Obey them that have the rule over you.

King James Bible
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Heb 13:17

New Living Translation
Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.

Is it always the case that church members must obey the designated leader?
Is it always 'divisive' and worthy of shunning if one does not?

Questions I have found myself asking, especially in the light of the letter quoted above.

I am no greek scholar, but a cursory browse around biblehub.com yields some interesting alternative readings of the above which, perhaps, suggests that translating the original words is not as straightforward as it seems. We often do not pick up the nuance, the social context or the agenda behind the original language and usage:

Jubilee Bible 2000
Listen to your pastors, and do not resist them, for they watch for your souls as those that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you. Heb 13:17

New International Version
Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 1 Thess 5:12

Other translations yield further shades of meaning.

In all cases, however, the point seems clear that honour is due to leaders who exhibit certain qualities; those who 'watch over your souls'; those who 'work hard among you' and 'give you spiritual guidance'; those who 'care for you'.

Not all leaders do so, even if they once started out that way.


There isn't space here to undertake an in-depth study of the greek word translated 'obey' above, but the fact of varying translations indicates that all is not as clear or simple as appears at first sight.

In the case of Hebrews 13:17, the instruction to obey appears to assume that the leader is worthy of imitation. Just a few verses before, we read, "Remember your leaders [Ed. 'those that have the rule over you' is a phrase added in KJV], who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." Heb 13:7 
Moreover,  the word 'obey' may be more correctly translated as 'be persuaded by'. So what is it about one's leader that should persuade? The outcome of his way of life, surely?

Here's an explanation of a greek word often translated 'to rule' in the New Testament. The original meaning appears more to do with providing a good example to the flock, rather than legislating, enforcing or, perhaps, coercing. It's about character, not hierarchy. And it's evident that good character, track record and leading by example are paramount:

HELPS Word-studies:

4291 proístēmi (from 4253 /pró, "before" and 2476 /hístēmi, "to stand") – properly, "pre-standing," referring to a pre-set (well-established) character which provides the needed model to direct others, i.e. to positively impact them by example.
4291 /proístēmi ("diligent to take the lead") underlines the effectiveness of influencing people by having a respected reputation, i.e. one built on a solid "track-record." This happens by setting the example of excellence by living in faith (cf. Ro 12:3,8).


So, does the Bible give us any indication on how to respond to those who appear to be in a position of power in the church, but misuse it?

Does it give us examples in which 'honouring' - by means of obeying - are not appropriate? And does it enjoin us not to obey in some circumstances?

Certainly there are stories in the Old Testament in which those 'under authority' spoke against those in power and found endorsement by God. Sarah and Abraham, Abigail and David, Nathan and David, David and Saul, and a whole host of prophets living under the rule of God's anointed Kings provide a few examples.


Here are a few references which seem to imply that one should disobey, avoid or at least, heed warnings against those at the extreme end of religious abuse, even if they appear to be in leadership.

Jeremiah 23:16
Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are leading you into futility; They speak a vision of their own imagination, Not from the mouth of the LORD.

2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies that even deny the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.

Philippians 3:2
Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh!

2 Corinthians 11:
4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles"...20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face.

(Presumably, Paul was, in so many words, exhorting the Corinthians not to put up with those who claimed apostolic authority but were abusing the flock. Evidence of their false apostleship would include that they were taking advantage of, or 'slapping in the face', as well as teaching erroneous doctrine.)

Revelation 2:
14But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. 15In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.

(The church has a mandate here, directly from Jesus, it seems, to reject false teaching and practice, wherever it comes from, even if it is leadership promoting it.)

Too often, in churches which have developed an unhealthy hierarchy, 'blowing the whistle' on abusive teaching and practice by leadership is conflated with 'failing to honour and obey' / 'divisiveness' and the unfortunate member so doing is consequently shunned.  

In our day, we have seen a number of church leaders called out for child sexual abuse. This is, of course, only right and proper. Those who seek to cover up or excuse, using Scripture to do so, are considered enablers of that abuse. The (misinterpreted) biblical instructions to 'obey' hardly seem appropriate here, especially when read by the offending Priest to the child in order to get him to submit!

And yet there remains the thorny and very similar dynamic of spiritual abuse in so many churches. Abuse which many consider to be just as damaging as anything physical. It can be defined as:

'using religious guilt to keep a person in a toxic relationship where the offending person shows no true attempt in changing their behaviours'.

Should our response as individuals or collectively, as a church, be any different?