Ephesians 1:21 Commentary and Bible Study

What does Paul mean by ‘principality, and power, and might, and dominion’? First of all, he means the angels, the good angels. Christ is infinitely greater than the good angels. He is the eternal Son of God; they are created. And he means the fallen angels, Satan and his demons of darkness; Christ is high above them. There were people around in those days who held to a kind of hierarchy of beings, and you worshipped angels before you worshipped God. What rubbish, says Paul. We go directly to Christ who is ‘far above all principality and power and might, and dominion.’ Christ has suffered and died for the church and purchased a people, who he calls his own. We are his people and he has brought us into the closest relationship with himself. ‘And every name that is named.’ Name, the way the apostle uses it here, stands for authority – every authority that is named. He is high above all earthly authorities and powers. The word translated ‘world’ is the Greek word for age and it is probably better to understand it in that way. Not only in this present age but in the age which is to come; Christ is above all, now and in the eternal future.