Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Hupotasso
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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In the King James Version, "submit" appears only twelve times, "submitted" three times, and "submitting" once. In Greek, the word is hupotasso, which means "to arrange in order under." It is actually a military term, and in the military there is a strong sense of submitting to someone of higher rank. A soldier must arrange himself in order under his sergeant. A sergeant arranges himself in order under the master-sergeants. A master-sergeant arranges himself in order under the lieutenants—and the lieutenants to the captain, the captain to the major, and right on up to the general, who himself must submit to the Commander-in-Chief. Everything is "arranged in order under." Its "bare bones" meaning is that one has to arrange himself in order, that is, systematically, under another. It appears in various English Bible translations other than the King James Version (and even sometimes in the King James) as "subordinate," "obey," "subject to," "submit," "surrender," "be weak," "afflicted," "humbled," "put under," and—how about this one—"stay in your place."
John W. Ritenbaugh
Submitting (Part 1)
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Sometimes it is difficult to perceive the difference between submission and obedience. There is a difference, and it lies in subtleties that are very apparent to the one who is either obeying or submitting. Obey simply means "to follow a command"; "to conform"; or "to comply with an order." Submit, though, means "to yield, or defer out of respect, superior authority, affection, persuasion, or compulsion." Now we can see that "submit" has a much broader application, and its uses are more definite, specific, and focused than "obedience." Obedience can take place anywhere under any kind of circumstance, but in submission, a person's will is involved, which is very important in regard to the development of character. Does God want unthinking obedience from us simply because we are complying or conforming to something, or does He want us to think things through and submit because we know fully that it is the right thing to do? Which is better? What if we had a choice between obedience or disobedience to a command, but our disobedience would actually be obedience to God? Would we obey the one who is pressuring us to do something that God says not to do, or would we submit to God in disobedience of the other? This begins to set up interesting circumstances in a person's life. It is a major reason that the word hupotasso is used rather than the Greek word for obedience, hupakoe—"attentive hearkening." God wants us to know that we are to think matters through and not merely to comply. We are to use our minds and decide to go in a chosen direction because we realize, know, understand, and set our will to submit to the right and good and true.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Submitting (Part 1)
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Luke 2:51
For the word "subject," the marginal reference reads "obedient." This word, hupotasso, is translated as "obedient" in the Revised Standard Version. The translators used the context to interpret hupotasso a shade differently than elsewhere.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Submitting (Part 1)
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Romans 8:7
This word hupotasso is translated in the Revised Standard Version and in the New International Version as "submit." This suggests a slightly different shade of meaning. The carnal mind will not submit to God or to the law of God.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Submitting (Part 1)
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1 Corinthians 14:34
The New International Version says that women are to be in submission. The Revised Standard Version says that they are to be subordinate, and the Revised English Bible says to let the women keep their place.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Submitting (Part 1)
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1 Corinthians 15:24
Here the word hupotasso is translated "put under," its literal meaning. The Revised Standard Version and the Revised English Version render the word as "subjected to."
John W. Ritenbaugh
Submitting (Part 1)
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Philippians 3:21
In this verse, the phrase "subdue all things to Himself" adds more detail to this picture of oneness. "Subdue" (hupotasso) means "to place in order" or "to place under in an orderly fashion."This word describes someone neatly rearranging scattered, disorganized objects according to apattern. In this context, the objects are not merely things, but people whose minds are in disorder, divided, confused, and not wholly subject to God as a result of their own actions. Before being subdued, they exercised their own free will, followed the deceptions of Satan, loved the world, and showed enmity toward God. Yet when Christ puts us in order, rearranges us, subdues us to bring us into oneness, He goes so far as to change our bodies to conform to the body of the One doing the subduing—God!
John W. Ritenbaugh
All in All
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Philippians 3:21
Hupotasso is here translated "subdue." The Revised English Bible and the Revised Standard Version translate this "subject to." The New International Version reads "under His control."
John W. Ritenbaugh
Submitting (Part 1)
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Titus 2:5
The word hupotasso is translated "obedient" here. The Revised Standard Version uses "submissive." The New International Version reads "subject to," and the Revised English Bible renders it "respecting the authority of."
John W. Ritenbaugh
Submitting (Part 1)
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