1 Corinthians 15:24

εἶτα τὸ τέλος : “ Then (is) the end” sc., “at His coming”. Christ's advent, attended with the resurrection of His redeemed to eternal life, concludes the world's history; then “the harvest” which is “the end of the world” (Matthew 13:39 f., Matthew 13:49; cf. Revelation 14:15 f.), “the end of all things” (1 Peter 4:7), the dénoûment of the drama of sin and redemption in which “the Adam” and “the Christ” have played out their respective parts, the limit of the human horizon. As ἔπειτα was defined by ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ, so εἶτα by the two ὅταν clauses: “when He yields up the kingdom to His God and Father, when He has abolished every rule and every authority and power”. The two vbs. denote distinct, but connected and complementary acts. παραδιδῷ (the reading παραδιδοῖ is sbj [2359], not opt.: Bm [2360], p. 46) is pr. sbj [2361], signifying a proceeding, contingent in its date and manner of occurrence, but concurrent with εἶτα, which again rests upon ἐν τ. παρουσίᾳ. The aor [2362] sbj [2363] καταργήσῃ (Lat. futurum exactum) signalises an event lying behind the παραδιδῷ and by its nature antecedent thereto, “when He shall have done away, etc.”; every opposing force has been destroyed, then Christ lays at the Father's feet His kingdom. “Cum tradat (not tradiderit : so Vg [2364], eading παραδῷ) regnum, etc., cum evacuerit omnem principatum, etc.” The title τῷ Θεῷ καὶ πατρί, “to Him who is God and Father,” contains the reason for this παράδοσις : Christ's one aim was to glorify the Father (Luke 2:49; John 4:34; John 6:38; John 17:4, etc.); this end was reached proximately at the cross (John 19:30), and will be so ultimately when our Lord, having “subdued all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:21), is able to present to the Father a realm dominated by His will and filled with His obedient sons (cf. Matthew 6:9 f.). This is no ceasing of Christ's rule, but the inauguration of God's eternal kingdom: παραδιδῷ does not connote the losing of anything (see John 17:10); it is just the rendering to another of what is designed for Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Corinthians 5:5; Romans 8:32; Luke 4:6; Luke 10:22, etc.). “The end” does not mean the termination of Christ's sovereignty, which in its largest sense began before the world (John 1:1-3; John 17:5) and is its goal (Colossians 1:16); but the termination of the reign of sin and death (Romans 5:21; cf. John 6:37 ff.). At the συντέλεια “the throne of God and of the Lamb,” “the kingdom of Christ and of God,” fills the N.T. horizon (Ephesians 5:5; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 22:3). ἀρχὴν, ἐξουσίαν κ. τ. λ., should not be limited (with Ff [2365] generally, Est., Ed [2366], Gd [2367], El [2368], Sm [2369] : Everling, Paulin. Angelol. u.s.w., p. 44, in view of Ephesians 1:21; Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:15, etc.) to angelic powers, or demons; nor (as by Cv [2370], Gr [2371] : cf. 1 Corinthians 2:6) to earthly rulers : πᾶσαν … πᾶσαν … (see πάντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς, 25; πάντα ὑπέταξεν, 27; also Romans 8:37-39) embraces all forces oppugnant to God (Bg [2372], Cr [2373], Hn [2374], Hf [2375], Bt [2376]), on earth or above it, whether they exercise princely sway (ἀρχὴν) or moral authority (ἐξουσίαν) or active power (δύναμιν). Death is a βασιλεὺς amongst these (Romans 5:14); and behind death Satan (Hebrews 2:14 f.), “the prince” and “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4; John 14:30). On καταργέω, see note to 1 Corinthians 1:28.

[2359] subjunctive mood.

[2360] A. Buttmann's Grammar of the N.T. Greek (Eng. Trans., 1873).

[2361] subjunctive mood.

[2362] aorist tense.

[2363] subjunctive mood.

[2364] Latin Vulgate Translation.

[2365] Fathers.

[2366] T. C. Edwards' Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians. 2

[2367] F. Godet's Commentaire sur la prem. Ép. aux Corinthiens (Eng. Trans.).

[2368] C. J. Ellicott's St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians.

[2369] P. Schmiedel, in Handcommentar zum N.T. (1893).

[2370] Calvin's In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii.

[2371] Greek, or Grotius' Annotationes in N.T.

[2372] Bengel's Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[2373] Cremer's Biblico-Theological Lexicon of N.T. Greek (Eng. Trans.).

[2374] C. F. G. Heinrici's Erklärung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer's krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).

[2375] J. C. K. von Hofmann's Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht, ii. 2 (2te Auflage, 1874).

[2376] J. A. Beet's St. Paul's Epp. to the Corinthians (1882).