1 Corinthians 15:28 Commentary and Bible Study

Christ will reign, and though he could by sheer power bring about the subjection of all things instantly, he chooses to work over time and through his people, and eventually all enemies will be subject to him (verse 25). This includes death itself, for death too is to be regarded as an enemy (verse 26). When this enemy and every other enemy are subject to Christ, then his work will be complete and he will return his commission (verse 27). Obviously, the words quoted from the Psalm – ‘he hath put all enemies under his feet’ – are comprehensive. They include all created things, which means all physical entities and as well as all created spirit beings – the devil and his angels – but obviously an exception is made of God himself. The one who puts all things under Christ – the triune God – does not make himself subject to the Son. Therefore, when the Son returns his commission to the God, and presents him with a creation which is entirely in submission – some willingly, and some unwillingly by force – then God will be all in all. This does not mean that God will be all that exists, for Scripture is very clear that the devil and his host, and all those who believe not the gospel, will continue to exist and be punished throughout eternity. But they will not present any challenge to the authority of God, because Christ will have so subdued them so thoroughly that it is impossible for them to rise up ever again in rebellion. God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, will be the only authority and the universally recognised and unchallenged authority for ever and ever.But this verse contains a mysterious phrase – ‘then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.’ What does that mean? Some people in modern times – and they are quite wrong – have said, Ah, this text and others teach that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, is eternally subordinate to the Father; that there is subordination even within the Godhead, and the Father is everlastingly superior to the Son. That is a complete misinterpretation of this and other verses. We cannot interpret the verse in that way, because we are taught so many times that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are, in every sense, equal; equally God, equally glorious. There can be no subordination between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All are equally and eternally God, equally and eternally divine, equally and eternally glorious and powerful, all knowing, and holy. There is no distinction of rank or order between the members of the Godhead. Certainly, there was a distinction while Christ was on earth; he says himself that he is subordinate to the Father, but that is because, as the Mediator of the New Covenant, he was our representative. He was living a perfect life of obedience to God on our behalf. But when he returned to his glory which he had before, he was in every sense, equal to the Father: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit alike. So what does this mean: ‘Then shall the Son also be subject unto him’? The Son here is the incarnate Son. Hodge says, ‘As the word Christ designates the Theanthropos, so does the word Son here designate, not the Logos as such, but the Logos as incarnate.’ It means this: Christ has returned his commission. No longer is he distinctively authoritative over the world, over the present order, over project earth: the creation and the redemption of man. Now he hands the entire project, victorious and successful, over to the Father and to the Spirit, and resumes his place with them as an equal. He submits his work, his great accomplishment, to the entire Godhead. So Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; all will rule over us and be accessible to us.