End of Lesson #217 and 218
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual exposition not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GWT = God’s Word Translation, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New English Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
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Results of the filling of the Spirit (Eph 5:19-21)
… 21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
There is problem with how to classify this verse which is whether we should take it as part of the section that begins in verse 18 or to take it as part of the section that begins in verse 22. Greek grammatical construction suggests that we take verse 21 as part of the section that began in verse 18 since that is where a main verb, that is, the command to be filled of the Spirit is given while beginning from verse 19 we have participles that are connected with the command in verse 18. Verse 21 contains one of these participles so it makes sense to take it as connected to verse 21. In fact, all editions of the Greek New Testament join this verse to the preceding section that begins in verse 18 although most of our modern English translations joins it to the section that begins with verse 22. Taking verse 21 as part of the section that begins verse 22 is warranted by the context and also because without verse 21 there is no verb that will go with verse 22. All in all, it is probably better to take verse 21 as a transitional verse. In other words, we see it as ending the section that begins in verse 18 but introducing the section that begins verse 22.
With the explanation we have given, we have now come to the fifth and final result of the filling of the Holy Spirit as the Apostle Paul gives in the section of Ephesians 5:19-21. This fifth result of the filling of the Spirit is being obedient to a proper authority constituted by God. It is this obedience to properly constituted authority that is given in the NIV in the instruction Submit to one another which literally from the Greek reads submitting to each other. Again, we should remind you that we have argued that the translation of the NIV is one possible way of interpreting a Greek participle that literally reads submitting. However, as we indicated, the translation of the NIV could hardly be what the apostle intended since there is no reason in the text to take the participle that literally translates as submitting as a command as we have previously argued at the introduction of this section. Instead, it is better to take the participle as giving a result of the filling of the Spirit that is commanded in Ephesians 5:18.
What is this submitting to each other that is a result of the filling of the Spirit? This question is important because of the difficulty the word “submit” has presented to many believers including those who are interpreters of the Scripture in general. It is necessary to understand what the apostle meant with respect to submitting to each other in this passage because of the difficulty improper understanding of it causes with respect to other parts of the Scripture. For example, the difficulty of understanding what submission means in our passage has led some teach that the husband should submit to the wife as the wife submits to the husband which definitely contradicts the order God ordained from the time of creation of man and woman. This application that some contend today results from interpreting verse 21 to mean a general principle of mutual submission by all Spirit-filled Christians to others in the body of Christ.
To deal with the difficulty of interpreting what it means that a result of the filling of the Spirit is submitting to each other as it reads in our verse, requires we begin with the consideration of two related words that are used in the English translation of our Scripture, that is, the word “submit” and “obey.” Some maintain a strict distinction between the two in that “to submit” is concerned with yielding to the control of another while “to obey” is concerned with complying with an order. But it seems that it is difficult to maintain any strong distinction between the two. In order to support our point that a strict distinction of the two words is difficult to sustain, we will examine the two words as used in the Scripture.
The word “submit” in the OT Scripture is translated primarily from two Hebrew words. The first Hebrew word (ʿānāh) translated “to submit” in our English Bibles means either “to be bowed down” or “to be afflicted.” In some Hebrew forms the word means “to humble oneself, submit” as it is used in the instruction of the angel of the Lord to Hagar to return to her mistress, Sarah, and so submit to her in Genesis 16:9:
Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”
A second Hebrew word (kāḥǎš) that is translated “to submit” in our OT Scripture can mean “to act deceptively”, “to disappoint” but in some Hebrew form (Piel) it can mean “to feign obedience”, “to cringe, cower” that has the sense of to show submission or fear in Psalm 18:44:
As soon as they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cringe before me.
The word “cringe” is translated “submit” in the NASB and the NET. Besides the two Hebrew words used that we have discussed, the concept of submission is reflected in a Hebrew idiom that uses a Hebrew word (nāṯǎn) that means “to give” in connection with another Hebrew word (yāḏ) that means “hand”, as in Lamentations 5:6:
We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
The sentence we submitted to Egypt is literally we have given the hand to Egypt which is a Semitic idiom meaning “to make a treaty with” someone, placing oneself in a subservient position as vassal.
