We are going to continue our look at how Jesus shows us what true authority looks like, and how we can implement this principle in our lives here and now. 

Last week we talked about the first definition of the Greek word for authority. We discussed how Jesus has the freedom and ability to do what he pleases.

Today we are going to discuss the next two definitions of the Greek word for authority, exousia.

Let’s first review what the five definitions we are looking at are: 

1. Power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases
2. Physical and mental power; the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises
3. The power of authority aka influence and of right aka privilege
4. The power of the rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed)
5. The sign of regal authority, a crown

Physical and mental power; the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises

This one is closely related to the one we talked about last week. Jesus is the creator. Jesus is God in the flesh. He is 100% God and 100% human. He automatically possesses the ability to physically and mentally have the power over all things, both physical and spiritual. Jesus has the right to exercise authority over all things. 

Here’s the interesting thing. Although Jesus is God and as such possesses the authority to what he wills, he actually doesn’t do or say anything in his own authority. 

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.” John‬ ‭14‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬

Jesus doesn’t use the exousia power on his own, but gives that authority to the Father and submits to the Father’s will. This is how Jesus was able to say in the garden, “Not my will, but your will be done,” when praying about going to the cross in a few hours from then. Jesus had practiced giving the authority to the Father in small ways throughout his whole life. So when it came time to submit the authority when it came to going to the cross, it was easier for Jesus to relinquish control or authority to the Father. 

Again, Jesus is our example. If Jesus gives the authority over his life to the Father, so we are to give over the authority of our lives to the Father. What are those decisions you need to make that need to be surrendered to the Father’s will? 

Maybe it’s where you will live. I know that is one area the Lord worked on me a lot when I was younger. As a 20 year old, I had my whole life figured out. I would get married and live right where I had always lived. I didn’t have where I would live submitted to the Lord, and as such I was taught over and over and over again to submit that area to the Lord. I was taught that lesson by moving to places I didn’t want to live in. Places I even hated living in at times. It was through those times of living where I didn’t want to live that I learned contentment. 

I learned to be content exactly where the Lord had me for that season of my life. I can now confidently say I can live anywhere and be content. I can say this with confidence because I have learned that contentment is a decision we make, not something that just comes to us. I had to choose to be content no matter where I was living. Can you say the same about yourself? 

What is the area in your life where you need to surrender it completely to the Father? Where are you taking authority away from the Father? Let’s pray and surrender those areas to the Father. Let’s follow the example given to us by Jesus to give all authority to the Father, even the authority that was given to us by right (endued). 

The power of authority (aka influence) and of right (aka privilege)

The next definition of exousia we are going to look at is the power and privilege of authority or influence. There are people in the world who hold authority because of their influence of privilege. They have the power to change the way things are done simply because of the influence they hold. Someone born into royalty, for example, has the power and influence to change the lives of their citizens for better or worse, depending on the laws they create.   

In fact there is a whole industry on social media called influencers. These are people who sway the way others think and the things they buy simply because they say one thing is good and something else is bad.

How did Jesus show us this type of authority? There are two times when Jesus did or said something with this type of authority. We can find both of these instances in Luke 4:31-37:

“And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.” Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭31‬-‭37‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬

Because of the right of influence given to Jesus, he taught the people in a way they had never experienced before. Jesus taught with power and authority, with exousia. Have you ever spoken to someone who holds this type of authority over a subject? 

Doctors

The most common example is speaking with doctors. Doctors spend years and years of their lives to become influential in their area of medicine. To become a cardiologist you must spend 14 years in school and training. First, you need to get your four year bachelors degree. Then, you will go through four more years of medical school. Next, is another three years in residency. Lastly, is a three year fellowship where you learn your speciality. Only then can you call yourself a cardiologist. And if you want to specialize in something like heart transplants, you must complete an additional 1-2 years of training. 

All of this time and training is why many people take what their doctors say very seriously. These doctors have taken the time and effort to become influential in their chosen study. While someone like myself may be able to tell you that people have four chambers of the heart, what each of the chambers are called, and may even be able to explain how the blood is circulated around the body; a cardiologist can tell us so much more about the heart and circulatory system. They know things I do not know because they have spent the time learning those things. 

Of course, even with all the education and time spent on learning these things, there will always be something the doctors don’t know. They may have influence, but there is always more to learn. While they may know a ton about the heart, these same people only know how to treat the heart with the information they have been given. Sadly, there are many times where a different, less destructive, treatment is available, but these doctors don’t know what they don’t know and miss great opportunities because of their lack of knowledge. 

This is not so with Jesus. Jesus can see exactly what is causing the problem, and he knows the perfect way to heal that issue. Jesus can see that the man who showed up in the synagogue that day didn’t need medicine to stop his seizures. Rather, he needed deliverance from the demon that threw him on the ground. It was with this knowledge that Jesus could then use his influence and power to force the demon to leave the man. Furthermore, Jesus had the influence to teach the rest of us how to do and see the same way. 

We are going to pause here and pick back up next week with the last two definitions of authority. I hope you will join me!

Part 1