The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 15:28 Explained

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.

YLT: and when the all things may be subjected to him, then the Son also himself shall be subject to Him, who did subject to him the all things, that God may be the all in all.

Darby: But when all things shall have been brought into subjection to him, then the Son also himself shall be placed in subjection to him who put all things in subjection to him, that God may be all in all.)

ASV: And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Corinthians 15:28 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Finally God will be the head of everything (cf. Romans 11:36). The earthly millennial kingdom will end and everything will merge into the eternal kingdom of God (cf. Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1:33). [1] Some interpreters believe the kingdom Paul referred to is Christ"s present cosmic lordship that he exercises from heaven. [2] But this view does not harmonize well with biblical eschatology. Christ will be submissive to His Father forever. This is the central passage that affirms the eternal functional (not ontological) subordination of the Son to the Father (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:22-23; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Mark 13:32; Mark 14:62; John 1:1; John 14:28; John 17:24; Ephesians 3:21; Philippians 2:9-11; Philippians 4:19-20). [3] The Resurrection set in motion a chain of events that will ultimately culminate in the death of death. Then God will continue being what He has always been: "all in all."
"The meaning seems to be that there will no longer be need of a Mediator: all relations between Creator and creatures, between Father and offspring, will be direct." [4]
In this pericope Paul traced the career of Christ from His resurrection to His final exaltation, which will occur at the end of the present heavens and earth. Undoubtedly he intended his readers to identify with the Savior since he had taught them that believers reproduce the experiences of their Lord when they reproduce His attitudes and actions. In view of what lies ahead, how foolish it would be to deny the resurrection of the body. This passage clarifies the true significance of Easter.

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 15:12-28 - Christ's Resurrection Assures Ours
The argument here goes to show, first, that our resurrection is intimately connected with Christ's. There must be such a thing, because he, as the representative of humanity, arose from the dead, in a human body which, though more ethereal in its texture, was easily recognizable by those who had known Him previously. Mary was recalled by the well-known intonations of her Master's voice. Thomas was compelled to believe, in spite of his protestations to the contrary. In fact, all of our Lord's friends were convinced against themselves. They credited the tidings of the risen Lord as idle tales. Therefore, says the Apostle, it is far easier to admit that man will rise than to face the difficulties of a still buried Christ, a vain faith, a vain gospel, and a false testimony from so many accredited witnesses.
What a burst of music breaks forth in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28! The first fruit sheaf is the forerunner and specimen of all the harvest. In Christ the whole Church was presented to God, and we may judge of the whole by Him. Note the divine order in 1 Corinthians 15:23 : first, Christ; then, His own; lastly, the end, when death itself shall be destroyed, all enemies conquered, and the kingdom of an emancipated universe finally handed back by the Mediator to the Father. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 15

1  By Christ's resurrection,
12  he proves the necessity of our resurrection,
16  against all such as deny the resurrection of the body
21  The fruit,
35  and the manner thereof;
51  and of the resurrection of those who shall be found alive at the last day

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 15:28

And when all things have been subjected [οταν δε υποταγηι τα παντα]
Second aorist passive subjunctive of υποτασσω — hupotassō not perfect. Merely, “when the all things are subjected unto him.” The aorist subjunctive has given translators a deal of needless trouble in this passage. It is prophecy, of course. [source]
That God may be all in all [ινα ηι ο τεος παντα εν πασιν]
The final goal of all God‘s redemptive plans as Paul has so well said in Romans 11:36. Precisely this language Paul will use of Christ (Colossians 3:11). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 15:28

Romans 11:36 Of - through - to [ἐξ - διά - εἰς]
Of, proceeding from as the source: through, by means of, as maintainer, preserver, ruler: to or unto, He is the point to which all tends. All men and things are for His glory (1 Corinthians 15:28). Alford styles this doxology “the sublimest apostrophe existing even in the pages of inspiration itself.rdblquote [source]
Ephesians 1:10 To sum up all things in Christ [ἀνακεφαλαιώσασθαι]
Explanatory of the preceding phrase; showing in what the dispensation consists. For the word, see on Romans 13:9. It means to bring back to and gather round the main point ( κεφαλαίον ), not the head ( κεφαλή ); so that, in itself, it does not indicate Christ (the Read) as the central point of regathering, though He is so in fact. That is expressed by the following in Christ. The compounded preposition ἀνά signifies again, pointing back to a previous condition where no separation existed. All things. All created beings and things; not limited to intelligent beings. Compare Romans 8:21; 1 Corinthians 15:28. The connection of the whole is as follows: God made known the mystery of His will, the plan of redemption, according to His own good pleasure, in order to bring to pass an economy peculiar to that point of time when the ages of the christian dispensation should be fulfilled - an economy which should be characterized by the regathering of all things round one point, Christ. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
God contemplates a regathering, a restoration to that former condition when all things were in perfect unity, and normally combined to serve God's ends. This unity was broken by the introduction of sin. Man's fall involved the unintelligent creation (Romans 8:20). The mystery of God's will includes the restoration of this unity in and through Christ; one kingdom on earth and in heaven - a new heaven and a new earth in which shall dwell righteousness, and “the creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.”-DIVIDER-
[source]

