The Wisdom of Jethro: Subsidiarity in the Wilderness
Introduction: The Tyranny of the Indispensable Man
We live in an age that despises hierarchy, distrusts authority, and champions a flattened, egalitarian mess as though it were a virtue. At the same time, we are crushed by the top-heavy tyrannies that this very attitude creates. When every man does what is right in his own eyes, the people eventually cry out for a king, for a dictator, for one man to fix it all. They demand a centralized, bureaucratic leviathan to solve every problem, from potholes to pandemics. This is true in the state, and it is tragically true in the church.
We have a tendency to create what I call the "cult of the indispensable man." We find a gifted leader, a dynamic preacher, or a capable administrator, and we proceed to run him into the ground. We funnel every decision, every dispute, every question to his desk, until he becomes the sole arbiter of all things great and small. We do this in the name of honoring his gifts, but it is actually a form of spiritual laziness on our part and a recipe for burnout and disaster on his. Moses, the meekest man on earth, had fallen into this very trap. He was attempting to be the beginning and end of all justice for a nation of over a million people. It was a noble effort, a righteous effort, but it was a foolish effort. It was not sustainable, and it was not God's design.
Into this situation, God sends a man from the outside. He sends a Midianite priest, Moses' father-in-law, Jethro. And Jethro, a man who worships the true God but is not part of the covenant community of Israel, speaks plain, practical, sanctified common sense. What we have in this passage is not some arcane theological dispute, but a lesson in godly administration. It is a lesson in distributed authority, in what some have called the principle of subsidiarity. This is the idea that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest, or least centralized competent authority. It is a profoundly biblical concept, and it is the bedrock of a free and flourishing society, whether that society is a nation or a church.
Moses' humble reception of this counsel is as instructive as the counsel itself. He does not pull rank. He does not say, "I'm the one who talks to the burning bush. Who are you?" He listens, he sees the wisdom in it, and he obeys. This passage is a rebuke to our pride, our love of centralized power, and our refusal to delegate. It is a blueprint for godly order.
The Text
So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.
And Moses chose excellent men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
And they judged the people at all times; the difficult matter they would bring to Moses, but every minor matter they themselves would judge.
Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land.
(Exodus 18:24-27 LSB)
Humble Hearing (v. 24)
We begin with Moses' response to Jethro's sharp, but loving, critique.
"So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said." (Exodus 18:24)
The first and perhaps most striking thing here is Moses' humility. This is the man who stood before Pharaoh, who wielded the staff of God, who saw the Red Sea part. If anyone had a right to be puffed up with his own importance, it was Moses. Yet, he "listened to the voice of his father-in-law." The Hebrew word is shama, which means not just to hear with the ears, but to heed, to obey. He received the word of a man who was, in one sense, his subordinate in the things of God. Jethro was not an Israelite. He was not "in the ministry." But he had wisdom.
This is a crucial lesson for all leaders, especially in the church. God is not limited to speaking through the ordained, the credentialed, or the famous. Sometimes the most profound wisdom comes from a Jethro, from a concerned parishioner, from your wife, from someone who sees the situation with fresh eyes. Pride builds walls against counsel. Pride insists that because God has used you in one area, you are infallible in all areas. Moses' humility was the gateway to this entire reformation of Israel's civic life. He didn't just listen; he "did all that he had said." He didn't form a committee. He didn't table it for further discussion. He saw the truth in it and acted.
This is a direct assault on the modern therapeutic mindset, which often values intentions over outcomes. Moses' intention was good; he wanted to judge the people righteously. But his method was bad. Jethro told him plainly, "What you are doing is not good. You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the matter is too heavy for you; you are not able to do it alone" (Exodus 18:17-18). Good intentions do not prevent burnout. Sincerity is not a substitute for structure. Moses had to repent of his well-intentioned but ultimately prideful method of doing everything himself.
Federal Structure (v. 25)
Next, we see the implementation of Jethro's plan. It is a model of delegated, layered authority.
"And Moses chose excellent men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens." (Exodus 18:25 LSB)
Notice the criteria for these new judges. Jethro had specified what to look for: "men of excellence, those who fear God, men of truth, those who hate unjust gain" (Exodus 18:21). This was not a search for charismatic personalities or slick talkers. It was a search for character. This is always God's way. Gifting is secondary to godliness. The foundation of justice is not cleverness, but the fear of God. Men who fear God will not fear other men. Men of truth will not be swayed by lies or popular opinion. Men who hate unjust gain will not be bought.
