Jesus' words in Matthew 20:25 contrast the authoritarian "dominion" and "authority" wielded by Gentile rulers with the servant-hearted leadership he calls his followers to embody, yet a common misinterpretation is that it abolishes all forms of hierarchy or leadership in the church, leading some to reject pastoral roles, elders, or organizational structure as inherently worldly. Another error is applying it rigidly to secular politics, arguing Christians should never seek or exercise power, ignoring Jesus' affirmation of legitimate authority elsewhere (e.g., Romans 13). In context, amid the disciples' dispute over greatness, Jesus redefines true greatness not as lording over others but as serving, so misreading it as anti-authority overlooks the positive model of sacrificial ministry modeled by himself as the ultimate servant-king.
Matthew 20:25
King James Version (1769)
25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Jesus contrasts the worldly model of leadership, where Gentile rulers domineeringly exercise authority over their subjects, with the kingdom principle he teaches his disciples amid their dispute over positions of honor: true greatness comes not from lording power over others but from humble service, as he himself exemplifies by becoming a servant to many.