Ephesians 4:9

τὸ δέ Ἀνέβη τί ἐστιν εἰ μὴ ὄτι καὶ κατέβη κ.τ.λ. It is possible that the Ascent of the Ark to Zion was also a return, but it is more likely that St Paul simply takes occasion from the occurrence of the word in the quotation to call attention to a further feature in the Antitype. This passage is in language closely parallel to John 6:62; John 17:5. St Paul’s thought, however, is quite distinct from St John’s. He is not seeking in the Ascension a proof of the Incarnation, nor even emphasizing as in Philippians 2:8 f. the correspondence between the height of our Lord’s present glory and the depth of His earthly humiliation. He is calling attention to the absolute completeness of the experience through which the Christ had passed.

εἰς τὰ κατώτερα μέρη τῆς γῆς. There seems little doubt that this phrase refers (so Westcott and Robinson) to ‘Sheol,’ cf. Psalms 63:10; Psalms 139:15. ‘The descent into Hades’ is implied in Acts 2:31, and dwelt upon in 1 Peter 3:19. In combination with the Ascension ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν it seems both here and in Romans 10:7 ff. to indicate the universality of Christ’s power over created spirits in every stage of degradation or exaltation. The language of ‘space’ provides a natural symbol of varieties of spiritual condition.