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Translating Values pp 81–99Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Submission and Its Conflicting Value Systems: A Case Study

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Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Translating and Interpreting ((PTTI))

Abstract

This chapter deals with the translation of evaluative concepts, illustrated through an analysis of English translations for the New Testament term hypotasso. Many English Bibles take on a marked association with a specific action which becomes synonymous with obedience. The context of the Greek term, however, seems to indicate it refers to an attitude towards authority more related to values like respect and honour. While it may often result in obedience and a favourable disposition towards authority, this attitude should not be confused with mindless obedience, a very different concept. A better understanding of the contextual implications of evaluative concepts in both source and target languages would help the translator to minimize textual misunderstandings and find ways of successfully improving the communication of a translation.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    There is also a related noun form that appears in four more verses. Later on in the chapter I will mention some of these noun uses as well.

  2. 2.

    In a sampling of common English Bibles, hypotasso is translated as ‘be subject to’ or ‘submit’ in 90 % of the occurrences. The Bibles consulted were the King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, the New International Version, the English Standard Version, and the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

  3. 3.

    The repeated verb ‘submitting’ is missing in some manuscripts. The critical text reads as follows: ‘μοίως νεώτεροι ὑποτάγητε πρεσβυτέροις, πάντες δὲ ἀλλήλοις [υποτασσομενοι TR textus receptus]] τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην ἐγκομβώσασθε’ Likewise, young men submit yourselves to the elders. And all to one another [submitting TR] clothe yourselves in humility.

  4. 4.

    An exhaustive list of all of the contexts in which hypotasso appears in Biblical texts appears in the appendix. The list is broken down into categories to reflect the different uses of the term.

  5. 5.

    שׂימו־נא לבבכם מן־היום הזה ומעלה מיום עשׂרים וארבעה לתשׁיעי למן־היום אשׁר־יסד היכל־יהוה שׂימו לבבכם׃ (literal translation mine).

  6. 6.

    Even though the repeated commands are identical in Hebrew, the translators decided to treat them with two different Greek structures.

  7. 7.

    Orig. ὑποτάξατε δῆ τάς καρδάας ὑμῶν… The second of the two commands translates the Hebrew phrase in a much more literal way: θέσθε ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν: Place upon your hearts.

  8. 8.

    While there are some of the middle forms which can be distinguished from the passive voice forms, in general there tend to be dominant forms which serve both for middle and passive voice; thus in the specific case of the term in question, context is required to determine between a true passive and the middle voice. But the context is sufficient in the case of this term to distinguish very clearly between the middle from the passive voice.

  9. 9.

    In I Kings 10:15 and 2 Chronicles 9:14 the Hebrew term tur, explorers, was rendered by the LXX translators as ὑποτετάγμενων, subjugators, ones who make others submit.

  10. 10.

    This is an interesting case study because the NT authors—or author, depending on one’s theory about the authorship of Hebrews—sometimes quote the LXX text and other times follow the Hebrew text.

  11. 11.

    The Bible never commands authority figures to ‘subjugate’ those who resist them (active usage). Rather, the command comes to people to ‘submit themselves’ to their authorities.

  12. 12.

    See Romans 10:3 as well in this regard: ‘For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness’ (ESV).

  13. 13.

    The translation of the term from the LXX, ‘wait in silence’ sheds some light on the NT use of the term in 1 Timothy 2:11–12. It seems that the respect implied by the term should not lead to criticism of legitimate authority. Rather than a literal command for women not to speak, it seems to indicate the public attitude of women towards church leadership.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento Filología Inglesa, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain

    David B. Bell

Authors
  1. David B. Bell
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Modern Languages, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom

    Piotr Blumczynski

  2. School of Modern Languages, University of Ulster, Coleraine, United Kingdom

    John Gillespie

Appendix: LXX and NT Use of the Term ὑποτάσσω

All NT and OT quotations taken from ESV; LXX translations are literal renderings of the Greek text.

Appendix: LXX and NT Use of the Term ὑποτάσσω

  1. I.

    Imposed submission (Active/Passive) (mainly LXX and NT quotations): recognition of authority independent of the will

    1. A.

      Imposed submission in a military/war context; enforced authority over another people

      1. i.

        I Kings 10:15 (c.f. II Chronicles 9:14) ‘besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land. *LXX ‘the ones who subjugate.’

      2. ii.

        I Chronicles 22:18 ‘Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not given you peace on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the Lord and his people’.

