by Max Maxwell
All Rights Reserved.
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Socrates: You must feel that I am well disposed towards you and will treat you with respect. I might not be inclined to give an answer as you have just given to someone who would not treat me kindly.
Paul: Explain yourself.
Socrates: If I were to go about my town claiming to own three hundred acres of land in the area, some might ask me where this land was located.
Paul: Yes, they might.
Socrates: But if I were unable to tell them, I imagine they would not have much patience for such a reply. They might even demand proof that I owned the land, such as a deed. If instead of showing my deed, I claimed that the land was a gift from God and yet still was unable to tell them where this gift was, they might lose patience with me or consider me mad.
Paul: {silence}
Socrates: Likewise, if I went about town claiming to have authority over the people, I imagine the people would have a right to know the nature of this authority. They would want to know its function and jurisdiction, not to mention how it came to be that I deserved to possess such authority. Should I judge them harshly if they lost patience with me as I showed myself unable to explain these things, and instead simply made an appeal to God?
Paul: {silence}
Socrates: I find myself in the predicament of having to ask the same question over and over again. But I assure you I am not losing patience. The fact is that I am used to not knowing the truth of things. I am accustomed to not having the answers to my questions. Do you not see the importance of the question? How can a man possibly embrace any concept of having authority over his wife if he has no understanding of the jurisdiction of that authority? And so, because of my unfortunate state of persistent ignorance, I must ask you again to teach me the nature of this authority. Do not make appeals to God’s gift giving ability as a substitute. But help my ignorance and explain to me in plain words the jurisdiction of this authority.
Paul: {silence}
Socrates: You do not look very happy with my predicament.
Paul: In plain truth, you are an annoying man. And it is not because you ask questions, but because you do not believe the Bible.
Socrates: Does this mean you are reluctant to teach me? I will be happy to believe if you would be so kind as to show me the truth of the matter.
Paul: It is true! It is true that a husband’s authority is God-given, just as the Bible says. It is authority by divine appointment.
Socrates: Perhaps you could give me another example of authority by appointment so we could examine it together.
Paul: That is a good idea and I have the perfect example. The commander of a military unit is in his position by appointment. He has authority because the military said it would be so. He is able to make all kinds of decisions. He does not have to be a watchmaker in order to tell his troops when to get up and when to go to bed. He does not have to be a chef to decide when, where, and how they shall eat. He does not need to be a doctor to decide if his troops shall rest or keep marching. They will march until he says otherwise.
Socrates: I think you have given us a good example that may illustrate the character of this God-given male authority. But I am not sure it actually answers my question. May I examine your example?
Paul: If you must.
Socrates: If I am to understand, then I must. You say the military commander has the authority to make all kinds of decisions on behalf of his troops?
Paul: Yes.
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© Copyright 2008 Kenneth J. Maxwell Jr.