The talk addresses the meaning of the phrase “all things subjected under his feet” and how we understand Christ’s submission, distinguishing between submission related to his human nature and the theological standing within the Trinity.

Main points

• The speaker explains that the saying “when all things are subjected to him then the Son Himself will also be subjected” does not mean a theological submission among the persons; because in divinity there is no division nor submission among the Father, the Son and the Spirit.

• The submission spoken of in the text is submission of the human nature (the incarnation) that Christ took: in his body he obeyed as a son, prayed, and obeyed even to death on the cross.

• The early Fathers interpreted the submission as a function and office performed by the Son, not as a diminution of his divinity. The submission concerns the mission of reconciliation and leading humans to submit their will to God.

Patristic and scriptural interpretation

• He recounts personal experiences and discussions with groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses, then draws attention to the consensus of the Fathers (Gregory, Ambrose and others) that the submission concerns Christ’s body and offering the members (the Church) to the Father.

• He cites passages from Scripture (1 Corinthians, the Psalms, Hebrews, Luke, John, Mark) to show that Christ represented humanity in his obedience, baptism and death, and that the kingdom “has drawn near” to call people to repentance and submission.

Theological and practical dimension

• He does not deny the integrity of divinity: in essence and persons there is no separation nor deficiency. But from the human-nature side Christ represented humanity to lead it to submission to the Father and works for its salvation.

• The final complete submission will be at the resurrection and eternity when the kingdom is handed over to the Father and “God may be all in all” — thus the body of Christ (the Church) will be subjected and will present its members subject to the Father.

Spiritual application

• Listeners are called to repentance and faith in the Gospel so that they submit to God and become members subject to the body of Christ, participating in the ministry of reconciliation accomplished by the Lord.

• Christ gave the example of obedience and representation for humanity: He is the head who leads the body to submission to the divine will by the grace and the ongoing work of the proclamation of the kingdom.

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