Hierarchy and Christian leadership
Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at 9:51AM D.A. Carson is in town this week for the Toronto Spiritual Life Convention. He's also speaking at other events. Thanks, by the way, to Ken Davis for chairing the Convention and bringing Carson to town.
On Sunday night Carson spoke tangentially about leadership from Matthew 20:25-28, a passage that's often quoted on the subject. In this passage Jesus says:
You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
I've often heard these verses used to argue against all hierarchy in Christian leadership. It's tempting to accept this interpretation. If we believe this it has all kinds of implications. Churches must be flat. Leadership is arrogance. I've heard these arguments made.
Carson argues that Jesus is not arguing against leadership, nor is he saying that Christian leadership means being told what to do by everyone.
What Jesus is tackling here, Carson says, what generally happens to leaders. In this fallen, broken world, people love power for selfish motives. After some time, they give the impression that they are serving only themselves. Christian leadership cannot be like this. Jesus exercised his authority in service all the way to the cross. It was a revolutionary idea of kingship. "All Christian leadership," Carson said, "must follow down this road."
I think Carson is right. This passage isn't about abolishing leadership or hierarchy. Instead, Jesus is speaking of a kind of leadership that is not motivated by self-interest, that exercises itself in service, even to the point of death.
I've been thinking: how many structures have been completely dismantled by a wrong interpretation of this passage? But more importantly - what an amazingly high bar and example to set for leadership.
(Still waiting for a good Christian theology of leadership - it may be out there, but I still haven't found one that's as comprehensive as I'd like.)
Reader Comments (9)
Darryl, I think it helps to consider hierarchy and leadership as separate issues, leadership being the act of leading and hierarchy being a position of elevated authority. In that context, I would say that the passage from Matthew argues against hierarchy. However, I don't believe abolishing hierarchy eliminates all forms of leadership. It just reframes leadership in a way that is relational, empowering, and self-sacrificial rather than positional and power-based.
Hi Grace, Good insight on leadership vs. hierarchy. The minute you have something big enough to institutionalize, though, you move from purely relational leadership to something that looks like a hierarchy. I've seen this passage used against hierarchy but I think Carson is right - it's more against self-serving leadership. I think you'd have to argue that hierarchy = self-serving leadership in order to use this passage against hierarchy, unless I'm missing something.
While I've never jumped on the anti-hierarchy bandwagon I do find it hard to reconcile some of what Jesus says with it. There is a hierarchy at the college I work a that seems to function fairly well. The follow verse seems to be stronger against hierarchy than Mat 25. Matthew 23 "But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
LT: Even there, the context seems to be honorific titles in the context of the power games played by the religious elite of the day. Once you take power trips and ego away, and replace it with the extreme kind of service Jesus talks about, leadership (even hierarchy) looks radically different.
Darryl, I believe in the passage mentioned, Jesus was referring to relationships rather than institutions. Can there be spiritual leadership that isn't relational? I agree with you that institutions and organizations often require structure and hierarchy. There is nothing inherently wrong with organizational hierarchy. Organizational systems function well for organizations. However, organizational leadership doesn't transfer to spiritual rank and authority over other believers. The Matthew 23 passage does better describe the level relationships among believers. The reason I think it matters in spiritual leadership is because I think it affects the way that we lead if we believe we are positioned spiritually above others. Ultimately the main point is, as you said, that leadership can not be self-serving. Hope you don't mind the dialog. The topic interests me. Respectfully, grace
Hi Grace, No, I don't mind the dialog. I enjoy it. "I believe in the passage mentioned, Jesus was referring to relationships rather than institutions." Actually, the context of Matthew 20:25-28 is the mother of James and John asking to be second and third in command in the kingdom. That seems very hierarchical - actually an unhealthy pursuit of power to sit at the top of the pyramid. The other disciples were angry, probably because they wanted those positions themselves. It's in this context that Jesus says that asking for these positions means becoming the ultimate servant, the first to die. I think the question of whether hierarchy belongs in the church is probably going to be answered by other passages. It also depends on what we mean by hierarchy - I should have defined this. If it's about status or rank, then there's no place for it. If it's about authority, then I think apostles and elders (a plurality) do have a sense of authority and accountability, but it's not at all about a power trip or being more worthy. Hope that makes sense - part of a much larger discussion obviously. I appreciate the interaction.
Darryl, Thanks for the response and input. It sharpens my thoughts about this topic.
Hi Grace, Me too. I think this topic is a challenging one. Hope somebody comes out with a really good book that does justice to all of this.
Jesus was servant-leadership at its best. Leadership is a very dynamic process of influence and the undertone in this verse along with other's is that Christian leaders must lead in the dynamic of John 3:30 - God must increase, I must decrease. The avenue in which Christian leaders is by serving. We influence through service. Hierarchical structures aside, if I am not leading by serving others then I am not leading as Jesus led. Philippians 2:5-7 says that Jesus emptied himself (Kenosis). I think what this is talking about is that Jesus took on the lowest kind of servant in his day - one that washes feet. He emptied himself of his rights to serve others and used service to influence the disciples and others. The hierarchical thing. It can be good but it can be bad. The american church has gotten stuck in a systematic hierarchy that says this and this must be done and if it isn't then things fall apart. Unfortunately this is true. Instead of focusing on hierarchy we should shift to order. God has wonderfully ordered the earth. Just check out Genesis 1 (And the earth isn't flat.. wow). What if we led in this idea of order instead of hierarchy? Every christian is spiritually gifted. One gift is not more important than the other and vice versa. The body has many parts and if one is crippled, it cripples the body. Leadership is the same, but so is encouragement, teaching and etc. Hierarchy makes us think leadership is the most important thing when it isn't. It's as equally important as everything else.