Law of Agency
The law of agency is a legal doctrine concerning the relationship between two parties: the principal and the agent. The principal authorizes the agent to act on their behalf, to perform tasks, or make decisions, creating a legal or ethical relationship between the two. The agent's actions under this authority are considered as if they were carried out by the principal directly.
In the context of the Bible, the law of agency can be applied metaphorically to understand certain theological concepts and narratives both in the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) and the New Testament. Such that, "the one sent is like the on who sent him." The result is that the agent can not only carry out divine functions but also be depicted in divine language, sit on God's throne or alongside God, and even bear the Divine name.
Old Testament Application
In the Old Testament, prophets often serve as agents of God. They are chosen to convey God's messages to the people, act on His behalf, and execute His will on Earth. For instance, Moses acted as God's agent to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and deliver the Ten Commandments. In this way, the actions and words of the prophets can be seen as directly representing the will of God, embodying the principle of agency by acting under divine authority.
14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well; and behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you he will be glad in his heart. 15 And you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people; and he shall be a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. 17 And you shall take in your hand this rod, with which you shall do the signs.”
7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. 2 You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. 17 This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. [Moses tells Aaron and Aaron takes the staff and strikes the Nile] 19 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood.’ Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels[a] of wood and stone.” 25 Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile.
New Testament Application
In the Gospel of Matthew, a Roman Centurion came to speak with Jesus (Matt 8:5). However, in Luke 7:3, we read that the Centurion had sent Jewish elders to speak with Jesus on his behalf. Matthew views the agents (the elders) as if they were the principal (Centurion); the messengers were treated as if they were the Centurion himself. Matthew 8:5
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
Luke 7:3
3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.
Jesus as God's agent: Jesus performs God's will (John 4:34), speaks God's words (John 8:28), and obeys God's commands (John 14:31). "The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me." (John 12:45). "He who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9)
God gave Jesus authority, and he bestowed that authority on his disciples.
John 20:21-23
"Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.'"
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
John 17
"For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him."
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