The idea of a goal reached is seen in Romans 6:21, 'the end of those

things is death'; Philippians 3:19, 'whose end is destruction'.  So also 2

Corinthians 11:15; Hebrews 6:8.  When the apostle wrote the words of 1

Corinthians 15:24, 'Then the end', what goal had he in view?  What is the

object of resurrection?  Does it not take man back into the place intended

for him in the Divine purpose, for which sin and death had for a while

rendered him unfit?  The goal, this end in view, is contained in the words of

1 Corinthians 15:28, 'that God may be all in all'.  Although 'the end' is

mentioned immediately after the resurrection of those that are Christ's at

His parousia, it is not attained without a reign of righteousness and a rule

of iron.  The uninterrupted statement of the end is as follows:

'Then the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even

the Father ... with the object that God may be all in all'.

The reader is aware, however, that the end is not attained in this

unbroken sequence.  The first 'when' is conditional upon the second, 'when He

shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power'.  This will not be

effected by one grand miraculous stroke, but by the reign of Christ as king,

'for He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet'.  He reigns

'till', His reign has one supreme 'end', and that end cannot be reached while

one unsubdued enemy exists.

In this category comes death, the last enemy of mortal man.  'Even

death, the last enemy, shall be abolished'.  This is included in the Divine

purpose, 'for He hath put all things under His feet'.  The resurrection,

therefore, is absolutely essential to the fulfilment of the great purpose of

But it may be asked, Can such an expression as 'destroyed' or

'abolished' speak of resurrection?  Take the statement of 2 Timothy 1:10:

'But now is made manifest by the manifestation of our Saviour Jesus

Christ, Who abolished (katargeo) death, and illuminated life and

incorruptibility through the gospel' (Author's translation).

This refers to the Lord Himself, in the first instance.  He abolished

(rendered inoperative) death when He arose from the dead.  Not only did He do

this but He began that destruction of all rule and power which He will carry

through when He sits upon the throne of His glory:

'That through death He might destroy (katargeo) him that had the power

of death, that is, the devil' (Heb. 2:14).

Other passages illustrating the meaning of katargeo ('put down',

'destroyed', 1 Cor. 15:24-26) are Romans 6:6; 1 Corinthians 2:6; 1

Corinthians 13:11; 2 Corinthians 3:7; Ephesians 2:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:8.

When we read 'all rule and authority and power', we may be inclined to

make too wide a sweep, but the corrective of verse 26 enables us to see that

we are dealing with enemies (see article Principality and Power p. 146).

There are two distinct actions, and two distinct classes in view in these

verses.  The enemies are 'abolished', but others are 'subdued'.  This word

'subdued' (hupotasso) is a cognate of tagma, 'order', 'rank' of verse 23, and

looks to the perfect order and alignment that will characterize the kingdom

of Christ.  It is used of Christ Himself in the words, 'Then shall the Son