We are continuing in our study of the scriptural requirements for elders (presbuteroi – πρεσβύτεροι) / overseers (episkopoi – ἐπίσκοποι) / pastors (poimenes – ποιμένες). (See Titus 1:5–7 and Acts 20:17, 28 on why these terms come together here.) In the letter to Titus, the first adjective in a negative string of characteristics is this: me authades — μὴ αὐθάδης — meaning “not self-willed” or “not arrogant.” Guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul writes this (Titus 1:7) —
“For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain….” (ESV)
δεῖ γὰρ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνέγκλητον εἶναι ὡς θεοῦ οἰκονόμον, μὴ αὐθάδη, μὴ ὀργίλον, μὴ πάροινον, μὴ πλήκτην, μὴ αἰσχροκερδῆ…. (THGNT)
What more can we say about this word, since of course no more is provided here by way of elucidation? It appears but twice in the New Testament. The other instance, in 2 Peter, is informative. Let’s take a close look.
The context is Peter’s discussion of greedy false teachers. One of their attributes is their arrogance and self-will. Noting that God knows how to keep the unrighteous for the day of judgement, Peter says this (2 Peter 2:10) —
“…especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones.” (ESV)
μάλιστα δὲ τοὺς ὀπίσω σαρκὸς ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ μιασμοῦ πορευομένους καὶ κυριότητος καταφρονοῦντας. τολμηταί, αὐθάδεις, δόξας οὐ τρέμουσιν βλασφημοῦντες· (THGNT)
The ESV translates our word as “willful.” Peter pairs it with another word, meaning “bold” (tolmetes – τολμητής). The immediate context is that these arrogant leaders are doing three things. One, they are engaging in sexual immorality. Two, they are rejecting the authority of the Lord Jesus. Three, they are speaking outrageously with regard to supernatural beings. It is more likely that fallen angels are in mind here with the use of the term doxa (δόξα), “glorious one,” “majestic being” (see 2:11, also Jude 8-9, in a similar context). The point is that their arrogance is of such a magnitude that it leads them into outrageous speech against beings that they do not understand (2:12).
More generally, what are the false teachers in Peter’s day doing? They secretly introduce false teachings (2 Peter 2:1). They deny the One who purchased them with his blood (2:1). They (make excuses to) reject the Lord’s teachings, as we see in the citation above (2:10). They pursue passions for sexual misconduct (2:10, 14), again seen already in our citation. They speak boldly against celestial beings (2:10–12), as noted. They spend much time reveling, rather than diligently serving the community of faith (2:13). With greed they are selling the people of God for profit (2 Pet 2:3, 13–15).
What else exemplifies the type of arrogant behavior and self-willfulness that the word authades encapsulates? For what it’s worth, the word appears three times in the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament. Let’s have a look. Two instances appear in Jacob’s prophetic words over his sons, during his final days. He has a severe criticism of Reuben, his firstborn. This is where the word appears. However, the situation is complicated, because of a possible misunderstanding in translation. Still, the Greek version will be helpful for us, for reasons that, I believe, will become clear. Israel says (Gen 49:3) —
“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the firstfruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. (ESV)
רְאוּבֵן בְּכֹרִי אַתָּה כֹּחִי וְרֵאשִׁית אוֹנִי יֶתֶר שְׂאֵת וְיֶתֶר עָז׃ (BHS)
This is a positive statement about Reuben, which precedes his father’s criticism. However, the ancient Greek translation took the final two phrases about Reuben’s pre-eminence to be negative statements about his arrogant behaviour – behaviour that will be criticized in the following line, anyway. In specific, the Hebrew phrase “preeminent in power” (yeter az -יֶתֶר עָז) is rendered with skleros authades (σκληρὸς αὐθάδης), meaning “harsh” and “arrogant” (on the first of these terms, see, for example, Matt 25:24).
OK. So, how could a mistranslation help us, right? This may be something you’re asking. Well, Reuben gets criticized for some very arrogant behaviour. He slept with one of his father’s concubines, Bilhah, mother of two of Reuben’s brothers (Gen 35:22). Roundly awful, right? Something you wouldn’t forget, as a father. And Jacob did not forget. Evidently Reuben never sought reconciliation for this heinous misdeed. The result? He gets a severe rebuke, when Jacob is near the end of his life, in the presence of his brothers. Here’s what Israel says (Gen 49:4) —
“Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it – he went up to my couch!” (ESV)
As noted, this line comes immediately after the one where authades appears in the ancient Greek translation. Though a mistranslation, it is clear what is in the forefront of the translator’s view. Reuben’s harsh and arrogant action of sleeping with his father’s concubine makes him the sort of man that may be described as authades to the translator’s mind. The type of sexual activity and rejection of authority, here, matches, that of the false teachers, there, where Peter speaks of their despising the Lordship of Christ and their intent to commit adultery within the community faith.
