Ephesians 1:21
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far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Greek, "Far (or high) above all (Eph 4:10) principality (or rule, Co1 15:24), and authority, and power (Mat 28:18), and dominion (or lordship)." Compare Phi 2:9; Col 1:16; Heb 7:26; Pe1 3:22. Evil spirits (who are similarly divided into various ranks, Eph 6:12), as well as angels of light, and earthly potentates, are included (compare Rom 8:38). Jesus is "King of kings, and Lord of lords" (Rev 19:16). The higher is His honor, the greater is that of His people, who are His members joined to Him, the Head. Some philosophizing teachers of the school of Simon Magus, in Western Asia Minor, had, according to IRENÆUS and EPIPHANIUS, taught their hearers these names of various ranks of angels. Paul shows that the truest wisdom is to know Christ as reigning above them all. every name--every being whatever. "Any other creature" (Rom 8:39). in this world--Greek, "age," that is, the present order of things. "Things present . . . things to come" (Rom 8:38). that . . . to come--"Names which now we know not, but shall know hereafter in heaven. We know that the emperor goes before all, though we cannot enumerate all the satraps and ministers of his court; so we know that Christ is set above all, although we cannot name them all" [BENGEL].
Open source ↗In this chapter we have, I. The introduction to the whole epistle, which is much the same as in others (Eph 1:1, Eph 1:2). II. The apostle's thanksgivings and praises to God for his inestimable blessings bestowed on the believing Ephesians (Eph 1:3-14). III. His earnest prayers to God in their behalf (Eph 1:15-23). This great apostle was wont to abound in prayers and in thanksgivings to almighty God, which he generally so disposes and orders that at the same time they carry with them and convey the great and important doctrines of the Christian religion, and the most weighty instructions to all those who seriously peruse them.
Open source ↗1:21 he is far above: Jesus’ power and authority transcend all rival powers, whether human or spiritual, in this age and the coming age (see 3:10; 6:12; John 12:31; Rom 8:38-39; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:13; 2:10, 15; 1 Pet 3:22; Rev 12:7-9).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.
So He became as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs.
Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’
Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
His purpose was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.