The impact of Christ's doctrine on his audience left them fascinated at His authority. They were impressed not just by His spiritual insights, the revelational truths, His rhetoric but by His authority. The magnitude of His ministry caused the audience to compare Him with the Scribes. The audience observed and concluded that Christ's authority distinguished Him from the scribes.

Although Christ's message was most likely insightful and intriguing, that was not what overwhelmed the audience to make such conclusion. If Christ had taught them with just a revelatory message delivered with the right religious fervor, spiced with the excellence of rhetoric, He would not have been different from the scribes. Christ intentionally taught h is audience to be touched more by His authority rather than just the rhetoric and insights of His message. This distinguished him from the scribes.

The scribes were expositors of the law. They were the interpreters and public teachers of the law. They made it their business to study the scripture, and were well acquainted with the language, history and customs of it, its style and phraseology. They had to interpret, convince and persuade people to get them to live by the law. Christ's ministry went beyond interpretation, rhetoric and persuasion. He relied on His authority to arrest the hearts of His audience and empower them for change. Christ could have revealed the mysteries of the creation and mesmerized the audience with the wisdom of omniscience after all He is the eternal word, so He is not short of a message yet He refrained from doing so. He could have dazzled them with the excellence of oratory after all He created the mouth. Why then did He accentuate His authority above His message? His emphasis in expressing the authority of His message than just the content of the message distinguished him from the scribes. I believe that His intention of captivating the hearts of the audience with his authority was realized. He wanted them to be transformed with His authority rather than just educated or informed by His sayings.

The Transforming Power of Spiritual Authority

Christ emphasized authority in his message because that is the only way his audience can receive the power to be transformed. People don't change because they are well informed but their hearts are arrested and they are empowered for change. Christ taught with authority because it is not just the biblical soundness or the rhetoric of the message that transforms the people but the power behind the message.

Commissioned to Transform

When Jesus was about to ascend to heaven, He gave the disciples the great commission to disciple the world with the same teachings he had taught them. This could not be done by just the message they had received from the Lord or any pious theatrics they had observed him display but they needed His authority.

Mt 28:18-20 (KJV) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Though the disciples had been taught the gospel by the Lord and were equipped with the right dynamics to teach, they however needed the spiritual authority to undertake such a task. They were sent to transform people not to just inform them about the gospel. For them to transform people from worldliness to true disciples of Christ, it will take divine authority. The authority that is needed for transformation is resident in Christ not just the message. Jesus told the disciples that He has all authority, therefore they should go and disciple the world and He will be with them. They needed authority for their commission and Christ's presence was to assure them of that. He does not give you His authority independent of His presence. His presence is what validates your commission not just the message. Every body can preach but those Christ sends, He confirms their message with the authority of His presence.

Mk 16:20 (KJV) And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Christ will not give His authority without His presence. Therefore, anyone who exhibits spiritual authority without Christ's presence is in deception. It is needful for every genuine minister of God to have Christ's presence to validate his commission because without him you are in the category of the scribes. Any interpretative skills, oratory or theatrics without His presence cannot raise disciples in the caliber that Christ expects. It takes Christ's presence to raise genuine disciples of Christ. The power of transformation from worldliness to Christianity resides in Christ presence.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

The power to “become” resides in Christ. Until the congregations are empowered for change by His presence, they cannot be transformed. Therefore, it is not how well we interpret scripture or the oratory that brings change but the influence of His authority on the audience that brings transformation. Without His presence, you cannot impart His life.

2Co 2:17 (KJV) For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

We corrupt the essence of the gospel when we preach the message without Christ' presence in our lives. A minister that has His presence and yet not well informed in theology is much more effective in impacting lives than one who is knowledgeable, gifted, has power of expression and lack Christ's presence

Christianity then is not just about a moral interpretation or ethical rhetoric, sensational theatrics but it is the authority of God expressed through Christ's presence.

1Co 4:20 (KJV) For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

Christian leaders must distinguish themselves from other religious teachers, spiritual gurus, and motivational speakers not by their ability to persuade people with words to change but by the authority that convicts people and empower them for transformation. This authority must be exhibited not by excellent rhetoric or scholarly interpretations but by expressing the presence of Christ.

