Christ is the Parade 115 angelic spirits under the divine rule. Verse 15, therefore, rounds out the author’s depiction of Christ’s cosmically victorious work of liberation. It is in this light that the writer’s recourse to the parade metaphor has to be contemplated. Coming back to the above-mentioned three finite verbs of the context, we infer that the tenor of the finite verbs is positive, as it articulates the salvation wrought by Christ. All of the actions described in those finite verbs and participles are the actions of Christ, and they all portray our definitive liberation. Christ as the author of that redemption appears as the subject of the entire phrase in vv. 8.11. It may be argued that the verb sunezwopoivhsen is central to the train of thought of vv. 11-15. Not least for that reason the evaluation of qriambeuvsa" should reflect the positive context. Christ parades the disarmed Sovereignties and Powers in Himself. Before we examine the function of the triumph and the relationship between Christ and those paraded in Him, we will take a moment to explore the identity of the respective objects of triumph in 2 Cor and Col. 3. Identity of “us” and “them” Prior to reaching some conclusions regarding the arrangement of the triumphal parade, the issue of identity has to be addressed: who is who in that triumph? To whom does Paul actually refer by using the plurals hJma'" in 2 Cor and aujtouv" in Col? Let us first take a look at the pronoun “us” in 2 Cor. From 1,1 we learn that the senders of that letter are Paul and Timothy. In 1,4-14 the “we/us” of the ministers (Paul and Timothy) consistently contrasts with the “you/your” pointing to the Christians at Corinth as the addressees. Then, in 1,15 Paul begins to speak in the first person; and in 1,19 he makes it quite plain who the “us” is: himself, Timothy and Silvanus. 1,23–2,13 is a section where the apostle writes again in the first person. It is in 2,14 that he mentions “us” again, undoubtedly the three persons mentioned in 1,19, in antithesis with the beneficiaries of his ministry, that is, “those who are being saved and for those who are not”, 2,15. Hence, the “us” in 2,14 indicates in the first place the three persons mentioned in 1,19. It seems appropriate, however, to connect this plural also with Paul’s friend Titus referred to in 2,13, and through him with all the apostolic ministers on every level of the early Church. Those evangelizers are seen as rooted in Christ as He is being paraded by God the Father. Again, God the Father is the main agent of that triumph. He is followed by Christ; enclosed in Christ are Paul and his co-workers (17). Turning to Col now, we have to ask the same question: who exactly are the objects of Christ’s parade: who is “them”? After having cited in v. 10b the singular of pavsh" ajrch'" kai; ejxousiva", the sacred writer reintroduces them at (17) HARRIS, Corinthians, 247, observes the noteworthy move from hJma", v. 14a, to hmwn, v. 14b: Paul, the passive captive, is also the active evangelist; these two are united in J' his picturesque self-description. God’s power is displayed in the midst of human weakness, a reality permeating 2 Cor (see the paradoxical image: “embassador in chains” Eph 6,20).