Ephesians 1:21

Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: [ Huperanoo (G5231)] 'Far (or high) above all principality [ archees (G746), rule, 1 Corinthians 15:24 ], and [ exousias (G1849)] authority, and [ dunameoos (G1411)] power (Matthew 28:18), and dominion [ kurioteetos (G2963), lordship]' (cf....

21._Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion. _All these names, there can be no doubt, are applied to angels, who are so denominated, because, by means of them, God exercises his power, and might, and dominion. He permits them to share, as far as is competent to creatures, what belongs to himself, and even gives to them his own name; for we find that they are called אלהים, (_elohim,_) _gods_. From the diversity of names we conclude that there are various orders of angels; but to attempt to settle these with exactness, to fix their number, or determine their ranks, would not merely discover foolish curiosity, but would be rash, wicked, and dangerous. But why did he not simply call them Angels? I answer, it was to convey exalted views of the glory of Christ that Paul employed those lofty titles. As if he had said, “There is nothing so elevated or excellent, by whateve...

15-23 God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the Lord Jesus; but requires us to draw them out and fetch them in by prayer. Even the best Christians need to be prayed for: and while we hear of the welfare of Christian friends, we should pray for them. Even true believers greatly want heavenly wisdom. Are not the best of us unwilling to come under God's yoke, though there is no other way to find rest for the soul? Do we not for a little pleasure often part with our peace? And if we dispute less, and prayed more with and for each other, we should daily see more and more what is the hope of our calling, and the riches of the Divine glory in this inheritance. It is desirable to feel the mighty power of Divine grace, beginning and carrying on the work of faith in our souls. But it is difficult to bring a soul to believe fully in Christ, and to venture its all, and the hope of e...

Verse 21. _FAR ABOVE ALL PRINCIPALITY_] The difficulty in this verse does not arise from the _words_ themselves, the meaning of each being easily understood, but from the _sense_ in which the apostle uses them. Some think he has reference here to the different orders among good and evil angels; he is superior to all the _former_, and rules all the _latter_. Others think he refers to _earthly governments_; and as απχη, _principality_, the first word, signifies the most sovereign and extensive kind of dominion; and κυριοτης, _lordship_, the last word, signifies the _lowest degree_ of authority; hence we are to understand that to our Lord, in his human nature, are subjected the _highest_, the _intermediate_, and the _lowest_ orders of beings in the universe.-_Chandler_. Others imagine that the apostle has in view, by whatsoever is _named in this_ _world_, all the dignitaries of the Jewish...

FAR ABOVE ALL PRINCIPALITY - The general sense in this verse is, that the Lord Jesus was exalted to the highest conceivable dignity and honor; compare Philippians 2:9; Colossians 2:10. In this beautiful and most important passage, the apostle labors for words to convey the greatness of his conceptions, and uses those which denote the highest conceivable dignity and glory. The “main” idea is, that God had manifested great “power” in thus exalting the Lord Jesus, and that similar power was exhibited in raising up the sinner from the death of sin to the life and honor of believing. The work of religion throughout was a work of power; a work of exalting and honoring “the dead,” whether dead in sin or in the grave; and Christians ought to know the extent and glory of the po

EXPOSITION EPHESIANS 1:1, EPHESIANS 1:2 ADDRESS AND SALUTATION. EPHESIANS 1:1 PAUL AN APOSTLE OF CHRIST JESUS. Paul's one but all-sufficient claim on the Ephesians is his relation to Christ: he is Christ's apostle, not only as sent forth by him, but also as belonging to him; elsewhere his servant or bondman. He makes no claim to their attention on the ground of his great experience in the gospel, his profound study of it, or even his gifts, but rests simply on his being Christ's apostle; thus recognizing Christ as the only Head of the Church, and source

FAR ABOVE ALL PRINCIPALITY AND POWER,.... Good angels and bad angels, and civil magistrates, who also may be intended by the following words: AND MIGHT AND DOMINION; good angels may be so called, because of their employment under God in the affairs of Providence, and the government of this world; and Christ is not only above them, as he is God, being their Creator, who has made them, and on whom they depend, and is the Lord whom they serve, and is the object of their worship and adoration, and as he is Mediator, to whom they minister, and so is above them in nature, name, and office; but also as he is man, in union with the Son of God; and chiefly he here is said to be above them on account of place, being at the right hand of God, where they are not, Hebrews 1:13. And evil angels may be so called, because of the government which subsists among themselves, and the power an

Ephesians 1:1. _Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints, which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ._ The apostle desires just the same blessing for us, who are «the faithful in Christ Jesus,» as he did for the saints at Ephesus. He longs that we also may be filled with grace and peace, «from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.» And the wish of the apostle is according to the will of God, who would have us abound in grace and in peace. Some of you Christian people are troubled in mind, yet your Lord said to his disciples and through them to you, «Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.... Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it he afraid.» Jesus knew that, in the world, you should have tribulation; but he willed that, in him, you

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE MASTERWORK OF GOD (1-3) 1. The Godhead at Work CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The introduction (Ephesians 1:1)_ 2. The great doxology (Ephesians 1:3) 3. The work of the Father (Ephesians 1:4) 4. The work of the Son (Ephesians 1:7) 5. The work of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13) 6. The parenthetical prayer to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory (Ephesians 1:15)

A PARAGRAPH OF PRAYER. The writer, who has been informed (by letter?) of the Christian faith and love of his correspondents, reciprocates their thanksgiving and prayers (Ephesians 1:15 f.); he beseeches God, the glorious Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, to bestow on them the Spirit, giver of wisdom, revealer in the knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:17); that the eyes of their hearts may be opened, so that they may know the hope implied in God's calling, the wealth of glory involved in God's inheritance in His people, and the overwhelming greatness of His power towards believers, as displayed in the working of His strong might wrought in Christ (Ephesians 1:18): whom God raised from the dead and made assessor of His