Of Saints & Shepherds

Quick Facts

• Pronunciation: ä-nü-po’-täk-tos
• Strongs Concordance: #G506
  • not made subject, unsubjected
  • that cannot be subjected to control, disobedient, unruly, refractory
• Appears 4 time in 4 verses in the New Testament 
• Common translations
  • “unruly” (2x),
  • “disobedient” (1x),
  • “that is not put under” (1x).

How akataschetos is used in the New Testament

1. 1 Timothy 1:9 NASB –  realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers”

2. Titus 1:6, 10 NASB – “namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. … For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,”

3. Hebrews 2:8 NASB – “YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.” For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.”

My observations and perspective

In the four instances where the word akataschetos is used in the New Testament, the first describes those not living under obedience to the gospel (the unsaved/lost/etc). The second instance describes men that should not occupy the role of elders because of being not subjecting themselves or in general, disobedient. If one is to allow scripture to translate scripture, this cannot be made to indicate disobedience to church leaders since no direct example of doing so can be found in the New Testament. Therefore, at best, one could only conclude that this disobedience is in regard to clear examples of authority that the scriptures directly teach subjection towards. These include subjection to God, subjection to scripture, subjection to civic authority, and subjection to parents.

The third example speaks of the generally rebellious and those who by the rest of the description, are not participants in the local church. These are those who rebel against the gospel, apparently preferring the Mosaic Law as an alternative.

The last example speaks of Christ making obedient all things to himself, though we don’t see it.

It is my opinion that no rational case can be made for teaching that a saint can be considered unruly for not obeying a local church leader. Some may try to shoe-horn Titus 1:6 to mean such, but doing so requires conjecture and a bias that begins with the assumption that such things are true.