Eph 6:12. Principalities, against powers, These are put here for those revolted angels, who stood in opposition to the kingdom of God. The rulers of the darkness of this world, seems to mean those who have long usurped a dominion over the world, and who, in the present age, hold men in the chains of hereditary superstition and destructive errors, which have been delivered down to them through many succeeding generations. There is somewhat peculiar in the original of the next clause, which Mr. Locke paraphrases, “the spiritual managers of the opposition to the kingdom of God.” There is no doubt but it refers to those revolted spirits who are continuallyemployed in propagating wickedness. Some, however, would render the last words , about heavenly things; as signifying that we wrestlewith them to secure to ourselves those spiritual and eternal blessings, of which they would endeavour to deprive us.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Eph 6:12 . I am warranted in saying . ; for we have not the wrestling with feeble men , but we have to contend with the diabolic powers . This contrast Paul expresses descriptively , and with what rhetorical power and swelling fulness! Observe, moreover, that the conflict to which Paul here refers is, according to Eph 6:13 , still future ; but it is by realized as present .

] The negation is not non tam , or non tantum (Cajetanus, Vatablus, Grotius, and others), but absolute (Winer, p. 439 ff. [E. T. 622]); since the conflict on the part of our opponents is one excited and waged not by men, but by the devilish powers (though these make use of men too as organs of their hostility to the kingdom of God). [299]

] The article denotes generically the kind of conflict, which does not take place in the case of the Christians ( ); they have not the wrestling with blood and flesh . Nothing else, namely, than lucta , a wrestling , is the meaning of the (Hom. Il. xxiii. 635, 700 ff.; Xen. Mem. iv. 8. 27; Plat. Legg. vii. 795 D; and Ast, ad Legg. p. 378), a word occurring only here in the N.T., and evidently one specially chosen by the apostle (who elsewhere employs or ), with the view of bringing out the more strongly in connection with . the contrast between this less perilous form of contest and that which follows. Now, as the notion of the is not appropriate to the actual conflict of the Christians . . . , because it is not in keeping either with the in general or with its several constituent parts afterwards mentioned Eph 6:14 ff., but serves only to express what the Christian conflict is not ; after we have not mentally to supply again , but rather the general notion of kindred signification , or , [300] as frequently with Greek writers (see Dderlein, de brachyl . in his Reden u. Aufs . ii. p. 269 ff. Krger, Regist. zu Thucyd ., p. 318), and in the N.T. (Buttmann, Neutest. Gramm . p. 336 [E. T. 392]) we have to derive from a preceding special notion an analogous more general one. 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. We have accordingly neither to say that with Paul only lighted in passing on another metaphor (my own former view), nor to suppose (the usual opinion) that he employed in the general sense of certamen , which, however, is only done in isolated poetic passages (Lycophr. 124, 1358), and hence we have the less reason to overlook the designed choice of the expression in our passage, or to depart from its proper signification.

] i.e. against feeble men , just as Gal 1:16 . Only here and Heb 2:14 (Lachmann, Tischendorf) does stand first, which, however, is to be regarded as accidental. Matthies (so already Prudentius, Jerome, Cajetanus) understands the lusts and desires having their root in one’s own sensuous individuality ; but this idea must have been expressed by alone without (Gal 5:17 ; Gal 5:24 , al. ), and is, moreover, at variance with the context, since the contrast is not with enemies outside of us , but with superhuman and superterrestrial enemies.

] This, as well as the following , designates the demons , and that according to their classes (analogous to the classes of angels), [301] of which the seem to be of higher rank than the (see on Eph 1:21 ), in which designation there is at the same time given the token of their power , and this their power is then in the two following clauses ( ) characterized with regard to its sphere and to its ethical quality . [302] The exploded views, according to which human potentates of different kinds were supposed to be denoted by ., . . . ., may be seen in Wolf.

. . ] i.e. against the rulers of the world, whose domain is the present darkness . The is the existing, present darkness, which, namely, is characteristic of the , and from which only believers are delivered, inasmuch as they have become , (Eph 4:8-9 ), being translated out of the domain opposed to divine truth into the possession of the same, and thus becoming themselves (Phi 2:15 ). The reading is a correct gloss. This pre-Messianic darkness is the element adverse to God, in which the sway of the world-ruling demons has its essence and operation , and without which their dominion would not take place. The devils are called (comp. Orph. H . viii. 11, xi. 11), because their dominion extends over the whole world, inasmuch as all men (the believers alone excepted, Eph 2:2 ) are subject to them. Thus Satan is called , 2Co 4:4 , , Joh 12:31 ; Joh 16:11 (comp. Joh 14:30 ), and of the world it is said that , 1Jn 5:19 . The Rabbins, too, adopted the word , and employed it sometimes of kings, while they also say of the angel of death that God has made him . See Schoettgen, Horae , p. 790; Buxtorf, Lex. Talmud , p. 2006 f.; Wetstein, p. 259. Later also the Gnostics called the devil by this name (Iren. i. 1), and in the Testamentum Salomonis (Fabricius, Pseudepigr . i. p. 1047) the demons say to Solomon: , . The opinion that the compound has been weakened into the general signification rulers (Harless) is not susceptible of proof, and not to be supported by such Rabbinical passages as Bresh. rabba , sect. 58 f., 57. Ephesians 1 : “Abrahamus persecutus quatuor ,” where . denotes the category of the kings, and this chosen designation has the aim of glorifying . See also, in opposition to this alleged weakening, Shir. R . 3, Ephesians 4 : “Tres reges : dominantes ab extremitate mundi ad extremitatem ejus , Nebucadnezar, Evilmerodach, Belsazar.”

] against the spirit-hosts of wickedness . The adjective neuter, singular or plural, is collective, comprehending the beings in question according to their qualitative category as a corporate body, like , the burgess-body (Herod. vii. 103); , the cavalry (Rev 9:16 ); , the robbers (Polyaen. v. 14, 141), , . . . See Bernhardy, p. 326. Winer, p. 213 [E. T. 299], correctly compares according to its original adjectival nature.

