GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS POWER

A STUDY OF EPHESIANS 1:19-23

God has demonstrated His power in both Christ and the Believer. He did so “in accordance with the working of the strength of His might” (1:19b). This phrase modifies “the surpassing greatness of His power.” His power works according (kata) to His working, strength, and might. These words all speak of His power. The three words describe this power (dunamis). The word working is the Greek word energeia, where we get the word energy; it is active or actual power, as the verb means to act, to work, it is released energy. It is also used of Paul in Ephesians 3:7; 4:16. In each case it is active energy, i.e. translated best as “working.” “It is the active exercise of supernatural power.”[1] The second word, strength (kratos), used here and Ephesians 6:10, and refers strength, might, dominion, mastery. It is the presence of strength, and indicates natural strength.[2] The third word is might (ischus) denoting “strength, power, might, ability,” denoting possessed power. It has the sense of power, or capacity. There is no question the focus is on God’s active power. Campbell sums up verse 19, “Paul wants believers to know the surpassing greatness of God’s power unto them, which energizes in accordance with his reservoir of strength and might.”[3] The word for greatness means to go beyond the mark, thus surpass or exceed. It is surpassing greatness.

How God displayed the Greatness of His power:

• Resurrection of Christ. (1:20). The available power has been displayed in a visible concrete event; the raising of Jesus from the dead. It was that power “which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead” (1:20). The word brought is the Greek word evergesen, meaning He worked in Christ by raising Him. It speaks of God’s power in action which was demonstrated in Christ’s resurrection. The verse is a demonstration of how God used His power when He energized Christ enabling Him to rise from the dead. This power of working is transcendent (life from death), experiential (to us), and resurrected power.
   
• The Exaltation of Christ (1:20-21).  This energy also exalted Him when God “seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly [places]” (1:20). The event was inaugurated by His ascension (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-11). Paul declares in Colossians 2:15, “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” This is a visible demonstration of His power to those who looked on. The event is a measurement of divine power toward us believers. He ascends to be exalted at the right hand of God. Seating at the right hand of God denotes sovereignty, deity, and authority. The right hand is a place of honor, position, and blessedness. Notice, He is located “in heavenly places,” not on earth or an earthly throne. Christ is not sitting upon David’s throne today, but upon His throne in heaven, seated at the right hand of God. David’s throne has to do with Israel; Christ in heavenly places at the right hand of God has to do with the Church, the Body of Christ.
  
  This is an exalted position—“far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come” (1:21). God the Father displays His power by placing Christ above every rule, authority, and dominion. The word all is the Greek word pases, and can be translated by the word all or by the word every. Hoehner notes that, “This expresses that Christ’s position in the heavenlies is above ‘every kind of’ power that exists.”[4]  It likely refers back to the OT referring to angelic powers. The four names here are found in later Jewish writings where there are ten classes, or hierarchy of angels.[5] He is “far above” them denotes superiority. The terms rule, authority, power, and dominion, are titles or ranks, of which Christ is superior over those who hold such titles. “And every name that is named” is a phrase that continues the thought of superiority. Jesus is greater than any name in heaven and earth. Thus, God has exercised His power to not only resurrect Jesus Christ, but to raise him and exalt him at His right hand. 
  
  This exaltation is eternal—“not only this age but also the one to come” (1:21). This praise is comprehensive. His exaltation is permanent, it is not temporary. While Paul in this Epistle emphasizes the present (1:17; 2:5, 6, 10 all speak of the present), even Christ being seated at the right hand is in the present. However, Paul here does not stop with the present, but extends into the eternal future. He has already told us that the future holds the fullness of times, where all things are united in Christ (1:10), and complete redemption will be accomplished (1:14), and now His exaltation will continue. His sovereignty and exaltation is permanent and eternal.

• The Subjection of Everything under Christ (1:22a). 
  
  “And He put all things in subjection under His feet” (1:22). The text reads more literally: “And He subjected all things under His feet.”[6] This is no easy statement. It reads as this has happened, it is done. The word subjected in the Greek is an indicative aorist active, which normally indicates punctiliar action normally in the past, but not always. The indicative indicates the mood of certainty. Yet, there is a seeming conflict with the reality of it all. The phrase is victory language. For everything to be subjected to Him, enemies must be overthrown. We do not see that subjection manifested today. Scripture indicates the finality will not take place until sometime in the future (Cf. Heb. 2:8; 1 Cor. 15:23-28).  Because this subjection is not yet, Paul goes on to warn believers of the evil powers that war against us (Eph.6:10-17). Yet the statement reads as a realization. Why? The answer is grammatical, as Wallace points out: “The aorist indicative can be used to describe an event that is not yet past as though it were already completed.”[7] This is called a Proleptic Aorist. While it is not a common use, it seems the best way to understand the text. The idea that this verse refers to the Second Adam as humanity restored and elevated,[8] thus a realized eschatology having universal domination seems weak to me. Lenski’s view of taking the statement more general and that the feet reference should be taken in the sense of Matthew 5:35 does not satisfy. Paul’s language is stronger than Matthew in this instance, and fits better with Matthew’s statement in 22:44. What Paul is stating in this present passage is that the Father has made all things subjected to Christ (active voice indicates this is the action of God the Father), this was part of His exaltation. However, that is not the same as saying Christ has fully executed it. Christ clearly has not fully executed this authority at the present time. He is still dealing with man in grace, not judgment. He will enact it at the proper time when He presents the Kingdom to the Father. As, Hoehner points out, “God does have a plan and everything must follow according to that plan which will culminate at Christ’s return where the exercise of His control will be very evident.”[9]
  
  
• The Head of the Body of Christ: the Church (1:22b-23).
  
