Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Ephesians 1:21

Ephesians 1:21. Far above. Simply local (Ellicott: ‘over above'); the ideas of dominion and eminence are, however, suggested by the context. The verse is to be connected with ‘making him sit,' as an explanation of the phrase, ‘at his right hand, etc.'

All principality, etc. These four terms occur frequently in the N. T. in different combinations. They usually refer to angelic powers, either good (chap. Ephesians 3:10; Colossians 1:16; Colossians 2:10) or bad (chap. Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 15:24), or both, as seems to be the case in Romans 8:38. A reference to earthly power is out of the question here. Whether good or bad angels are meant, depends upon the context. The former, certainly, seem to be included, and the latter are not necessarily excluded, but as the context contains no reference to Christ's victory over evil spirits, it is, perhaps, safest to limit the terms to good angels. Of the classification we know little or nothing. Certainly, no modern ‘spirits' have helped us to such knowledge. The next clause, however, suggests a descending order, from Christ, the exalted One, through the successive ranks of angels, to every name that is named. This includes more than persons, or titles of honor; ‘everything that can bear a name,' the most comprehensive phrase possible: ‘A name can be uttered, whatever it may be, Christ is above it, more exalted than that which the uttered name expresses' (Meyer).

Not only in this world, or, ‘age,' etc. Comp. Matthew 12:32, where a similar expression occurs, joined with ‘not,' meaning ‘never.' The point of separation between the two ‘ages,' according to the Jewish conception, was the coming of the Messiah; according to the Apostle, it was the second coming. Whatever ethical ideas may be added, the idea of duration inheres in the word. Some such ethical notion appears here; hence the phrase means more than simply ‘now and hereafter' and cannot be explained as ‘terrestrial and superterrestrial,' etc.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Ephesians 1:21

Old Testament

New Testament