] genitivus qualitatis, characterizing the spirit-hosts meant; , , Theodoret. Moral wickedness is their essential quality; hence the devil is pre-eminently . The explanation spirituales nequitias (Erasmus, Beza, Castalio, Clarius, Zeger, Cornelius a Lapide, Wolf, and others) is impossible, since, if expressed the quality substantively and raised it to the position of subject (see Matthiae, p. 994; Khner, II. p. 122), we should have to analyse it as: the spiritual nature , or the spiritual part, the spiritual side of wickedness, all of which are unsuitable to the context.

] Chrysostom, Theodoret, Photius, Oecumenius, Cajetanus, Castalio, Camerarius, Heinsius, Clarius, Calovius, Glass, Witsius, Wolf, Morus, Flatt, and others incorrectly render: for the heavenly possessions , so that it would indicate the object of the conflict, and would stand for or . Against this view we may urge not the order of the words, since in fact this element pushed on to the end would be brought out with emphasis (Khner, II. p. 625), but certainly the , which does not mean on account of , [303] and , which in our Epistle is always meant in a local sense (see on Eph 1:3 ). The view of Matthies is also incorrect, that it denotes the place where of the conflict: “in the kingdom of heaven, in which the Christians, as received into that kingdom, are also constantly contending against the enemies of God.” does not signify the kingdom of heaven in the sense of Matthies, but the heavenly regions , heaven. Rckert, too, is incorrect, who likewise understands the place where of the conflict, holding that the contest is to be sustained, as not with flesh and blood, so also not upon the same solid ground , but away in the air , and is thus most strictly mars iniquus . Apart from the oddness of this thought, according to it the contrast would in fact be one not of terrestrial and superterrestrial locality, but of solid ground and baseless air , so that Paul in employing . would have selected a quite inappropriate designation, and must have said . Baumgarten-Crusius gives us the choice between two incorrect interpretations: the kingdom of spirits , to which the kingdom of Christ too belongs, or the affairs of that kingdom . The correct connection is with , so that it expresses the seat of the evil spirits. So Jerome, Ambrosiaster, Luther, Beza, Calvin, Vatablus, Estius, Grotius, Erasmus Schmid, Bengel, Koppe, and many, including Usteri, Meier, Holzhausen, Harless, Olshausen, de Wette, Bleek. This “ in the heavenly regions ” is not, however, in accordance with the context, to be understood of the abode of God, of Christ, and of the angels (Eph 3:10 ); [304] but, according to the popular view (comp. Mat 6:26 ) in virtue of the flexible character of the conception “heaven,” which embraces very different degrees of height (compare the conception of the seven heavens, 2Co 12:2 ) of the superterrestrial regions , which, although still pertaining to the domain of the earth’s atmosphere, yet relatively appear as heaven, so that in substance here denotes the same as , by which at Eph 2:2 the domain of the Satanic kingdom is accurately and properly designated. [305] This passage serves as a guide to the import of ours, which is wrongly denied by Hahn ( Theol. d. N.T. I. p. 336 f.) on the basis of an erroneous interpretation of , Eph 2:2 . According to the Rabbins, too, the lower of the seven heavens still fall within the region of the atmosphere. See Wetstein, ad 2Co 12:2 . And the reason why Paul does not here say is, that he wishes to bring out as strongly as possible the superhuman and superterrestrial nature of the hostile spirits, for which purpose to name the air as the place of their dwelling might be less appropriate than to speak of the heavenly regions , an expression which entirely accords with the lively colouring of his picture. [306] Semler and Storr, ignoring this significant bearing and suitableness of the expression, have arbitrarily imported a formerly , as though the previous abode of the demons had any connection with the matter! 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! Hofmann finally ( Schriftbeweis , I. p. 455) has, after a rationalizing fashion, transformed the simple direct statement of place into the thought: “not limited to this or that locality of the earthly world, but overruling the same, as the heavens encircle the earth.” The thought of this turn so easily made Paul would have known how to express even though he had but said: , or more clearly: . The absence of a connective article is not at all opposed to our interpretation, since might the more be combined into one idea , as it was the counterpart of such spirits upon earth. Comp. , 1Ti 6:17 , and see on Eph 2:11 , Eph 3:10 .

The , four times occurring after , has rhetorical emphasis, as it needed to be used but once. Comp. Dem. 842, 7: , , , Winer, p. 374 [E. T. 524]; Buttmann, Neutest. Gramm . p. 341 [E. T. 398].

As at Eph 2:2 , so here also, Gnosticism is found by Baur in expression and conception, because, forsooth, Marcion and the Valentinians designated the devil as the , and the demoniac powers as (Iren. i. 5. 4, i. 28. 2). This is the inverting method of critical procedure.

[299] Comp. already Augustine, De verbo Deu 8Deu 8 : “Non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem, i.e. adversus homines, quos videtis saevire in nos. Vasa sunt, alius utitur; organa sunt, alius tangit.”

[300] Comp. Plato, Soph. p. 249 C: .

[301] “As every kingdom as such is inwardly organised, so also is the kingdom of the evil spirits,” Hahn, Theol. d. N.T. I. p. 347.

[302] Observe how in our passage every word rises up as a witness against all attempts to make of the devil a mere abstraction, a personified cosmic principle, and the like. Beyschlag too, Christol. d. N.T. p. 244 f., contests, without, however, at the time entering into a detailed argument, the personality of Satan, as of the world of angels and spirits in general, and regards him as the vital principle of matter, the self-seeking of nature, etc.

[303] Where it is rendered so according to the approximate sense, the analysis follows another course. See on Mat 6:7 ; Joh 16:30 ; Act 7:29 ; 2Co 9:4 .

[304] In opposition to Hahn, Theol. d. N.T. I. p. 345.