In the NT, there are three major Greek words that are translated “submit” in our English Bibles. The one used in our present passage of study, that is, Ephesians 5:21 but we will defer its consideration later as it is important that we focus on the word because of the problem of our passage. A second Greek word (dogmatizō) that is translated “submit” in our English Bibles is concerned with conforming to rules and regulations or being put under obligation by rules or ordinances and so means “to obligate”; it appears only once in the Greek NT in Colossians 2:20:
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules:
The sense of the second Greek word here in Colossians 2 is “to be regulated.” The third Greek word (hypeikō) translated “submit” in our English Bibles means literally “to give way to, to withdraw” but figuratively means “to yield, to submit, give way;” it appears only once in the Greek NT in Hebrews 13:17:
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
The sense of this third Greek word here in Hebrews 13:17 translated “submit” seems to be that of yielding to the control of another.
Detail consideration of the Hebrew and Greek words that are most often translated “to submit” in our English versions implies two factors with respect to the word “submit.” A first factor is humility so that submission involves humility. A second factor is subservient position and so that submission is concerned with obedience either forced or willingly given. In effect, a person who submits, yields to another person’s authority either willingly or forced upon the individual so that the individual feigns obedience.
The second word we are concerned is “obey.” There are three primary Hebrew words that are translated “obey” in the OT of our English Bibles. The first Hebrew word (ʿāśāh) translated “obey” in our English Bibles means “to do, to make.” The word is translated “obeyed” by translators of the NIV and many other English versions in Esther 1:15:
“According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”
This first Hebrew word is used twice in this passage in Esther. In its first occurrence, it is translated be done but in its second occurrence it is translated obeyed. In other words, the sentence she has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes is more literally she has not done the command of King Xerxes. The second Hebrew word (ʾāḇāh) translated “obey” in our English Bibles means “to be willing,” “to consent, yield to”. It is this word that is translated “submit” by the translators of the NIV of Psalm 81:11:
“But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me.
The sentence Israel would not submit to me is rendered Israel would not obey me in the NASB and in the NJV while others such as the CEV and the NEB translate it in such a way to reflect that Israel will have nothing to do with God. A typical example of this approach is that of the GWT that reads Israel wanted nothing to do with me. A third Hebrew word (šāmǎʿ) that is translated “obey” in our English Bibles means “to hear, to obey”, as it is used in Jeremiah 38:20:
“They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared.
In the NT, there are at least six Greek words that are translated “obey” in our English Bibles. A first Greek word (akouō) that is translated “obey” in our English versions literally means “to hear” but it can also mean “to obey”, as it is used in Acts 4:19:
But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.
The verbal phrase to obey you rather than God is literally to listen to you rather than God. A second Greek word (peitharcheō) translated “obey” certainly means “to obey” as it is used in Acts 5:29:
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!
However, the word can also mean “to follow”, as it is used in Acts 27:21:
After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss.
The sentence you should have taken my advice is literally you ought to have followed my advice. A third Greek word (peithō) that is translated “obey” in our English versions can mean “to convince, to persuade” but it also means “to obey, to follow”, as in Galatians 5:7:
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?
A fourth Greek word (phylassō) that is translated “obey” in our English Bibles can mean “to guard or to protect” but it also means “to follow, to observe”. The translators of the NIV rendered our fourth Greek word with the meaning “to obey” in Galatians 6:13:
Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.
The clause those who are circumcised obey the law is more literally those who are circumcised observe the law themselves. A fifth Greek word (hypakouō) that is translated “obey” in our English versions can mean “to answer” but it also means “to follow, to be subject to, to obey”, as it is used in 2 Thessalonians 3:14:
If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed.
A sixth Greek word (tēreō) that is translated “obey” in our English Bibles can mean “to keep, fulfill, observe”, especially of a law and teaching so means to “obey”, as it is used in 1 John 5:3:
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
The verbal phrase to obey his commands is more literally that we keep his commandments.
Our consideration of both the Hebrew and Greek words translated “obey” in our English versions reveals that the word “obey” is concerned with three factors. A first factor is that of hearing. A second factor is that of consenting to or yielding to someone. A third factor is that of following in the sense of doing something that is instructed.