The second instance is similar. It pertains to Jacob’s second and third sons, who at one point slaughtered the entire body of men in a city, Shechem (Gen 34). This led to Jacob becoming a stench to those who dwelled in the land of Canaan (Gen 34:30). Again, with a critical view, he says, as an elderly man (Gen 49:7) —
Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel. (ESV)
אָרוּר אַףָּם כִּי עָז וְעֶבְרָתָם כִּי קָשָׁתָה אֲחַלְּקֵם בְּיַעֲקֹב וַאֲפִיצֵם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׃ (BHS)
The adjective rendered in English as “fierce” here is in Hebrew az (עז) — related to the noun az we saw above for Reuben’s preeminence in power. The ancient Greek translator rendered this word, arguably appropriately, with what is perhaps a dynamic equivalent, namely “arrogant” (authades – αὐθάδης). (In some contexts, Hebrew az can refer to action that is defiant or cheeky — see the dictionary entry in HALOT.) Here is the Greek of the verse (Gen 49:7) —
ἐπικατάρατος ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν, ὅτι αὐθάδης, καὶ ἡ μῆνις αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐσκληρύνθη· διαμεριῶαὐτοὺς ἐν Ιακωβ καὶ διασπερῶ αὐτοὺς ἐν Ισραηλ.
In the case of Simeon and Levi, their arrogant action was the wrathful slaughter of an entire city’s citizenry, using deception and a false extension of a hand in friendship. They conspired together, going behind their father’s back. And by taking the matter into their own hands they despised his leadership. They jeopardized the lives of the whole community of faith (Gen 34:30). And they misrepresented God to the people of the surrounding culture.
Son one was self-willed, rebellious and sexually extravagant. Sons two and three were self-willed, rebellious, wrathful, deceptive and audaciously violent. Each man who engaged in such behaviour could well be described as authades.
There is always hope though – just think of how Judah’s arrogant betrayal of his father, as ringleader selling his brother Joseph into slavery, was then commended by Jacob in this public moment (Gen 49:8–12), because he had gone to great efforts to later preserve the life of the youngest son, Benjamin (Gen 44:33). Even the Levites, much later, are assigned a whole new destiny, because of their determination to follow the Lord and his ways (Exod 32).
We have looked at two instances, both from Genesis 49, where use of two, related Hebrew terms (both pronounced az), one way or another, are rendered in Greek as authades. Is the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures divinely inspired? No. But it does provide us an important window into not only how the translators understood the Old Testament, but also how words in Greek might be invested with special meaning for Jews and God-fearers throughout the Roman Empire during the time of Jesus and his apostles. The term authades might have had, for some listeners, a connection to bold, brash sons, who despise the authority of their father and engage in sexual or violent activity that is far beyond proper limits.
The third instance is found in the book of Proverbs. Here being self-willed is associated with prideful speech (Proverbs 21:24), whether boastful (Greek) or mocking (Hebrew). This fits with the context in 2 Peter, where the false teachers are speaking rashly against celestial beings. (Incidentally, there is one instance of authadeia – αὐθάδεια – a related noun in the ancient Greek of Isaiah 24:8, but the Greek rendering of the Hebrew is difficult to follow and doesn’t help us much here.)
Pulling back to the forest from the trees, we can see that Paul warns Titus to be sure not to appoint men as elders who are arrogant and self-willed. How would this apply to us today?
No man who puts himself above the Word of God should be appointed to eldership. Unfortunately, today, the commands in the Scriptures are taken too lightly by too many, including those in leadership. At times, some in leadership even flatly reject the commands of Scripture, claiming that those are outdated and lacking. They look to replace the clear instructions of Scripture with some principles that they derive from contemporary ideologies, especially modern philosophies or psychology.
The Christian faith is essentially a received faith. It is not reinvented from generation to generation. Yes, sometimes something lost must be retrieved. But it is never the case that something received from the apostles, held onto for centuries, should then be replaced by something “newer.” Today, unfortunately, there are some who even delight in “discovering” what appear to them to be new truths, never known before. The atonement is rejected. The inspiration of Scripture is denied. Psychology — literally, the study of the soul — is meant to be the golden key to fix persistent problems of thought and behavior. It is forgotten that, according to Peter, everything we need for life and godliness has been provided to us, through the sacrifice of Jesus (2 Peter 1:3). The clear teaching of Scripture that sin and death entered the world through Adam is replaced by a new grand myth of human origins, replete with death itself as God’s key instrument for forming humans. The list goes on.