[305] Comp. Philippi, Glaubensl . III. p. 309 f. Prudentius has already, Hamartigenia , S13 ff., in a poetic paraphrase of our passage, correctly apprehended the meaning:

[306] Entirely uncalled for, therefore, and less in keeping with the colouring of the passage, would be the alteration already discussed in Photius, Quaest. Amphiloch. 94, whereby, namely, had changed the into a conjecture approved by Erasmus, Beza, and Grundling (in Wolf). Luther, who translates “ under the heaven,” probably did so, not as taking for , like Alting subsequently (in Wolf), but by way of explanation . Already in Homer is, as is well known, employed of the higher region of air ( under the firmament). See Ngelsbach, Hom. Theol . p. 19.

“Sed cum spiritibus tenebrosis nocte dieque

Congredimur, quorum dominatibus humidus iste

Et pigris densus nebulis obtemperat ar.

Scilicet hoc medium coelum inter et infima terrae,

Quod patet ac vacuo nubes suspendit hiatu,

Frena potestatum variarum sustinet ac sub

Principe Belial rectoribus horret iniquis.

His conluctamur praedonibus, ut sacra nobis

Oris apostolici testis sententia prodit.”

Comp. Photius, Quaest. Amphil. 144.

According to Ascens. Isa 10 , it is the Jirmamentum , in which the devil dwells.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 2127
TO WITHSTAND THE POWER OF SATAN

Eph 6:12-13. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye way be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

IN persuading men to undertake any arduous office, and more especially to enlist into the army, it is customary to keep out of view, as much as possible, the difficulties and dangers they will be exposed to, and to allure them by prospects of pleasure, honour. or emolument. It was far otherwise with Christ and his Apostles. When our Lord invited men to enlist under his banners, he told them that they would have to enter on a course of pain and self-denial; If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Thus St. Paul, at the very time that he is endeavouring to recruit the Christian army, tells us plainly, that the enemies we shall have to combat, are the most subtle and powerful of any in the universe. Deceit and violence, the two great engines of cruelty and oppression, are their daily practice and delight.
In conformity with the Apostles plan, we have opened to you, in some measure, the wiles of that adversary, whom we are exhorting you to oppose: and we shall now proceed to set before you somewhat of his power; still however encouraging you not to be dismayed, but to go forth against him with an assurance of victory.

We shall shew you,

I.

What a powerful adversary we have to contend with

As soon as any man enlists under the banners of Christ, the world will turn against him, even as the kings of Canaan did against the Gibeonites, the very instant they had made a league with Joshua [Note: Jos 10:4. with Joh 15:18-19.]. Those of his own household will most probably be his greatest foes. To oppose these manfully is no easy task: but yet these are of no consideration in comparison of our other enemies; We wrestle not against flesh and blood [Note: The terms flesh and blood are sometimes used to signify any human being, (Mat 16:17.) and sometimes, our corrupt nature, whether intellectual (Gal 1:16.) or corporeal, (1Co 15:50.) Here they denote the world at large.], says the Apostle, but against all the principalities and powers of hell [Note: Commentators labour exceedingly, but in vain, to make any tolerable sense of as translated in our version. But if they were construed with , thus, Our conflict about heavenly things, and be considered as equivalent to , the whole sense would he clear and unembarrassed. For that sense of , see Rom 11:2 and Gal 1:24; and, for a much greater separation of words that are to be construed together, see Rom 2:12; Rom 2:16. Indeed, the distance between and is not worthy of notice, if it be considered, that four of the intermediate members of the sentence are a mere accumulation of synonymous expressions, a periphrasis for .]. It is not merely in a rhetorical way that the Apostle accumulates so many expressions, to designate our enemies: the different terms he uses are well calculated to exhibit their power; which will appear to us great indeed, if we consider what he intimates respecting their nature, their number, and their office.

With respect to their nature, they are wicked spirits. Once they were bright angels around the throne of God: but they kept not their first estate; and therefore they were cast down to hell [Note: Jude, ver. 6 and 2Pe 2:4.]. But though they have lost the holiness, they still retain, the power, of angels. As angels, they excel in strength [Note: Psa 103:20.], and are far greater in power and might [Note: 2Pe 2:11.] than any human being. They have, moreover, an immense advantage over us, in that they are spirits. Were they flesh and blood like ourselves, we might see them approaching, and either flee from them, or fortify ourselves against them: at least, there would be some time when, through weariness, they must intermit their efforts: but being spirits their approaches to us are invisible, irresistible, incessant.

Their number is also intimated, in that they are represented as principalities and powers, consisting of multitudes who hold, like men on earth and angels in heaven [Note: Col 1:16.], various degrees of honour and authority under one head. To form a conjecture respecting their numbers, would be absurd; since we are totally in the dark on that subject. This however we know, that they are exceeding many; because our Lord cast no less than seven out of one woman [Note: Mar 16:9.]; and one man was possessed by a whole troop or legion at once [Note: Mar 5:9.]. We have reason there fore to think that their number far exceeds that of the human species; because there is no human being beyond the reach of their assaults, no, not for a single hour. Nor are they formidable merely on account of their number, but principally on account of their union, and subordination under one leader. We read of the devil and his angels [Note: Mat 25:41.], as of a king and his subjects: and though we know not what precise ranks and orders there may be among them, we know the name of their chief, even Beelzebub, the prince of the devils [Note: Mat 12:24.]. It is because of their acting thus in concert with each other, that they are so often spoken of as one [Note: Luk 4:2-3; Luk 4:5-6; Luk 4:8; Luk 4:13.]: and well they may be; for, the whole multitude of them are so perfectly one in operation and design, that, if one spy out an advantage, he may in an instant have a legion more to second his endeavours: and as this constitutes the strength of armies on earth, so does it give tenfold power to our spiritual enemies.

