Christ is the Parade 111 Both sentences are alike also in their phrasing: the respective participle is followed first by the accusative pronoun of the direct object “us” (apostles) and “them” (sovereignties and powers), then by a preposition referring to Christ, and finally by the dative of the indirect object (tw/' Cristw/' in 2 Cor, aujtw/' in Col). Let us take a closer look at both instances, beginning with 2 Cor: God the Father parades the apostles “in Christ”, ejn tw/' Cristw/'. Paul emphasizes Christ in whom the apostles find themselves rooted (4). Similarly in Col, qriambeuvsa" aujtou;" ejn aujtw/', the angels are paraded in Christ, the One who is last mentioned in v. 11 as the subject. Thus, in both verses the location of the triumph is indicated with the identical preposition ejn “in”. Again, the indirect object of “in” is Christ (5). In both instances, therefore, the verb is used transitively (6): “God/Christ” leads “us/them” in triumph. If the verb were without the object (“us”/”them”), then it would intransitively mean: “Christ triumphs”, He would be the ‘triumphator’. Moreover, although the preposition highlights the objects of God’s/Christ’s triumph, by its very nature it transitions back into Christ. He is the main agent, and the parade is effected in Himself (7). Syntactically speaking, the combination of qriambeuvein and the preposition ejn is not known in secular literature; it is a unique facet of Pauline grammar (8). For a triumphal parade to be located “in” someone, one has to (4) J.J. O’ROURKE, The Second Letter to the Corinthians, JBC, 52:12, points out the union of Christ’s Body: “As a victorious general heads his triumphal march, so God manifests His power throughout the world through the works of the apostles who are united to Christ, through whom God has brought salvation. This union of the apostles and other Christians to Christ — whose members we are elsewhere said to be (Col 1,24) — is a central theme of Paul’s teaching”. (5) In contrast to L. WILLIAMSON, “Led in Triumph. Paul’s Use of Thriambeuo”, Int 22 (1968) 326, who refers ejn aujtw' in Col 2,15 to the cross (see 2,14) rather than to Christ, translating the verse: “Having stripped the powers and authorities he made a public example of them, exposing them to ridicule (qriambeuvsa") on the cross”. Likewise, C.J. CALLAN, The Epistles of St. Paul (New York 1951) 171, claims the pronoun points to the cross. (6) F. BLASS – A. DEBRUNNER, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago – London 1961) 148, § 1. (7) M.J. HARRIS, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians. A Commentary on the Greek Text (NIGTC; Grand Rapids 2005) 248, alludes to that centrality of Christ: “In this frontispiece to Paul’s apologetic description of the apostolic ministry (2:14–7:4), three main emphases are discernible: (1) Paul recognized the apostolic ministry to be God’s ministry through the apostles. From first to last, always and everywhere, it is God who acts, leading his willing captives in his victory pageant and disseminating the fragrant knowledge of Christ through those same triumphant captives. (2) The focal point of this divine operation is Christ. The privilege of participating in God’s triumph is accorded in and through Christ, and it is the knowledge of Christ, a sweet aroma, that is diffused during that triumphal procession. (3) God’s activity, focused in Christ, is ongoing and universal, without temporal or national boundaries. God’s triumph is always and everywhere”. (8) Suffice it here to cite three sources by way of reminder: (I) G. DELLING, “qriambeuvw”, TDNT, III, 159-160: “To triumph over (ajpov katav tinov" ejpiv tini)”; (II) F. ZORELL, Lexicon Graecum Novi Testamenti (Rome 21990) 595: “(1) intransitive: triumphum ago; (2) transitive: alqm. triumpho, i.e. (a) victum in triumpho circumduco, aut (b) universim, plane devinco, ita sec. multos Col 2,15; (c) 2 Cor 2,14 Deus apostolos qriambeuvein dicitur, i.e. aut triumphare facere (cf. maqhteuvein discere et docere), aut spectandos circumducere ad suam gloriam”; (III) H.G. LIDDELL – R. SCOTT, A Greek- English Lexicon (Oxford 1968) 806: “(i) triumph over; (ii) lead in triumph, of conquered enemies, Col 2,15; lead in triumph, as a general does his army, metaph. 2 Cor 2,14”.