1 Corinthians 15:27-28 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.28 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.
Verse 27 adds further information about v. 26. Paul clarifies that “everything” is not quite literally everything that exists. God the Father is ultimate and nothing supersedes the Father. Paul does not attempt to explain the Trinity in these verses. His focus is on explaining the significance of resurrection. Paul is doing some biblical interpretation of the Psalm 8:6. He interprets this verse christologically and sees it specifically referring to Jesus. The significant thought of v. 27 is that God has put everything under Christ. That makes Christ supreme Lord of all. This is a significant claim that Paul makes in other places in his letters (such as Colossians 1:15-17) and is consistent with early Christian theology (Hebrews 1:1-4). Since Christ is supreme, not even death can separate us from him (Romans 8:38-39).
The sequence of the end continues with v. 28. After Christ has handed over the conquered enemies, particularly death, then the end finally comes. It is difficult to know what Paul means by the Son being subordinate to the Father, but this implies a hierarchy of some type within the Trinity. First, it should be stated that this verse does not imply that Christ is not subject to the Father before the end. The Son has always reigned as the Alpha and Omega, but since the sin of Adam and Eve until the time Jesus comes again, sin and death have had power. This does not diminish Christ’s sovereignty but only shows God’s grace at work to make it possible for people to respond in faith and love. Second, that the Son is subject to the Father does not make Christ less divine. Augustine wrote, “The rule of Catholic faith is this: when the Scriptures say of the Son that he is less than the Father the Scriptures mean in respect to the assumption of humanity. But when the Scriptures point out that he is equal, they are understood in respect to his deity” (Questions 69.1). Third, this verse shows that Jesus is not a second God but subject to the Father within the Godhead.
Perhaps the key point is that by becoming subject to the Father, Christ exalts God and God’s plan of redemption. This may be the implication in the last phrase, “God may be in all things.” This is the end of the divine plan that began before the creation of the world. The is a far reaching claim that helps the Corinthians realize that the doctrine of resurrection is part of God’s big plan that began before creation and will be fulfilled when Jesus comes again.
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