Colossians 1:16 By Him and for Him [δι ' αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν]
Rev., better, through Him and unto Him. See on Romans 11:36. Compare in Him at the beginning of the verse. There Christ was represented as the conditional cause of all things. All things came to pass within the sphere of His personality and as dependent upon it. Here He appears as the mediating cause; through Him, as 1 Corinthians 8:6. Unto Him. All things, as they had their beginning in Him, tend to Him as their consummation, to depend on and serve Him. Compare Revelation 22:13; and Hebrews 2:10; “for whose sake ( δι ' ὃν ) and through whose agency ( δι ' οὗ ) are all things” Rev., “for whom and through whom.” See also Ephesians 1:10, Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 4:10; Philemon 2:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:28. The false teachers maintained that the universe proceeded from God indirectly, through a succession of emanations. Christ, at best, was only one of these. As such, the universe could not find its consummation in Him. [source]
Colossians 1:16 In him were created [εν αυτωι εκτιστη]
Paul now gives the reason It is the constative aorist passive indicative εκτιστη — ektisthē (from κτιζω — ktizō old verb, to found, to create (Romans 1:25). This central activity of Christ in the work of creation is presented also in John 1:3; Hebrews 1:2 and is a complete denial of the Gnostic philosophy. The whole of creative activity is summed up in Christ including the angels in heaven and everything on earth. God wrought through “the Son of his love.” All earthly dignities are included. Have been created (εκτισται — ektistai). Perfect passive indicative of κτιζω — ktizō “stand created,” “remain created.” The permanence of the universe rests, then, on Christ far more than on gravity. It is a Christo-centric universe. Through him As the intermediate and sustaining agent. He had already used εν αυτωι — en autōi (in him) as the sphere of activity. And unto him (και εις αυτον — kai eis auton). This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1 Corinthians 15:28) See note on Ephesians 1:10 for similar use of εν αυτωι — en autōi of Christ and in Colossians 1:19, Colossians 1:20 again we have εν αυτωι δι αυτου εις αυτον — en autōiclass="normal greek">δι ον — di' autouclass="normal greek">δι ου — eis auton used of Christ. See note on Hebrews 2:10 for τα παντα — di' hon (because of whom) and εχ αυτου και δι αυτου και εις αυτον τα παντα — di' hou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe (εχ — ta panta). In Romans 11:35 we find εν — ex autou kai di' autou kai eis auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use δια — ex in this connection of Christ, but only εις — en εχ — dia and δια — eis See the same distinction preserved in 1 Corinthians 8:6 (ex of God, dia of Christ). [source]
Colossians 1:16 Through him [δι αυτου]
As the intermediate and sustaining agent. He had already used εν αυτωι — en autōi (in him) as the sphere of activity. And unto him (και εις αυτον — kai eis auton). This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1 Corinthians 15:28) See note on Ephesians 1:10 for similar use of εν αυτωι — en autōi of Christ and in Colossians 1:19, Colossians 1:20 again we have εν αυτωι δι αυτου εις αυτον — en autōiclass="normal greek">δι ον — di' autouclass="normal greek">δι ου — eis auton used of Christ. See note on Hebrews 2:10 for τα παντα — di' hon (because of whom) and εχ αυτου και δι αυτου και εις αυτον τα παντα — di' hou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe (εχ — ta panta). In Romans 11:35 we find εν — ex autou kai di' autou kai eis auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use δια — ex in this connection of Christ, but only εις — en εχ — dia and δια — eis See the same distinction preserved in 1 Corinthians 8:6 (ex of God, dia of Christ). [source]
Colossians 1:16 And unto him [και εις αυτον]
This is the only remaining step to take and Paul takes it (1 Corinthians 15:28) See note on Ephesians 1:10 for similar use of εν αυτωι — en autōi of Christ and in Colossians 1:19, Colossians 1:20 again we have εν αυτωι δι αυτου εις αυτον — en autōiclass="normal greek">δι ον — di' autouclass="normal greek">δι ου — eis auton used of Christ. See note on Hebrews 2:10 for τα παντα — di' hon (because of whom) and εχ αυτου και δι αυτου και εις αυτον τα παντα — di' hou (by means of whom) applied to God concerning the universe In Romans 11:35 we find εν — ex autou kai di' autou kai eis auton ta panta referring to God. But Paul does not use δια — ex in this connection of Christ, but only εις — en εχ — dia and δια — eis See the same distinction preserved in 1 Corinthians 8:6 (ex of God, dia of Christ). [source]
1 Peter 3:22 Unto him [αυτωι]
Christ. See 1 Corinthians 15:28. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 15:28 mean?

When now shall have been put in subjection to Him - all things then also Himself the Son will be put in subjection to the [One] having put in subjection - all things so that may be - God - all in all
ὅταν δὲ ὑποταγῇ αὐτῷ τὰ πάντα τότε καὶ αὐτὸς Υἱὸς ὑποταγήσεται τῷ ὑποτάξαντι τὰ πάντα ἵνα Θεὸς [τὰ] πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν

δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
ὑποταγῇ  shall  have  been  put  in  subjection 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὑποτάσσω  
Sense: to arrange under, to subordinate.
αὐτῷ  to  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
τὰ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πάντα  all  things 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
αὐτὸς  Himself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Υἱὸς  Son 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
ὑποταγήσεται  will  be  put  in  subjection 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὑποτάσσω  
Sense: to arrange under, to subordinate.
τῷ  to  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ὑποτάξαντι  having  put  in  subjection 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ὑποτάσσω  
Sense: to arrange under, to subordinate.
τὰ  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πάντα  all  things 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
  may  be 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεὸς  God 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
[τὰ]  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.