We’re moving on in our study of marriage this week with a look at some other aspects of how Yeshua’s ministry applies to living out a Godly marriage. We looked at a little bit about His leadership previously, but this time, and likely into next week, we’ll get into some characteristics of that leadership that we should also embody as we work together with our spouse in marriage. They may be obvious to some, but I’m sure we’ll cover at least one or two that you might not have expected, or perhaps considered before.
Previously, we identified that people, especially religious experts, were astonished by Yeshua’s teaching, and that was because He spoke with authority as someone they considered an uneducated man. This authority did not end at His use and explanation of scripture though, and that fact also ties into another role we should do our best to fulfill: protector. Yeshua sought and fulfilled the role of protector during His ministry for all those that looked to Him as the Messiah, and He did so by using not only His authority of scripture but also His authority over creation, including both the physical and spiritual aspects of it.
Yeshua rebuked religious leaders when they confronted Him about what His disciples were doing (Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28, Luke 6:1-5), He restored withered body parts (Matthew 12:9-13, Mark 3:1-6, Luke 6:6-11), and drove unclean and evil spirits out of people (Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39). His authority over all things was unmatched by anyone the people had seen, read about, or heard of before, save YHWH, and He used that authority to try to tend to, guide, and protect from not only spiritual evil but also man’s evil and the fanatical religiosity that man had developed over time.
It's important, at this point, to recognize with what style or characteristics Yeshua asserted His authority and performed His role of protector. He didn’t stay at home or gather His disciples to stay in one spot waiting for things to come to them. He led the disciples about their business of spreading the message of repentance, and if the opportunity arose to assert that authority and protection, He did so.
Now, bear in mind, as they were doing the daily Jewish things like going to synagogue or the temple on Shabbat, it wasn’t that Yeshua forced Himself or His disciples to conform to what the world was preaching and teaching either. For instance, He didn’t stop the disciples from grabbing some grain on Shabbat when they were hungry. As a side note, it’s interesting that the disciples did this considering the fact that it was clearly viewed as unlawful, which means either 1) Yeshua had already explained what laws they should follow and what was man’s creation, or 2) the disciples didn’t really follow the Pharisaical laws normally (sort of like what we would call a “lukewarm” Christian who’s not wholly dedicated to living that lifestyle).
No, Yeshua didn’t stop and scold the disciples, telling them, “I know these Pharisaical laws don’t matter, but we don’t need any trouble, we just need to be able to keep preaching and spreading the message to as many people as possible.” He let them pick and eat, and when the inevitable confrontation by the Pharisees occurred, He used scripture to shut them down. He also didn’t hesitate to use His authority to care for those around Him, including His disciples’ loved ones (Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:29-31, Luke 4:38-39).
It’s easy for us to take for granted that Yeshua did all these things. I mean, He is the Son of YHWH, and the Savior of all mankind, right? Of course He would do these things. We’d be questioning if He didn’t do them, not the fact that He did.
These parts of Yeshua’s ministry become almost a “ho-hum” aspect of our discipleship of Him if we don’t properly apply them to our lives, and most especially to our marriage. He didn’t demonstrate these things, with the authority that He has and has passed on to us, for us to say, “well, He was the Son of YHWH and I’m just a person, so things are different for me.” In fact, quite the opposite! He told the disciples that whoever believes in Him would do greater things than Him, and that if they had even a little faith they could move mountains! (John 14:12, Matthew 17:20)
Note the wording used by Yeshua there. He said anyone that believes in Him would do greater things than Him, not only the apostles, or only Peter or John. Anyone. We are called to do those greater things and they start with how we live out our marriage.
We need to take the authority Yeshua has given us through His death and use it to fulfill the roles of marriage that YHWH defined. We keep talking about the hierarchy of a family, where Yeshua is the leader of the man, the man is the leader of the woman, and the woman is the leader of the children, but what we haven’t yet specified is how that is lived out. One of the ways we live that out is through our use of Yeshua’s given authority and using that to fulfill our role as protector and leader.
One of the ways you can identify the true nature or goal of a thing is by comparing it to YHWH’s design. This is true when you look at the efforts of the world to destroy the way that YHWH has ordained the structure of a family. From the beginning, The Adversary has used a role of follower to produce a corruption of YHWH’s design, starting with Eve’s deception and then her leading her husband, Adam, into the same sin.
When you look at things in the world today, you can still see this tactic used. Wives are targeted with temptations and then lead their husbands into sin because their husbands fail to assert their authority in marriage, which is given by YHWH. Now, there are definitely situations in which it occurs the other way around, and it’s also nearly impossible for a husband to assert the proper authority, with the basis in truth, if he doesn’t know what truth is because the world teaches him its opposite.
The same goes for children, and you see this all over the place, especially recently. In various places, children are being given authority over themselves and the parent’s authority is being usurped. They are being empowered to make decisions that they are not capable of making and are most certainly contrary to YHWH’s design. They’re even told, in some cases, to keep these things from their parents, especially if their parents are against them. This is a deception from evil at its very core, and the only way to fight against it is through the re-assertion of the parent’s authority and for them to stick to that assertion of authority.
It doesn’t stop at these major events or decisions in our lives though, it’s a day to day assertion of authority. Even the seemingly inconsequential or minor things like letting a child do what they want or act however they want are detrimental not only to the family structure but also to the proper development of that child. It certainly doesn’t build a foundation on which a child can become a true child of YHWH, because they will never learn that YHWH expects obedience or even how to be obedient to Him.
As a husband, we are called to assert our authority and be the protector over our wife and children. As a wife, we are called to assert our authority and be the protector over our children. We are all called to follow those that are appointed over us, with our ultimate leader being our Lord and Savior, Yeshua Ha Mashiach.
Take a moment this week to note where you might not be fully fulfilling your calling to assert your given authority and be the protector of those placed under you by YHWH. There is a reason He has designed things the way He has, and if we are not following that design we are asking to have trouble in our lives. That’s not to say everything will be easy! However, with the foundation of following His design, we are the best equipped to combat the forces of evil that come our way.
Shabbat shalom and YHWH bless you!
-Rob and Sara Gene
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