What’s in a word? There’s a lot of debate about how we should translate and understand the Greek word hupotasso, traditionally translated as “submit/submission” or “subject/subjection” in our Bibles.
Traditionally it has been understood through its etymology: hupo which means “under,” and tasso, which includes a range of ideas such as, “to rank, to post, to station, to appoint to service, to assign, to place in a certain order or relative position, to assess (of taxes and payments), to lay down.” In other words, “to arrange in order under.” As a Greek military term, it carried the idea of arranging troops under the command of a leader. In non-military use, it was seen as a voluntary attitude of giving in, or cooperating, of assuming responsibility or carrying a burden.
Following recent discoveries relating to our understanding of the word hupotasso, many linguists and lexicographers today are inclined to refer to this approach as an “etymological fallacy.” For example, if we used the principles of etymology, we would never understand such words as greenhouse, lighthouse or honeymoon.
Another problem is, these words, submit/submission, subject/subjection, have strong overtones for modern readers, especially when linked with the word authority, as happens in some Bible versions. And if it’s not there, you can be sure that it will be read into it and expounded on by some preacher/bible teacher. And, once in your head, its very difficult to see anything else. I know.
It was on reading and studying Ephesians afresh, that it struck me as a strange anomaly that Paul should suddenly introduce the idea of authority and submission into his letter at that point. There he was extolling the magnificence of God’s grace, their new life in Christ, the new community, life in the Spirit, etc.. and suddenly he’s talking about an approach to life that takes them back to the way of the flesh, this fallen world with its power structures, or hierarchies of authority and submission, that have been judged in Christ and are passing away. Unfortunately, books have been written that take it even further, attempting to delineate every area of authority and submission relating to men and women both inside and outside the church.
Hupotasso, according to recent studies, should probably be translated and reframed in terms of “identifying with,” “being united to,” “alignment,” “partnering together” or “supporting one another”—words that don’t carry the negativity associated with the words authority and submission, and have a more positive meaning in a world obsessed with power and authority, and are more in keeping with the context of Paul’s letter.
Not only that, hupotasso, when studied in context (words studied in isolation can be misleading and dangerous; and likewise, simply noting how the world of the time used a word) would seem to have much more to do with the process whereby a body of disparate people (in this case, Jew and Gentile), are being joined together in identity, have an increasing oneness or corporiety in the Spirit, along with a unifying in purpose, according to the will and authority of a Sovereign God and Father, rather than enforcing the hierarchies of a fallen world.
If you would like to know more please see my book: Headship: A False Doctrine or For Real? based on a Masters in Theology I did on the subject.
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