I wonder why the modern women, even Christian women, hate the word submission. Help! I wonder what they do with this Scripture in 1 Timothy 2:11? “Let the woman learn in silence with ALL subjection.” The Greek word here is “hupotage” which is a little stronger than the usual word for submission which is “hupotasso.” Other translations of the Bible translate it this way:
CJB: “fully submitted.”
NASB1995: “entire submissiveness.”
MLB: “complete submission.”
What does the usual word, ‘hupotasso” mean?
“Hupo” means “under” and “tasso” means “to set in order.”
I know that you are familiar with the Scriptures on this subject. Let’s remind ourselves of just one or two:
Ephesians 5:24: “Therefore as the church is subject (hupotasso) unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”
Colossians 3:18: Wives, submit (hupotasso) yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.”
Oh, I know there will be lots of “buts.” It’s amazing how we have the audacity to "but" at the Word of God, isn’t it?
I think that often women don’t embrace submission because they don’t fully understand who God is. Our God is not one God, but three in one. The triune God live together in perfect harmony and unity, each submitted to one another. God did not make up the idea of submission as a negative to place upon people. No, it is inherent in the Godhead. It is who God is. And we are created in His image.
Look at this Scripture in 1 Corinthians 15:28: “And when all things shall be subdued (hupotasso) unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject (hupotasso) unto him that put all things under (hupotasso) him, that God may be all in all.” God who is ALL IN ALL, wants to give all authority to His Son and put all things under Him. But when that time comes and all people and dominions and kingdoms will bow down to the Son of God, then the Son submits all things back to the Father. Submission is a delight in the heart of God.
If we want to be like Him, we will want to have a spirit of submission in our hearts towards our husband and to all, as it says in Ephesians 5: “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”
It is the spirit of Jesus. Read Philippians 2:5-8. It is the opposite of the humanist and feminist spirit today that will not submit to any law of God and who only want to be a law unto themselves.
To which kingdom do we belong?
Blessings from Nancy Campbell