The lecture discusses the phrase “and when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to Him who subjected all things to Him” and clarifies its theological and human meaning from the Coptic Orthodox perspective. The speaker affirms that the subjection mentioned is not a subjection in the essence of deity nor a division within the Trinity, but rather has functional and incarnational senses related to Christ’s office and his representation of humanity.

Main Theological Points

• One cannot speak of subjection within the deity because the Persons share unity in will, intention, and action; thus subjection does not apply to the divine essence.

• The subjection referred to in the texts pertains to the humanity (the incarnate nature) and the Son’s role of obedience, atonement, and representing humans.

• Christ represented humanity in baptism, temptation, and in paying the price of sin; he was obedient as a complete man to lead us by example to submit to the Father.

• Patristic interpretation: the Son’s subjection means the subjection of his members (the body/the Church) or the subjection of the humanity which represented mankind, not the subjection of divinity.

Soteriological and Eschatological Dimension

• Christ’s subjection shows how the Head (Christ) leads the members (the Church) to submit to God the Father; Christ will present his members submitted to the Father.

• Presently human free will remains; Christ’s work spreads the kingdom and leads souls toward submission, which will be completed at the general resurrection when “all things are subjected” in the eternal kingdom.

• The comparison of Corinthians, the Psalms, and patristic citations demonstrates that the phrase “God may be all in all” includes the whole Trinity and does not separate the Son from the Persons.

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