Mutual Submission in Christ

Ephesians 5:21, the last verse in a chain of expressions explaining what being filled with the Spirit looks like, is also a transition to the next section. Addressed to all Christians, regardless of social rank, this verse recalls the New Testament emphasis on believers patterning their relational styles on the humility and kindness of Christ. Because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit resists pride, self-sufficiency and self-exaltation. Since verse 21 lacks a verb in the Greek, it is also a springboard for instruction on the shape submission and authority are to take in specific relationships.