Are you a Scribe or a Christ-ian

The leadership of today's church is devoid of authority because it is plagued with the scribal spirit. We have more scribes but few Christ influenced leaders. Though we have increased exponentially in revelation, administrative skills, technological opportunities for the spread of the gospel, we are less effective in impacting the world because we have diminished in spiritual authority. We have the authority of speech, religious dynamics and persuasion but lack the authority of His presence. Our emphasis on biblical insights, religious rhetoric and dynamics and administrative excellence has deceived the Church into thinking we have what it takes to change the world. The world is not impressed about our church activities or programs because we are void of the spiritual authority that will arrest their hearts. The Church has compromised its righteousness and substituted it with biblical information, sensational theatrics and deceptive religious zeal. Our teachers are more scribe oriented than Christ natured. Our theological students graduate armed with just a sound doctrine, ethical concepts and administrative skills but they don't have any divine authority. Without the authority, our scribal teachers are no different from the ethical gurus, or motivational speakers of the world. The body of Christ is being led by more scribes therefore, we are building "scribology" rather than Christianity. “Scribology” is having a form of godliness yet denying the power thereof. It is having the spiritual information, the right vocal expression yet lacking the authority of Christ's presence.

The body of Christ lack spiritual authority because we have more scribes than Christ. There is nothing wrong with our rhetoric and message which represent the scribes. What is wrong is the lifestyle of our leadership. We can only develop authority when we depart from our scribe lifestyle. We don't need more scriptural insights to unlock a new dimension of spiritual authority but we need leaders who are Christ-ians.

Many scribes substitute their lack of power with much empty talks and pious theatrics. They incite the audience into rapturous praise and call it a move of the Spirit. They masterfully stroke the emotions of their audiences with well crafted oratory to induce a desired response and call it power. Our worship has become so artificial and predictable. We have lost the spontaneity, the creativity and awe that are associated with the presence of Christ. Our messages are biblically sound and our spiritual expressions are flawless but what denies us of the authority is the scribal nature.

Character of a Scribe

Divine authority is locked in Divine nature. Divine character is the proof of divine authority. The presence of the Lord in one's life is not validated by deep biblical insight, excellent rhetoric, pious theatrics but the nature of God. The scribes lacked spiritual authority because their nature was unChristly. This explains why the scribes were good in interpretation and religious expression and yet were void of power. Christ had to rebuke them for their religious hypocrisy.

Mt 23:1-4 (KJV) Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

The Scribes would not exercise themselves in those things which they imposed upon others. They don't live what they preached. They pressed upon the people strictness in religion which they themselves would not be bound by; but secretly transgressed their own traditions which they publicly enforced.

Christ did not question the correctness of their interpretation but questioned their obedience. Christ indicated to His followers to be obedient to their teachings and yet should not follow their hypocritical practices. As long as their comments did illustrate the Mosaic text, did not pervert it, but made it plain and not void, they should obey yet with caution and discretion.

This same hypocritical scribe spirit that was prevalent at the diaspora of Christ is decomposing the moral fiber of today's Christianity. The church has become a theater where today's scribes display their hypocrisy. They interpret the scripture to reveal its moral responsibility yet they will not live it. They have a form of godliness yet are morally degraded. Some of our spiritual leaders are morally worse than their congregation. Inspite of their thunderous oratory and pietic theatrics their character is profane. They preach about unity but are the most divided. They preach ecstatically for their audience to trust God for financial breakthrough while they use dubious and manipulative means to enrich themselves.

Furthermore, the scribes were men pleasers.

Mt 23:5 (KJV) But all their works they do for to be seen of men.

All their end was to receive praise of men, and therefore all their endeavor was to be seen of men. The scribes of today are no different. Due to their motivation to win the applause of men, there are many scribes who will not respond to an invitation to speak until they have a considerable number of spectators. They work well when there are spectators to watch. The greater their spectators, the more dramatic they become. They measure the success of their ministries by the number of people who attend but not by the lives transformed.

