous example. Consider protesters by the thousands who regularly challenge those in positions of “authority” on moral and religious grounds; often based on their own interpretation, understanding and belief in those very same canonical (and non-canonical) scriptures. Abortion-rights activists and Right-to-Life diehards – both vying to get the authority of constitutional law tipped in their favor – is a good example.

So, the underlying question: To whom, or what, would you grant the title ‘Lord,’ and master of your life?

As mentioned, when the question what is required to inherit “eternal life” is put to Jesus in Matthew’s “authorized” gospel version mentioned above, the Jesus figure rattles off a few of the commandments the inquirer knows well; and claims to have faithfully observed them all. Either wanting the assurance that’s enough – or sensing it’s not enough – he further asks if he’s missing anything. 

The Jesus figure commands him to rid himself of all his plentiful possessions, and then follow him as his stairway to heaven (Mt. 19:17). Collectively, some biblical scholars question it was the historical Jesus who was actually prescribing sheer poverty — instead of an early post-Jesus community — as the means to eternal salvation. Instead, it was the oft repeated and underlying invitation by the historical Jesus to follow, discover and replicate a different way of living one’s life that exceeds mere obedience to a factious set of laws that is the abundance of riches of an entirely different sort.

Blind obedience to someone vested with authority can lead to something else that we’re hearing a lot about these days; namely, authoritarianism. But, in the seemingly endless cycles of human history, this is a regular occurrence; where the concentration of authority devolves into a sense of monarchical power.

Part III: An Autobiography of Authority

In Matthew 7, after a series of typical Jesus-type “teachings” attributed to him are provided, the author of this “authorized” gospel recounts, “When Jesus had finished his discourse, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, since he had been teaching them on his own authority, unlike their (own) scholars.” (Mt. 7:28-29, Jesus Seminar translation). This is an important distinction and reminder.

When it comes to the question of to whom, or what, one would grant authority (Gr. ‘exousia’) and pledge one’s allegiance it is helpful to remember the shared root word, author.  It is not just a question of to whom, or what authority you will submit yourself. More importantly, who will be the author and write the story of your life; and what will comprise those chapters? An example:

There is a litany recited regularly by those who participate in our progressive-based Christian community, called Pathways. Each invocation begins by addressing the one to whom we’ve chosen to accord the title, “lord.” Remember, ‘lord’ can be a non-religious title for the one to whom we grant authority; and pledge our allegiance to one who has extended the invitation, “follow me.” For some of us, this constitutes those “life values” (italicized below) found in the teachings of the historical Jesus; as best they can be discerned and applied in our post-modern world.

Lord, if you are the face of tender mercies.  
Let us see your face.
Lord, if you are the face of compassion.
Help us to be compassionate.
Lord, if you are a source of wisdom.
Let us learn your ways.
Lord, if you might be light in our darkness.
Let that light illumine our path.
Lord, if you might express our hearts deepest desire.
May our hearts be set ablaze!
Lord, if your way of life is ever-present to us,
Let us not forsake your path.
Lord, as you have shown us true faithfulness
Let us trust the path you have shown us
Lord, since you are the embodiment of grace.   
Let us embrace this gift,
Knowing grace alone can transform us, and raise us to new life in you.

© 2024 by John William Bennison, Rel.D.  All rights reserved.
This article should only be used or reproduced with proper credit.

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