The office which they execute as the rulers of this dark world, may serve yet further to give us an idea of their strength. It is true, this office was not delegated to them, but usurped by them: still however, they retain it by Gods permission, and exercise it to our cost. Satan is expressly called, the prince of this world [Note: Joh 12:31; Joh 14:30; Joh 16:11.], the god of this world [Note: 2Co 4:4.], the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in all the children of disobedience [Note: Eph 2:2.]. He blinds them that they may not see [Note: 2Co 4:4.], and then, as the prophet led the Syrians, he leads them whithersoever he will [Note: 2Ki 6:18-20.]; he takes them captive altogether [Note: 2Ti 2:26.]. A few indeed who are brought out of darkness into the marvellous light of the Gospel, have cast off his yoke: but except them, the whole world, enveloped in worse than Egyptian darkness, lieth under him as its universal monarch [Note: 1Jn 5:19. , in the wicked one.]. The very elements are under his controul, and concur with men and devils to fulfil his will. Would he deprive Job of his substance? hosts of Sabeans and Chaldeans come at his call, to plunder him [Note: Job 1:12; Job 1:15; Job 1:17.]. Would he destroy all his family? the wind rises at his command to smite their house, and overwhelm them in its ruins [Note: Job 1:19.].

Such are the enemies with whom we have to contend. If we desire to prosecute earthly things, we can go on with ease; we can follow them without interruption from day to day, and from year to year: with respect to these things, the devils would rather help us forward, than obstruct our way. But the very instant we begin to seek heavenly things, all hell is in alarm, just as all the Canaanites were, when they understood that Joshuas spies had been seen in their land [Note: Jos 2:9; Jos 2:11.]. If we begin to listen to the word of God, he will send some emissary, some child of his, whom he has endued with peculiar subtilty, to turn us from the faith [Note: Act 13:7-10.]. If the word, like good seed, be sown upon our hearts, he will send a host of devils, like birds of the air, to pick up the seed [Note: Mat 13:4; Mat 13:19.]. If any, in spite of his efforts, take root in our hearts, he will instantly sow tares to grow up with the wheat [Note: Mat 13:25.], and thorns to choke it [Note: Mat 13:7; Mat 13:22.]. We cannot go into the presence of God to pray, but Satan will be at our right hand to resist us [Note: Zec 3:1.]. The conflict we have to maintain with him, is not like that which is common to our armies, where a part bear the brunt of the battle, and the rest are reserved for exigencies: in this view it is more properly compared to a wrestling, where every man meets his antagonist, and must continue the contest, till the fall of one party decides the victory. Such the Scripture describes our contest to be; and such it is proved to be by every mans experience: there is no man who, if he will only observe the ease with which he enters upon his worldly calling, and keeps up his attention to it, and the comparative difficulty he finds, as soon as ever he addresses himself to the concerns of his soul, shall not see, that there is in him an impotence and reluctance, for which he cannot account, unless he acknowledge, what the Scripture so fully warns him of, a satanic agency.

But shall we be intimidated by this account, and induced to surrender ourselves to Satan without a conflict? No. Formidable as he is, there is One above him, who circumscribes his powers, and limits his operations. He did, by Gods permission, cast some of the Ephesian church into prison, that they might be tried, for ten days [Note: Rev 2:10.]: but, if he could have accomplished all that was in his heart, he would have cast them all into hell that they might perish for ever. So far from being irresistible, he may be resisted, yea, and vanquished too, by the weakest of Gods saints.

To encourage you therefore to fight against him, we will shew,

II.

How we may effectually withstand him

The Apostle renews, though with some variation, the directions he gave before; not thinking it grievous to himself to repeat any thing that may conduce to our safety [Note: Php 3:1.]. St. Peter also was careful to put Christians frequently in remembrance of many things, notwithstanding they knew them, and were established in the present truth [Note: 2Pe 1:12.]. Well therefore may we call your attention once more to the exhortation in the text. Indeed, if the putting on the whole armour of God was necessary to guard against the wiles of the devil, it can be no less necessary as a preservative against his power: and the exhortation enforced by this new consideration, cannot reasonably be thought an uninteresting repetition.

But we shall have no need to repeat any former observations, seeing that what is new in the exhortation, will afford abundant matter for profitable, and seasonable, remark.
The time mentioned in the text as the evil day, refers to those particular periods when Satan makes his most desperate attacks. Sometimes he retires from us for a season, as he did from our Lord [Note: Luk 4:13.]; or, at least, gives us somewhat of a respite from any violent assaults. But he watches his opportunity to renew his efforts, when by bringing a host of devils to his aid [Note: Mat 12:44-45.], or finding us off our guard [Note: 1Pe 5:8.], he may exert his power to more effect. Such a season was that wherein David complained, that his enemies, compassing him like bees, thrust sore at him that he might fall [Note: Psa 118:12-13.]: and especially that wherein the Lord Jesus Christ himself was so weakened by him, as to need an angel from heaven to administer strength and consolation [Note: Luk 22:43; Luk 22:53.]. All who know any thing of Satans devices, must have noticed this in their own experience: there have been times when the enemy appeared unmindful of his work, and other times when he has come in like a flood; so that if the Spirit of the Lord had not lifted up a standard against him [Note: Isa 59:19.], he must have utterly overwhelmed them. The hour of death is a season when he usually puts forth all his power, having great wrath because his time is short [Note: Rev 12:12.].

Now what shall we do in such seasons, if not clad in the whole armour of God? What hope can we have of withstanding such an enemy? If he should find us unarmed, would he not sift us as wheat [Note: Luk 22:31.], and reduce us to mere chaff? Would he not scatter us as smoke out of the chimney, or chaff driven by a whirlwind [Note: Hos 13:3.]? Would he not precipitate thousands of us, as he did the swine, into instantaneous destruction [Note: Mat 8:31-32.], and into the bottomless abyss of hell?

But if we be armed with the divine panoply, we need not fear; he can have no power against us any further than it is given him from above [Note: Joh 19:11.]: and, howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so [Note: Isa 10:5; Isa 10:7.], his efforts against us shall ultimately conduce to our good, to make us more humble, more vigilant, more expert.