Brothers, if you are a church leader (or aspire to be), be sure not to participate in this arrogant behavior. Do not support audacious sexuality (no-fault divorce, LGBTQ+ ethics), extravagant violence (medical suicide, in uterus infanticide) or rejection of God’s authority (the Scriptures). Nor should you join hands with those who do. Rather separate yourselves from such leaders. Be holy as I am holy, says the Lord (1 Peter 1:16).
Lastly, I want to address the issue of rejecting the authority of Jesus and his apostles, specifically. Many today challenge the authorship of the epistles in the New Testament. For example, some say boldly that Peter did not write 2 Peter. This is tantamount to calling the opening line an outright lie (2 Peter 1:1) –
“Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ....” (ESV)
Συμεὼν Πέτρος δοῦλος καὶ ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ.... (THGNT)
Others say that Jude did not write Jude. Or that Paul did not write 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus and yet other epistles. Brothers, this sort of bold approach has become so common place in scholarship, including in well-known commentaries, that hardly anyone, it seems, bats an eye when they see it. But, this is all nothing short of rejecting apostolic authority.
Others challenge word after word, phrase after phrase, even episode after episode that occur in the Gospels. Many reject outright the Gospel of John for allegedly not containing much (if anything) of historical value. Yet others think that Paul's teachings – and commands – are optional. He didn't know Jesus, personally, it is asserted by some, so he has less authority. Have we forgotten that the Lord Jesus himself appointed Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles?
Our hearts should be broken. Rather, as scholars professing Christian faith, we clap and approve of scholarly lectures that promote such ideas, while tearing down the walls of faith. Well-known publishing houses, with Christian foundations, produce works that promote this rubbish. Institutions of higher learning, including but not limited to seminaries, with rich Christian heritage, brazenly support scholarship and courses that advocate the undermining of the apostles, of the Scriptures. Many libraries at these institutes are full of books that openly take issue with the authorship of book after book in the Old and New Testaments. These “scholarly” works take an axe to the trunk of the faith – namely the individuals whom God chose to use as vessels to write the Holy Scriptures (2 Tim 3:15).
Brothers, do not partake in this audacious rejection of authority. Remember Reuben, Simon, Levi – remember the false teachers in Peter’s day who spoke boldly against celestial powers and rejected Christ. Remember that Peter says that those who are unstable reject Paul’s letters (2 Peter 3:15–16).
What should you do, if you are a church leader and have promoted such ideas in your congregation – whether in the public assembly, small groups or one-on-one conversations? Repent. Confess to those you have misled and now do the opposite. Rebuild the foundations! Give the sheep in the flock reason to submit themselves to the Scriptures and to the Lord's authority. Feed His sheep.
The word that was preached to each of us – and by which we received salvation – is incorruptible, Peter tells us (1 Peter 1:23–25):
“...you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you." (ESV)
If it was sufficient to save us from eternal separation from God, it is sufficient to inform our speech and daily practices on every level.
Peter knew what it was like to reject Jesus’ authority – he denied a prophecy spoken over the disciples by the Lord Jesus, namely that all would be scattered the night Jesus was betrayed. So, he received another prophecy – saying that he would actually deny Jesus three times. He rejected that prophecy too (Matt 26:31–35). He learned the hard way what rejecting authority can do to a person. It can break you. So, he learned the crucial value of total obedience. It is no surprise he speaks of our obedience to Christ three times in the opening of his first letter. The initial instance is this (1 Peter 1:1–2):
“To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” (ESV)
ἐκλεκτοῖς παρεπιδήμοις διασπορᾶς Πόντου, Γαλατίας, Καππαδοκίας, Ἀσίας, καὶ Βιθυνίας, κατὰ πρόγνωσιν θεοῦ πατρὸς ἐν ἁγιασμῷ πνεύματος εἰς ὑπακοὴν καὶ ῥαντισμὸν αἵματος Ἰησοῦ χριστοῦ· χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη πληθυνθείη. (THGNT)
This "obedience" (upakoe – ὑπακοή) is the antidote to any proclivity to becoming "self-willed” (authades – αὐθάδης). (See also 1 Peter 1:14, 22.) Church leaders: if you have been bold and arrogant, this is not the unforgivable sin. The blood of Jesus, more precious than any gem or element on the earth, will cleanse you from all rebellion. Simply confess and move now in the opposite direction. (Depending on how extensively you have undermined Scripture, you may need to step down from your church leadership for a season. Speak to a godly superior in your denomination or elsewhere, for input.) And be richly blessed now as you re-align yourself with the Lord! When you are up and on your feet again, strengthen the hands of those you know that are weak. As Jesus said to Peter, I say to you (Luke 22:32) –
“…but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”