1 Corinthians 15:27 Commentary and Bible Study

Then there is a quotation from Psalm 8: ‘For he hath put all things under his feet.’ This is followed by Paul’s comment. ‘But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he [God the Father] is excepted, which did put all things under him.’ What does this tell us about Psalm 8? I are perhaps seeing it in a new light. Psalm 8 is about Christ, according to this comment. We have been looking at Christ and his return and how all things will be subjected to him, and Psalm 8 is quoted to confirm this. All things are put under Christ, but obviously not the Father himself. That is very interesting. Psalm 8 about Christ and his return. ‘Oh Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth, who has set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies.’ And then down to verse 4 of Psalm 8: ‘What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son of man that thou visitest him?’ Wouldn't you think he was talking about mankind? It is a psalm of David, in general. Verse 5, ‘For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things under his feet.’ Perhaps we would have thought reading that psalm naturally that David is just extolling the privileges given to man, and yet the New Testament is going to tell me it is about Christ. How so? Could I have seen that for myself? Yes, if I had looked carefully. ‘Crowned with glory and honour’? Is man crowned with glory and honour? No, not in his present state. He cannot be said to be crowned with honour when he is under the curse, subject to ageing and decay, and ultimately to death. This is certainly about man, but more particularly, it is about that representative man, that second significant man, who will on our behalf secure the crown for us. Ultimately only Christ fulfils Psalm 8; only Christ achieves the complete dominion that is described there. It predicts the final resurrection when all things are brought under the feet of Christ, when he quells all opposition and unbelief, when he brings into judgement all who are set against God. Christ has, for us, subdued sin, the devil, and every enemy; and only he has overcome death. He has purchase salvation for us, and in the last day he will subdue all opposition. Hebrews 2 also quotes Psalm 8, and teaches the same lesson in greater detail. You would think it was entirely about man, and yet it gives rather too much honour to man. It exalts him a little too highly. He isn’t as triumphant and victorious as the Psalm suggests. Ah, but that is where the element of prophecy comes in; because, while psalmist is speaking about mankind and about man, ultimately the words of the Psalm are fulfilled in man’s great representative, Christ, when he comes. It is through Christ that the Psalm becomes wholly true.