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Sermon preached on Ephesians 5:21-6:9 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 07/19/2026 in Petaluma, CA.
Sermon Manuscript
Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
Today we will consider the topic of biblical submission with an overview of this section. In the following weeks, I’ll preach separately on the three specific authority structures that we find here that relate to husbands and wives, parents and children, and masters and servants. Let me remind us that verse 21 is a transition from the previous section on Spirit-filled living to introduce this topic of submitting to one another.
Last week, I said that verse 21 was often misunderstood. When it says to submit to one another, it cannot mean that we are each to mutually submit one to another in some reciprocal way. Logic alone would tell us that this doesn’t make sense. If two people disagree on a decision to be made, there is no practical way for them both to submit to each other at the same time. One reason people might make this mistake is by too simplistically understanding the “one another” reference. Yet, the context shows us these three examples of the kind of submission Paul has in mind, that in our varying relationships we are to exercise biblical submission and obedience to those whom it is due. Another reason people sometimes make this mistake is because Bible publishers often place verse 21 at the end of a section and then put a break in between it in the next verses. This results in verse 21 being separated from the context that explains verse 21. There is an interesting textual variant in the manuscript tradition that I believe even further makes the case. What I would consider the strongest reading of the Greek manuscripts is that the verb “submit” is not even in verse 22. Instead, the sense is that verses 21 and 22 make one long sentence, with the call for wives to submit coming from the submission verb in verse 21. As for the other text variants, other Greek manuscript add an extra “submit” verb to the verse 22, but in different places and in slightly different forms. Whatever, the history of the manuscript copying here, it’s clear that everyone understood that verses 21 and 22 were closely connected. We should see verse 21 introducing this larger section that flows through to chapter 6, verse 9.
Today, then, I’ll have us consider this passage with three points. As an introductory sermon on this large section, my points will be high level. First, I’ll have us consider the general call for submission, obedience, and honor, where properly due. Second, I’ll have us recognize that not all authority structures are the same. Third, I’ll have us see how this passage would speak against authorities abusing their position.
Let’s begin then in our first point and consider how this passage commands biblical submission, obedience, and honor, to those authorities in our life. In verses 21-22, we see the call for a wife to submit to her husband. In chapter 6, verse 1, we see the call for a child to obey and honor his parents. Then, in verse 5, a bondservant is called to obey his earthly master. Life is full of authority structures which have what we call superiors and inferiors. That’s older language, but basically means there are people who are in charge, and there are people who are under the authority of those who are in charge. These three examples make the point we’ve already made. It doesn’t say the husband is to submit to his wife. It also doesn’t say parents submit to your children or masters submit to your bondservants. So, in an authority structure, there are the superiors who are in charge and the inferiors who are under their leadership.
Let us understand that these authority structures define one’s position in a particular relationship. There is a relative context that defines your role in that relationship. This means that someone might be a superior in one relationship and an inferior in another. For example, a husband is head of his wife, but an inferior to his employer in the context of his employment. Likewise, if the employer and employee both are members in the same church, but the employee is an elder, and the employer is not, then the elder has an authority in the church context that he doesn’t have in the workplace. This also means that when we are talking about superiors and inferiors in authority structures, we are not talking about a person’s inherent dignity and worth as a human being. Every single human being is an image bearer of God and possesses equality of human dignity and value. A husband is not superior in worth than his wife. Before God, they are both human beings worthy of the honor due to every human. This point is clearly made in the last verse, where 6:9 tells earthly masters that with God there is no partiality. If you are a husband, or a wife, or a parent, or a child, or a master, or a servant, or any combination thereof, God does not elevate you or discriminate against you based on these relative earthly positions.
It is always helpful to define terms when studying a passage. You may have noted that this passage uses the words submission, obedience, and honor in similar ways, yet there are three different words. Let me briefly define each from the Greek. The Greek word for submission literally means “to put under”. To submit to someone, is to subordinate yourself to them. You are placing yourself under their leadership, recognizing their authority. The Greek word for obedience is literally “to listen to.” The implication of this word is that if you listen to them, you are going to do what they say. So, this word describes how you comply with the instructions from the authority. The Greek word for “honor” is literally “to assign value.” As a word, it is often used in regards to authorities to show them the respect and deference due to them in their position. So then, in this passage, these three words complement each other. Submission recognizes the position of authority. Obedience seeks to comply with that authority. Honor is to show the proper respect for the authority.
In this first point, we are thus recognizing the value of authority and the related order that comes with it. God would have us to consider the relationships that we are in. Let us consider if those relationships involve authority structure. If we find ourselves in a position under someone else’s leadership, let us seek, by God’s grace, to show them the proper submission, obedience, and honor, as is fitting. As we learn to submit to earthly leaders, it will help us learn ultimately how to submit to God’s leadership and authority.
