He is the head over every power and authority.
Summary: The fact that Jesus is head over “powers and authorities” does not mean that every ruler obeys their Maker.
It is no surprise that Paul has been talking about Jesus. It is Jesus (the Christ) whom we have received as Lord. It is in Jesus that we live our lives, and it is in Jesus that we are rooted and built up (Colossians 2:6-7).
This same Jesus is the one we have been taught about and in whom we place our faith. Knowing Jesus fills us with gratitude, and we overflow with thankfulness (ibid).
Jesus Christ is the “fullness of the Deity (God)” in the flesh. When we place our faith in him, we, too, are “brought to fullness” and filled with God’s Light (John 8:12).
Oh, and one more thing…
“He [Jesus] is the head over every power and authority.”
Knowing the world as we do, and understanding how corrupt many “authorities” are, how do we make sense of this?
Let’s imagine for a moment that you have been promoted and, for a short period of time, will be “head over every power and authority.” Your new office is on top of a distant mountain in a secret location. You have a direct line to every “power and authority,” but…
… you cannot force people to answer their phones or even respond.
Ultimately, you can fire those who go against your instructions. If their behavior is bad enough, you can put them in prison (or worse). The one thing you cannot do is be with each person at every moment, telling them what to do and ensuring they obey.
Sitting in your office atop the mountain, it begins to snow. You look out over the world below—the cities and nations that make up the different regions. Reports come in describing what is happening in each area. In some places, your people are treated well, and your leaders are doing your will. In others, sadly—seemingly in most—you are being ignored.
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”* And so, the people you rule over tend to be corrupted by the very power they have been given to rule over others.
What do you do?
Jesus knows that there are bigger issues at stake than mere obedience for the sake of obedience. His concern is not so much for his reputation or authority, but for those who believe in him and place their faith in him (see Matthew 13:24-30).
The mountaintop Jesus sits on is much higher, and his view encompasses not just the places of the world but every soul that has ever existed on it. It is the salvation of these souls that is important to him. The temporary rulers we see in power on earth will ultimately be called to account. God bless those who have obeyed Jesus, and heaven help those who have not.
Application: Trust Jesus. He knows what he is doing.
Food for Thought: Why do rulers with power and authority get to have free will just like the rest of us?
*Lord Acton, circa 1887 (Different kind of “Lord.”)
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