Follow the Leader: What Does “Submission” Mean?
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Part 1: What Does “Submission” Mean?
As we begin this journey looking at whether Christians should submit to their pastor as a spiritual authority and what that means, we must first lay the groundwork of what it actually means to “submit” from a biblical perspective.
Throughout the New Testament, the Bible uses the phrase “submit” and “be subject to” a number of times in various contexts. For example, the Bible says,
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7
and
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Galatians 5:1
However, diving into the Greek language offers a few different implications on what it means to submit ourselves to someone or something, depending on the context and circumstances. For example, the word “submit” in these two verses is not translated from the same word in the original language.
Before we can answer the question of to who, when, and how Christians must live in submission, we must discern the different variations of the word “submit” used by biblical authors.
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The most common word for “submit” is ὑποτάσσω (hypotassō).
Hypotassō is used 41 times in the New Testament and means “to be subject to,” “to be subordinate to,” or “the be ranked below.” This word carries the most common understanding of the word “submit” to a modern English speaker. It implies that there is a hierarchy of authority in place and that we are required to surrender ourselves to that higher authority.
This word comes from the root word “tassō,” meaning that something is “appointed” or “put in order,” (which again implies a hierarchy of authority). And from this root, we get other words such as “epitasso” and “protasso,” meaning “to command”; “diatasso,” meaning “to give orders;” and even “antitasso” or “to resist.”
The Bible uses the word hypotassō frequently to tell Christians that God expects us to live in submission to people and institutions He created that carry an inherent authority.
Let’s look at just a few, beginning with the first example above…
We First Submit to God
“Submit (hypotassō) yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7
The Bible requires Christians to live under the authority of God as the head. This also means that we are to submit to God’s Word, His laws and decrees, and His righteousness (See Romans 8:7 and Romans 10:3).
There is a Submission within Families
The call to submit to God is repeated again using marriage as a mirror-image example.
“Now as the church submits (hypotassō) to Christ, so also wives should submit (hypotassō) in everything to their husbands.”
Ephesians 5:24
All of mankind is to live in submission to God first, and then within the family, there is a hierarchy of authority and accountability before the Lord. Wives submit to their husbands as the leader in the marriage, and children are to submit to the authority of their parents (see 1 Timothy 3:4 and Jesus’ own example in Luke 2:51).
We Submit to Governmental Authority
“Let every person be subject (hypotassō) to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
Romans 13:1
“Be subject(hypotassō) for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme…”
1 Peter 2:13
We Submit to the Church
Jesus established the Church — the body of Christ — and throughout the New Testament, we find that there are a number of calls on Christ-followers to submit to the authority He placed within the body. However, there are a number of different ways we are to do so:
Mutual Submission Between Fellow Believers:
“…giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting(hypotassō) to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
Ephesians 5:20–21 (ESV)
At first, this kind of “mutual submission” is confusing because there cannot be a hierarchy when we equally submit to one another. However, the implication is that when we come to the community of faith, we recognize that the Holy Spirit lives inside of each one of us, and therefore, we honor His authority which we equally carry as His children. This “mutual submission” leads to a holy unity within the faith community.
Submission to Our Predecessors/Forerunners in Christ:
The Bible teaches us that we will find it safe to submit ourselves to those who are further along in their spiritual walk than us and whose faith has clearly stood up to the test of time. We can follow their lead.
“Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— be subject(hypotassō) to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer.”
1 Corinthians 16:15–16
Mutual Submission Between Fellow Ministers:
This last verse also calls us to humbly be subject to good examples when they are our “fellow workers, and laborers.” These may be men and women who did not come before us in the faith, nor have they necessarily gone farther than us in maturity, but as we work together in the ministry, we are also called to be “mutually submissive” to the ones we serve alongside. The point is that no matter how “big” we grow in Christ, nor our “role” in the ministry, we never outgrow the call to submit ourselves within the body of Christ.
Submission to “Elders:”
It is still within this larger context of “mutual submission” within the body of Christ that we are called to submit to the “elders” in the church.
“Likewise, you who are younger, be subject (hypotassō) to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5
Now, while a surface-level reading of this verse seems to imply that young Christians should submit to the older, more mature people in the church, that is not necessarily the case when you read it in context. (In the next post, we will dive deeper into where the idea of submission to “elders” developed.)
For now, the point is that the Bible clearly commands us to “hypotassō” to the authorities delegated by the Lord. We are obligated to submit to God Himself, to Governments, to our Families, and to the Community of Faith.1
This makes sense since these three — Family, Government, and the Church — are the three institutions that God created in the world. He gave authority to each one, even as each one was designed to function in full submission to Him.
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There is another word in the Bible that some translators use as “submit.” It is the Greek word εἴκω (eikō) or ὑπείκω (hypeikō).
Whereas “hypotassō” gives a formal command to submit, this word does not. Rather, eikō implies that there must be a willingness to submit on the part of the person being led. This is not a hierarchy or an institutional authority. It might better be translated as “willingly yield” to them.
