as a member of a human family on earth, meekly and rightly took his own `rank' and

`order', and so we read:

This was all part of His voluntary self-emptying, when He humbled Himself to take

the form of a servant and to be found in fashion as a man. It was of the very essence of

that condescension that He should thus act as the perfect servant and the perfect Son

should act, and instead of looking upon this subjecting as something of which we are

somewhat ashamed, we look with worshipping wonder at this voluntary submission to

Him that sent Him.  The Apostle saw no incongruity in placing together the two

The only subjection that is ominous or an act of subjugation, is that which is said to be

`under His feet', and as surely as the church is not placed in subjection beneath the feet of

Christ, but is to be raised and seated together in Christ Jesus in the heavenly places, so

surely the subjection of the Son of God to the Father is not inconsistent with His

ascension to the throne of Deity, that the glory which He had laid aside "for us men and

for our salvation" shall at length be resumed; that God, not the Father nor the Son, but

GOD, a title belonging equally to both Father and Son, that GOD may be all in all. The

office of the Son, together with His Mediatorial kingdom may pass, because the purpose

of their being has been so gloriously achieved; but this means added glory to the

Saviour. The Mediatorial kingdom is not the only thing to pass, creation itself is to be

folded up as a vesture and put aside, but even so, the Apostle says of Christ:

If we could but see things in their true light, we should rejoice that at long last the Son

will thus be subject to Him that put all things under Him, for it speaks of work perfectly

accomplished, nothing more calling for the self-emptying and humiliation of the Son of

God. To wish that the Scripture did not teach that the kingdom of the Son would at

length be delivered up to the Father, is to wish that the work of Redemption should never

be achieved. Just as it will be the highest glory that the New Jerusalem has no temple

therein, so it will be to the highest glory of the Lord, that kingship as well as priesthood,

throne as well as altar, sceptre as well as sacrifice shall cease to function and be

necessary. All that King and Priest ever mean will be more than included in the words

"that God may be all in all", and much that could never come within this scope, because

of sin and death, rebellion and uncleanness, will at length be the blessed experience of

those who by grace enter that new world, where God indeed shall be all in all in a sense

never yet realized either by the creature or by the Creator. Here is the goal of the ages, a

goal achieved by sacrifice, and the steps that lead to its attainment marked by the slow

fulfillment and passing of much, which to our limited understandings may seem worthy

of retention. These things must decrease, as He must increase, and when that increase is

at length reached, the former things will have for ever passed away.