This is particularly intimated in the text; and in this the encouragement given us exceeds what was contained in the former exhortation. There we were taught to expect that we should not be vanquished by our subtle enemy: here we are encouraged with an assurance, that we shall not only effectually withstand his efforts, even when they are most desperate, but shall stand as victors on the field of battle, after having put our enemies to flight. To this also agree the words of St. James; resist the devil, and he shall flee from you [Note: Jam 4:7.]; he shall not only not overcome you, but shall be so intimidated by your prowess as to flee from you with the greatest precipitation. Blessed truth! This mighty fiend, who dared to enter the lists with an archangel [Note: Jude, ver. 9.], and to contend even with the Son of God himself, shall be so terrified at the sight of a Christian champion, as not only to forbear touching him [Note: 1Jn 5:18.], but even to flee from his presence as for his very life.

It is true, he will never finally give over the contest, till we are got entirely beyond his reach: nor is he at any time so vanquished or intimidated but that he will number another host, like unto that which has been defeated, and renew his attack upon us [Note: 1Ki 20:22-26.]: but his malice shall terminate in his own confusion [Note: 1Ki 20:27-29.]: he may succeed to bruise our heel, but we shall ultimately bruise his head [Note: Gen 3:15.]. Our weapons, through God, shall be mighty, though wielded by the feeblest arm [Note: 2Co 10:4.]. We shall go on conquering and to conquer [Note: Rev 6:2.] till we set our feet upon his neck [Note: Jos 10:24. This was altogether typical of the Christians victories.], and return with triumphant exultation from the combat, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name [Note: Luk 10:17.].

Nor is this your greatest encouragement: for as soon as you have done all that God has designed for you in this state of warfare, you shall stand before God, united to that noble army that are now enjoying their triumphs in his presence. Having fought the good fight and finished your course, there shall be given to you a crown of righteousness and glory [Note: 2Ti 4:7-8.]; and you shall bear the palm of victory in the courts of heaven [Note: Rev 7:9-10.]. Then shall be fulfilled to you what was spoken by our Lord, To him that overcometh will I give to sit down with me upon my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father upon his throne [Note: Rev 3:21.]. Only be faithful unto death; and God will give thee a crown of life [Note: Rev 2:10. latter part.].

Before we dismiss this subject, we would address a few words,
1.

To those who have never yet wrestled with this great adversary

We hope you are now convinced, that it is not a needless labour to engage in this contest. But you may still be induced to decline it, from the idea that it is a hopeless work. But know this, that you have undertaken a task which is infinitely more difficult than this; for, while you refuse to wrestle with Satan, you are actually wrestling with God himself. He who infallibly discerns, and rightly estimates, your conduct, says, that ye resist the Holy Ghost [Note: Act 7:51.] and contend with your Maker [Note: Job 40:2.]: and your own consciences will inform you, that you have often fought against God, by resisting the influence of his word and Spirit [Note: Act 5:39; Act 23:9.]. Suppose then ye gain the victory (which is but too probable), suppose God give up the contest, and say, My Spirit shall strive with him no longer [Note: Gen 6:3.]; what will ye have to boast of? what cause will ye have for joy? Awful will be that day wherein God shall say, Let him alone [Note: Hos 4:17.]: from that hour your condemnation will be sure, and Satan will have perfectly gained his point. Judge then whether it be not better to contend with Satan, than with God? with him whom you are sure to conquer, to your eternal happiness, than with him, by whose avenging arm you must be crushed for ever [Note: Isa 27:4.]? Consider well which of the two ye choose for your enemy, God or Satan: and may God incline you to enlist under the Redeemers banner, and in his strength to combat all the enemies of your salvation!

2.

Let us speak to those who have begun the arduous contest.

Be not afraid of your great adversary. Do not be like the unbelieving Israelites, who, because the Anakims were of such extraordinary stature, and dwelt in cities that were walled up to heaven, dreaded to go up against them [Note: Num 13:28; Num 13:31; Num 13:33.]; but rather say, with Caleb, They shall be bread for us [Note: Num 13:9; Num 13:30.]: instead of destroying, they shall be an occasion of good to, our souls: their spoils shall enrich us; and the opposition that they make shall only be the means of displaying more abundantly the love and faithfulness of our God. Take unto you again and again the whole armour of God; and fight, not as one that beateth the air [Note: 1Co 9:26.], but as one that is determined to conquer or die: and if at any time you be tempted to give up the contest, think of those who now through faith and patience inherit the promises [Note: Heb 6:12.]. Once they were conflicting like you; but now they rest from their labours, and are anxious spectators of your conflicts [Note: Heb 12:1.]. It is but a little time, and you also shall be numbered with them. Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world [Note: 1Jn 4:4.]. Only go forth therefore in the name of Christ; and his triumphs shall be the pattern, the pledge, the earnest of your own.

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places .

Ver. 12. Not against flesh and blood ] Hereby the apostle meaneth not so much the corruption as the weakness of our natures, q.d. We have not only to conflict with weak, frail men, but with puissant devils. Look to it therefore, and lie open at no place; but get on every piece of this spiritual armour, whether those of defence (as the girdle of truth, breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace and patience, the helmet of hope), or those of offence, as the sword of the Spirit, and the darts of prayer. Fetch all these out of the Holy Scriptures, which are like Solomon’s tower, where hang a thousand shields and all the weapons of strong men. The apostle here soundeth the alarm, crying, Arm, arm, &c.

But against principalities ] So wicked men make the devils, by being at their beck and obedience. Observe here, saith an interpreter, in the Holy Ghost a wonderful pattern of candour: he praiseth what is praiseworthy in very enemies. How then shall not the saints be accepted and acknowledged, since they sin not of malicious wickedness, as devils do?

Against spiritual wickedness ] Gr. , The spirituals of wickedness, those hellish plots and satanical suggestions, black and blasphemous temptations, horrid and hideous injections, &c. Whereby he seeks to dispirit and defeat us, by setting before us the difficulties of Christian warfare; like as some inhospitable savages make fearful delusions by sorcery upon their shore, to fright strangers from landing.

