(Ephesians 5:21)
21. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
This statement concludes a discussion of Christians’ shared life in
which they (we) instruct and encourage one another as empowered by
the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:17–5:20). Thus Paul introduces the
household code (see the Lesson Context) seamlessly from the
discussion he has just concluded.
Paul uses the word translated submitting a total of 23 times in his
letters. It occurs in contexts of relationships with God (Romans 8:7),
with the higher powers of earthly authorities (Romans 13:1, 5; Titus
2:9; 3:1), with spiritual leaders (1 Corinthians 16:15, 16), of Christian
wives with husbands (1 Corinthians 14:34; Ephesians 5:24 [below];
Colossians 3:18; Titus 2:5), and others.
The phrase one to another establishes the context. One theory is that
this phrase (which is a single word in the Greek text) means “everyone
to everyone.” But this theory is overturned when we consider how
Paul and other Bible writers actually use this word, which occurs right
at 100 times in the New Testament. Those uses reveal that the best
understanding is “some to others” (examples: Luke 12:1; John 13:14;
1 Corinthians 11:33; Galatians 6:2; and James 5:16).
Submission to others runs counter to our most stubborn impulses. We
naturally want to act for our own benefit, which we assume is in
conflict with others’ benefit. Paul says, however, that it is the
realization of God’s existence that compels us to submit. Such
realization results in fear, which is better understood as holy reverence
and awe for God rather than terror.
“Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our
image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual
personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority
over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the
entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.”
So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God
blessed them [granting them certain authority] and said to them, “Be
fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subjugate it [putting it under
your power]; and rule over (dominate) the fish of the sea, the birds of
the air, and every living thing that moves upon the earth.” So God
said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the
surface of the entire earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding
seed; it shall be food for you; and to all the animals on the earth and to
every bird of the air and to everything that moves on the ground—to
everything in which there is the breath of life— I have given every
green plant for food”; and it was so [because He commanded it]. God
saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and
He validated it completely. And there was evening and there was
morning, a sixth day.” GENESIS 1:26-31 AMP
“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto
him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he
answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made
them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this
cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his
wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more
twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not
man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command
to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto
them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to
put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say
unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for
fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso
marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. His disciples say
unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to
marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save
they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so
born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which
were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able
to receive it, let him receive it.” Matthew 19:3-12 KJV
“The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Depart, go up from here, you
and the people whom you have brought from the land of Egypt, to the
land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel), saying, ‘To
your descendants I will give it.’ I will send an Angel before you and I
will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the
Hivite, and the Jebusite. Go up to a land [of abundance] flowing with
milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are a
stiff-necked (stubborn, rebellious) people, and I might destroy you on
the way.” When the people heard this sad word, they mourned, and
none of them put on his ornaments. For the LORD had said to Moses,
“Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked (stubborn, rebellious)
people! If I should come among you for one moment, I would destroy
you. Now therefore, [penitently] take off your ornaments, so that I may
know what to do with you.’ ” So the Israelites left off all their ornaments
[in repentance], from Mount Horeb (Sinai) onward.” EXODUS 33:1-6 AMP
“But the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the
wilderness, on the road to [Egypt by way of] Shur. And He said,
“Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where did you come from and where are you
going?” And she said, “I am running away from my mistress Sarai.”
The Angel of the LORD said to her, “Go back to your mistress, and
submit humbly to her authority.” Then the Angel of the LORD said to
her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too
many to count.” The Angel of the LORD continued, “Behold, you are
with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall name him Ishmael
(God hears), Because the LORD has heard and paid attention to your
persecution (suffering). He (Ishmael) will be a wild donkey of a man;
His hand will be against every man [continually fighting] And every
man’s hand against him; And he will dwell in defiance of all his brothers.” Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her,
“You are God Who Sees”; for she said, “Have I not even here [in the
wilderness] remained alive after seeing Him [who sees me with
understanding and compassion]?” Therefore the well was called Beer-
lahai-roi (Well of the Living One Who Sees Me); it is between Kadesh
and Bered. So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son; and Abram named
his son, to whom Hagar gave birth, Ishmael (God hears). Abram was
eighty-six years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.”GENESIS 16:7-16 AMP
““Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for
you. Listen to his instructions, and store them in your heart. If you
return to the Almighty, you will be restored— so clean up your life. If
you give up your lust for money and throw your precious gold into the
river, the Almighty himself will be your treasure. He will be your
precious silver!”
Job 22:21-25 NLT