The reason we considered the two words “submit” and “obey” is to determine if an absolute distinction can be made between the two. The various Hebrew and Greek words we have considered indicate that the two words have in common the concept of yielding to someone or something. Thus, we can say that it is difficult to make any absolute distinction between the two so that submission is related to obedience. This conclusion is borne out where the words “obey” and “submit” are used togetherin a passage we cited previously, that is, Hebrews 13:17:
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
On a surface reading of this passage in Hebrews, it will seem that the human author of Hebrews issued two commands: to obey and to submit. This, however, is not the case. The author had one command in his mind that has to do with obedience. He wanted believers to obey their leaders so he used the word “obey” but he expanded what it means to obey the leaders by using the word “submit.” We say this firstly because we have shown that there is no significant difference between the word “obey” and “submit.” Secondly, the word and used in the command is translated from a Greek conjunction (kai) that can be used for the purpose of explaining what goes before it in which case it means “and so, that is, namely.” This is the meaning that is intended in Hebrews 13:17. This implies we can translate the command obey your leaders and submit to their authority as obey your leaders and so submit to their authority or obey your leaders, that is, submit to their authority. In either case, the apostle is linking obedience to submission. In effect, we can say that obedience is a way to prove submission. This means that you cannot submit to a person without obeying the instructions that come from the individual.
You are probably wondering the reason for laboring to show that there is no significant difference between the word “obey” and “submit.” The reason we did this is because such understanding is essential in interpreting the verbal phrase submitting to each other of Ephesians 5:21. If we understand that the word “obey” is not different from the word “submit” then we can understand the verbal phrase to say that a result of the filling of the spirit is obeying one another, on a surface reading of the verse. Understanding the phrase this way leads to a problem that is difficult to resolve both in Ephesians 5:21 and in Ephesians 5:22 that although the Greek word used in verse 21 is not found in it but that it is implied that the Greek word in verse 21 carries over to verse 22. The major difficulty is that the apostle would be saying that a result of the filling of the Spirit is that believers should obey each other. Such understanding certainly destroys any concept of authority that is constituted by God. How you may ask? Well, if every believer is to obey each other the instruction of Hebrews 13:17 that requires believers to obey their leaders becomes unattainable since the leaders would also have to obey other members of the congregation. Leaders are supposed to be those who teach the word of God to the congregation. If each believer must obey the other, then nothing keeps any member of the congregation from teaching whatever he desires and expect others to obey them including their leaders. This will certainly destroy the concept of authority that God has instituted for the operation of the local church. God’s order is that it is the one in authority that should be obeyed. Consider the instruction given in Colossians 3:20:
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Suppose that there is a child who is a believer in a congregation where the parents are, then the implication is that parents should also obey their children not only in the congregation but at home. This is an unattainable position. So, you see, it would not make sense to think that the Apostle Paul is teaching all believers to obey each other in public worship or outside it. This means that the word “submit” as encountered in Ephesians 5:21 should be interpreted based on its context and the context of the Scripture at large that does not destroy the concept of authority in any kind of setting.
To avoid confusion that arises from the word “submit” and to interpret correctly what the apostle meant in stating that a result of the filling of the Spirit is submitting to each other, we need to consider in more details the word “submit” that is used in Ephesians 5:21. The word “submit” is translated from a Greek word (hypotassō) that literally means “to order oneself under” a leader and so means “to submit” but such a meaning is not always communicative in many contexts of the Scripture which is one of the reasons there is a confusion as to the meaning of the word in our passage. The Greek word has a range of meanings that fit a given context. The word can mean “to obey” when there is the concept of authority involved. In other words, the meaning “to obey” can be used in all passages where our Greek word appears that involve authority figure. Let me give you examples to substantiate this statement. The word is used in describing the relationship of Jesus to His parents in Luke 2:51:
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
The verbal phrase was obedient to them is more literally was submitting to them. Here, the translators of the NIV captured correctly the meaning of our Greek word as “to obey” since that is the way to understand a child being submissive to the parents. The Greek word is used to describe the relationship of believers to secular or governmental authorities in Romans 13:1:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Here to submit to governing authorities certainly means to obey them. It is used to describe the relationship that should exist between the Corinthians and Stephanas, the first convert in Achaia, who is presumed to be a spiritual leader in 1 Corinthians 16:16:
to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it.