This word is only used twice in the New Testament (each form only once). The first is used in the book of Hebrews:
“Obey your leaders and submit(hypeikō) to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
Hebrews 13:17
The word “obey” in this verse literally means “be persuaded” or “be convinced” to obey your leaders by their life, reputation, godliness, and leadership. Then, once you are convinced of their credibility and faithfulness to the Lord, you can trust them enough to “willingly yield” yourself to follow them.
This is not a mandate that you must submit. It’s a willingness to follow their lead. As you become convinced that they are quality leaders, then you willingly begin to “yield” to them. You choose to make room for these people to influence you.
Who are these leaders?
One interesting point to make regarding this verse is that the word “leaders” is not talking about institutional leadership within the church, and it is not talking about the elders we read about in 1 Peter 5:5.
The word for leaders here is “hegoumenois,” which is just a general Greek term for highly-respected people in the community. They have risen to be considered leaders only because their lifestyle has “convinced” the community of their trustworthiness, not because they have hierarchical authority.
Hegoumenois is also used in Acts 15:22, alongside the other word, “elders,” which we have seen before:
“Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men (hegoumenois) among the brothers…”
These “leading men” do not have God-mandated authority. Their status in the community comes from their life’s reputation and the respect they have earned over time, which has led to their being chosen as worthy leaders among the people.
The only other biblical example of this word for “yielding” or “submission” is in Galatians 2:4-5 wherein Paul recounts his first public visit to Jerusalem:
“Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission (eikō) even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”
Once again, we see that this type of submission or yielding comes from a willingness to do so based on the credibility and faithfulness of the person the be followed. If there is no faithfulness in the person, then there is no submission!
There is one other Greek word for which English translations use the word “Submit”: δογματίζω (dogmatizō).2
This type of submission is not appointed by God, nor is it based on the credibility and faithfulness of the person. Rather, it is obedience that is developed out of a commitment to a set of beliefs. Literally, it is “to practice what you preach” or to “live out to what you claim to believe.”
This word, “dogmatizō,” comes from the word “dogma,” which refers to rules, regulations, or “doctrine,” and means that we place ourselves into subjection and obedience to this set of rules or doctrines through our belief in them. The word “dogma” itself comes from another root word, “dokeō,” meaning “to think,” “suppose,” or “believe in,” a subjective set of thoughts.
Simply put, it means that you begin with a belief system or worldview (dokeō). That system of beliefs leads to a series of rules or regulations based upon those beliefs (dogma). And then, you submit yourself to that set of regulations to demonstrate your full buy-in and commitment to the worldview (dogmatizō).
The only example of this word in scripture is found in Colossians 2:20-21:
“If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations (dogmatizō) — “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?”
You can paraphrase Paul’s question like this: When you died in Christ and were raised to new life into God’s eternal life, your whole worldview necessarily changed (repentance or metanoia). You have been raised to new life – “born again” – and discovered God’s truth (dogma) in this new reality, and it “makes you free” (John 8:32). So why, then, do you still live as though this paradigm shift never happened, and still submit yourself to the old rules and regulations of the earth and flesh. Those practices are formed from worldly mindsets and beliefs and have no place in the life of a heavenly-minded, Christ-like believer.
The lesson we should take from this verse is that there are some spiritual teachers out there who you may not be able to judge their credibility by their reputation and lifestyle. You simply don’t have the time or ability to get to know them deeply (think of traveling evangelists or TikTok preachers, whom you cannot get to know at a personal level). Paul is implying that we must initially judge them — and whether or not we should submit to them — by analyzing what they teach according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Word of God.
The truth is that many false teachers (back in Colossae and now today) will utilize spiritual-sounding teachings and religious-looking rituals, to try and trap people into their system of religion and thereby control them. (We will come back to this topic in Part 3 of this series.)
The answer to this problem is to compare everything we are taught, from any spiritual leader or mentor, with the Word of God and verify the accuracy of it before we submit ourselves in obedience.
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Let’s Get Practical
As I said in the introduction to this series, we are eventually going to explore the often-stated view that “Christians must submit to their pastor” and whether or not that is biblically true. However, to begin a little more broadly than just submitting to “your pastor,” let’s devise a test of whether someone ought to have authority over us, no matter what their title is.
Since we have looked at three types of submission that are laid out in the scriptures, I think we can utilize three relevant questions when deciding who we should submit ourselves to, before we get to the how in future a post:
1. Does the person hold to and teach true biblical doctrine?
Since our submission (dogmatizō) can be based on the doctrines and worldview of a person, then we need to make sure their beliefs and the things they are teaching are biblical before we follow them.
The prerequisite to making this determination is that, as Christians, we MUST study the scriptures and know what God says is true for our own selves. That way, when someone tries to bring a new teaching, religious practice, or spiritual “rule” they want us to follow, we can treat it just as the Berean Jews did when Paul and Silas came to preach the gospel to them.
“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Acts 17:11
We cannot allow the emotional promises they make, the passions of our flesh, or an internal desire to look spiritual or religious to lead us into blindly following bad leaders who are looking to keep us in bondage to their control, pride, and/or self-serving motives.
If they are not teaching from a foundation of biblical truth, do not submit to their dictates and rules.