And look at the structure. This is a beautiful, fractal pattern of governance. Leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. This is what we call federalism, or subsidiarity. It is a layered system of courts and appeals. A dispute between two men would be brought to their leader of ten. If he could not solve it, or if the ruling was contested, it would go to the leader of fifty, and so on, up the chain. Only the most intractable, difficult cases would ever reach Moses. This is governmental genius, and it comes from the mind of God, delivered through a Midianite.
This structure accomplishes several things at once. It provides swift justice for the common man. It prevents the system from getting bogged down. It trains up a multitude of men in the art of leadership and godly judgment. And it frees Moses to do what only he could do: receive the law from God and handle the "supreme court" cases. This is the biblical pattern. Authority is not to be hoarded at the top; it is to be distributed throughout the body. This is true for the family, the church, and the state. Each sphere has its God-given authority and responsibility. A pastor should not be micromanaging the deacons' fund, and a president should not be dictating the curriculum of a local school board.
Efficient Justice (v. 26)
Verse 26 summarizes the result of this new system. It is a picture of judicial efficiency and order.
"And they judged the people at all times; the difficult matter they would bring to Moses, but every minor matter they themselves would judge." (Exodus 18:26 LSB)
The people could now be judged "at all times." Justice was no longer bottlenecked. It was accessible, local, and swift. This is a hallmark of a healthy society. When seeking justice requires hiring expensive lawyers and waiting years for a hearing, the system itself becomes an instrument of oppression. God's design is for justice to be near at hand.
The distinction made here is crucial: "difficult matters" versus "minor matters." This requires wisdom and discernment. What makes a matter difficult? It could be a matter of great consequence, a capital crime, for example. Or it could be a matter for which there was no clear precedent in the law. These were the things that required the unique wisdom and authority of Moses. But most of life, most disputes, are minor matters. They are squabbles between neighbors, disputes over property, questions of restitution. These things are best handled by local leaders who know the people involved and understand the situation on the ground.
This principle is desperately needed in the church today. Pastors are burning out because they are trying to be the judge of every minor matter. Elders' meetings get bogged down in trivialities that should be handled by heads of households or deacons. We need to recover this wisdom of delegation, entrusting "minor matters" to faithful men at every level, so that the elders can devote themselves to prayer, the ministry of the Word, and the truly "difficult matters" that face the congregation.
A Peaceful Departure (v. 27)
The final verse brings this episode to a tidy and peaceful conclusion.
"Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land." (Exodus 18:27 LSB)
Jethro's work was done. He came, he saw a problem, he offered godly counsel, he saw it implemented, and then he went home. He did not stick around to micromanage. He did not demand a permanent seat on the new judicial council. He was not seeking power or position for himself. He was a true counselor, content to see wisdom embraced and order established.
There is a quiet dignity in this. Jethro is a model for consultants, for visiting preachers, for anyone who gives counsel. Give your wisdom freely, and then trust the recipients to carry it out under God. Do not make yourself indispensable. True leadership works to make itself unnecessary. It trains up other men to carry the load.
Conclusion: Building on the Jethro Principle
This short account is not just a historical curiosity about Israelite administration. It is a foundational text on the nature of godly order. The principles here are timeless because the God who inspired them is timeless.
First, we must be a people who are humble enough to receive correction, even from unexpected sources. Pride is the enemy of wisdom. A man, a church, or a nation that cannot be told it is wrong is a nation on the fast track to ruin.
Second, we must structure our lives, our families, our churches, and our societies according to this principle of delegated authority. We must resist the satanic impulse to centralize all power in one man or one committee. Godly authority is like a great pyramid, with a broad base of responsibility among the people, rising to a single point of ultimate accountability, which for us is Christ Himself. The world's model is an inverted pyramid, balancing precariously on one point, ready to topple at any moment.
Finally, we must see that this entire structure points to Christ. Moses was the great judge, but he was overwhelmed. He could not do it alone. He pointed to a greater Moses who would come, one who could bear the full weight of judgment. Jesus Christ is our ultimate leader of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. He is the one who judges the most difficult matter of all: the sin of the world. And He did not delegate that task. He took it upon Himself at the cross.
But having secured our salvation, He now delegates authority to His church. He gives us elders, deacons, and heads of households. He calls all of us to exercise righteous judgment in our respective spheres. He has not left us as a chaotic mob, but as an ordered body. Our task is to live out the wisdom of Jethro in the power of Christ, building communities where justice is swift, leaders are humble, and God is glorified in the peaceful order of His people.