The apostle meant that believers in Corinth should obey him and other spiritual leaders as they are those described in the expression such as these and to everyone who joins in the work. The Greek word is used to describe the submission of the church to Christ in Ephesians 5:24:
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything
The word “submit” appears only once in the Greek text of Ephesians 5:24 and it is in connection with the relationship of the church to Christ. It is difficult to understand what it means that the church submits to Christ if it does not mean that the church obeys Christ. This word “submits” could simply be replaced with “obeys.” Our Greek word is used to describe the relationship of wives to their husbands in Colossians 3:18:
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
This passage implies that wives are under the authority of their husbands so that “to submit” means “to obey.” We find our Greek word used to enjoin believers to submit to God the Father in Hebrews 12:9:
Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
The requirement of submitting to the Father of our spirits is one that demands obedience to God the Father. This means that in this passage “to submit” is the same as “to obey.” The word is also used in describing the relationship between slaves and their masters in 1 Peter 2:18:
Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
The examples we have cited where our Greek word is used to describe the relationship of a subject to an authority figure, reveals that whenever that is the case the meaning of our Greek word that is translated “to submit” should be understood to mean “to obey.”
Our Greek word is given the meaning “to subject” in our Greek English lexicons. This meaning could further be understood to mean either “to force to undergo” or “to bring under one’s control.” Both of these meanings are reflected in the description of the fate of creation due to man’s fall in Romans 8:20:
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope.
Our Greek word is used twice in this verse in Romans 8. The first usage where the Greek word is translated subjected to frustration has the sense of “to force to undergo”, implying that creation was forced into frustration because of man’s failure. The second usage where our Greek word is translated who subjected it the meaning is “to bring under control” so that both nuances of “to subject” are reflected. It is, of course, with the meaning “to bring under control” that our Greek word is used in connection of prophets and their spirits in 1 Corinthians 14:32:
The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.
The literal Greek reads and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. The word “subject” in the literal translation can be replaced with the meaning “under control” so that the apostle meant to say that the spirits of prophets are under their control. The word can simply mean “to place or put under” or “to put.” It is in the sense “to place under” that the word is used to indicate that when the Lord Jesus Christ has finished bringing everything under His control, He will then place Himself under God in 1 Corinthians 15:28:
When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
The verbal phrase will be made subject to him could be translated will place himself under God, as suggested in the UBS Handbook. Jesus Christ as the Son is fully God and coequal in His essence to the other members of the Godhead so that the placement of Himself under God implies there is joint participation of all members of the Godhead in the rule over all creation but that the first member of the Godhead, the Father has the predominant function of ruling.
Another meaning of our Greek word that is certainly not listed in any lexicon is that of “to accept.” It is this meaning that is most suitable in Romans 10:3:
Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
The sentence they did not submit to God’s righteousness can be translated they did not accept God’s way indicating our Greek work has the meaning “to accept.”
Our consideration of the range of meanings of our Greek word that is translated “to submit” leads us to three important observations besides the confirmation of truth that the meaning of a word is determined by its context. A first observation is that our Greek word can have a meaning that applies only to a particular passage as evident in the meaning of our word “to accept” in Romans 10:3. A second observation is that in all cases where our Greek word has the meaning “to obey” or “to place under”, there is no reciprocity involved. By this we mean, that in all cases where the word is used in the sense of placing one under another or obeying another, such an action is not reciprocated. For example, we indicated that the word can mean to obey so that the church is to obey Christ but we do not have any indication that Christ obeys the church which will certainly be blasphemous. Similarly, there is no situation where a parent is to obey a child. Slaves obey their masters but masters do not obey their slaves. A third observation is that in all cases where the word is used in the sense of obeying, there is the implication that the authority to be obeyed can inflict some kind of punishment for noncompliance to its authority. This is evident in the fact that a reason to obey governmental authority is to avoid punishment, as stated in Romans 13:5:
Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
These observations are important in understanding how our Greek word is used to express a result of the filling of the Spirit in Ephesians 5:21 in the verbal phrase submitting to each other or in the words of the NIV Submit to one another. The point of our observation then is that whatever meaning we give to the Greek word in our context should take into consideration the phrase one another or each other that is often used to indicate reciprocity.
