1 Corinthians 15 28

1 Corinthians 15:28 kjv

And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15:28 nkjv

Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15:28 niv

When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15:28 esv

When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15:28 nlt

Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God's authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

1 Corinthians 15 verses

1 Corinthians 15 28 meaning

This verse climaxes Paul's discourse on Christ's resurrection and cosmic reign, asserting that at the eschatological consummation, after Christ has subjected all hostile powers, He will voluntarily subject Himself, in His mediatorial role, to God the Father. The ultimate purpose is the full and unobstructed manifestation of God's sovereign rule, presence, and glory throughout all creation, ensuring that God is the singular, supreme reality permeating everything.

1 Corinthians 15 28 Context

1 Corinthians chapter 15 is known as the "resurrection chapter," where Paul vigorously defends the doctrine of bodily resurrection, a concept met with skepticism or outright denial by some in Corinth, influenced by prevailing Greek philosophical views. The chapter systematically argues for the resurrection of Christ as a historical fact (vv. 1-11), then as the guarantee and foundation for the future resurrection of believers (vv. 12-19). Paul then presents Christ's resurrection as the "firstfruits" and begins to unfold its cosmic implications (vv. 20-28). Christ's mediatorial reign is described as overcoming all enemies, including the last enemy, death (vv. 20-26). This sets the stage for verse 28, which details the final act of this divine drama: Christ's handing over of the perfected kingdom to the Father, bringing about the Father's ultimate and total rule. This passage serves as a theological anchor against any who might misunderstand the relationship between the Father and the Son, or diminish God's ultimate sovereignty.

1 Corinthians 15 28 Word analysis

• When (ὅταν - hotan): Signifies "when and if," denoting a certain future event that follows a condition. It points to a definitive eschatological moment.
• all things (τὰ πάντα - ta panta): "The all things." This definite plural form stresses totality, leaving no aspect of creation or hostile power unconquered or unsubordinated. It encompasses all reality.
• are subjected (ὑποταγῇ - hypotagē): Third person singular, aorist subjunctive passive, meaning "have been subjected." The subjection is completed; all hostile powers are definitively put under Christ's authority. The Greek term implies a proper, hierarchical ordering, often used in a military context.
• to Him (αὐτῷ - autō): Refers to Christ, the Son, who exercises this mediatorial authority over the universe.
• then (τότε - tote): Temporal adverb, marking the sequential action. "At that time" or "at that point."
• the Son Himself also (καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Υἱὸς - kai autos ho Huios): "The Son Himself" emphasizes Christ's personal, willing participation in this final act. The "also" ("kai") signifies that Christ's subjection follows, and is of the same nature as, the subjection of all other things in its final purpose, albeit distinctly.
• will be subjected (ὑποταγήσεται - hypotagēsetai): Future passive. This subjection is not forced but voluntary, an act of sovereign will by the Son in completing His redemptive role. It is an economic, role-based subjection, not an ontological diminishment.
• to the One who subjected all things to Him (τῷ ὑποτάξαντι αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα - tō hypotaxanti autō ta panta): Clearly identifies God the Father as the ultimate orchestrator and source of authority, who delegated authority to the Son to achieve this comprehensive subjugation.
• so that (ἵνα - hina): Introduces a purpose clause, stating the ultimate telos or goal of the entire process.
• God (ὁ Θεὸς - ho Theos): Here referring primarily to God the Father, in context of His ultimate headship within the divine economy, but encompassing the triune God in terms of divine essence and unified purpose.
• may be (ᾖ - ē): Subjunctive, indicating the desired outcome.
• all in all (πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν - panta en pasin): This signifies God's absolute and pervasive presence, power, and glory in and through every aspect of His perfectly redeemed creation. It doesn't mean God merges into everything (pantheism), but rather that He fills all things with Himself – His nature, presence, and glorious rule are universally manifest without hindrance.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him": This clause describes the transfer of authority at the consummation of Christ's mediatorial kingdom. It signifies Christ's mission being fully accomplished—having put all enemies, including death, under His feet—and His subsequent voluntary surrender of this delegated, mediatorial reign back to the Father, from whom all authority originates. This act is a confirmation of the ultimate headship of God the Father, even as it magnifies the obedient role of the Son.
• "so that God may be all in all.": This is the grand culmination of God's redemptive and cosmic plan. It means the eradication of all opposition, sin, and imperfection, allowing God's presence, rule, and glory to fill the totality of existence, perfectly and unimpeded. God's will is finally and universally sovereign in the entirety of the recreated cosmos.

1 Corinthians 15 28 Bonus section

• Economic vs. Ontological Subordination: The subjection of the Son spoken of here is consistently understood as an "economic" (or functional/role-based) subordination rather than an "ontological" (or essential/nature-based) subordination. Christ remains fully God, co-equal with the Father in divinity. His subjection refers to the completion of His incarnational, mediatorial, and redemptive work, which had a temporary, delegated authority aspect.
• Mediatorial Kingdom: The reign of Christ described in vv. 25-27 is His "mediatorial kingdom"—His authority given by the Father to subdue all things. When all enemies, especially death, are vanquished, the purpose of this specific, transitional kingdom is fulfilled, allowing for its surrender back to the Father. This does not signify an end to Christ's divine rule, but the end of His mediating specific functions required by sin and death.
• Reaffirmation of Christian Monotheism: This verse powerfully asserts the ultimate sovereignty of God the Father (and by extension, the triune God), preventing any understanding of Christ's divine authority as independent or competitive. It confirms that the entire redemptive plan, executed through the Son, finds its ultimate source and goal in God.

1 Corinthians 15 28 Commentary

1 Corinthians 15:28 serves as the glorious conclusion to Paul's eschatological exposition in the "resurrection chapter." It depicts the end of Christ's mediatorial reign, a temporary and specific phase in the divine plan where He conquers all opposing forces, culminating in the destruction of death itself. His subsequent subjection to the Father is not a sign of inferiority in essence or divinity, but rather the completion of His divinely appointed role as the Redeemer and King who executes God's cosmic victory. It's a willing act of filial submission, reflecting perfect unity and hierarchy within the Godhead. The ultimate goal ("so that God may be all in all") points to the final, universal restoration of creation, where God's sovereign rule and pervasive presence are unhindered and perfectly realized across all of existence, filling everything with His glory and removing all remnants of sin, rebellion, and separation.