Divine Order: ὑποτάσσω (Strong’s G5293: hupotasso) Models Messiah’s Perfect Submission

Strong’s G5293: From hupo (under) and tasso (to arrange), hupotasso describes voluntary submission to authority. Originally a military term for arranging troops under a commander, it evolved to express willing subordination to God-ordained authority, reflecting Messiah’s example of submission.

U- Unveiling the Word

The verb ὑποτάσσω (hupotasso) carries profound theological significance in its portrayal of proper relationships within divine order. As a compound word combining “under” (ὑπό) with “arrange” (τάσσω), it originally described the military concept of troops arranging themselves under a commander’s authority. In the New Testament, it takes on deeper spiritual meaning, appearing first in Luke’s account of Jesus’ submission to His earthly parents. The early church saw this word as essential to understanding proper relationships – within families, churches, and ultimately with God. The voluntary nature of this submission distinguishes it from forced subjugation, making it a beautiful picture of Messiah’s own submission to the Father. Today, it challenges our individualistic culture by presenting submission as a strength rather than weakness, reflecting the perfect harmony of the Trinity.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: ὑποτάσσω, hupotasso, hoo-po-TASS-so
• Detailed Pronunciation: hoó (as in “who”) – po (as in “post”) – TASS (as in “task”) – so (as in “so”)
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

• ὑπό (hupo) – prefix meaning “under”
• τάσσω (tasso) – root verb meaning “to arrange, order, appoint”
  The combination creates the meaning of arranging oneself under authority.

D – Defining Meanings

• To arrange under, to subordinate
• To submit oneself voluntarily
• To be subject to authority

For compound words:
The prefix ὑπό (under) combined with τάσσω (arrange) creates the image of willingly placing oneself in an ordered position under authority.

Translation Options:

• “submit” – Emphasizes the voluntary aspect of the action
• “be subject to” – Highlights the ongoing state of proper order
• “subordinate oneself” – Captures the active participation in ordering oneself under authority

E – Exploring Similar Words

• διατάσσω (diatasso, dee-a-TAS-so) – to arrange thoroughly, ordain
  See G1299
• ἐπιτάσσω (epitasso, ep-ee-TAS-so) – to command with authority
  See G2004
• ἀντιτάσσω (antitasso, an-tee-TAS-so) – to set oneself against, resist
  See G498

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

For this verb:

• Tense: Present, Future, Aorist, Perfect, Imperfect
• Voice: Active, Middle, Passive
• Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative, Participle
• Person: First, Second, Third
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Aspect: Continuous (Present), Punctiliar (Aorist), Resultative (Perfect)

Example forms:

• ὑποτάσσω – I submit (Present Active Indicative)
• ὑποτάσσεται – he/she/it submits (Present Middle/Passive Indicative)
• ὑποτάγητε – submit yourselves! (Aorist Passive Imperative)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

Lexical research reveals ὑποτάσσω’s rich theological significance. BDAG emphasizes its development from military contexts to spiritual relationships. Thayer’s highlights its middle voice usage, indicating voluntary submission rather than forced subjugation. LSJ traces its classical usage in military and administrative contexts. Vine’s notes its importance in Christian household codes and church order. Moulton and Milligan cite papyri showing its use in civil administration. Strong’s emphasizes its compound nature and the importance of proper order, while LEH notes its frequent use in the Septuagint for submission to God’s authority. This evidence collectively points to a term expressing willing, ordered submission within divine hierarchies.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Luke 2:51 “And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject [ὑποτάσσω] unto them: but His mother kept all these sayings in her heart.”

Additional References:
Romans 8:7, Romans 13:1, 1 Corinthians 14:34, Ephesians 5:21, Colossians 3:18, Titus 2:5, 1 Peter 2:13

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The word ὑποτάσσω beautifully illustrates God’s perfect design for relationships within His kingdom. Its first appearance describing Jesus’ submission to His earthly parents sets the pattern for all godly submission. This word reveals that true freedom is found not in independence but in proper alignment with God-ordained authority. The good news of King Jesus includes the restoration of right relationships through willing submission to His lordship, creating a community that reflects the perfect harmony of the Trinity.

D – Did You Know?

1. The word’s first New Testament appearance describes Jesus Himself submitting to earthly authority.
2. In military contexts, it described troops voluntarily arranging themselves in battle formation.
3. Early Christian martyrs used this word to explain their simultaneous submission to and resistance against Roman authority.

Strong’s G5293: From hupo (under) and tasso (to arrange), hupotasso describes voluntary submission to authority. Originally a military term for arranging troops under a commander, it evolved to express willing subordination to God-ordained authority, reflecting Messiah’s example of submission.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: submission, authority, order, relationships, church-structure, voluntary-submission, divine-order, leadership, obedience, harmony, kingdom-principles, spiritual-warfare​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​