`Yet let her be a principality

Sovereign to all creatures on the earth'

The term is applied to Wales, as giving the title `Prince' to the heir

apparent of the throne of England.

Arche occurs fifty -eight times.  We omit the forty references which

are translated `beginning' and any that deal with time, like `at the first',

and give a concordance to the remaining occurrences.

Luke 12:11  Unto magistrates, and powers.

Luke 20:20  Unto the power and authority of the governor.

Rom. 8:38

Nor principalities, nor powers.

1 Cor. 15:24

Put down all rule and all authority.

Eph. 1:21

Far above all principality, and power.

Eph. 3:10

Now unto principalities and powers.

Eph. 6:12

Against principalities, against powers.

Col. 1:16

Dominions, or principalities, or powers.

Col. 1:18

Who is the Beginning.

Col. 2:10

The Head of all principality and power.

Col. 2:15

Having spoiled principalities and powers.

Titus 3:1

Subject to principalities and powers.

Jude 6

Angels which kept not their first estate.

Rev. 3:14

The Beginning of the creation of God.

The ordinary believer has had no personal acquaintance with heavenly

principalities, but the use of the term in the New Testament enables us to

proceed from the known to the unknown.  The first reference in the list given

above renders the word arche `magistrate' and the second `power', the power

and authority of a governor.  With this may be linked the reference in Titus

3:1.  Principality, therefore, while it may include more, cannot include less

than a magistrate.  A magistrate is a public officer invested with authority

to carry out executive government.  The Sovereign is thus the chief

magistrate in the kingdom, but by reason of the fact that the labours

involved are delegated, this title is seldom, if ever, used of the king.  In

both references in Luke, the word exousia is added and is translated in Luke

12:11 `powers' and in Luke 20:20 by `authority'.  This is the word which in

Ephesians and Colossians is coupled with principalities and translated

`powers'.  It is rather a pity that exousia should be translated `power',

this term should be reserved for the translation of dunamis.  Exousia is

translated `authority' twenty -nine times, `jurisdiction' once, `liberty'

once and `right' twice, and these terms more aptly render the meaning of

exousia in English than power.  Both Peter and Paul associated principalities

with angels.

`Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and

authorities (exousion) and powers (dunameon) being made subject unto

Him' (1 Pet. 3:22).

`Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers

(dunameis)' (Rom. 8:38).

Principalities, therefore, are the chief rulers among angels.  These

principalities appear to be divided into two companies.  First, we read that

Christ is the Head of all principality.  Then we read that the Church of the