In our culture, “submission” is a four letter word. Few are praised in our modern world for subjecting themselves to those in authority over them. On the contrary, the model laid out for us is that we should always challenge and question those who are over us. After all (we think), we know better than they do. We should be in charge, not them. The classic bumper sticker captures it well: “Question Authority.”
There is perhaps no place where this is seen more vividly than the controversy over Eph 5:22, “Wives submit to your husbands as unto the Lord.” Cultural pundits are quick to label Christians as anti-woman or patriarchal on the basis of texts such as this. And even Christians find themselves embarrassed by such passages and eager to change the subject.
However, in the midst of these discussions there is a larger context that is often overlooked. Calls for submission in the Bible are not just limited to women. It is not as if they have been singled out. On the contrary, the Bible is very clear that everybody submits to somebody. We are called to submit to the government (Rom 13:1), children are called to submit to their parents (Eph 6:1), church members are called to submit to their elders (Heb 13:17), servants are called to submit to their masters (1 Pet 1:18), and on it goes.
Of course certain caveats are in order anytime one speaks of submission. Submission does not require agreement (otherwise it wouldn’t really be submission!). Submission does not require us to obey someone if they ask us to sin (in such cases we have an obligation not to submit). And submission does not mean that we are unable to work for a change in our situation (e.g., we can submit to the government while seeking to change it).
But, if the theme of submission is so prevalent throughout Scripture then the implications are as powerful for men as they are for women (if not more so). As men do we submit to our boss? As men do we submit to our church? If we are pastors do we submit to our fellow elders? Perhaps one of the reasons the concept of submission is so foreign even to the church is because we as men have not been practicing it ourselves as we ought. Submission is something that should be modeled by men.
Of course, the ultimate demonstration that submission is a good and biblical virtue is that it was exhibited by our Lord himself. Christ submitted himself to the Father (John 4:34; 5:30). And his submission to the Father was so complete that he was “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8).
Everybody submits to somebody.
Rev. Bryant J. Williams III says
Dear Mike,
I would also state that the Feminist Movement has hijacked the term to mean “inferiority; and , unfortunately, us men have not helped much in that area either. When dealing with this issue I posit the following:
If Christ submitted Himself to the will of the Father, then we have a contradiction. If Christ who is God in the flesh, submitted Himself to the will of the Father, then how can Christ, who is God in the flesh, be INFERIOR (submission = inferiority as posited by the Feminist Movement) to God. It cannot be. A total impossibility. In fact, Christ is EQUAL with God, cf. Phil. 2:6-7. I am reminded that submission is the placing of one’s rights and privileges under the authority of another. That is what Christ did; that is what is commanded of us.
dean says
True enough & I like they way you have pieced this together & submission is something to be valued dearly, not mocked or belittled, however there are times when authority should be questioned also. Many things can be unjust in this world, the church also at times. So I would say Scripture supports questioning authority…but in a godly way. As much as Jesus submitted he also challenged(not God). Personally I think the church puts too much focus on the submission side without clarifying issues at the expense of explaining how we can question things when they seem wrong. It is at times like that when questioning leadership can lead to isolation for no other reason than asking a few questions. Brotherly & sisterly love that is so often talked about can fly out the window.
Submission & challenging can be very liberating but also painful at the same time. I think Psalm 119 may deal with this(somewhere) & the story about the two prophets(OT),one eventually gets eaten by a lion for trusting another prophet(?) instead of listening to God.So we are all to submit, those who are led & those who lead, without partiality & favourtism putting God first.
While I appreciate what you have written I think there is more to it. Sometimes it is the right thing to do by parting company & that too can be modeling Christ, but rareley does that come into teaching range.
There are things that God has given us as individuals of any age, as man & wife, as families & as a church, as a denomination & as the church. (also communities, environments, states, nations etc)They each need to be enjoyed, experienced, guarded & protected for their respective qualities & values.
dean says
In response to the bumber…its not too hard to see how submission & authority keeps us safe on the roads(to a point) where as reckless driving can bring damage & carnage destroying the relative peace & harmony of the highways & by ways.
submission brings the orderly into our lives, stability also…but it sure can be fun driving dodgem cars. a time & a place for everything.