Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 Corinthians 15:27

"For, He put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him." — 1 Corinthians 15:27 (ASV)

Paul continues with the idea of time-sequences (cf. “then”). At the time of Christ’s second coming and the resurrection of the blessed dead (cf. Revelation 20:4– 6), then in order will come the process of his handing over the kingdom to God. This will include his conquest of all earthly and all spiritual powers and enemies (cf. Colossians 1:16). The picture is total, including the physical kingdoms of this world. This future total conquest of the rulers of this world is further suggested in v.25. Christ must continue his reign (i.e., his millennial reign; Revelation 20:4–6) until all his enemies are conquered. The expression “under his feet” (an allusion to Ps 110:1; cf. Matthew 22:44) is an OT figure for total conquest. The mention of Zion in Ps 110:2 suggests further that his enemies include those who attack Palestine (Revelation 16:12–16) and Jerusalem (Revelation 20:7–10) at the time of the millennial reign of Christ. Finally, death, the last enemy, is destroyed (v.26) at the close of the second-coming events at the great judgment (Revelation 20:2–15). This results in the consummation of Christ’s conquest of his enemies and all other things, as implied by the prophetic statement about “man” and particularly about the incarnate Christ in Ps 8:6 (quoted in v.27).

Some think the reference to “the end” (GK 5465) in vv.24–27 refers to the absolute end of this world, at which time believers will be raised. They hold that what follows “then” in v.24 is identical with what follows the “then” in v.23. According to this view, the end in v.24 is the final end, and it is not preceded by a literal thousand-year reign in which Christ puts his enemies under his feet. But this interpretation changes radically Paul’s idea of events following each other in temporal sequence, to an abrupt “then the end will come,” where there is no more sequence. This seems arbitrary, and it does not take adequate account of the fuller teaching on this subject in Rev 20:4–10—a passage that posits a reign of Christ and a time when this earth will have peace and rejuvenation before its final destruction (Revelation 21:1). In Ro 8:18–25 it is stated that the whole creation (including the earth) will be delivered from “its bondage to decay” and will be delivered from decay at the time of the “glorious freedom” of the children of God. All of this occurs, according to Rev 20–21, before the destruction of the present heavens and earth. God’s dealings with this present heaven and earth are described in Rev 21:1, not as a rejuvenation, but as a total destruction of what is called the “first” heaven and earth; a “new” heaven and a “new” earth (an earth in which there is “no longer any sea”) take the place of the old ones (cf. 2 Peter 3:10–13).