The Principle of Agency in the New Testament
As we learned in The Principle of Agency in the Old Testament, an agent is one who has been “authorized to act for or in the place of another.”[1] In Hebraic terms, the agent or the “one sent” is called the shaliah.[2] Its New Testament equivalent is the term apostle or apostolos in the Greek, and it means: a messenger, one sent on a mission.[3] Regarding agency, James McGrath, professor and New Testament scholar writes:
Agency was an important part of every day life in the ancient world. Individuals such as prophets and angels mentioned in the Jewish Scriptures were thought of as ‘agents’ of God. And the key idea regarding agency in the ancient world appears to be summarized in the phrase from rabbinic literature so often quoted in these contexts: “The one sent is like the one who sent him.” [4] (emphasis added)
The principle, which scholars also refer to as the law of agency, is found throughout Scripture. One doesn’t have to be called a shaliah or an apostle in order to be considered an agent. Moreover, a text doesn’t have to specify that someone was “sent” in order for the principle to be in operation. Understanding this important precept helps us make sense out of what might otherwise be difficult or confusing passages. We’ll also see in Jesus, the Human Agent of God, how agency also helps us understand who Jesus is, his ministry and his relationship with God. But for now, let’s examine agency as it relates to various New Testament passages.
Jesus Baptized Disciples. Or Did He?
The first instance of agency that we’ll examine is found in John’s gospel. After observing the Passover in Jerusalem,[5] Jesus was baptizing disciples:
John 3:22-26 (NASB) After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing. 23 John [the Baptist] also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized— 24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” (emphasis added)
According to this account, Jesus was baptizing his followers. It seems pretty straightforward, that is until we read the opening verses in the following chapter:
John 4:1-3 (NASB) Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), 3 He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. (emphasis added)
Chapters 3 and 4 both say that Jesus was baptizing disciples, but then John parenthetically clarifies that Jesus wasn’t actually performing the baptisms, rather his disciples were. How could John say that Jesus was baptizing people when he actually wasn’t? Was he lying? No, he was simply applying the principle of agency. The Encyclopedia of Jewish Religion explains it this way:
The main point of the Jewish law of agency is expressed in the dictum, “a person’s agent is regarded as the person himself.” Therefore, any act committed by a duly appointed agent is regarded as having been committed by the principal…[6] (emphasis added)
Because the disciples were Jesus’ “duly appointed agents,” it was perfectly acceptable to credit Jesus with the baptisms. This is a strange concept for Westerners to grasp, however, in the Hebraic culture it was normative.
The Centurion and His Infirmed Servant
The next example of agency has to do with a Roman commander and his highly regarded servant:
Matthew 8:5-10 and 13 (NASB) 5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” 7 Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel…13 And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.
In Matthew’s account, Jesus interacts directly with the centurion. But when we read Luke’s account, there appears to be a glaring contradiction:
Luke 7:1-10 (NASB) When He [Jesus] had completed all His discourse in the hearing of the people, He went to Capernaum. 2 And a centurion’s slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die. 3 When he heard about Jesus, he [the centurion] sent some Jewish elders asking Him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 When they came to Jesus, they earnestly implored Him, saying, “He [the centurion] is worthy for You to grant this to him; 5 for he loves our nation and it was he who built us our synagogue.” 6 Now Jesus started on His way with them; and when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to Him, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof; 7 for this reason I did not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 “For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 9 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.” 10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.
Luke appears to contradict Matthew’s account when he records that the centurion did not personally meet with Jesus. Unfortunately, some look at seeming contradictions like this one and conclude the Bible isn’t credible and therefore can’t be trusted. However, the contradiction dissolves when we understand the law of agency. Matthew had no problem reporting that the centurion came to Jesus because the Jewish elders and friends he sent were acting as agents on his behalf. And according to the custom, it was reasonable to speak of such an occasion as if the centurion was himself present. Pastor and author, David Burge, explains:
The centurion here is the principal; the Jewish elders and the centurion’s friends are his appointed, commissioned agents. Remembering that in Hebrew thought, the principal and the agent are not always clearly distinguished, Matthew mentions only the principal (the centurion) without distinguishing the agent (the Jewish elders and friends). Luke mentions both principal and agents. To put it another way, in Matthew’s account, the elders (agents) stand for and are treated as the centurion (principal), even though this is not literally true.[7]
Earle Ellis, professor and theologian, agrees:
As in the Sabbath healings, in the healing of the centurion’s slave…Matthew uses the shaliah principle to subsume the elders under the person of the centurion.[8]
James and John Petition Jesus
Our next example involves two of Jesus’ apostles and their mother. When Jesus and his disciples were walking to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve apostles aside to tell them that the religious leaders would hand him over to the Gentiles who would, in turn, put him to death. Nevertheless, Jesus said he would rise again three days later:[9]
Mark 10:35-41 (NASB) 35 James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40 “But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John.
