Eph 1:22-23 | KingComments | STEP | . God gave the Lord Jesus a place that exceeds everything. He received that place as Man . He had always been above everything as Creator. But now as Man He is exalted above every imaginable power: in the human world as well as in the world of angels and demons – not only now, but also in the future. In the future, powers will be revealed that will overshadow every former power. You find them amongst others in the book of Revelation, chapter 13: “a beast coming up out of the sea” and a “beast coming up out of the earth” ( ). They will, with an almost unlimited power, rule through a reign of terror during a period the Lord Jesus calls “a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will”. But the Lord Jesus will see to it that the days of their reign of terror will be shortened ( ). The power of our Savior is that great. But not only then will He show a power that exceeds every comparison. We know that already now “all authority … in heaven and on earth” has been given to Him ( ), although that authority is not publicly visible yet. It seems like all decisions, for what concerns life in this world, are being taken in Washington, Brussels or Moscow. But faith looks up, far beyond the most powerful people on earth and sees the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God. And not to mention the deceiving demons, full of uncleanness, that are poisoning the minds of billions of people through television, internet and spiritual centers. But faith looks up, beyond the meanest and most influential satanic powers and sees the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God. In Hebrews 2 it is written this way: “But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. But we see Him, who was made for a little while lower than the angels, [namely,] Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor” ( ). Compared to Him, all human and demonic power is utterly dwarfed! The distinction between the different names of the powers above which the Lord Jesus is exalted, is not easy to indicate. I looked them up in a dictionary where words of the New Testament are explained. On this basis, I will try: 1. “Rule” refers to a position above and over others. 2. “Authority” is the freedom and the right to exercise power. 3. “Power” is the ability and the possibility that a person owns to accomplish something. 4. “Dominion” also refers to a place above others, but therein others are subject, while in ‘rule’ it is more about the position itself. Above all these forms of power the Lord Jesus is exalted. . Apart from that He is exalted above everything; also all things are subjected under His feet. Although all unbelievers and all demons have not subjected themselves yet, God has established that in His counsel. And that will certainly happen because God wants it. The Lord Jesus is now already exalted above all things and soon all things will be visibly subjected to Him too because He has humiliated Himself on the cross to death: “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” ( ). So everything will be subjected to Him. But there are exceptions. The first one we find in 1 Corinthians 15 ( ). There we read that God, Who has subjected everything under the feet of the Lord Jesus, is being excluded. That makes perfect sense. But now comes the incredible, what no man could have ever thought of, the second exception: the church. How could God do this? He could do this by uniting the Lord Jesus and the church. God gave the Lord Jesus “as head over all things to the church, which is His body”. It is obvious that a body and a head form an indivisible unity. Here we find the revelation of the great mystery that is already highlighted in . How could the church be able to reign together with Christ? It is by becoming one with Him. And look at how God did that: He doesn’t give the church to Christ, but He gives Christ as a gift to the church. That is what it says here. When we give somebody a gift, then the person is always more valuable than the gift. That cannot be the thought here of course, but it rather indicates how God appreciates the church. He appreciates the church that much that He had not only known her from all eternity in His counsel, but also that He has given to her the dearest He has, His own Son. God gave the Lord Jesus to the church, while He is “head over all things”. Due to that the church is also exalted to that position. It is just like with Adam and Eve. When Adam was put as head of the creation in Eden, he received Eve in that position. She is allowed together with Adam to rule over creation. . And yet, not all is said about all glory, wherein the church partakes due to her unity with the Lord Jesus as Man. The final words of chapter 1 add something more that is far beyond our understanding. It can only be admired and be seen with ‘the eyes of the heart being enlightened’ ( ). Of the church as His body it is also said that she is “the fullness of Him who fills all in all”. Here it is said that the church is the ‘fullness’ of the Lord Jesus, which means that she makes Him complete, she complements Him as the complete Man Jesus Christ. When the Man Jesus Christ will reign over all things, He will be, said with reverence, a complete Man: Husband and wife. This we also recognize in Adam. When he woke up from his deep sleep and saw Eve, he said: “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh” ( ). The fact that a group of people would become the body of Christ is nowhere to be found in the Old Testament. That was only possible after the Lord Jesus’ return to heaven and the Holy Spirit could come to form the believers to be that body ( ). The church is seen here as the whole of all believers from Pentecost till her being caught up. And then the words “who fills all in all”. Here we stand before a mystery that we will never be able to fathom: He, Who is being completed as Man by the church, is indeed also complete in Himself! By this completeness He fills the whole universe. He is always and everywhere present. We must never forget that He with Whom we are united as Man, yet always remains: the eternal Son of God. Now read Ephesians 1:21-23 again. Reflection: Which aspects of the greatness of the Lord Jesus have you found in these verses? Give Him praise for that.