Based on our consideration of the Greek word used in our passage, there are two most viable interpretation of the verbal phrase submitting to each other. A first interpretation is that the apostle meant that a result of the filling of the Spirit is that of accepting and so respecting each other. A second interpretation is that a result of the filling of the Spirit is obedience to a properly constituted authority. Which of these two interpretations the apostle intended? To answer this, we need to examine the support for each interpretation.
There are several facts that support the first interpretation that a result of the filling of the Spirit is accepting and so respecting each other. A first support is that it removes the difficulty of dealing with the concept of reciprocity in the phrase one another or each other. Removal of this difficulty eliminates the difficulty that is encountered by taking the Greek word used in Ephesians 5:21 as “submit” in 1 Corinthians 14:34:
women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.
The problem of this verse is that if filling of the Spirit results in submitting to each other in the sense of obedience then it is difficult to see how a woman could submit in worship situation to others without receiving back the same submission as implied in the literal phrase submitting to each other. But we know that the Scripture indicates that in teaching situation a woman is to learn by subjecting to authority of the male teacher, as stated in 1 Timothy 2:11–12:
11 A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.
In order for this instruction in 1 Timothy 2 to make sense, then submission cannot be reciprocated to a woman who learns in full submission. The implication is that the idea of submission to one another in worship situation is unattainable in Ephesians 5:21 in that it will conflict the requirement placed on a woman in a worship situation. Hence, if we interpret the literal phrase submitting to each other to mean accepting and so respecting one another then there is no difficulty with understanding our Greek word when it is translated “to be in submission” in 1 Corinthian 14:34. Of course, the fact we have indicated that even our Greek word that can be translated “to submit” can have other meanings in other contexts will enable a translator to interpret the Greek word differently in 1 Corinthians 14:34. This is what some English versions have done. For example, the verbal phrase be in submission in 1 Corinthians 14:34 has been translated differently in our English versions. The NEB rendered it as keep their place while the CEB rendered it as to get under control. Anyway, we claim that interpreting the phrase submitting to each other to mean accepting and so respecting one another removes any difficulty that would have been caused by adopting the meaning “to submit” in 1 Corinthians 14:34.
Another reason to accept interpreting the phrase submitting to each other to mean accepting and so respecting one another is that the concept of respect could have been in the mind of the apostle when he wrote the last phrase of Ephesians 5:21 out of reverence for Christ. The word “reverence” as we will note later is translated from a Greek word that has the implication of respect. This means that the apostle could have had in his mind the concept that the Greek word he used that is translated “submit” in our English versions of the verse contains the meaning “accept” and “respect.”
Still another reason to accept interpreting the phrase submitting to each other to mean accepting and so respecting one another is that such interpretation fits well with what we can do to each other without violating the concept of authority. A husband is expected to respect the wife without violating the principle of authority as required of him in 1 Peter 3:7:
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
The instruction treat them with respect is more literally showing them honor. Respect is something that all believers are expected to give to each other, as stated in 1 Peter 2:17:
Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
Respect believers show each other does not violate the principle of authority where the one in authority does not reciprocate obedience to the one under authority. The Holy Spirit tells all believers to respect each other, implying that masters should return respect to their slaves who are fellow believers without violating the principle of authority. For after all, it is after this instruction for all believers to respect others that the Holy Spirit gives the command of slaves being submissive, that is, obedient to their masters in a passage we cited previously, that is, 1 Peter 2:18:
Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
By the way, there are several other things believers are required to do to each other regardless of their status in this life that can only be truly possible as a result of filling of the Spirit. Believers are expected to be devoted and honor one another, as in Romans 12:10:
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Believers are expected to accept one another, according to Romans 15:7:
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Believers are to serve one another, according to Galatians 5:13:
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
Believers are expected to consider others better than themselves, as instructed in Philippians 2:3:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
Believers are expected to show humility to one another, as in 1 Peter 5:5:
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
As we have indicated, each of these expectations are to be reciprocated to each other but that cannot happen without the filling of the Spirit.
We have given the various supports for the first interpretation that the literal verbal phrase submitting to each other means that a result of the filling of the Spirit is that of accepting and respecting one another. However, the major drawback of this interpretation is that it does not fit well into what follows beginning in verse 22 of Ephesians 5 where the concept of obedience is paramount.