Now take note of the differences in Matthew’s account:
Matthew 20:20-24 (NASB) Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.” 22 But Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They *said to Him, “We are able.” 23 He *said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit on My right and on My left, this is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.” 24 And hearing this, the ten became indignant with the two brothers.
We see that the mother of James and John was serving as their agent when she asked Jesus for favor in the coming kingdom. Was Mark wrong to record the encounter as if James and John asked Jesus directly for positions in his government? No, Mark simply employed the principle of agency in his narrative.
Saul of Tarsus
The last example we’ll look at comes from the book of Acts. When Saul of Tarsus (later known as the apostle Paul) was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord,” he asked the high priest for authorization so he could travel to Damascus to arrest any followers of Jesus he might find there.[10] Luke records the following:
Acts 9:3-6 (NASB) 3 As he [Saul] was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.”[11]
How could Saul have been persecuting Jesus when the Lord was seated at God’s right hand in the heavens? Once again agency provides the answer because when you interact with the agent, you are in effect interacting with the sender (or the principal). Professor and theologian, Marianne Meye Thompson elaborates:
A common saying in the rabbis was “the one who is sent is like the one who sent him” or “a man’s agent is equivalent to himself”. Because the saliah [shaliah] may act on behalf of the one who sent him, when one deals with the saliah [shaliah] it is as if one is dealing with the one who sent that person.[12] (emphasis added)
In essence this is what Jesus taught his disciples:
Luke 10:16 (NASB) “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
And also:
Matthew 25:40 (NASB) “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.‘[13]
When Saul was persecuting Christ’s followers, those whom he had commissioned and sent out in his name,[14] he was essentially persecuting the one who had sent them, that is, Jesus. Not in a physical way, obviously, but in a representative way. Thus it was the law of agency that allowed Jesus to say that Saul was persecuting him.
In summary, we’ve learned that an agent is one who is authorized to act on behalf of or in the place of another. The principle or law of agency states that the one who is sent is seen as being the one who sent him. Agency was an everyday occurrence in the ancient world, and it is demonstrated throughout Scripture. When we read the Bible with a Jewish perspective, difficult or confusing passages make sense, contradictory passages are harmonized, and familiar passages come to life. In our next post we’ll look at numerous passages to discover how Jesus is the ultimate agent of God.
[1] “agent,” Merriam Webster Dictionary, accessed 06-16-19, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agent
[2] Also spelled: shaliach, saliah, salah.
[3] “apostolos,” #652, New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
[4] James F. McGrath, The Only True God: Early Christian Monotheism in its Jewish Context, (University of Illinois Press, 2009) p. 14.
[5] John 2:23.
[6] “Agent” (Heb. Shaliah), The Encyclopedia of Jewish Religion, R.J.Z. Werblowsky, G. Wigoder, (New York: Adama Books, 1986), p. 15.
[7] David Burge, Divine Agency in the Scriptures, 8-10-15, https://sandrahopper.blogspot.com/2015/ accessed 7-5-19
[8] E. Earle Ellis, The Making of the New Testament Documents, (Society of Biblical Literature, 2009), p. 342
[9] Mark 10:32-34.
[10] Acts 9:1-2.
[11] Acts 22:7; 26:14 for Paul’s account.
[12] Marianne Meye Thompson, “Gospel of John,” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Joel B. Green, ed. 1992 (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1992), p. 377
[13] The context here is more of a positive one: when you minister to the least of these, you minister to Jesus. The converse is true as well. See also: Matthew 25:45.
[14] Mark 16:15-18, etc.