‏ Ephesians 1:22-23

The Church, Christ’s Body

Eph 1:21. God gave the Lord Jesus a place that exceeds everything. He received that place as Man. He had always been above everything as Creator. But now as Man He is exalted above every imaginable power: in the human world as well as in the world of angels and demons – not only now, but also in the future.

In the future, powers will be revealed that will overshadow every former power. You find them amongst others in the book of Revelation, chapter 13: “a beast coming up out of the sea” and a “beast coming up out of the earth” (Rev 13:1 ; 11). They will, with an almost unlimited power, rule through a reign of terror during a period the Lord Jesus calls “a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will”. But the Lord Jesus will see to it that the days of their reign of terror will be shortened (Mt 24:21-22). The power of our Savior is that great.

But not only then will He show a power that exceeds every comparison. We know that already now “all authority … in heaven and on earth” has been given to Him (Mt 28:18), although that authority is not publicly visible yet. It seems like all decisions, for what concerns life in this world, are being taken in Washington, Brussels or Moscow. But faith looks up, far beyond the most powerful people on earth and sees the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God.

And not to mention the deceiving demons, full of uncleanness, that are poisoning the minds of billions of people through television, internet and spiritual centers. But faith looks up, beyond the meanest and most influential satanic powers and sees the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God. In Hebrews 2 it is written this way: “But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. But we see Him, who was made for a little while lower than the angels, [namely,] Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor” (Heb 2:8b-9). Compared to Him, all human and demonic power is utterly dwarfed!

The distinction between the different names of the powers above which the Lord Jesus is exalted, is not easy to indicate. I looked them up in a dictionary where words of the New Testament are explained. On this basis, I will try:

1. “Rule” refers to a position above and over others.

2. “Authority” is the freedom and the right to exercise power.

3. “Power” is the ability and the possibility that a person owns to accomplish something.

4. “Dominion” also refers to a place above others, but therein others are subject, while in ‘rule’ it is more about the position itself.

Above all these forms of power the Lord Jesus is exalted.

Eph 1:22. Apart from that He is exalted above everything; also all things are subjected under His feet. Although all unbelievers and all demons have not subjected themselves yet, God has established that in His counsel. And that will certainly happen because God wants it. The Lord Jesus is now already exalted above all things and soon all things will be visibly subjected to Him too because He has humiliated Himself on the cross to death: “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11). So everything will be subjected to Him.

But there are exceptions. The first one we find in 1 Corinthians 15 (1Cor 15:27). There we read that God, Who has subjected everything under the feet of the Lord Jesus, is being excluded. That makes perfect sense. But now comes the incredible, what no man could have ever thought of, the second exception: the church. How could God do this? He could do this by uniting the Lord Jesus and the church. God gave the Lord Jesus “as head over all things to the church, which is His body”. It is obvious that a body and a head form an indivisible unity. Here we find the revelation of the great mystery that is already highlighted in Eph 1:10. How could the church be able to reign together with Christ? It is by becoming one with Him.

And look at how God did that: He doesn’t give the church to Christ, but He gives Christ as a gift to the church. That is what it says here. When we give somebody a gift, then the person is always more valuable than the gift. That cannot be the thought here of course, but it rather indicates how God appreciates the church.

He appreciates the church that much that He had not only known her from all eternity in His counsel, but also that He has given to her the dearest He has, His own Son. God gave the Lord Jesus to the church, while He is “head over all things”. Due to that the church is also exalted to that position. It is just like with Adam and Eve. When Adam was put as head of the creation in Eden, he received Eve in that position. She is allowed together with Adam to rule over creation.

Eph 1:23. And yet, not all is said about all glory, wherein the church partakes due to her unity with the Lord Jesus as Man. The final words of chapter 1 add something more that is far beyond our understanding. It can only be admired and be seen with ‘the eyes of the heart being enlightened’ (Eph 1:18). Of the church as His body it is also said that she is “the fullness of Him who fills all in all”. Here it is said that the church is the ‘fullness’ of the Lord Jesus, which means that she makes Him complete, she complements Him as the complete Man Jesus Christ. When the Man Jesus Christ will reign over all things, He will be, said with reverence, a complete Man: Husband and wife.

This we also recognize in Adam. When he woke up from his deep sleep and saw Eve, he said: “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh” (Gen 2:21-23). The fact that a group of people would become the body of Christ is nowhere to be found in the Old Testament. That was only possible after the Lord Jesus’ return to heaven and the Holy Spirit could come to form the believers to be that body (1Cor 12:13). The church is seen here as the whole of all believers from Pentecost till her being caught up.

And then the words “who fills all in all”. Here we stand before a mystery that we will never be able to fathom: He, Who is being completed as Man by the church, is indeed also complete in Himself! By this completeness He fills the whole universe. He is always and everywhere present. We must never forget that He with Whom we are united as Man, yet always remains: the eternal Son of God.

Now read Ephesians 1:21-23 again.

Reflection: Which aspects of the greatness of the Lord Jesus have you found in these verses? Give Him praise for that.