Christ is the Parade: A Comparative Study of the Triumphal Procession in 2 Cor 2,14 and Col 2,15 In revisiting the two New Testament occurrences of the verb qriambeuvein, namely 2 Cor 2,14b and Col 2,15b, this essay will not go over again the diverse etymological and historical fine points of the word’s lexical meaning, as they have been thrashed out longe lateque in dictionaries, commentaries and articles. Instead, because other authors have previously looked at both passages in completely separately from each other, not one of them ever having weighed the two occurrences one against another, the purpose of the present study will be to fill in that lacuna, and compare 2 Cor 2,14 and Col 2,15 in the quest to clarify the meaning of qriambeuvein. Methodically, this comparison calls for the discussion of four syntactic features: First, we will scrutinize the similarity and dissimilarities contained in the respective expressions ejn tw/' Cristw/' (2 Cor 2,14), and ejn aujtw/' (Col 2,15). Second, we will inspect the relevance of the fact that in both cases a participle is dependent upon a finite verb. Third, how do we identify the persons represented by the personal pronouns hJma'" in 2 Cor, and aujtouv" in Col? Lastly, who is who in that triumphal parade? Let us begin, then, by taking a closer look at the preposition ejn in both passages. 1. “In Christ/Him”, Similarities and Dissimilarities The two passages we are looking at are 2 Cor 2,14a Tw/' de; qew/' cavri" tw/' pavntote qriambeuvonti hJma'" ejn tw/' Cristw/' (NVg: Deo autem gratias, qui semper triumphat nos in Christo) (1) and Col 2,15b qriambeuvsa" aujtou;" ejn aujtw/'. NVg: triumphans illos in semetipso) (2). Greek variant readings that would affect the interpretation of the syntagmas do not exist. a) The preposition ejn One of the two similarities between the two syntagmas resides in the preposition ejn “in”: In discussing qriambeuvein authors have, with surprising unanimity, failed to observe the relationship of the indirect object (i.e., the apostles in 2 Cor, and the angels in Col) with Christ (3). (1) The NRS translates: “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession”; the Jerusalem Bible, by comparison, has this rendition: “Thanks be to God who, wherever he goes, makes us, in Christ, partners of his triumph”. (2) Again, the NRS reads: “triumphing over them in it”; and the Jerusalem Bible translates: “and paraded them in public, behind him in his triumphal procession”. (3) In this sense W. REES, 1 and 2 Corinthians, CCHS, 886l, dissociates Christ from the apostles: “‘Leads us (as captives) in His triumphal procession’; a daring image: God’s conquering love seems almost to overstretch human capacity and to drag His apostles after him”.