Madisonville Church of Christ

In Matthew 20:20-28, Salome, the mother of James and John, approached Jesus with a request on their behalf. She asked the Lord if He might be willing to grant her sons to two higest ranking positions in His kingdom; on the right and left hand sides of His throne. Some believe that her sons may have put her up to making the request, while others believe that she was an ambitious woman, who wanted positions of power for her sons. Certainly, there were times when the disciples argued among themselves about which one of them would be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven (Luke 22:24-30). For the most part, these arguments arose out of a misunderstanding of the nature of the Lord's kingdom (Acts 1:6). However, as Jesus pointed out to Salome, in Matthew 20, there is no system of hierarchy among the members of His church, and it was simply not possible for Him to bestow such temporal powers upon any of His disciples.

This is in stark contrast with the teachings and practices of most denominational churches, today. For many centuries, there has been a sharp distinction between "clergy" and "laity" in the denominational world. Those who are amon the clergy are generally considered to have special authority from God, and are usually distinguished from the laity by wearing certain vestments, and by assuming certain titles, like "Father," or "Reverend," or "Pastor." The practice has become so commonplace that I, in my years as a gospel preacher, have been called by these names on several occasions. In fact, some people actually feel uncomfortable, when I tell them that they do not have to call me names and that I have no more or less authority than any of my brothers and sisters in Christ. The people of the world need to understand that this practice is in direct conflict with the teaching of God's Word.

Priests in various denominational churches are frequently called by the title, "Father." This is particularly ironic, in light of the fact that Jesus specifically forbade this practice. In Matthew 23, the Lord rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy and for the unscriptural demands they made of their fellow Jews. In the first seven verses of the chapter, Christ took them to task for assuming positions of authority that God had not given them, and for refusing to keep laws that they bound upon others, even as they coveted the praise of others, seeking to be called "Rabbi." In verses eight through ten, Jesus said, "But be ye not called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in Heaven. Neither be ye called master: for one is your Master, even Christ." According to the teachings of the New Testament, all Christians are priests (I Pet. 2:9; Rev. 1:6). No human being has the right to be elevated above others, as a priest, and then demand that everyone call him "Father!"

Clergy in many Protestant denominations are commonly called by the title, "Reverend." While this term does appear in the Bible, it is never used to describe a human being. As a matter of fact, the one and only passage of Scripture in which the term appears is Psalm 111:9, which uses it to describe the name of God. It is the highest form of arrogant presumption for anyone to assume that their name is on a par with the name of alm

Don't Call Me Names!