And yet, by saying that, we immediately recognize that no human authority has the same degree of authority as God. God’s authority alone is absolute. Let us also recognize that not every authority structure is the same. That is what we’ll now turn to consider in our second point. Each of the three authority structures in this passage share something in common. They provide order in the relationship through some form of authority and submission. But the nature of the relationship affects the outworking of the authority. The authority structure in a marriage is quite different than in a parent-child relationship or in a master-servant relationship. Things like the connection between two parties, the means given to enforce the authority, and the scope of the authority, will color how any authority structure works. It will negatively affect the relationship if these differences aren’t understood and accounted for. Let us briefly consider each of these three relationships and see some of the unique aspects to each.
First, consider the relationship of a husband and wife. Clearly, of the authority structures in this passage, this relationship has the least distance between the two parties. Indeed, the picture painted here is that there is virtually no distance. While we know a husband and a wife are two different individuals, yet this passage considers that they are also one person. The imagery here is of a single human being. The husband is the head and the wife is the body, and they are thus one flesh. As verse 28 says, this oneness characterizes the husband’s leadership of his wife in terms of loving himself. A husband should not hate his wife because that would be to hate himself. Surely, this implies that a husband in his leadership should not treat his wife harshly. Along these lines, in the Bible the husband does not possess any rod or sword to enforce his leadership, but instead any unresolved conflict would need to be brought to another authority, such as to the church elders or the civil magistrate, depending on the circumstances.
And so, this oneness in marriage must color the relationship. For a husband to overly exalt himself over his wife like he is some emperor of the home would be to miss the closeness of this relationship. He would be a fool to do so, surely incite disdain from his wife, and miss the sweet beauty and joy of the marital bonds that are meant to work so closely together in life. Nonetheless, in a marriage, the roles aren’t supposed to be reversable. The husband is to be the head, not the wife. The wife should cheerfully submit herself in the Lord to her husband’s headship. Verse 24 says that the scope of this submission applies to everything, which also surely reflects the oneness of marriage. So then, in God’s design, this headship and submission in marriage brings wonderful order to the close relationship between the husband and wife – something we will explore more fully next week.
Next, consider the relationship of children with their parents. The distance between a parent and a child is farther than that of a husband and wife. Yet, clearly, there is still a very close connection as immediate family. Both obedience and honor is mentioned here. Elsewhere, we see that such honor for parents includes even how adult children care for their aging parents. But in terms of the obedience described here, there is something of a limited scope of time where child needs to obey his mother and father while living in the home as they grow up. I think the closeness between parent and children can be inferred by how verse 3 describes why the children should obey. It puts it in positive terms, that this is how it will go well for you in life. Parents should deeply love their children and want to see them do well. So, the emphasis here is on positive reinforcement to encourage the parental authority as they raise the child unto maturity. Yet, this passage does hint at what we know is clearly taught elsewhere in Scripture, that parents do have the rod of corporal punishment to lovingly correct and discipline a child when needed for the wellbeing of their soul. That becomes especially the job of fathers, as we see alluded to in verse 4. So then, in God’s design, a family should be a wonderful place where parents are teaching children the discipline and instruction of the Lord and the children should learn to recognize that this is what is best for them. This we will also explore further in a future sermon.
So then, the last of the three authority structures, the master-servant relationship, has the greatest distance between the two parties. As a side note, let me acknowledge that many expressions of servitude and slavery in society through the ages have been wrought with sin. The Bible does not condone any such sin and we should not understand this passage to be condoning any of the sinful practices associated back then with slavery in the Roman Empire. In fact, Christians wrestling with biblical teaching, have led the way to widespread civil laws against slavery and involuntary servitude. As a second side note, let me say that while there are differences, this passage has a lot of useful application to the employer-employee relationship. So then, when we put aside all the immorals commonly associated with slavery, we can recognize a more fundamental concern here about work and labor. There is a place for authority and submission in the workplace. So then, the distance of the two parties between master and servant, and employer-employee means that there is not the same care and concern that they might have for each other as family would naturally have for each other. Instead, the connection between the two parties is inherently more about financial matters and labor. I think that is expressed here in how the instructions to servants in verse 5 lead with a call for fear and trembling. A servant would serve with fear and trembling because he recognizes there are negative consequences if he doesn’t serve faithfully. This contrasts with how children were first positively encouraged to obey their parents out of the prospect of a reward. That sets things in a different tone, which I think reflects that the nature of the master-servant relationship is quite different than a parent-child relationship. Furthermore, I think a close read of this section sees that the scope of the master-servant relationship is in the context of his rendering service, verse 7. While the wife is told to submit in all things, the slave is to obey in fulfilling his service to the master. We can especially think of that in an application to a modern employment setting. Your boss at work can tell you what to do on the job, but they aren’t your master when you leave work. So then, despite the many sinful perversions of man, God’s design sees for order in the workplace, so that labor can also be done with the leadership and structure that promotes excellence.
