1 Corinthians 15:27-28

1 Corinthians 15:27-28 are a supplement to 1 Corinthians 15:20-26. They reaffirm, in new words of Scripture, the unlimited dominion assigned to Christ (1 Corinthians 15:25-27 a), in order to reassert more impressively the truth that only through His absolute victory can the kingdom of God be consummated (24 a, 28 b). The opening γὰρ adduces, by way of comment, a prophecy parl [2387] to that cited in 1 Corinthians 15:25 and specifically applied in 1 Corinthians 15:26; Psalms 8 promised to man complete rule over his domain (cf. Hebrews 2:5 ff.); as man Christ here stands forth the countertype of Adam (1 Corinthians 15:21 f.) who forfeited our estate, winning for Himself and His own the deliverance from death (Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 2:14 f.) which seals His conquest and sets “all things under His feet”. But (δὲ … δέ) this subjection of all things to Christ is no infringement of God's sovereignty nor alienation of His rights; on the contrary, it is the means to their perfect realisation. Such is the purport of the two ὅταν sentences, the second of which repeats in another way, after the interposed δῆλον ὅτι clause, what the first has announced, τότε αὐτὸς ὁ υἱὸς furnishing their common apodosis (cf. 54); so Hf [2388], R.V. marg., after the Vg [2389] and Lat. interpreters. The two vv. then read as follows: “For ‘all things did He put in subjection under His feet'. But when He hath said, ‘All things are brought to subjection' (manifestly, with the exception of Him that put all things in subjection to Him) yea, when all things have become subject to Him, then shall (also) the Son Himself become subject to Him that made subject to Him all things, to the end that God may be all in all”. God is the tacit subject of ὑπέταξεν, as supplied by the familiar Ps. and brought out by the ptps. in 1 Corinthians 15:27 b, 1 Corinthians 15:28 b; but Christ is subject to εἴπῃ not God speaking in Scr., or at the end of the world (so Mr [2390], Ed [2391], El [2392], etc.), nor ἡ γραφή (D.W [2393], and others), nor propheta (Bg [2394]). “All things are subdued!” is the joyful announcement by the Son that the grand promise recorded in the 8th Psalm is fulfilled; “the ὑπέταξεν of God affirms the purpose, the ὑποτέτακται of Christ attests its accomplishment” (Hf [2395], Hn [2396]). Thus ὅταν εἴπῃ is simultaneous with ὅταν καταργήσῃ (1 Corinthians 15:24) and ὅταν θῇ ὑπὸ τ. πόδας (1 Corinthians 15:25): Christ proclaims the victory at last achieved; He reports that, with the abolition of death, His commission is ended and the travail of His soul satisfied. For anticipatory sayings of His, giving an earnest of this crowning word, see Matthew 11:27; Matthew 28:18; John 3:35. ὅταν ὑποταγῇ κ. τ. λ. (1 Corinthians 15:28) reassumes objectively, as matter of fact, what was given subjectively in ὅταν εἴπῃ κ. τ. λ. as the verdict of Christ upon His own finished work. Those who read δῆλον ὅτι κ. τ. λ. as a principal sentence, the apodosis to the first ὅταν clause (A.V., Mr [2397], El [2398], etc.), borrow from the protasis πάντα ὑποτέτακται more strictly ὑποτετάξεται or (by zeugma) ἔσται, after the virtually fut [2399] εἴπῃ (cf. 28 b, 54 b); this, however, makes a halting sentence: “But when He [God] says, ‘All things have been made subject,' it is evident [that this will be, or that all things will be subjected] with the exception of Him, etc.” an affirmation of quite subsidiary importance, on which the writer has no need to dwell. The non-inclusion of God in the category of “things subjected” is rather a self-evident assumption made by the way, and serving to prepare for and throw into relief the real apodosis, “then shall the Son Himself also become subject, etc.,” to which both the ὅταν clauses press forward. The advl [2400] use of δῆλον ὅτι (perhaps better written δηλονότι = δηλαδή), signifying manifestly or to wit (sine dubio, Vg [2401]), is familiar in Attic Gr [2402]; no other certain instance occurs in the N.T. The remark that He who gave dominion is not Himself under it, reserves behind the Messianic reign the absolute supremacy of God, to which Christ will conform at the plenitude of His kingship. τὰ πάντα (equivalent to “the universe”) gathers into a totality the πάντα otherwise separate and diverse: cf. Colossians 1:17, τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν. ὑποταγήσεται (mid [2403] in force, like the 2nd aor [2404] pass [2405] in Romans 10:3, in consistency with the initiative ascribed to Christ throughout) has often been explained away, to avoid Arian or Sabellian inferences from the text; it affirms no other subjection of the Son than is involved in Sonship (see note on 24). This implies no inferiority of nature, no extrusion from power, but the free submission of love (αὐτὸς ὁ υἱός, “the Son of His own accord will subject Himself” not in addition to, but in distinction from the πάντα), which is the essence of the filial spirit that actuated Christ from first to last (cf. John 8:29; John 12:27, etc.). Whatsoever glory He gains is devoted to the glory and power of the Father (John 17:2, etc.), who glorifies Him in turn (John 17:5; Philippians 2:9 ff.). ὑποταγήσεται speaks the closing word of Christ's mission, as Ἰδοὺ ἥκω τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημά σου was its opening word (Hebrews 10:7). It is hard to say whether ζνα ᾖ ὁ Θεὸς κ. τ. λ. is dependent on ὁ υἱὸς ὑποταγήσεται (so most commentt.) or on τ. ὑποτάξαντι (so Hf [2406], and some others). This solemn conclusion most fitly attaches to the princ. vb [2407]; it expresses the loyal purpose of the Son in His self-subjection, whose submission exhibits the unity of the Godhead (cf. John 10:30-36; John 17:23), and constitutes itself the focus and uniting bond of a universe in which God's will is everywhere regnant and His being everywhere immanent. πᾶσιν neuter, like πάντα.

[2387] parallel.

[2388] J. C. K. von Hofmann's Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht, ii. 2 (2te Auflage, 1874).

[2389] Latin Vulgate Translation.

[2390] Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).

[2391] T. C. Edwards' Commentary on the First Ep. to the Corinthians. 2

[2392] C. J. Ellicott's St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians.

[2393].W. De Wette's Handbuch z. N. T.

[2394] Bengel's Gnomon Novi Testamenti.

[2395] J. C. K. von Hofmann's Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht, ii. 2 (2te Auflage, 1874).

[2396] C. F. G. Heinrici's Erklärung der Korintherbriefe (1880), or 1 Korinther in Meyer's krit.-exegetisches Kommentar (1896).

[2397] Meyer's Critical and Exegetical Commentary (Eng. Trans.).

[2398] C. J. Ellicott's St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians.

[2399] future tense.

[2400]dvl. adverbial

[2401] Latin Vulgate Translation.

[2402] Greek, or Grotius' Annotationes in N.T.

[2403] middle voice.

[2404] aorist tense.

[2405] passive voice.

[2406] J. C. K. von Hofmann's Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht, ii. 2 (2te Auflage, 1874).

[2407] verb