In high places ] , or, about our interest in those heavenly privileges, which the devil would wring from us, and rob us of. He strove with the angel about the body of Moses; but with us about our precious souls. 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.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

12 .] For (confirms . . . preceding) our (or ‘ your :’ the ancient authorities are divided) wrestling ( must be literally taken it is a hand to hand and foot to foot ‘tug of war’ that in which the combatants close, and wrestle for the mastery) is not (Meyer well remarks, that the negative is not to be softened down into non tam , or non tantum , as Grot., &c. the conflict which the Apostle means (qu.? better, , the only conflict which can be described by such a word our life and death struggle, there being but one such) is absolutely not with men but &c. He quotes from Aug., “Non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem, i.e. adversus homines, quos videtis svire in nos. Vasa sunt, alius utitur: organa sunt, alius tangit”) against blood and flesh (i.e. men: see reff.), but (see above) against the governments, against the powers (see note on ch. Eph 1:21 ), against the world-rulers ( munditenentes , as Tert. c. Marc. Eph 6:18 , vol. ii. p. 58. Cf. Joh 12:31 note; Joh 14:30 ; Joh 16:11 ; 2Co 4:4 ; 1Jn 5:19 . The Rabbis (see Schttg.) adopted this very word , and applied it partly to earthly kings (as on Gen 13 ), partly to the Angel of Death; ‘quamvis te feci super homines &c.’ So that the word must be literally understood, as in the places cited. Cf. Ellicott’s note) of this (state of) darkness (see ch. Eph 2:2 ; Eph 5:8 ; Eph 5:11 ), against the spiritual ( armies ) (so we have (Mey.) (Herod. vii. 103), ( Rev 9:16 ), (Polyn. Eph 6:14 ), , &c. Winer, Gr. 34, remark 3, compares , originally a neuter-adjective form. See Bernhardy, Synt. p. 326, for more examples. Stier maintains the abstract meaning, ‘ the spiritual things :’ but as Ellic. remarks, the meaning could not be ‘ spiritales malignitates ,’ as Beza, but ‘ spiritualia nequiti ,’ as the Vulg., i.e. ‘ the spiritual elements ,’ or ‘ properties ,’ ‘ of wickedness ,’ which will not suit here) of wickedness in the heavenly places (but what is the meaning? Chrys. connects with . , ; . And so Thdrt., Phot., c., al. But it is plain that will not bear this (Chrys. says, , , , ), though possibly the order of the sentence might. Rckert, Matth., Eadie, al., interpret of the scene of the combat , thus also joining . . with . . . The objection to this is twofold: 1) that the words thus appear without any sort of justification in the context: nay rather as a weakening of the following , instead of a strengthening: and 2) that according to Eadie’s argument, they stultify themselves. He asks, “How can they (the heavenly places, the scenes of divine blessing, of Christ’s exaltation, &c.) be the seat or abode of impure fiends?” But if they are “ the scene of ” our “ combat ” with these fiends, how can our enemies be any where else but in them? Two ways then remain: to join . a) with b) with only. The absence of an article before forms of course an objection to both: but not to both equally. Were b) to be adopted, the specifying 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 before , because . only specifies the locality, does not distinguish . . from any other elsewhere. So that this is in grammar the least objectionable rendering. And in sense it is, notwithstanding what Eadie and others have said, equally unobjectionable. That habitation of the evil spirits which in ch. Eph 2:2 was said, when speaking of mere matters of fact, to be in the , is, now that the difficulty and importance of the Christian conflict is being forcibly set forth, represented as over us, and too strong for us without the panoply of God. Cf. , Mat 6:26 ; and reff.).

