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here in Eph. 1: 21. Exousia, is derived from exesti "It is lawful" (I Cor. 6: 12; 10: 23;
II Cor. 12: 4). In Matthew, exousia is translated "authority" in six passages, and
"power" in four, Matt. 7: 29 being the first occurrence, and Matt. 28: 18 the last.
In addition to the six occurrences of the phrase "principality and power" already noted
above, there are two occurrences in the prison epistles where exousia is used alone.
These are:
"The prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2: 2).
"Delivered . . . . . from the power of darkness" (Col. 1: 13).
The "authority" of the prince of the power of the air, will ultimately be given to the
great antichristian "Beast" at the time of the end (Rev. 13: 2, 4) which gives some idea
of the nature of the foe beneath the Saviour's feet. Dominion is the Greek kuriotes
"lordship", a position which seems to have been abused and forfeited, and which is to
be exercised in the fulness of its meaning by Christ, when in the day of His exaltation,
every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD (kurios)
(Phil. 2: 11).
Alford says of these four words:
"The most reasonable account of the four words seems to be thus: all principality
gives the highest and fullest expression; authority is added filling out arche in detail,
exousia being not only government, but every kind of power, primary and delegated . . .
Then in the second pair dunamis is mere might, the raw material, so to speak, of power,
kuriotes is that pre-eminence or lordship which dunamis establishes for itself. So that in
the first pair we descend from the higher and concentrated to the lower and diffused; in
the second we ascend from the lower and diffused to the higher and concentrated."
Then follows a general statement "and every name that is named not only in this world
but also in that which is to come" (Eph. 1: 21) comparable to a similar expansion in
Rom. 8: 39 "nor any other creature". The word translated "world" in Eph. 1: 21 is
aion and should for consistency be rendered "age".
The universality of the Saviour's dominion can at least be appreciated if not
comprehended, as we survey these dignities that are beneath His feet, this will be
enhanced when we come to the O.T. reference that follows, but this we must leave for
our next article.
If the reader is not acquainted with the place that Psa. 8: has in making known
"The mystery of Christ", he is directed to Volume XXXVI, page 54.