There is a hierarchy of power in our world. There are kings, presidents, governors, bosses, supervisors, owners, managers, teachers, coaches, and leaders. In some cases, their power is absolute. In others, it is relative. In some cases, power is permanent, and in others, temporary. How you and I relate to the person in power over us is one of concern to God.

The Bible is full of passages that teach us how to relate to those in power, and they generally fall into two categories. The first deals with the fact God sovereignly put them there and we should obey for that reason alone¹ and because God gave the ruler the power to kill, imprison, or fire us. The second reminds us that though they have power, they are just men and are not God.

Kings, Presidents, and Bosses Are Appointed by God.

Romans 13 begins with seven verses directly dealing with how a new, tiny Christian minority should interact with the state, specifically the Roman Empire. Paul says, in sum, “God put the authority there for His reasons, so your best course of action is to obey it as much as is consistent with God’s word because in doing so you are obeying God. He gave the government military and jailing power for a reason. Pay your taxes, do good, and have the government’s approval.”² We can add to this God’s command through Jeremiah to the Hebrews exiled in Babylon: “Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for when it has prosperity, you will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7 HCSB).

On a more individual level, how should the Christian relate to an individual with authority, be it a king or boss? The Teacher of Ecclesiastes says, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God. Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases. Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’”³ In other words, the King has the authority, so obey it, but don’t join in evil things, because he can and will do whatever he pleases to you, be it kill you, throw you in jail, or fire you, but if you do good, the king or boss will bless you. As Proverbs 19:12 says, “A king’s rage is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass” (HCSB). Proverbs 20:2 adds, “A king’s terrible wrath is like the roaring of a lion; anyone who provokes him endangers himself” (HCSB).

So, rulers have authority over us, given by God, and we should recognize that fact, fear and respect their power, and obey it as if to God.

Kings, Presidents, and Bosses Are Just Men.

The other emphasis of Scripture is to point out that rulers are just men (or women) and not bearers of ultimate authority or of sovereignty. Fear their authority, but remember their authority is weak and subject to God. They are not God.

In Acts, twice as Peter and other apostles were before the Sanhedrin, Peter told them, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 4:19; Acts 5:29). Granted, the context here was Jewish leaders trying to stop the apostles from evangelizing, not a boss telling an employee to alter the staffing schedule, but the point remains; if we are told to do something by an authority figure that is in direct violation to the revealed word of God in the Bible, we must make a choice. In Luke 12:1-5 (HCSB)⁴, Jesus told his early followers, who were being beset by the Pharisees, “... I say to you, My friends, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will show you the One to fear: Fear him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear!”⁵ John the Baptist did just this, calling out Herod until it cost him his life.

Two passages stand out in terms of showing how the king (or boss) is just a man. No one could enter the Persian king’s presence without being summoned under penalty of death—not even the queen. Queen Esther took her life into her hands when she boldly entered the king’s presence without being summoned in order to make a request on behalf of the Jewish people. Not only was she not killed, but the conspirator was.

Nehemiah was a Jewish exile in Persia at the end of the Exile. Many Jews had returned to Israel, but Nehemiah had remained behind and was serving in the Persian king’s⁶ court as cupbearer. Nehemiah heard from some Jews who had returned that Jerusalem was in ruins and it cut him to the heart. He fasted and prayed for days because he wanted to ask the king for permission to return to Jerusalem with a royal decree to rebuild it. The king could have said no, but Nehemiah knew that God is supreme over history and over the King of Persia, so he prayed—in one of my favorite verses in the Bible—“Give Your servant success today and have compassion on me in the presence of this man” (Nehemiah 1:11 HCSB).⁷

Here, Nehemiah—who knew full well Proverbs’s warnings about the king’s wrath—asked God to grant him favor “in the presence of this man.” Nehemiah appeared before the king during a meal, and the king asked him what was wrong because Nehemiah looked sad, and Nehemiah boldly asked for permission to rebuild Jerusalem as governor. The king not only said yes, but sent a military garrison with Nehemiah.

The End of the Matter

God created all men and women on the planet, and in Christ, there is no favoritism of one person over another or people group over another, but on earth, God instituted authoritative structures. Governments, kings, bosses, and overseers have authority, and we should obey them⁸ as unto God. That said, we should never, ever forget that they are but men and not to be feared. If God has sovereignly placed you under someone, obey, but never forget they answer to God the same way you do. Ask for favor, compassion, and mercy in the presence of this human, non-divine authority.

The LORD bless you and keep you.

¹ Kantian deontological ethics!

² Author’s summary of Romans 13:1-7

³  Ecclesiastes 8:2-4 NASB

⁴ cf. Matthew 10:26-28

⁵ In both these passages, the context is poor religious leadership. One could make the mistake of assuming “obeying God rather than man” only applies in religious contexts and not secular ones. This is not the case.

⁶  King Artaxerxes, 445-444 B.C.

⁷ Various other translations use “Let Your servant prosper” and “grant mercy” in place of “
Success” and “compassion.” I particularly like the NIV’s rendering of “grant favor.” 

⁸ We should also be the correct kind of overseer when we have that position.