The primary support for the second interpretation that a result of the filling of the Spirit is obedience to a properly constituted authority is that understanding of our Greek word translated “submission” as a reference to obedience given to a properly constituted authority is in keeping with what follows beginning in verse 22 of Ephesians 5. Furthermore, that such meaning is the predominant meaning of the Greek word in Paul’s use of the Greek word in his epistles. However, there are two drawbacks to this interpretation. First, there is no authority figure mentioned in verse 21 of Ephesians 5 in order to take the Greek word as conforming to the apostle’s use of it with the meaning of obedience or submission to an authority. Second, it seems to ignore the reciprocity of the phrase each other the apostle used.
All in all, the second interpretation seems to fit best the context and so would have been what the apostle had in mind. The two drawbacks of the second interpretation can be explained by a different interpretation of the Greek word translated “each other.” There is no doubt that the Greek word (allēlōn) used in verse 21 is most often used to indicate reciprocation between two persons or groups so that it is translated “each other, one another” but it seems that in some contexts such relationship would not hold. A good example is in Revelation 6:4:
Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
The sentence men slay each other cannot mean that each killed the other at precisely the same time as he was killed. The most natural meaning is that some would kill others. This would mean that instead of the phrase each other or one another that the Greek word has the meaning “some” in Ephesians 5:21 in this way the object of submission is “some” that is not clearly defined in verse 21 but beginning in verse 22 we have examples of the “some.” Of course, there are those who contend that in verse 21 “some” will refer to spiritual leaders of the church. This is possible. But it is probably better to take the position that “some” is mentioned without elaboration until verse 22 of Ephesians 5. There is another reason the meaning “some” is appropriate. If the apostle meant reciprocity in obedience to one another he would have used the same Greek pronoun (heautōn) that also means “each other, one another” that he used in verse 19 of Ephesians 5. By the way, the same reasoning that is applied against taking the first interpretation of acceptance that leads to respect also applies to this second interpretation since the overwhelming use of the Greek pronoun is that of reciprocity. Anyway, we believe that the literal verbal phrase submitting to each other of Ephesians 5:21 means that a result of the filling of the Spirit is that of obedience to a properly constituted authority. The implication is that no one can fully obey an authority figure without the filling of the Spirit.
Be that as it may, the obedience to a properly constituted authority is that which results from the filling of the Spirit but it is also that which we have because we respect or fear the Lord Jesus Christ. It is this reason that is given in the last phrase of Ephesians 5:21 out of reverence for Christ. A literal translation is in fear of Christ. The Greek preposition translated “in” in the literal translation is used here in the sense of a marker of reason or cause and so should be translated “because” implying that an additional reason to obey a duly constituted authority has to do with a person’s fear of Christ.
The literal word “fear” is translated from a Greek word (phobos) with a range of meanings. It can mean something terrible or awe-inspiring hence “a terror” as it is used to indicate those who do the right thing do not have to be afraid of the ruling authorities in Romans 13:3:
For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
The word can mean “intimidation”, as in 1 Peter 3:14:
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.”
The command Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened of the NIV is more literally And do not be afraid of their intimidation or be disturbed. Another meaning of the Greek word is “fear” or “alarm” as in 2 Corinthians 7:11
See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
The phrase what alarm is literally what fear. Still another meaning of the Greek word is “respect, reverence” as it is used in 2 Corinthians 7:1:
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
It in the sense of fear or reverence that the word is used in our passage. This means that an additional reason believer would obey a duly constituted authority is because they respect and fear the Lord Jesus Christ. It is inconceivable that a believer would respect Christ and disobey a duly constituted authority. This is because it does not make sense to claim to fear the Lord Jesus Christ while disobeying authority that He has constituted. Anyway, disobedience may be an indicator of not being filled of the Spirit if there is no conflict between a lower authority and God’s authority. In effect, if you disobey a human authority because you obey God that does not mean that you are not filled of the Spirit but only if the disobedience stems from something that is not contrary to the word of God that we can say that disobedience is a sign of not being filled of the Spirit.
To sum up our consideration of Ephesians 5:21; it is our interpretation that a result of the filling of the Spirit is obedience to a properly constituted authority so that the literal phrase submitting to each other is better understood as “obeying some”. An example of the “some” that obedience is due will be our concern beginning in verse 22. I want to leave you with this understanding that to truly obey an authority figures requires the filling of the Holy Spirit.