Today's scribes equate exposure to men to be success. Therefore they do whatever it takes to be exposed through television, radio, and any technological media. The scribes are so addicted to spectators therefore they build their ministries to draw such exposure rather than God's presence. They preach to incite the congregation's favor but will not live to win divine favor. They measure their status by the applause they win. The church has become men oriented than God motivated. We have structured our services to cater to the pleasure of the people rather than God. That is what has neutralized our effectiveness to change people. There are many leaders today who are so exposed to men, and yet don't spend time with God. Many scribes want spectacular meetings rather than anointed ones for the sake of their spectators. Genuine anointed meetings might not be spectacular yet it will be life transforming and it satisfies the heart of God. Anointed meetings is not structured to satisfy just men but God. The desire of the Scribal leaders to create ministries that will be in the exposure of men has denied the body of Christ the essential tool for effective ministry.

When Christ called the apostles, he first drew them closer to him before he sent them out to minister.

Mk 3:14 (KJV) And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach

They would not have been effective if they had not been with Jesus. Divine exposure equipped them to be qualified to minister to men. We have scribes who flaunt their biblical knowledge and insights but their spiritual impact is negligible because they have not been in the presence of God. We don't need more exposure before men rather we need to spend more time before God. In our day of television exposure, innovative advertisements, internet technology, we are still behind in our evangelical impact as compared to the days of the book of Acts of the Apostle though they lacked such technological advancement. As long we have scribes who value exposure to men rather than God manning these avenues, there will not be true revival.

Today's scribes are addicted to the people rather than the presence of God. Therefore they easily compromise their righteous ethics to accommodate the profane lifestyles of the people. As long as they have prestigious audience, they careless if the Lord shows up. Their desire to please the audience has pressurized them to cater to the needs of the audience so they don't lose them. If today's scribes will have the same fear that they have in trying to keep their audience as they have for keeping God's presence, our church services would have been different. Due to their desire to satisfy the fleshy tendencies of their audiences, they yield themselves to be controlled by them. Their status and authority is a reward of how well they stoop so low to please their congregation but not divine approval. Therefore, the authority of most of our Church leaders today were ordained and crowned by their audience but not God.

2Ti 4:3-4 (KJV) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

The congregations has ordained their own leadership and given them lofty titles. Today's congregation uses financial pressure and diverse forms of boycott to intimidate their ministers to yield to their demand.

The hypocrisy of pleasing men than God has diffused into the laity. There are believers who find their religious zeal when they have an audience. They will not pray at home but will scream at the church because they have spectators before whom they can flaunt their piety. They live in the sight of men rather than God.

Pr 28:21 (KJV) To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress

Due to their motivation to win human applause, they have become actors with sensational dramatics to win more attention. The Church has become a theatre where religious actors display their gifts and talents.

Furthermore, the scribes love places of honor.

Mt 23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues.

The Scribes desired pre-eminence and superiority, and prided themselves extremely in it. They courted, and coveted, places of honor and respect. In all public appearances, as at feasts, and in the synagogues, they expected, and had, to their hearts' delight, the uppermost rooms, and the chief seats. The chief seats were seats usually occupied by the elders of the synagogue, near the pulpit. This the scribes loved, as a post of honor or distinction. It is not possessing the uppermost rooms, nor sitting in the chief seats, that is condemned (somebody must definitely sit uppermost), but loving them as a place of self exaltation is what was wrong. For Christian leaders to value such a little piece of ceremony as sitting highest, going first, taking the wall, or the better hand, and to value themselves upon it, to seek it, and to feel resentment if they don't have it is despicable.

The scribal spirit loves places of notoriety. The uppermost rooms of feasts and the chief seats are reserved for honorary guests. Because they love to be honored, they seek out places where they will be honored. Most preachers will go to places where it is considered “uppermost” a “chief seat”. They gravitate to places where their ministry can be honored. It seems they are not led to places categorized as "low seats". If you are ordinary, the anointed men of today do not want to associate with you. Even though the Lord they say they emulate was accused of spending too much time with those considered low grade of society. The scribes of today cannot condescend to people of low estate.

