Articles
“Christian Submission”
…Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:18-21
The concept of submission is a tough pill to swallow for many of us. Our cultural emphasis on autonomy and personal freedom, historic abuses of authority, the modern ideal of equality and widespread misunderstanding of biblical submission all contribute to our general aversion to the idea. Yet the way Paul addresses the issue is instructive and surprising—especially to his first-century audience.
In his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul outlines the new standards God expects of his “new humanity” in Christ (4:1-5:21). Two primary qualities characterize his new community: spiritual unity (4:1-16) and moral purity (4:17-32). He provides motivations for living according to these standards (5:1-21). In the passage above, he describes what the Spirit-filled life looks like—it is marked by heartfelt worship, gratitude to God and mutual submission. That final element, mutual submission within the church, provides a natural bridge to his next topic: how relationships function under Christ (5:22-6:9).
Paul explores three relationship pairs: wives and husbands (5:22-33), children and parents (6:1-4) and slaves and masters (6:5-9). In each case, one party is in a position of authority and the other in a role of submission. Notably, Paul addresses those in submissive roles first: wives are told to submit to their husbands (5:22), children to obey their parents (6:1), and slaves to obey their masters (6:5). The command in 5:21 to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” forms the theological foundation for each of these instructions. We are to render submission to those in authority ultimately because of our own reverence for Jesus. Even when those in authority are undeserving of honor, Christians show submission as an expression of their devotion to Christ.
Abuses of authority— The idea of submission grates against contemporary attitudes toward freedom. Today, submission is often equated with weakness and authority with oppression—understandably so, given the many historical abuses of power. Modern liberation movements have done immense good in freeing women from oppression, children from exploitation, and workers from unjust treatment, not to mention the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. Nothing Paul says contradicts these values. In fact, he affirms three foundational truths:
- The dignity of womanhood, childhood and servanthood.
- The equality of all human beings made in the image of God.
- The unity of all Christians, regardless of gender, age, race or station.
Roles of Submission— Submission is a central concept in Christian ethics, but it has nothing to do with inferiority, weakness, or incompetence. Jesus himself submitted to the Father’s will (John 6:38; 8:29), not because he was inferior to the Father (Phil. 2:6), but because of the nature of their relationship (Phil. 2:7-8). Likewise, all Christians are equal in Christ (Gal. 3:28), yet God assigns roles that reflect divine order. The Greek word for “submit” (ὑποτάσσω) means “to arrange under” or “to subordinate in order.” Submission, therefore, is not blind obedience but a respect for God’s established order.
Paul frames each submissive role within a gospel context. Wives submit to their husbands “as to the Lord” (5:22), children obey their parents “in the Lord” (6:1) and slaves serve their masters “as [they] would Christ” (6:5). Behind every earthly authority stands the Lord himself, who delegates and oversees all human roles. That’s why Paul calls all believers to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (5:21) and reminds those in positions of authority that they, too, are under authority and must answer to God (6:9).
Gospel Balance — First-century Jews and Greeks had their own “household codes,” and in some respects, these resembled New Testament lists (cf. Eph. 5:22-6:9; Col. 3:18-4:1; Titus 2:1-10; 1 Pet. 2:18-3:7). But the New Testament presents a profound difference: balance. In Paul’s teaching, those in authority are not just granted rights but also given responsibilities. Those in submission are not voiceless—they are dignified and honored. In Christ, all are equal, regardless of social station.
Greco-Roman and Jewish codes emphasized the power and privileges of husbands, parents and masters. Paul, in contrast, focuses on their duties and imposes clear limits on their authority. While ancient codes commanded unquestioning submission without limitation, Paul dignifies those in submissive roles by explaining their value and calling, and he holds those in authority accountable to Christ. Stoic thinkers grounded their household ethics in natural law—“this is the way the world is.” Paul grounds his in Christ’s law—“this is how the world ought to be.”
The marriage relationship — Consider the marriage relationship. The wife’s submission is voluntary, not coerced; she submits out of reverence for Christ. In doing so, she does not lose her dignity but displays it—just as Christ did in his submission to the Father (John 14:31). Submission, in this sense, is an expression of love. Likewise, the husband’s authority is not absolute. Though the general rule is that wives are to submit “in everything to their husbands” (5:24), there are limits. If a husband forbids what God commands or commands what God forbids, a wife must obey God rather than her husband (Acts 5:29). In short, authority is not the same as tyranny, and submission is not the same as inferiority.
Jesus once interrupted a dispute among his disciples over who would be the greatest by redefining greatness in his kingdom. In the world, power is measured by how many people serve you. In God’s kingdom, greatness is measured by how well you serve others. Jesus sealed this truth with his own example: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt. 20:25-28)
Submission is not about losing our freedom or dignity but about using our freedom to reflect Christ’s love, honor divine order and serve others out of reverence to him. We are to use our freedom to “serve one another through love” (Gal. 5:13).
