Copyright StatementJames Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. Thus the demoniacally possessed were not peculiarly wicked, but miserable, and so fit subjects for Jesus‘ pity. The Book of Jubilees, sometimes called the ‘Lesser Genesis’, is considered canonical by some Jews and Christians, as well as by Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Churches.17 This book states the following. The articles in which it consists. Tertullian.
Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments, George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Hodge's Commentary on Romans, Ephesians and First Corintians, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, "Against the rulers of the darkness of this world", "Against spiritual wickedness in high [places]", Commentary Critical and Explanatory - Unabridged, Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures. Talmud, p. 2006 f.; Wetstein, p. 259. See Schoettgen, Horae, p. 790; Buxtorf, Lex. (Ephesians 6:12.)
Were b) to be adopted, the specifying τῆς would appear to be required—because the sense would be, ‘of that wickedness,’ viz., the rebellion of the fallen angels, ‘which was (or is) in the heavenly places.’ If a), we do not so imperatively require the τά before ἐν, because ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρ. For we wrestle not — Greek, ουκ εστιν ημιν η παλη, our struggle is not; against flesh and blood — Not merely against human adversaries, however powerful, subtle, and cruel, nor against fleshly appetites; but against principalities, against powers — The mighty princes of all the infernal legions: and great is their power, and that likewise of the legions which they command. They are utterly unscrupulous, and ruthless in the pursuit of their malicious designs” (Stott p. 264). Talmage.). What we have to sustain, Paul would say, is not the (less perilous) wrestling contest with blood and flesh, but we have to contend with the powers and authorities, etc.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. And great is their power, and that likewise of those legions whom they command.
It is easy to print, download, and email articles. He knows that his time is short. 3.
By their prince-like authority and government which they exercise in the world, called therefore principalities and powers, to denote that Satan is a great and mighty prince: a prince that has the heart and knee of all his subjects. Is the Old Testament Relevant in Today’s World?
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/ephesians-6.html. Moral wickedness is their essential quality; hence the devil is pre-eminently ὁ πονηρός. have we not done many wonderful works in Your name, have we not even cast out demons in Your name? 1905-1909. Yet in maintaining the warfare, the struggle will be with such portions of that kingdom as we come in contact with and will actually relate: Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from, Hermann, Ray, “Ephesians 6: Evil Cosmic Powers & the Armor of God”, (, Drummond, John Gregory, “Who Is Satan?” (, Hermann, Ray, “Demons, Jesus, and the Pigs”, (, Hernandez, David Diga, “3 Subtle Distinctions Between Demons and Fallen Angels,” (, Hermann, Ray, “What are Demons and the Nephilim? 27; Plat. And just as God uses men for His glory and the exaltation of His Song of Solomon , so Satan uses men to thwart the purpose of God, to defeat the will of God, and to bring men into subjection to sin and darkness and hell and despair. 1851.
BibliographyTorrey, R. A.
His view is, in effect at least, coincident with ours-the place of abode becomes the place of combat.
And Jesus said to Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" ( Matthew 16:21-23). The strong term denotes world-lords, and is so far equivalent to ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου in John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11; and ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου in 2 Corinthians 4:4. says, τὸ ἐν, ὑπέρ ἐστι, καὶ τὸ ἐν, διὰ ἐστι), though possibly the order of the sentence might. They are called ἀρχαί, princes, those who are first or high in rank; and ἐξουσίαι, potentates, those invested with authority.
But against principalities, against powers; Against the rulers of the darkness of this world; Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament, Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges, John Eadie's Commentary on Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Philippians, ῞οτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου, οὐχ ὡς παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν δεξαμένοις, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις, "Rulers" stresses their authority and "powers" or "authorities" their strength.
Prudentius likewise, in Hamartigenia, writes thus: Non mentem sua membra premunt, nec terrea virtus.
xxiii. We need to take into consideration the full meaning of Paul’s words that our own obligation on earth is to separate ourselves from Satan and all the soldiers in his evil army, who are in a spiritual war against God’s righteousness. WE ENCOURAGE SHARING. And he thinks the meaning may be extended to all corrupters of Christianity in all succeeding ages.
That's His purpose. — and that Mayhem before the Flood of Noah? The reason why Paul uses ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις and not ἐν τῷ ἀέρι here may be, as Meyer suggests, his wish to “bring out as strongly as possible the superhuman and superterrestrial nature of these hostile spirits”. p. 58. (99) The term, Holders (rulers) of the world, is the ground on which this wickedness is practised. There is confirming evidence found in two apocryphal books that are used by many Jews and Christian churches today, as well as academics and commentators.
It is opposed to fleeing. Ex. It takes diligent, sustained effort (cf.
You can tell who they are by the consequences of their actions.
Jesus will soon be separating the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-33), so make sure you will be in the right group. And herein he hath the advantage, that he is above us, and doth out of the air assault us, being upon the upper ground, as it were. on Galatians 1:16). 1871-8.
III. (3)with the evil customs, laws, opinions, employments, pleasures of the world - which are also a part of that dark kingdom;
So it is here. It is against such spirits, and all their malignant influences, that Christians are called to contend. 3. Lit., the spiritual things of wickedness. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jgm/ephesians-6.html.
Against the rulers of the darkness of this world - The rulers that preside over the regions of ignorance and sin with which the earth abounds, compare notes on Ephesians 2:2. There is emphasis, too, in the phrase, in heavenly places; for the elevated station from which the attack is made gives us greater trouble and difficulty. The rulers of the darkness.—Properly, the world-rulers of this darkness. The apostle either changes the figure immediately, or he uses the word here in a more general sense. God wants you to have this knowledge, but many churches refuse to preach it. ἡ μάχη κεῖται … ὡς ἂν εἰ ἔλεγεν, ἡ συνθήκη ἐν τίνι κεῖται; ἐν χρυσῷ. Against spiritual wickedness - Margin, “or wicked spirits.” Literally, “The spiritual things of wickedness;” but the allusion is undoubtedly to evil spirits, and to their influences on earth.
But B Delta G f 'to you'] ('the wrestling' in which we are engaged) is not against flesh,' etc. The ἡμῖν of the TR has the support of (803) (804) (805)3(806) (807) (808), most cursives, and most Versions; ὑμῖν is read by (809) (810)*(811), Eth., Goth., etc.
Schenkel has even imported the irony of a paradox, which has the design of making the assumption of divine power and glory on the part of the demons ridiculous, as though anything of the sort were at all in keeping with the whole profound seriousness of our passage, or could have been recognised by any reader whatever! Their domain is this darkness in which they exercise imperial sway. Of them, Paul affirmed nothing. Surely, I submit, the reasonable probability would incline this way, and revelation does but confirm and reveal these anticipations when it discovers to faith, on the one hand, the hierarchies of the blessed angels, and on the other, as in this passage of Scripture, the corresponding gradations of evil spirits, principalities, and powers, who have abused their freedom, and who are ceaselessly labouring to impair and to destroy the moral order of the universe.
"Commentary on Ephesians 6:12".
But while it is true that there is a change in the figure for the time being, there is nothing strange in that, neither is there any incongruity in representing the Christian’s conflict as a wrestling—an individual encounter and one at close quarters.