In this two-part article, I present what I’ve been learning about the Greek “submit” word, and I look at what it meant to Paul that Jesus is the “saviour of the body” (Eph. 5:23). This article is based on a talk I gave in London last month.
The Son’s submission to God the Father in 1 Cor. 15:28 should not inform our understanding of submission in marriage. Here’s why.
I look at how Paul uses the phrase “in everything” in his letters and at what it means in, “wives submit to your husbands in everything.”
Paul’s words to wives in Col. 3:18 contain a phrase that doesn’t occur elsewhere in the New Testament. What does it mean to submit “as is fitting in the Lord”?
Some Christians claim that submission is always to a person in authority. In this article, I quote early church bishops who spoke positively about mutual submission.
Is Ephesians 5:21-22 one sentence or two? What is the best way to punctuate these verses? How do ancient manuscripts treat them?
Is it significant that there is no “submit” word in Ephesians 5:22 in two of the oldest Greek manuscripts? Did Paul tell wives to submit?
In this article, I look at the Greek participles in Ephesians 5:18-21, especially the “submit” participle in verse 21.
Eph. 5:21 is one New Testament verse that encourages mutual submission. 1 Peter 5:5 is another. This post looks at the Greek grammar and vocabulary of 1 Peter 5:5.
The household codes in Eph. 5-6 and Col. 3-4 are not about gender but primarily about power and about mitigating abuse that often comes with power.
In 1 Cor. 16:16, Paul tells the Corinthians to submit themselves to coworkers and labourers. Paul refers to several women by these ministry terms.
The stance of the Roman Catholic Church in regards to mutual submission in marriage is much more egalitarian than the stance of many evangelicals.
Is male headship and female submission the best way for husbands and wives who are in Christ to live by New Testament and New Creation principles?
In what way (or ways) is the relationship between Jesus and the church a model for marriage? What does Paul mean in Ephesians 5:22-33?
When we read the NT household codes, we need to keep in mind that some “masters” were women. How does this affect our understanding of these passages?
Instructions for wifely submission and holy kisses are given in the NT five times each, but one concept is often emphasised while the other is usually ignored.
Dear Dr Grudem, mutual submission is not a myth. Submission is not always, or necessarily, to a person in authority (cf. Eph. 5:21–22).
In this post, I show how the word kephalē (head) is used in 1 Clement, in the context of mutual submission, and I show how the author regarded women.
Wifely submission is never mentioned in the Old Testament or in the Gospels. It is mentioned, however, in a few of the later New Testament letters. Why is that?
In 1 Corinthians 16:15-18 Paul mentions Stephanas and his colleagues. There are a few lessons about Christian service and submission that can be gleaned here.
What does submission mean? What does the Bible say about submission in marriage? Is wifely submission relevant in our modern western societies?
Ephesians 5:22-33 is written as a chiasm with a highlighted point at the centre of the passage. We misinterpret this passage if we miss this main point.
The New Living Translation (NLT) seems supportive and inclusive of women because it often translates adelphoi as “brothers and sisters” but it promotes male authority.
Many Christians believe that submission in marriage is the duty only of wives. In 1 Peter 3:7 Peter comes close to saying that husbands are to be submissive to their wives too.
In 1 Peter 3:1-6, Peter instructs wives to submit and he uses the examples of “the holy women of the past” and Sarah to help make his points. Who were these “holy women of the past”? In what way did Sarah submit to Abraham?
Why aren’t the biblical concepts of wifely submission and submission to governing authorities given equal emphasis in the church?
Are power struggles between a Christian husband and wife an ordinary part of married life? Annoyingly, many Christian books on marriage presume so.
Would you like to support my ministry of encouraging mutuality and equality between men and women in the church and in marriage?
© 2022 Marg Mowczko