So the eleven talmidim/diciples went to the hill in the Galil where Yeshua/Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they prostrated themselves before him; but some hesitated.Yeshua came and talked with them. He said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age."
Authority- Exousia (greek)= 1. power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases
1. leave or permission
2. physical and mental power
1. the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises
3. the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege)
4. the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed)
1. universally
1. authority over mankind
2. specifically
1. the power of judicial decisions
2. of authority to manage domestic affairs
3. metonymically
1. a thing subject to authority or rule 4c
4. jurisdiction
1. one who possesses authority 4c
5. a ruler, a human magistrate 4c
6. the leading and more powerful among created beings superior to man, spiritual potentates
7. a sign of the husband's authority over his wife
1. the veil with which propriety required a women to cover herself
8. the sign of regal authority, a crown
Understand that Yeshua/Jesus has ALL authority (Matt. 28:18).
Of all the designated mandates that any man or woman of Elohym need to receive deep in their spirit in any demonstrations of love in this call to ministry (service), is to know whom is the founder and authority of this ministry. We'll get more into whom it is we serve and whom it is we minister to which we slightly touched on a tiny bit in the last part of our discussion. However for now we are using the very Words of Messiah in Matthew 21 to present this topic on Hierarchy and Spirituality in the the Ekklesia/Church, by analyzing a discussion between Him and the Cohanim/Chief Priest and Elders about this very thing.
Being a great teacher as we have read he first asks a critical question himself, then answers it in the best format and His most aggressive presentations and notice most prominent through out the Gospels, by Parable and Allegory.
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. (Mark 1:22)
As Messiah is asked the question now about His standing of authority according to Hierarchy of his day, which as we've read would deal basically with the chain of powers that be, which here is the Priesthood and Elders, today we may see the chain of command having to deal with learned men/women positioned on the ministry boards of Bishops, Reverends and Pastors. Every governing body has a order of rules, in an attempt to keep order of a magistrate/nations or peoples and may very well found this on one of the most abused scriptures in the scriptures (1 Corinthians 14:33). That would be wonderful to expound upon, we still yet may apply it to what our response is to Messiah's authority.
Starting way back in the scriptures where we see certain strengths that would set someone apart by, physical strength, their level of intelligence, or their ability of shrewdness. However today we may see the last two to be the most apparent strengths.
The tribe of Y'hudah/Judah as we know historically Yeshua was born into were granted these authorities through command, statutes and judgements according to scripture,,,,,
"Y'hudah, your brothers will acknowledge you, your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father's sons will bow down before you. Y'hudah is a lion's cub; my son, you stand over the prey. He crouches down and stretches like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to provoke him? The scepter will not pass from Y'hudah, nor the ruler's staff from between his legs, until he comes to whom [obedience] belongs; and it is he whom the peoples will obey. ( Genesis 49:8) Spoken by the Patriarch Yisra'el/Yacov/Jacob.
In the time of Mosaic Law there is another ministry added to Y'hudah/Judah which we now know as the Levitical priesthood, through Aaron and his sons and their descendants (Exodus 28:1).
It was these two tribes that would make up the Hierarchy of the Assemblies of Elohym according to the ordinances of the Almighty and called into his service.
When Messiah comes on the scene, even though missed by the powers that be, his family lineage presents him in order of all the authority according to the commands of Elohym through Y'hudah and Levitical Law. Lion of the tribe of Y'hudah and a mother from the heritage of Judah and the Levites.
Her parents are not named in the canonical New Testament; however, Church tradition and early non-biblical writings name her parents as Joachim and Anne.[7] Mary was a relative of Elizabeth, wife of the priest Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah, who was herself part of the lineage of Aaron and so of the tribe of Levi.[8] [Lk 1:5] [1:36] In spite of this, some speculate that Mary, like Joseph to whom she was betrothed, was of the House of David and so of the tribe of Judah, and that the genealogy presented in Luke was hers, while Joseph's is given in Matthew.[9] She resided at Nazareth in Galilee, presumably with her parents and during her betrothal – the first stage of a Jewish marriage – (Mary, Mother of Jesus by Bruce E. Dana 2001 ISBN 1555175570 page 1)
I know you just asked why are we delving into all this basic knowledge? As part of priesthood we should be not only able to soundly authorize the Headship of our Messiah but also the history of His Authority according to scripture, just a little refresher. Mustn't we be able to do better than the Elders and powers that were in Messiah's day? Refusing to look at the proof in order to keep their false sense of power. Blessed is the servant that bows down and humbles themselves to the Dominion, Power and Might of our King and Lord of all.
"Now listen to another parable. There was a farmer who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower; then he rented it to tenants and left. (Matthew 21:33)
This Allegory brings us to a "farmer of a vineyard" which is illustrated and expounded on again in John 15:1-9. Of course we can surmise that the "tenants that rent" are these two functioning bodies of government. The way the parable plays out tells us that right away these intelligent and learned men should have been able to grab a hold of its prophecy, however prophecy is a "spiritual endowment" (Corinthians 12). What however holds them back is the same attitude that hold many back today when we are unable to incorporate the hierarchy and the spiritual application in union and balance. This brings us to presenting a soul search of our own. Is the shadow of the Levite (spiritual) and Y'hudah (hierarchy) working together? How does this affect our personal temples in order to minister unto the Adonai and to serve his people, the sheep of his pasture? Do we realize that we "are" ministering unto the first above all things the ADONAI himself, and His body whom we call His church and he calls his Bride?
We leave you today and for now with the outline of His Authority as the Head of the Body. Which will move us to understand better Messiah's question in Matthew 21:24, the analysis of,,,
A. questioning of the Elders and the Priest.
B. why does John the Baptist come up in His response?
C. what should have been their response?
D. Messiah's answer-The Parable
E. Our apparent responses
F. and what should be our response.
These will be the outline of our next parts of this discussion. Please continue to read this chapter and meditate thereon. As always we'd love to hear from you and by you letting us know what points stand out to you most when focuses on what Messiah is teaching and any of the above sections listed A. through F. also that pertaining to the parable itself that has been titled as " The Wicked Servants ".
It stresses the idea that complete or entire authority has been entrusted unto the
Son of God.
3. The Father has even given unto the Son power in the Judgment:
1) For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son
(John 5:22).
2) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may
receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it
be good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10).
4. The authority of the Son is complete in that even to this present hour, He upholds
all things by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3).
C. It was Jesus that told the apostles, that He, after His ascension, would beseech theFather to send the Holy Spirit in His name (that is by His authority).
1. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26).
2. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even
the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me (John
15:26).
3. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he
shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and
he will shew you things to come (John 16:13).
4. This wonderful truth was fulfilled beginning in Acts 2:1-4 with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles.