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Eph 6:12 . [ ] : for our [ your ] wrestling is not against flesh and blood . Reason for speaking of the as dangers against which the Christian must stand his ground. The is explanatory, = “the wiles of the Devil, I say, for it is not mere men we have to face”. The term , which occurs only this once in the NT, is used in classical Greek occasionally in the general sense of a battle or combat (in the poets, e.g. , Aesch., Cho. , 866; Eurip., Heracl. , 159), but usually in the specific sense of a contest in the form of wrestling . If it has its proper sense here, as is most probable, there is a departure for the time being from the figure of the panoply, and a transition to one which brings up different ideas. Has Paul, then, who elsewhere uses the more general figures of the , the , etc., any special object in view in selecting here? There is nothing to indicate any such special object, unless it be to bring out the hand to hand nature of the conflict, “the personal, individualising nature of the encounter” (Ell.). The defines the in view, viz. , the physical struggle, as not the kind of with which we are concerned which is “for us” ( ). The of the TR has the support of [803] [804] [805] 3 [806] [807] [808] , most cursives, and most Versions; is read by [809] [810] * [811] , Eth., Goth., etc. The case is somewhat evenly balanced. TrWH place in the margin; Lach., Tisch., etc., keep . The form occurs only here and (acc. to the best critics) in Heb 2:14 . Elsewhere it is ; but the sense is the same, = feeble humanity . The phrase occurs four times in the NT, always with the same general sense of man in the character of his weakness and dependence , but with slightly varying references; e.g. , with regard to our corporeal being in 1Co 15:50 ; Heb 2:14 ; our intellectual power in Mat 16:17 ; our spiritual capacity as contrasted with invisible, diabolic agents ( cf. Ell. on Gal 1:16 ). The idea of carnal desires or passions which is ascribed to the phrase here by some (Jer., Matthies, etc.) would be expressed by without . : but against the principalities . The formula indicates not a comparative negation, as if = “not so much against flesh and blood as against the ,” but an absolute. Meyer regards the clause as a case of brachylogy, some term of more general sense than , e.g. , or having to be understood, = “for us there is not a wrestling with flesh and blood, but a fight with the principalities”. This on the ground that the idea of wrestling is inconsistent with that of the panoply . 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 . On the sense of , principalities or rulers applied here to the powers of evil , see on Eph 1:21 above. : against the authorities . On , here designating demonic authorities, see on Eph 1:21 above. [ ] : against the world-rulers of the darkness of this world (or, of this darkness ). is inserted after by the TR, and is found in most cursives, and in such uncials as [812] 3 [813] 3 [814] [815] [816] [817] . It is omitted in [818] [819] [820] [821] * [822] [823] , 17, 67 2 , etc., and is rejected by LTTrWHRV. In the NT we have such designations as (Joh 14:30 ), (2Co 4:4 ), applied to Satan. The phrase occurs only here. The noun is found in the Orphic Hymns (iii., 3, of Satan), in inscriptions (C. I., 5892, with ref. to the emperor), in Gnostic writings (of the devil), and in the Rabbinical literature in transliterated Hebrew form (of the angel of death, and of kings like the four pursued by Abraham, and Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach, Belshazzar; cf. Wetstein, in loc. ; Fischer’s Buxtorf, Lex. , p. 996, etc.). According to usage as well as formation, therefore, it means not merely rulers (Eth., Goth.), but world-rulers , powers dominating the world as such and working everywhere. limits their dominion, however, to the world as it now is in the darkness of its ignorance and evil, and suggests the destined termination of their operation. : against the spirit-forces of wickedness . The repetition of the before each of the four powers named in the clause has rhetorical force. Such renderings as “spiritual wickedness” (Tynd., Bish., AV), “spiritual craftiness” (Cran.), spirituales nequitiae (Erasm., Beza, Wolf., etc.), are inadequate. The phrase is not the same as , but means properly speaking the spiritual things (so Wicl., “the spiritual things of wickedness”). It is possible that the neut. adj. has the collective force here; in support of which Meyer and others adduce such phrases as , , , etc. But seems to mean the whole of that section of the community which consists of ; , also (Polyb., iii., 114, 5) means cavalry ; and is used for pirate-vessels. The form , however, has both the sense of piracy (Thucyd., i., 4, 13), and that of a band of robbers (Thucyd., ii., 69). This may perhaps justify the sense of spirit-bands or spiritual hosts here. But it seems most consonant with usage to give the term the simple sense of “the spiritual things,” i.e. , “ elements or forces of wickedness,” without connecting with it the doubtful connotation of armies, hosts , or hordes ( cf. Abb., in loc. ). The is the gen. of quality , = the spirit-forces whose essential character is wickedness. : in the heavenly regions . On see under Eph 1:3 above. The phrase, of which this is the fifth occurrence in the Epistle, is most naturally understood in the local sense which it has in the previous instances. Some depart from this sense and make it = the heavenly blessings , giving at the same time the meaning of “for,” “in behalf” to , = “for the heavenly possessions”. So even Chrys., Theod., and Oec., followed by Witsius, Wolf., etc. But cannot = or , not even in Mat 6:7 ; Joh 16:30 ; Act 7:29 ; 1Co 9:4 . Others, retaining the local sense, take the phrase as a designation of the scene of the combat, e.g. = “in the kingdom of heaven,” that being the region in which Christians contend with the enemies of God (Matthies), or “in the air” as contrasted with the solid ground (Rck.). But the term qualifies . Forming one idea with that, it dispenses with the article; cf. , Mat 6:26 ; , 1Ti 6:17 , etc. It defines the domain of these spirit-forces. Their haunts are those superterrestrial regions, not the highest heavens which are the abode of God, Christ, and angels, but those lower heavens which are at once subcelestial and superterrestrial. The phrase and the idea may be suggested by the Jewish notion of a series of seven heavens, each distinguished from the other, the third or (later) the fourth, e.g. , being identified with Paradise. Cf. Morfill and Charles, Book of the Secrets of Enoch , p. xl. The phrase expresses, therefore, much the same idea as the phrase in Eph 2:2 . The reason why Paul uses and not here may be, as Meyer suggests, his wish to “bring out as strongly as possible the superhuman and superterrestrial nature of these hostile spirits”.

[803] Codex Sinaiticus (sc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[804] Codex Alexandrinus (sc. v.), at the British Museum, published in photographic facsimile by Sir E. M. Thompson (1879).

[805] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[806] Codex Mosquensis (sc. ix.), edited by Matthi in 1782.

[807] Codex Angelicus (sc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.

[808] Codex Porphyrianus (sc. ix.), at St. Petersburg, collated by Tischendorf. Its text is deficient for chap. Eph 2:13-16 .

[809] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[810] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[811] Codex Boernerianus (sc. ix.), a Grco-Latin MS., at Dresden, edited by Matthi in 1791. Written by an Irish scribe, it once formed part of the same volume as Codex Sangallensis ( ) of the Gospels. The Latin text, g, is based on the O.L. translation.

[812] Codex Sinaiticus (sc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[813] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[814] Codex Sangermanensis (sc. ix.), a Grco-Latin MS., now at St. Petersburg, formerly belonging to the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prs. Its text is largely dependent upon that of D. The Latin version, e (a corrected copy of d), has been printed, but with incomplete accuracy, by Belsheim (18 5).

[815] Codex Mosquensis (sc. ix.), edited by Matthi in 1782.

[816] Codex Angelicus (sc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.

[817] Codex Porphyrianus (sc. ix.), at St. Petersburg, collated by Tischendorf. Its text is deficient for chap. Eph 2:13-16 .

[818] Codex Vaticanus (sc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[819] Autograph of the original scribe of .

[820] Autograph of the original scribe of .

[821] Codex Claromontanus (sc. vi.), a Grco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[822] Codex Augiensis (sc. ix.), a Grco-Latin MS., at Trinity College, Cambridge, edited by Scrivener in 1859. Its Greek text is almost identical with that of G, and it is therefore not cited save where it differs from that MS. Its Latin version, f, presents the Vulgate text with some modifications.