      3. iii.

        Psalm 18:47 ‘the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me’

        1. a)

          Psalm 47:3 ‘He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet’.

        2. b)

          Psalm 144:2 ‘he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me’.

      4. iv.

        Psalm 60:8 (Psalm 108:9) ‘Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph’. *LXX ‘to me the other nations were subdued’

    2. B.

      Imposed submission in the spiritual realm:

      1. i.

        Psalm 8:6 ‘You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet’ *LXX ‘submitted all things under his feet’

        1. a)

          I Corinthians 15:27–28 ‘For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet”. But when it says, “all things are put in subjection”, it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all’. *quotation from LXX

        2. b)

          Ephesians 1:22 ‘And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church’ *quotation from Hebrew text

        3. c)

          Philippians 3:21 ‘who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself’.

        4. d)

          Hebrews 2:5, 8 ‘Now it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. […] “putting everything in subjection under his feet.”’ Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him’.

      2. ii.

        Luke 10:17, 20 ‘The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ […] Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven’.

      3. iii.

        I Peter 3:22 ‘who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him’.

      4. iv.

        Romans 8:20 ‘For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope.’

  2. II.

    Voluntary Submission (Middle Voice): a voluntary recognition of authority in attitude

    1. A.

      General concept behind submission: quiet contemplative attitude. Haggai 2:18 ‘Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider:’ *LXX ‘Submit, therefore, your hearts c.f. ‘submit a proposal’

    2. B.

      Submission to God

      1. i.

        Positive examples:

        1. a)

          Psalm 37:7 ‘Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!’ *Hebrew ‘Be quiet’; LXX ‘Be submitted before the Lord’

        2. b)

          Psalm 62:1, 5 ‘For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. […] For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him’. *LXX ‘my soul is submitted to God’

        3. c)

          Hebrews 12:9 ‘Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?’

        4. d)

          James 4:7 ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’.

        5. e)

          [See Ephesians 5:24 ‘church submits to Christ’]

        6. f)

          II Corinthians 9:13 ‘By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others’ *noun

      2. ii.

        Negative examples:

        1. a)

          Romans 8:7 ‘For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot’.

        2. b)

          Romans 10:3 ‘For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness’.

    3. C.

      Submission in the family relationships

      1. i.

        Children to parents

        1. a)

          Luke 2:51 ‘And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart’.

        2. b)

          I Timothy 3:4 ‘He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive’ *noun; lit. ‘in submission’

        3. c)

          [see Hebrews 12:9 ‘Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?’]

      2. ii.

        Wives and husbands

        1. a)

          Ephesians 5:21 ‘submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ’.

        2. b)

          Ephesians 5:24 ‘Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands’.

        3. c)

          Colossians 3:18 ‘Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord’.

        4. d)

          Titus 2:5 ‘to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled’.

        5. e)

          I Peter 3:1, 5 ‘Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives […] For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands’,

    4. D.

      Submission in the church relationships

      1. i.

        I Corinthians 14:32 ‘and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets’.

      2. ii.

        I Corinthians 14:34 ‘the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says’.

      3. iii.

        I Corinthians 16:16 ‘be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and labourer’.

      4. iv.

        I Peter 5:5 ‘Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility [being submissive, TR] toward one another, for ‘“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”’

      5. v.

        I Timothy 2:11 ‘Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness’. *noun

    5. E.

      Submission in civic relationships

      1. i.

        I Chronicles 29:24 ‘All the leaders and the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon’. *LXX ‘submitted to him’

      2. ii.

        Daniel 6:13 ‘Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day”’. *LXX ‘does not submit’

      3. iii.

        Daniel 11:39 ‘He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honour. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price’. *LXX ‘those who submit to him’

      4. iv.

        Romans 13:1, 5 ‘Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. […] Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience’.

      5. v.

        Titus 3:1 ‘Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work’,

      6. vi.

        I Peter 2:13 ‘Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme’,

      7. vii.

        Negative example: not a legitimate authority. Galatians 2:5 ‘to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you’. *noun

    6. F.

      Submission in the workplace

      1. i.

        Titus 2:9 ‘Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative’, I Peter 2:18 ‘Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust’.

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Bell, D.B. (2016). Submission and Its Conflicting Value Systems: A Case Study. In: Blumczynski, P., Gillespie, J. (eds) Translating Values. Palgrave Studies in Translating and Interpreting. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54971-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54971-6_5

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