What does "He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet" mean? Text and Immediate Context “For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25). Paul’s statement occurs in a section (vv. 20-28) where he builds a tightly reasoned case for bodily resurrection. Verse 25 stands within a logical sequence (gar, “for”) that explains why Christ’s resurrection guarantees the future resurrection of believers. Old Testament Backdrop Paul lifts the wording directly from Psalm 110:1—“Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”—and intertwines it with Psalm 8:6—“You placed all things under his feet.” In Jewish exegetical tradition, Psalm 110 was universally read as Messianic, depicting the enthronement of David’s greater Son. By combining these psalms, Paul shows that the resurrection-ascension of Jesus initiates the fulfillment of those royal promises. Meaning of “Reign” (Gk. basileuō) The verb denotes the active exercise of kingly authority. Christ is not awaiting some distant coronation; He already occupies the throne at the Father’s right hand (Acts 2:34-36). The present tense (“must reign”) portrays an ongoing, necessary rule rooted in divine decree. It continues “until”—not implying an end to His kingship, but marking the period in which hostile powers are systematically subdued. The Enemies Identified Scripture groups Christ’s foes in three concentric circles: 1. Spiritual rebels—principalities, powers, rulers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12). 2. Human opposition—nations that “rage” against Yahweh and His Anointed (Psalm 2). 3. The cosmic disorder introduced by sin, climaxing in death itself (1 Corinthians 15:26). All three are ultimately interconnected; sin birthed both demonic rebellion and human hostility, culminating in mortality (Genesis 3:19). Progressive Subjection: Already/Not-Yet At the cross and empty tomb the decisive victory occurred (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14). Nevertheless, the enemies remain active until the consummation. Paul therefore speaks of a reign that is both inaugurated (Ephesians 1:20-22—“He put all things under His feet”) and future-oriented (Hebrews 2:8—“Yet at present we do not see everything subject to Him”). The interval between the ascension and the Second Advent is the arena in which Christ’s kingship is publicly displayed through gospel expansion, answered prayer, and foretastes of the age to come, including documented healings and miracles consistent with Acts 3:16 and contemporary medical verifications. The Last Enemy—Death Verse 26 affirms, “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” Physical death is the visible badge of sin’s dominion (Romans 5:12). Its abolition requires a bodily resurrection (15:52-54). Christ’s own historical resurrection—attested by multiple independent early sources (1 Corinthians 15:3-8; apostolic sermons in Acts) and corroborated by hostile testimony such as the Jerusalem authorities’ admission of the empty tomb—guarantees the defeat of death for all united to Him (Romans 6:5). Completion of the Kingdom and the Hand-Over to the Father When every foe is vanquished, Christ “delivers the kingdom to God the Father” (15:24). This does not mean abdication; rather, it signals the perfected harmony of divine rule where the mediatory messianic mission merges into the eternal triune reign (Revelation 22:3). The Son remains forever enthroned, yet God is “all in all” (15:28), exhibiting the unity of purpose within the Godhead. Harmony with the Broader Biblical Timeline A plain-sense reading yields this sequence: • Resurrection-ascension of Christ (AD 33). • Present church age marked by gospel witness and spiritual warfare. • The yet-future visible return, tied to a literal millennium in which earthly opposition is crushed (Revelation 20:1-6; Isaiah 65:17-25). • Final judgment, annihilation of death and Hades (Revelation 20:14). • New heavens and new earth (Revelation 21-22). This timeline dovetails with a young-earth chronology that places creation roughly four millennia before Christ, preserving Scripture’s internal genealogies (Genesis 5; 11; Luke 3) and underscoring that death entered only after Adam’s fall—thus explaining why death qualifies as “enemy” rather than a natural process of God’s good creation. Practical Implications for Believers • Hope: Because the King lives, steadfastness in suffering is reasonable (1 Corinthians 15:58). • Evangelism: His ongoing reign authorizes the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). • Worship: Present-tense enthronement fuels doxology (Revelation 5:9-13). • Ethical resolve: Knowing that unrighteousness will be subdued calls the church to personal holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16). Summary “He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet” declares the active, unstoppable kingship of the risen Christ. Rooted in prophetic promise, manifested at the resurrection, and advancing toward a guaranteed consummation, this reign is the spine of biblical theology: history moves under Christ’s scepter from creation marred by sin to cosmos renewed in glory. Every rival power—including the grim specter of death—is already mortally wounded and will soon lie forever beneath His pierced yet victorious feet. |
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