So then, those are some differences between the various authority structures. We could follow a similar logic if we considered other common institutions in society. For example, the relationship of a civil government with their citizens is different than the relationship between church leadership with the church members. Likewise, if someone joins a voluntary organization, they will have a leadership structure with authority related to the nature of that relationship. Now while the authority structures differ, for us under the authority of each, we should look to give the proper honor, submission, and obedience that is proper for each relationship. But it is not just those under the authority who have obligations in this. That leads us to our last point, to consider that the authorities also have an obligation to righteous conduct in their exercise of authority. This would thus speak against authorities abusing their position and power.
Sadly, there have been many historical abuses of authority. Husbands have not always treated their wives properly, and surely feminism is in part a reaction to that. Parents have sometimes been too harsh with their children, and surely those who oppose spanking is a reaction to that. Employers have sometimes taken advantage of their workers and surely unions are one of several reactions against that. More recently, a particularly bad reaction to abusive authority (i.e. Critical Theory) has wanted to blame authority structures themselves as inherently oppressive because they create imbalances of power between people. Instead of wanting to define people as either superiors or inferiors in their varying relationships, they want to speak instead in terms of the oppressors versus the oppressed. I think it can be helpful to acknowledge truth when such concerns come up, and certainly it is true that sometimes people have abused positions of authority and used power to oppress people. But it also true that sometimes people under authority have not acted properly towards those in authority. The Bible presents a balanced view on this. That includes what we are talking about in this third point today, that the Bible speaks against authorities abusing their position and power.
Just look briefly at the ways each of these three authorities is exhorted to not abuse their position. Husbands are told to not hate their wife but to love them, cherish them, and even sacrificially serve them, treating them like they would treat themselves. This leaves no room for a husband to beat their wife, denigrate them, or demand them to behave in some servile manner. Parents, especially fathers, are commanded to not provoke their children to anger. In other words, parents should not treat their children in such a way that they would be right to get upset at how they are treated. This could happen, for example, if the discipline is overly harsh, overly critical, unfair, or inequitably applied among siblings. Masters are called to not threaten. Whatever appropriate consequence an employer might bring against an employee who is not performing properly, yet the boss shouldn’t have some environment where they are just some tyrant boss going around yelling at people and intimidating them. Similarly, verse 9 reminds us that God does not show partiality, so they should treat their servants as they would want to be treated.
So then, this third point reminds us that God calls authorities to conduct themselves in righteousness toward those under their care. The command to love your neighbor as yourself still applies to authorities. They must love those God has placed under their leadership. The Bible is the first to call to account any abuse of power by authorities. We ought not to throw out good authority and order just because some people have abused it.
Trinity Presbytery Church, today’s overview has helped us to think about authority and submission from a big picture. We see that there are differences and similarities between these authorities. As a way to point us to Christ, I want us to notice what they all have in common. They are all to think of their duty in relationship to Jesus Christ. This is true for both the superiors and the inferiors in each relationship. Husbands are to love their wife “as Christ loved the church”, verse 25. Wives are to submit to their husbands “as to the Lord”, verse 22, like the “church submits to Christ”, verse 24. Parents are to raise their children in the instruction and discipline “of the Lord”. Children are to obey their parents “in the Lord.” Masters are to treat their servants well because they have a “Master in heaven”, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is also the master of their servants, verse 9. Servants, are to obey their masters “as they would Christ,” verse 5, as “servants of Christ,” verse 6. So then, if we are under authority, we honor, submit, and obey as if doing it unto Jesus. And if we are in a position of authority, we lead from a position of recognizing that you are accountable to God, and your position of authority means you are a steward accountable to him.
By pointing us to Christ, this also reminds us of our strength to serve. On our own, we will fall short. Human history has a long track record of authorities abusing their power and people under authority disrespecting and resisting the authority. We won’t fulfill today’s passage on our own strength. Instead, as we look to Christ, may we see his power at work in our hearts to bear fruit in this area. May Christ and his Spirit within us motivate our submission to any authorities we are under. And may Christ and his Spirit within us characterize our authority whenever we are in such position. Indeed, what a benevolent Lord we have in Jesus who has so loved us, who so disciplines and instructs us, and who even serves us as he leads us. Praise be to God!
Amen.
Copyright © 2025 Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
All Rights Reserved.