Such attitude caused the scribes not to go and see the Lord born in a manger. They were able to locate the birth place of Jesus when asked by Herod through biblical knowledge and interpretation of the scriptures but failed to go and worship the Messiah (Mt 2:4-5). They will not go to insignificant Bethlehem because they love the palace of Herod. Though they have the knowledge of where the Lord is doing, they will not participate because they are addicted to the palace. They will rather stay in the palace of ungodly king than go and worship at the manger of Bethlehem. Many believers have been deceived by today's scribes because they were led to believe that the palace is much important than the Christ. Their desire for notoriety have led them to build their ministries in the palace of Herod whiles they are controlled by Herod. The spirit of Herod has permeated the church because of our love for chief seats and upper rooms. The scribes validate their worship not by the King of kings but by the beauty and size of the palace. Therefore they have compromised the spirit of worship and accommodated Herod to influence their interpretations and mode of ministries. The scribes of today are still missing the move of the Messiah in our day. For Christ is being manifested in the despised, and social ostracized mangers of our day. We are locked in our beautiful palaces hoping for a revivals whiles Christ is manifesting His power among prostitutes, drug addicts, and today's stinking mangers.

Due to their love of notoriety, our scribal leaders demand extravagant luxurious conditions before they respond to a meeting. If you cannot pay their ridiculous demands, they will not respond to your invitation. There are ministers who demand limousines, prestigious hotels, specific luxury airline and unreasonable honorarium before they are led to preach for you. They have become hirelings not ministers of God. Their passion for notoriety has caused them to scheme the church into a marketing place to finance their selfish dreams. Like the Diaspora of Christ, we are busy exploiting the audience for money.

Mic 3:11 (KJV) The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

Where in the bible did Christ demand such outrageous or ridiculous lists before He responded to minister to the needy? Abuse of some ministers in handling their visiting ministers does not warrant such ridiculous demands. It seems no one is preaching against such practices therefore it is accepted as the norm among ministers to solicit such prices. Now people have to pay for registration before they are taught in our conferences. We have ethical reasons to validate our actions but it is still ungodly. If Christ and the early church did not do it, then there is no moral valid reason for us to do it.

The Scribal spirit loves titles

Mt 23:7 (KJV) And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

The scribes loved greetings in the market. They loved to have people put off their hats to them, and show them respect when they meet them in the streets and to be called Rabbi. Rabbi-This word literally signifies great. It was a title given to eminent teachers of the law among the Jews; a title of honor and dignity, denoting authority and ability to teach. They were gratified with such titles, and wished it given to themselves as denoting superiority. Every time it was given to them it implied their superiority to the persons who used it, and therefore they were fond of hearing it often applied to them.
They were pleased with special attention in public places, and desired that all should show them particular respect. The greetings would not have done them any good, if they had not been in the markets, where every body might see how much they were respected, and how high they stood in the opinion of the people. For him that is taught in the word to give respect to him that teaches is commendable enough in him that gives it; but for him that teaches to love it, and demand it, and affect it, to be puffed up with it, and to be displeased if it be omitted, is sinful and abominable.

Our scribal leaders are so captivated with titles to elevate themselves above others. They want their accolades to be ranted from the podium. Our leaders are puffed up with titles yet are void of spiritual authority to back it up. We have leaders who masquerade around with titles who don't have the character to back it up. They bear the office but do not care about the responsibility of their office. They want the title of the calling but not the service of such calling. We have so much titles but not the corresponding services. We have much apostles than apostolic work. Instead of being satisfied with christly humility and dedication of service we are striving for exaggerated titles to demand honor and spiritual distinction from the congregation. Even though the title distinguishes them as spiritual elite, their nature is not that exemplary from the congregation.

They scribes also used religion as a cloak to cover their covetous practices and greed.

Mt 23:14 (KJV) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

The word “houses” is used here to denote “property” or possessions of any kind. The scribes take away or get possession of the property of widows by improper pious arts and pretences. This was done in two ways: firstly, they claimed a very exact knowledge of the law and a perfect observance of it. They pretended to extraordinary justice toward the poor, friendship for the distressed, and willingness to aid those who were in embarrassed circumstances. They insinuate themselves into their affections. The thing they aimed at was to enrich themselves therefore all considerations of justice and equity were laid aside, and even widow’s houses were sacrificed to this. They induced “widows” and poor people to commit the management of their property to them as guardians and executors, and then took advantage of them and defrauded them.