  “And gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (1:22-23). The exaltation
  of Christ includes His Headship of the Church, the Body of Christ. This is a key aspect of Christ’s exaltation for today. DeWitt suggests this is the first step or beginning of the process of subjecting all things to himself.[10] The body is in subjection to the head. Colossians 1:18 also suggest this has begun with the church. Christ as head, and the church the body, indicate that the church is an extension of Christ, although not in sense of the church being Christ. Rather, in the sense that it is the instrument of Christ on earth today. The head works through the body. While, the head and body are two metaphors, in Ephesians and Colossians, they are combined. Paul clearly sees the head as the source of sustenance of the body (Col. 2:19; Eph. 4:5-6) and the controlling aspect of the body. The head controls the body. Thus the body is subjected to the head.
  
  The phrase “the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (1:33) is an interesting one. It is not an easy phrase to understand. There are at least 3 possible ways this could be understood: (1) Christ is filling the church. (2) The Church is filling Christ (cf. Col. 1:24), Or (3) the church is being filled to completeness (cf. Rom. 11:25). There is no easy solution to this phrase. The grammar is unclean and complex.[11] Of the three possible views, I reject number 3 on the grounds that it encourages the idea that the church is not complete. Is the body of Christ incomplete? As an organization it may be, but not as a living organism. The metaphor is that of an organism, the church as a body, and as such does not imply such an idea. When one is born the body is complete, there is nothing missing. It may be immature and developing, but it is not incomplete. When on is born, this complete body grows not to completeness, but to maturity. Likewise, the Church the Body of Christ is complete. There are no parts missing that need to added (such as an eye, or a toe, etc) to make it complete. Paul emphasizes the growth of the church and its members in Eph. 4:15-16. Any sense of completeness must not be looked upon of addition (which is hard mentally to do), but in the sense of completely mature.
  
  View 2 is possible. However, like view 3, we have to ask ourselves in what sense does the church fill Christ? Is Christ incomplete without the church? He cannot be incomplete in His essence or character. His being God prevents this. The only possible answer is that we are to complete Christ in His purpose. Campbell seems to hold this when he writes: “The Church is ‘the fulness’…the completeness, the ultimate, and the epitome of God’s revealed purpose.”[12]
  
  View 1 seems to be the best in that it fits the best into the context of Ephesians. It indicates “that the church is filled by Christ who is being filled (by God) entirely or in every way.”[13] This view does at least 3 things:[14] First, by taking pleroma (fullness) as a passive, signifies the filling result is completed. Vine says it “points to the body as the filled receptacle of the power of Christ.”[15] Second, it fits with the rest of Ephesians in that Christ fills and completes the church rather than Christ being completed by the church. Third, it corresponds to Col. 1:19 and 2:9 that the fullness of God dwells in Christ, thus here it is God who filled all in all. God’s fullness is filling Christ and Christ is filling the church. Ephesians 4:10 reinforces this idea that His exaltation was “so He might fill all things.” Also see Ephesians 3:10, 4:13 where it is the individual’s responsibility to allow Christ to fill them with His character, power, and gifts.
  
  

This marks the end of Paul’s demonstration of how God manifested the greatness of His power. The power Paul prays for is to be a part of our lives. We are to draw upon that power. It ends His prayer for enlightenment.

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[1]  Hoehner, Harold H,  EPHESIANS 270.

[2]  Michaelis III, W., “Kratos,” DICTIONARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, 3:467.

[3]  Campbell, Ernest, COMMENTARY OF EPHESIANS,  51.

[4]  Hoehner, 276.

[5]  Lincoln, Andrew L, WBC: EPHESIANS, 63. Wood, A. Skevinton, EBC: Ephesians, 30.

[6]  MAJORITY TEXT.

[7]  Wallace, GREEK GRAMAR: BEYOND THE BASICS, 563. Also see Earle, John, EPHESIANS, 297.

[8]  Eadie, 104. Also Lincoln, 66; Wood, 31.

[9]  Hoehner, 284.

[10]  DeWitt, Dale, DISPENSATIONAL THEOLOGY IN AMERICA, 171.

[11]  For details of how the grammar can be taken, see Hoehner, 296-299. He identifies and discusses a number of ways that the grammar has been taken..

[12]  Campbell, 58.

[13]  Hoehner, 288.

[14]  Gleaned from Hoehner’s five points, 288-299.

[15]  Vine, EXPOSTIORY DISPENSATION, 2:136. Also see Hoehner, 288.