来十三17　你们要信从那些带领你们的，且要服从；因他们为你们的魂儆醒，好像要交账的人；你们要使他们欢乐地作这事，不至叹息；若叹息，就与你们无益了。

　　彼前五5　　照样，年幼的，要服从年长的；你们众人彼此相待，也都要以谦卑束腰，因为神敌挡狂傲的人，赐恩给谦卑的人。

　　谁也不敢说不听主的权柄，但神所配搭之肢体的权柄也应听从。应知道许多肢体是连在一起的。……有时主直接使用一个肢体，有时主用另一个肢体供应另一个肢体。当元首指挥眼睛去看时，全身都接受眼睛的看作为他的看见，因眼看见就是全身的看见。这个代表的功用，亦即代表的权柄，也就是元首的权柄。若其他肢体自以为能看，便是悖逆。我们总不能愚昧到一个地步，以为我是全能的。

　　永不要忘记，你只是一个肢体，需要接受别的肢体的功用。当我们服在看见的权柄底下，我们和元首即毫无间隔，因为供应即是权柄。谁有恩赐，谁就是那个职事；谁是职事，谁就是权柄。非眼不能看见，你要看就非服眼的权柄，接受其供应不可。神所派的职事，就是权柄，别人不该不接受他。人都愿意直接接受神的权柄，但神有更多的间接权柄（即代表权柄）要我们顺服，而得到属灵的供应（倪柝声文集第三辑第一册，一九二至一九三页）。

　　Heb. 13:17 Obey the ones leading you and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who will render an account, that they may do this with joy and not groaning; for this would be unprofitable to you.

　　1 Pet. 5:5 In like manner, younger men, be subject to elders; and all of you gird yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

　　No one dares to say that he would not submit to the Lord's authority. But there is also the authority of the members in coordination that we have to submit to. We have to realize that all the members are joined together….Sometimes the Lord uses one member directly. At other times, the Lord uses a member to supply another member. When the head directs the eyes to see, the whole body takes the seeing of the eyes as its own seeing because when the eyes see, the whole body sees. This delegated function, which is deputy authority, is also the authority of the Head. If any other members think that they can see for themselves, they are in rebellion. We cannot be so foolish as to think that we are almighty.

　　Never forget that we are just members. We need to receive the function of the other members. When we submit to the authority of the seeing function, we will have no barrier with the Head, because the supply is in the authority. Whoever has the gift has that ministry; and whoever has the ministry has the authority. No one else can see except the eyes. If we want to see, we have to submit to the authority of the eyes and receive their supply. God's appointed ministry is His authority. No one should reject it. Everyone wants to receive God's direct authority. But God wants us to submit to indirect authorities (i.e., deputy authorities) so that we may receive spiritual supply. (CWWN, vol. 47,”Authority and Submission,” p. 175)

　　除了神自己，连主耶稣在地上都得服权柄。我们该到处看到权柄，……有的人从来不认识谁是他的权柄，一个人都未顺服过。……你若知道该顺服的是谁，你就自然而然地知道在身体里该站的地位，也会站住自己的地位。……〔顺服〕是作工的人头一个要学习的，也是工作最大的部分（倪柝声文集第三辑第一册，一三一至一三二页）。

　　在宇宙当中，只有神是人直接的权柄；除祂以外，一切的权柄都是代表的。父母作儿女的权柄，是代表神作权柄；丈夫作妻子的权柄，是代表神作权柄；政府的首长作百姓的权柄，是代表神作权柄；连学校里的师长，店铺里的经理，马路上的警察，都是我们的代表权柄。召会中的长老也是代表神作权柄。我们今天活在地上，很少是直接活在神的权柄底下。我们所服的那一切权柄，差不多都是代表的权柄。……神直接作权柄的场合并不多，差不多的场合，神的权柄都是代表的。

　　今天人服神直接的权柄容易，服神所设立的代表权柄不容易，因为你看那些代表权柄不一定比你好，不一定比你强。……你到了一个地方召会中，可能那里的长老得救不如你早，属灵不如你高，教育程度不如你好，干才也不如你大，但是你到了那里，你就得服那个代表的权柄，接受那个代表的权柄（长老治会，一七至一八页）。

　　参读：长老治会，第五至六篇；使徒的教训与新约中的领导，第二章；召会的组织，第二至九篇。

　　Other than God Himself, everyone, including the Lord Jesus, has to submit to authority on earth. We should see authority everywhere….Some never realize who their authority is. They have never submitted to anyone…. If you know who you have to submit to, you will spontaneously know what position you should occupy in the Body, and you will stand in your proper position….Submission is the first lesson for those who work. It is actually the major part of their work. (CWWN, vol. 47,”Authority and Submission,” p. 120)

　　In the universe, only God is the direct authority to man. Other than God, all authorities are delegated. The parents represent God as the children's authority, and the husbands represent God as the wives' authority. The civil officers represent God as the citizens' authority, and even the teachers in the schools, the managers in the offices, and the policemen on the streets are all delegated authorities. The elders in the church also represent God as authority. Today while living on earth, seldom do we live under God's direct authority. Almost all the authorities that we submit to are delegated authorities….There are not many cases where God acts directly as authority. In almost all circumstances, God's authority is delegated.

　　It is easy today for man to submit to God's direct authority, but it is not easy to submit to the delegated authority God has appointed. The reason for this is that you may not consider the delegated authority better or stronger than you are….When you come to a local church, the elders there may not have been saved as long ago as you were. They may not be as spiritual as you are, may not have received as much education as you have received, and may not be as capable as you are. But when you are there, you have to accept that delegated authority and submit to it. (CWWL, 1960, vol. 2,”The Elders' Management of the Church,” p. 141)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1960, vol. 2,”The Elders' Management of the Church,” chs. 5-6; CWWL, 1989, vol. 4,”The Apostles' Teaching and the New Testament Leadership,” ch. 2; CWWL, 1956, vol. 2,”Three Aspects of the Church, Book 3: The Organization of the Church,” chs. 2-9