An authority is a person or group of people who have the power to teach, govern, or organize because of their expertise, trustworthiness, and skill. Authority teaches students things about the world. Authority governs nations. Authority runs companies. Authority has the perilous job of safeguarding truth whether it be in the realm of education, governance, or business. Authority, therefore, must bear the burden of truth for many in order to do its job properly. True authority figures carry a weight that gives them a certain gravitas which is defined as a seriousness and importance of manner causing feelings of respect and trust in others (1). While many in authority have surrendered their right to be respected because of their inappropriate behavior, we cannot just throw the Boss Baby out with the bath water because a world without authority is even filthier. Sadly, in true postmodern fashion, we have redefined the word to mean tyrant rather than teacher, bully rather than boss, and loser rather than leader.

How did we get to the point where authority is viewed, at best, as a wet blanket preventing us from playing with fire or, at worst, as a tyrant that tramples on our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?

I believe the reason is that the epistemological structure of postmodernism is incapable of supporting the weight of truth, so it keeps it away by fat-shaming it.  It doesn’t dare test the tensile strength of tolerance because it knows that it is already teetering under the overwhelming mass of its own ego. Better to give a frosty reception to authority than expose one’s fragile snowflake life to the spring thaw of truth.

For the postmodernist, relative truth is a wonderful thing because it is portable, lightweight, and doesn’t require extra baggage fees when you travel. Nobody gets hurt when you throw your weight around because your opinion consists of nothing but hot air. The problem, however, is that relative truth can barely support the hopes and dreams of one person let alone the family of man.

I’m holding on
Why is everything so heavy?
Holding on
So much more than I can carry
I keep dragging around what’s bringing me down
If I just let go, I’d be set free
Holding on
Why is everything so heavy? (Heavy – Linkin Park)

Jesus claimed He was truth, and everyone he encountered were amazed because He spoke as one with authority.

And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. (Luke 4: 36-37)

Even a Roman centurion recognized Jesus’ authority, which was quite surprising considering he worked for Caesar.

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. (Matthew 9: 5-10)

Jesus lacked an influential family pedigree, had no formal rabbinical training, and was a political outsider, yet He was viewed as one with divine gravitas. Jesus claimed He was truth and backed it up by taking on every argument and every need from every person without crumbling. When we acknowledge that Jesus has authority over our lives we allow Him to take on the heavy burden of our sins and our yoke becomes light, but if we try to become our own authority then we defy gravitas and set ourselves up for a very hard Fall.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 18-20)

(1) Cambridge dictionary

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash