The CBE Scroll

(first in a series of posts regarding the Trinity)

Though eternal subordinationists believe the Son and the Father are equal in essence, they also believe that the Son is inherently subordinate to the Father. In their view, instead of voluntarily emptying himself of divine authority in the incarnation, the Son necessarily does so for all eternity. They claim that the Son’s eternal subordination to the Father within the Trinity provides theological precedent for the permanent subordination of women in relation to men.

In a paper read at the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) annual meeting, prominent subordinationist Bruce Ware stated that names ‘Father’ and ‘Son’ “refer not to some ad hoc arrangement for the incarnation but to an eternal relationship in which the Father is the eternal Father of the Son, and the Son is the eternal Son of the Father.” The assumption behind this statement seems to be that there’s no middle ground between meaninglessness and the meaning subordinationists want to give these names.

However, there is plenty of meaning to be found in the Trinitarian Father-Son relationship without requiring an eternal relationship of supremacy and subordination within the Trinity. Two examples (and many more could be offered) of the meaning found in Jesus’ incarnational submission to the Father include his model for relationships between people and God and his model for relationships between all people.

Historically, Christians have understood Jesus’ perfect obedience to the Father in the incarnation to model the ideal for divine-human relationships. Subordinationists, however, suggest that the Father-Son relationship models the ideal for marriage relationships.

This misapplication of the divine-human relationship to the human marriage relationship has serious theological and ethical implications. Though we are free to exercise contextual and provisional authority, no human being can claim the Father’s authority over another.

When Satan tempted Jesus by offering him the authority and splendor of all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would agree to worship him, Jesus responded, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only’” (Luke 4:8). One very meaningful aspect of Jesus’ perfect obedience to the Father is that it provides a model for trusting God above all others, and for resisting others’ claims to take God’s place in our lives.

Christians have also understood Jesus’ submission in the incarnation to be a very meaningful model for human relationships. Scripture records one of the earliest Christian hymns in Phil. 2:6-11. This passage celebrates Jesus’ willingness to empty himself in the incarnation, in which he “became obedient unto death—even death on a cross.” Other Scripture testifies that even though he was the Son of God and didn’t have to take on our weaknesses, Jesus “learned obedience from what he suffered” in the incarnation (Heb. 5:8).

Right before the hymn about Christ emptying himself in the incarnation, Paul exhorts believers to follow Christ’s example in our relationships with each other (Phil. 2:5). He does not specify that one group should follow the Father’s model of authority and another group should follow Christ’s model of submission. All Christians are called to imitate Christ and use our authority to benefit others instead of ourselves.

The Son’s submission to the Father in the incarnation offers meaningful models for both divine-human relationships and human relationships in general. These models provide a basis for resisting claims to inherent and permanent authority by one group of people over another group of people, and call all people to serve God absolutely and to serve one another sacrificially.

For an update on ETS 2006 or for more articles about the Trinity please follow these links: ETS 2006; the Trinity

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