Authority and Submission
“Any form or expression of authority, then, must not be the expression of human pride but of humility before God, of assimilation to the divine hierarchy, and of obedience to the will of Him who alone is called Father (cf. Mt. 23:9). Such obedience is of the very essence ("esse") not simply the well-being ("bene esse") of humanity.” (Rev. John Chryssavgis)
“All authority is for the sake of loving service (all authority is humbling) and all submission is to God (all submission is glorious)." (Orthodox Study Bible, Colossians 3:18-4:1)
“The Greek word for submit does not refer to being under the absolute control of another but to voluntarily placing oneself under the authority of another.” (Foundation Study Bible, Ephesians 5:21-22)
“Let us examine the verb “to submit” as expressed in the original Greek. The root word istemi implies “arranging” or “setting in order” persons, things, or plans in order to reduce confusion. But when the prefix hypo, meaning “under,” is added, it broadens the meaning of simple submission, conveying the reality that in every relationship we are “under” something or someone. Mutual submission in Christ involves all our relationships and at the same time honors God’s claim on us before all other claims.” (Dynamis 9/25/2018)
“Submitting to another person is an often misunderstood concept. It does not mean becoming a doormat. Christ—at whose name “every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:10)—submitted his will to the Father, and we honor Christ by following his example...Submission is rarely a problem in homes where both partners have a strong relationship with Christ and where each is concerned for the happiness of the other...This kind of mutual submission preserves order and harmony in the family, while it increases love and respect among family members.” (Life Application Study Bible, Ephesians 5:21-22, 22-24)