Ephesians 1:21 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 1:15-23

Prayer for the Ephesians. I. FOUNDED ON INFORMATION . 1. Regarding their faith . "For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you." He had already more than once referred to their Christian faith; he refers to it now as ground for his prayer on their behalf. We are to pray for "all men," even for unbelievers; but whoever through faith are admitted into the same Christian circle, claim a special interest in our prayers. 2. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 1:15-23

Apostolic philanthropy. "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 1:20-21

The exaltation of Christ. "And set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." There was power both in the resurrection and in the ascension of our Lord. As the Resurrection was the seal of his redeeming sacrifice, his ascension was the seal of the Resurrection, usually linked with it in Bible allusions, but specially referred to by Peter ( Acts 2:33-36 ; 1 Peter 3:22 ). In John's Gospel there is an emphatic reference to the event: "I came forth from the Father, and am come into... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 1:20-22

The supremacy of Christ. We commonly think of Christ as the Man of sorrows, humiliated and crucified; but we should more often remember that this familiar picture describes what is completely past. If we would love and worship our Lord as he now is, we must look at him in his exaltation—triumphant, joyous, glorious. We should see the typical Christ in Raffaelle's 'Transfiguration' rather than in the many piteous 'Ecce Homo's!' that arrest our attention. We have not to weep at the tomb, "He... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 1:21

Far above all rule, and power, and might, and dominion. Separate shades of meaning may doubtless be found for these expressions, but the main effect of the accumulation is to expand and deepen the idea of Christ's universal lordship. Hardly anything is revealed to us on the various orders of the spiritual powers, unfallen and fallen; and the speculations on them in which the Fathers used to indulge are of no value; but whatever may be true of them, Christ is exalted far above them all—far... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 1:21

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... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ephesians 1:18-21

Ephesians 1:18-21. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened That is, I pray that God would do this for you by the discoveries of his gospel, and the operation of his grace. Observe, reader, it is by the eyes of the understanding alone that we discern the things of God; and in order hereto these eyes must first be opened, and then enlightened, by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, spoken of in the former verse. That ye may know what is the hope of his calling That ye may know,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ephesians 1:15-23

A prayer for understanding (1:15-23)Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians combines thanksgiving and praise with requests offered in true faith. Paul knows they are converts from paganism, but he expects them to develop a mature understanding of Christianity. He is not content that they should have a few basic Christian beliefs. He wants them to have true wisdom, based on a proper knowledge of God and a clear understanding of all the riches that are theirs through Christ, both in this world and in the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ephesians 1:21

Far above . Greek. huperano. Here; Ephesians 4:10 . Hebrews 9:5 all = every. principality. Greek. arche . See Romans 8:38 , and App-172 . power . App-172 . might = power. Greek. dunamis, Ephesians 1:19 . dominion . Greek. kuriotes. Here, Col 1:16 . 2 Peter 2:10 . Jude 1:8 . world . App-129 . also, &c . = the coming one also. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Ephesians 1:21

Far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.In Matthew 28:18, Jesus Christ spoke of "all authority" in heaven and upon earth having been given unto him; and exactly the same teaching is here. Besides ten passages of the Greek New Testament which flatly refer to Jesus Christ as God, there are at least a hundred others such as this one which convey exactly the same teaching. Of what mere mortal... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 1:15-23

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 1:15-23

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 1:20-21

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 1:20-22

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 1:21

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ephesians 1:21

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ephesians 1:18-21

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ephesians 1:15-23

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ephesians 1:21

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Ephesians 1:21

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