2. Does this person’s reputation as a Christian, their faithfulness to Jesus, and their maturity as a disciple make them credible as a mentor in the faith?
A person may not be commissioned to a formal office in the church. That does not mean they cannot be a respected leader (hegoumenois) within the body of Christ and a helpful guide to you in your own Christian walk.
We must be willing to learn from and yield ourselves (hypeikō) to those who are farther along in the journey to Christ-likeness than we are. A person does not need a “title” on their business card to help guide us closer to Jesus. They simply have to know the next steps to take a little better than we do.
Conversely, if someone desires to be a leader, but their spiritual life is a mess, we probably don’t want to follow their example. It doesn’t even matter if they believe and teach what is true!
If they are unable or unwilling to live out the Christian faith for themselves, we should not submit to them.
3. Does this person have delegated authority from God within the church that I am biblically mandated to submit to (hypotassō)?
And just as importantly, has the local body of Christ been persuaded (hypeikō) that this person carries the gifts and callings of God, which grants them the reputation to be a church leader?
If God has called and appointed a person as a leader to the local fellowship of believers, then their role comes with a certain authority from the Lord to lead. However, we must be clear that no one can appoint themselves to the place of leadership! Only God can release these callings on people (see Ephesians 4:11), and when He does so, the Bible makes it clear that the person’s “office” will be highlighted by the Holy Spirit, and the calling will be recognized, tested, and “ordained” (or “commissioned”) by the church. A person CANNOT choose to become an apostle, a prophet, a pastor, an elder, or an overseer for themselves.
God-appointed church leadership will receive authority from the Lord to fulfill their calling, but they also have strict qualifications they must meet first before they can walk in that authority! Therefore, if the local body of Christ does recognize them as a God-appointed leader, it is still necessary and reasonable to ensure they are qualified by the first two questions before we submit ourselves to them. If they truly are appointed by God, we should expect them to pass those tests easily.
If ANY leader says their dictates, teachings, and life choices cannot be questioned by a regular Christian, then they have already failed the test of leadership, and you SHOULD NOT submit to them.
In Conclusion
The Bible never calls a believer to submit to ONE person as their personal spiritual leader, unless His name is Jesus! It does not matter whether that is “their pastor” or any other title they choose to be called, “apostle,” “bishop,” “spritual father,” etc, they are NOT mandated to be a person’s sole spiritual authority.
We should never submit to “one person” as our sole spiritual authority. That is dangerous!
Instead, we must realize that every Christian needs a solid network of mentors in the faith.
Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
Proverbs 11:14
A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
Proverbs 24:5-6
Christians Must Seek Out Quality Mentors from within the Body of Christ
This means that just because a local fellowship does not recognize the person as an official church leader, pastor, or elder, we may still refer to the first two questions and choose whether or not a person is someone we should choose to follow to help us grow in Christ. Mature believers can help us grow by sharing their wisdom, experience, and advice, so we should seek it out.
Be aware, though, that many people in the body of Christ will meet the requirements of the first two questions, but it does not make it mandatory that we submit to every person who meets these criteria.
Discernment is necessary! God will bring certain people into your life that He intends for you to follow and learn from. We must listen to the Holy Spirit for guidance on who we should follow and what the season is, for which He is giving them to us as helpers and mentors. Accepting a mentor in one area of life does not mean that we follow them in all things or for the rest of our lives!
We must determine which church leaders God has ordained us to follow.
When we move to the third question and find those whom God has appointed to be leaders in the body of Christ, then submission becomes less of an ‘option’ or ‘choice.’ Rather, the question becomes more about determining the boundaries of their God-given authority in our life.
The Bible mandates that there are leaders in the church we are to submit to. However, which local church we are a part of and, therefore, which church leaders we are each called to follow is not the same for every believer. We must determine who God has ordained us to follow and then determine what He expects our submission to them to look like.
That, then, is the topic we will begin to pick up on in the next post.
If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!
Footnotes:
1 There is one other way that “hypotassō” is used in the Bible, which is in reference to bondservants obeying their masters (see Titus 2:9 and 1 Peter 2:18). Now, though we don’t have time to discuss the differences between modern slavery and what was going on in ancient Israel, we can suffice it to say that biblical slavery was working for someone to whom you owed a debt, in order to repay them. I believe we can safely surmise that the modern equivalent is that employees are expected to be submissive to their employers since there is a financial benefit for you in the workplace transaction. If someone is paying you to do work, then they are the boss to tell you how it should be done. When you decide to stop submitting and ‘quit,’ the understanding is that they will also stop paying you.
2 Note: Some versions, such as the ESV use the word “submit” to translate the word enechō in Galatians 5:1 — “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” I don’t think this gives a clear translation of the word, however. Enechō literally means you have been taken forcefully or trapped by the thing and are being made to obey against your will. It means you are ensnared into submission, or you have allowed yourself to become “entangled” with it, as the KJV says. I like the way the Bible in Basic English Version reads: “Christ has truly made us free: then keep your free condition and let no man put a yoke on you again.”
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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2023. All Rights Reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
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