Honor the King

⁵ Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet. ⁶ On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much ⁷ that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹ The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted ¹⁰ and he had John beheaded in the prison. MATTHEW 14

No doubt Y’shua was against the murder and greatly saddened by it. John the Baptist was His cousin and coworker. But nothing in Scripture says He denounced the act or rallied the people to denounce the act. He neither judged Herod nor dishonored his authority, for He knew Lucifer was the real culprit.   

Honor the Sanhedrin

²⁴ The collectors of the two-drachma [temple] tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your Teacher pay the temple tax?” ²⁵ “Yes, He does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Y’shua was the first to speak, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes: from their own sons or from others?” ²⁶ “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the sons are exempt,” Y’shua said to him. “But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth, and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.” MATTHEW 17         

Exodus 30:13 required every male Jew over twenty years old to pay an annual temple tax of one-half shekel or two drachma, the equivalent of two day's pay of a working man’s wage. The tax was for the upkeep of the Jerusalem Temple. Y’shua was opposed to paying it because it defied logic. Kings imposed taxes in support of their own households. God was the King of the temple; therefore, His Son should not be made to pay for its upkeep. Nonetheless, Y’shua set aside His personal sentiment. Peter was instructed to pay tax for the two of them.

In the examples above, the lesson is this: Civil authority may be wicked, illogical or whimsical but it gives no one legitimate excuse to defy God’s instruction. Obey civil authority in everything, unless of course its instruction defies God’s instruction.

In Relation to God

Should an occasion arise that compels us to choose between God and an earthly parent, the righteous thing to do is to obey the Invisible God over the visible god (Acts 5:29). God is our First Parent—the first and foremost authority (Deuteronomy 10:17, 1 Timothy 6:15). All parental authority and power in heaven and on earth emanate from Him.

¹⁰ To be wise you must first have reverence for the Lord. PROVERBS 9 tev

³ The One who comes from heaven is above all. JOHN 3

⁶ Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. PROVERBS 3 nlt

⁹ He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them His way. ¹⁰ The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep His covenant and obey His demands. PSALM 25 nlt

Earthly authority is instituted to be our training ground (testing ground too) in obedience. Obedience is component to keeping a rock-solid love-relationship with God.  

⁶ A son honors his father, and a servant his master. As I am a Father, where is the honor due Me? As I am a Master, where is the respect due Me? MALACHI 1

Obedience is the kingdom way. God is not a God of confusion; His kingdom is a kingdom of order (1 Corinthians 14:33). Obedience is component to our restoration.

⁴⁹ Didn’t you know I had to be in My Father’s house? LUKE 2

Obedience is component to accomplishing the tasks of a coworker of God.

³⁴ My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. JOHN 4

³⁹ And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. JOHN 6

²⁸ I do nothing on My own but speak just what the Father has taught Me. JOHN 8

⁴⁹ I did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me what to say and how to say it. JOHN 12

¹⁹ I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing on His own; He does only what He sees His Father doing… ³⁰ I can do nothing on My own authority, I judge only as God tells Me, because I am not trying to do what I want, but only what He who sent Me wants. JOHN 5 tev

³¹ I love the Father and… do exactly what My Father has commanded Me. JOHN 14

¹⁰ …I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love. JOHN 15