114 Andreas Hock Col 2,15b is the syntactic finale of a long sentence beginning in v. 11. Contextually speaking, the noun ajpekduvsei in v.11 prepares the way for the verb ajpekdusavmeno" in v. 15a: “to put off, to discard” the body of carnal circumcision in the circumcision of Christ. There are three finite verbs in the preceding context interspersed with subordinated participles: (a) the aorist sunezwopoivhsen (“to make alive together with”) in v. 13, followed by five aorist participles in vv. 13b-15 (carisavmeno", ejxaleivya", proshlwvsa", apekdusameno", and qriambeuvsa"); (b) the perfect tense hrken (“took away”) j v \ in v. 14b as referring to Christ’s action of nailing the record of our debt to the cross; (c) and lastly the finite aorist ejdeigmavtisen in v. 15a that dominates the aorist participle qriambeuvsa". A clearer grasp of qriambeuvsa" in Col 2,15b necessitates a correct perception of the meaning of the two verbs found in 2,15a, ajpekdusavmeno" and ejdeigmavtisen. The former, unlike its use in 2,11 and 3,9 where it qualifies human salvation, is here applied to the angelic nature. Christ is seen as despoiling the Sovereignties and Powers. This image and act of spoliation can only refer to their very sovereignty and power in view of their submissive inclusion in the Sovereign’s parade. Thus, the disarmament of their hitherto seemingly unchecked dominion and authority only readies them for an existence of dependency and obedience under the rule of Christ’s headship. Biblicists have generally interpreted this image in a negative sense based on the understanding of “sovereignties and powers” as diabolical spirits. Our reading of this is rather positive in light of the identification of those spirits as angels, as we will explain in the upcoming chapter three of this essay. Turning then to the verb ejdeigmavtisen, we take into account that it is being translated by the NVg as “traduxit” (“he led along, he led across, he displayed”); the addition ejn parrhsiva is rendered with “confidenter” (“confidently, freely, boldly, publicly”) (16). We choose to take this positive rendition of both words as an invitation not to be overly influenced by the negative nuance of the only other occurrence of deigmativzw in the New Testament, that is, in Mat 1,19. Therefore, the exegesis of 2,15 would flow into the following paraphrase: “Christ, by disarming the angels of their unchecked independence and authority, leads them proudly along, parading them in Himself”. Since ejdeigmavtisen is a finite verb, the two participles of v. 15 are mere qualifiers of the action of public display. Verse 14 seems to frame Paul’s portrayal of salvation in Christ and man’s participation in it begun in v. 11, asserting the obliteration of human guilt through the reality of the cross (ejxaleivya"). Passing over into v. 15, Paul expands his vision beyond humanity and illustrates how our “convivification” (v. 13b sunezwopoivhsen) eventually involves the general acquiescence of —————— triumphal procession is metaphorically not strictly limited to the military parade. In the Greco-Roman world it was also used for the epiphany procession of a deity. Paul’s own use of thriambeu˛ takes this broadening of sense into account [...] presenting himself not as a captured prisoner led in that procession but as a conquered missionary apostolically driven by God”. (16) A fairly common noun in the Johannine and Pauline writings, as well as in the Acts of the Apostles, parrhsiva always conveys a positive sense of frankness in the acceptance and proclamation of God’s salvation.