Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry
I came across the following verse:
"Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you."
Now to tie this into what Peter was saying, which authority is being discussed by the author of Hebrews?
Is it spiritual authority or something more?
Terry
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Terry,
Good verse. From the context of that chapter in Hebrews - in which the author is giving a wide range of admonitions for our lives, this reference to "authority" could either be human or spiritual. The NASB translates part of the verse as "They keep watch over your souls" - which might indicate more of a spiritual authority (although, in the LC theology, the verse would then read "They keep watch over your spirit" - in which case "over your souls" means this verse is refering to secular authority.) Anyone know the Greek on this?
Another verse which I think relates: "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; {13} And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves."(1 Th 5:12 -13 KJV - just in case Steward is here...
).
Here, it seems odd that Paul would admonish the Thessilonians to "know them which labor amoung you" - as in, "take note of who they are" if "authority" resided in a status - since, there would be no question of who the "leaders" or "authorities" were in such a case.
Just more food for thought. But here's my real question:
Is there anything in the "submit to authority" verses which conveys something more than "submit to one another in reverence for CHrist"? (Eph. 5:21?
Peter