Secondly, they put on the appearance of great sanctity, and induced many conscientious but credulous women to give them much, under pretence of devoting it to religious purposes.

Their prayers are said to have been long often three hours in length. One rule among them, it was said, was to meditate an hour, then pray an hour, and then meditate another hour-all of which was included in their “long prayers or devotions" for appearance or show; in order that they might the better defraud poor people. They would not be condemned for making long prayers, but because they did it with an evil design. Christ did not here condemn long prayers but using such prayers for the pretense for exploitation. If prayer was not considered godly they would not have been used for pretence for their evil agenda. The scribes used prayer as a hypocritical cloak which was used to cover such wicked practices

They devoured those whom by the law of God they were obliged to protect, patronize and relieve. Doubtless they did all this under the color of the law; for they did it so artfully that it passed uncensored, and did not at all lessen the people's respect for them.

How many religious activities do our leaders undertake as pretence to seduce and exploit the congregation to feed their greed and ambition? Are they really writing books, organizing conferences for their concern for spiritual growth or is it a cover up for their ulterior greedy motive? We have scribes on television whose programs are many advertisements of their products than worship service. It seems that it is a marketing infomercial rather than a teaching service. We are much concern about selling products rather than the spiritual maturity of our audience. They ask people to call in for prayer whiles secretly they desire their information for their mailing list. There are some who consulted marketing companies to use their worldly schemes to exploit their viewers. The Church has become a business enterprise rather than a worship center. Some scribes have started churches because of the money. Scribes generate ministry partners and play on their emotions to instigate them to give. They promise them a harvest for their money without telling them the responsibility of holy living. As long as they give they are not really concerned about their morality. They are concerned about the tithes and offering rather than the maturity of their flock.

There are scribes who pray long not because they want to spend much time with God or what they are praying about requires them to pray long but because they do this as a fascade to cover their wicked deeds. Because of their hypocrisy, they have made prayers long so they can exploit innocent people. We organize extensive meetings and increase its frequency for our personal agenda. Organizing religious meetings are good but if it is hyped up and the frequency is increased for personal agenda it is wrong. Our “scribes” have made people to believe it takes long prayers for God to do anything. I believe in sacrifice and perserverance but that is not the only way God operates. They have nullified the simplicity of the gospel to exploit people. There are ministers who scare people with demonic visions so they can exploit them to fulfil their selfish ambition. What will take a simple application of a spiritual principle, we spiritualize and complicate with words that have no bearing to the situation so they can get people to depend on them. When they are not needed they feel threatened. Scribes have made Christianity tough and complicated. They do that so the spiritual weak will need them. After all they cannot pray long. If the problem needed a short prayer they would have done it themselves. They hate it if they are not needed because then they are not in control to manipulate people. We made our prayers long for selfish reasons.

They interpreted the scriptures to manipulate and seduce people for their finance their evil schemes. The real motive of the conferences and religious activities is for financial gain. If that is not the case, how come such meetings are concentrated in the cities but not in the places where people cannot give yet need it the more. The blatant sacrilege of selling religious relics such as anointing oil to needful congregation is not right.
False leaders are building empires and amassing fortunes by fleecing those they pretend to serve.

The scribes have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.

Mt 23:25 (KJV) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess

The scribes develop impressive and sophisticated systems of external morality and ethical code of conduct but it cannot empower men to live up to them.

If the Christian leaders of today will have authority, they need to denounce any scribal character before they pursue the genuine spiritual authority. Our scribal attitudes have deteriorated the Church into the impotent condition it is in now. What we need now is more CHRIST-ians not scribes. If our scribal leaders will live a Christian lifestyle, they will exude spiritual authority. Our evidence of authority is not the utterance and theatrics but the fruits of Christ. It is not charisma but character. We don't need to raise more scribes; we need leaders who are Christ natured. We need to repent before we seek the authority of the kingdom. If you are scribe, God is calling you to become a Christ-ian. Let us cast away that highly inflated titles and be satisfied with being a honorable Christians. You are worth more to God a Christian than a scribe with over rated titles. The authority of the kingdom is here but those who will enter must go through the door of repentance. Let us concentrate on transforming our scribes to Christians and we see the Church regain its unprecedented authority in every aspect of life.
by Reindorf Mantey

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