Biblical Wisdom About Submission

  1. Both the and the of submission is biblical.

      Submit yourselves therefore to God. (James 4:7, ESV)

• ὑποτάσσω [hupotasso /hoop·ot·as·so/]
• 1 to arrange under, to subordinate. 2 to subject, put in subjection. 3 to subject one’s self, obey. 4 to submit to one’s control. 5 to yield to one’s admonition or advice. 6 to obey, be subject. Additional Information: A Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader”. In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”. (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon)
• times in verses of the NT

   2. To “submit” means . . .

1. To acknowledge the authority of another.
2. To that authority.
3. To that authority.
4. To to that authority.
5. To that authority.

  3. should submit to their .

⁵¹ And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:51-52, ESV)

⁴ He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, ⁵ for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? (1 Timothy 3:4-5, ESV)

  4. is submissive to the .

²⁰ But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:20-28, ESV)

• 15:28 the Son … will also be subjected. Jesus is one with God the Father and equal to the Father in deity (8:6; John 10:30; 14:9; Heb. 1:8) yet functionally subordinate to him (Mark 14:36; John 5:19, 26–27, 30; 17:4), and this verse shows that his subjection to the Father will continue for all eternity. (ESV Study Bible, p. 2,214)

Jesus is equal in essence and divinity with the Father,
yet subordinate and submissive in role and function.

• Jesus prayed: “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39, ESV; cf. John 5:30, 17:4)

  5. The should submit to .

²² And he put [hypotasso] all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23, ESV)

  6.  should submit to their .

¹⁵ Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, . . . ²¹ submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

²² Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. ²⁴ Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. (Ephesians 5:15, 21-24, ESV; cf. Colossians 3:18; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 3:1-6)

³ But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3, ESV)

  7. should submit to their employers.

⁹ Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰ not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. (Titus 2:9-10, ESV; cf. 1 Peter 2:18)

  8. should submit to governing authorities.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. ² Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. (Romans 13:1-2, ESV; cf. Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13-17)

The biblical principle of submission
to properly constituted authority
is essential to good order and flourishing
in the home, the church, and society.