[823] Codex Boernerianus (sc. ix.), a Grco-Latin MS., at Dresden, edited by Matthi in 1791. Written by an Irish scribe, it once formed part of the same volume as Codex Sangallensis ( ) of the Gospels. The Latin text, g, is based on the O.L. translation.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

we wrestle = to us the wrestling (Greek. pale; only here) is.

against. Greek. pros, Eph 6:11.

flesh and blood = blood and flesh; i.e. human beings, contrasted with the wicked spirits mentioned below.

principalities. App-172.

powers. App-172.

rulers = world-rulers. Greek. kosmokrator; only here.

the = this.

darkness. The present order of things.

of . . . world. The texts omit.

spiritual wickedness. Literally spiritual (hosts) of the wickedness (Greek. poneria. App-128.) These are the wicked spirits of the evil one (Greek. poneros, see 1Jn 2:13, and App-128.

high places = the heavenlies. See Eph 1:3.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

12.] For (confirms . . . preceding) our (or your: the ancient authorities are divided) wrestling ( must be literally taken-it is a hand to hand and foot to foot tug of war-that in which the combatants close, and wrestle for the mastery) is not (Meyer well remarks, that the negative is not to be softened down into non tam, or non tantum, as Grot., &c.-the conflict which the Apostle means (qu.? better, , the only conflict which can be described by such a word-our life and death struggle, there being but one such) is absolutely not with men but &c. He quotes from Aug., Non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem, i.e. adversus homines, quos videtis svire in nos. Vasa sunt, alius utitur: organa sunt, alius tangit) against blood and flesh (i.e. men: see reff.), but (see above) against the governments, against the powers (see note on ch. Eph 1:21), against the world-rulers (munditenentes, as Tert. c. Marc. Eph 6:18, vol. ii. p. 58. Cf. Joh 12:31 note; Joh 14:30; Joh 16:11; 2Co 4:4; 1Jn 5:19. The Rabbis (see Schttg.) adopted this very word , and applied it partly to earthly kings (as on Genesis 13), partly to the Angel of Death; quamvis te feci super homines &c. So that the word must be literally understood, as in the places cited. Cf. Ellicotts note) of this (state of) darkness (see ch. Eph 2:2; Eph 5:8; Eph 5:11), against the spiritual (armies) (so we have (Mey.) (Herod. vii. 103), (Rev 9:16), (Polyn. Eph 6:14), , &c. Winer, Gr. 34, remark 3, compares , originally a neuter-adjective form. See Bernhardy, Synt. p. 326, for more examples. Stier maintains the abstract meaning, the spiritual things: but as Ellic. remarks, the meaning could not be spiritales malignitates, as Beza, but spiritualia nequiti, as the Vulg., i.e. the spiritual elements, or properties, of wickedness, which will not suit here) of wickedness in the heavenly places (but what is the meaning? Chrys. connects with – . , ; . And so Thdrt., Phot., c., al. But it is plain that will not bear this (Chrys. says, , , , ), though possibly the order of the sentence might. Rckert, Matth., Eadie, al., interpret of the scene of the combat, thus also joining . . with . . . The objection to this is twofold: 1) that the words thus appear without any sort of justification in the context: nay rather as a weakening of the following , instead of a strengthening: and 2) that according to Eadies argument, they stultify themselves. He asks, How can they (the heavenly places, the scenes of divine blessing, of Christs exaltation, &c.) be the seat or abode of impure fiends? But if they are the scene of our combat with these fiends, how can our enemies be any where else but in them? Two ways then remain: to join . a) with -b) with only. The absence of an article before forms of course an objection to both: but not to both equally. Were b) to be adopted, the specifying 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 before , because . only specifies the locality,-does not distinguish . . from any other elsewhere. So that this is in grammar the least objectionable rendering. And in sense it is, notwithstanding what Eadie and others have said, equally unobjectionable. That habitation of the evil spirits which in ch. Eph 2:2 was said, when speaking of mere matters of fact, to be in the , is, now that the difficulty and importance of the Christian conflict is being forcibly set forth, represented as -over us, and too strong for us without the panoply of God. Cf. , Mat 6:26; and reff.).

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Eph 6:12. , is not) The evil spirits lurk concealed behind the men who are hostile to us.- ) the wrestling.- , against blood and flesh) Comp. Mat 16:17, note. , blood and flesh, viz. (mere) men, were weak, even at Rome, where they kept Paul a prisoner.-, but) After a very distinct mention of good angels, ch. Eph 1:21, Eph 3:10, he thus appropriately speaks also of bad spirits, especially to the Ephesians; comp. Act 19:19. The more plainly any book of Scripture treats of the Christian dispensation and the glory of Christ, the more clearly, on the other hand, does it present to our view the opposite kingdom of darkness.-, against) Against occurs four times [after ]. In three of the clauses the power of our enemies is pointed out; in the fourth, their nature and disposition.-, the rulers of the world) mundi tenentes, The holders of the world, to use the word of Tertullian. It is well that they are not holders of all things; yet the power not only of the devil himself, but also of those over whom he exercises authority, is great. There seem to be other kinds of evil spirits, that remain more at home in the citadel of the kingdom of darkness: principalities, powers. This third class is different, inasmuch as they go abroad and take possession, as it were, of the provinces of the world: rulers [holders] of the world.- , of the darkness) Herein they are distinguished from angels of light. This is mostly spiritual darkness, ch. Eph 5:8; Eph 5:11; Luk 22:53, which has wickedness presently after as its synonym; yet even to them natural darkness is more congenial than light. The contest is much more difficult in darkness.- , of this world) The word , the holders (rulers) of the world, directly governs the two genitives and , of the darkness and of this world, according to [in relation to] either part of the compound word. , world, and , age, are to be referred mutually to each other, as time and place.[99] The term, Holders (rulers) of the world, is the ground on which this wickedness is practised. There are princes of the darkness of the world in the present age. The connection between , world, and , age, is not grammatical but logical: , world (mundus), in all its extent; , world, age (sculum), the present world, in its disposition (character), course, and feeling. I cannot say , as, on the contrary, I can say .- , the spiritual things) The antithesis is blood and flesh. These spiritual things are opposed to the spiritual things of grace, 1Co 12:1, and are contrary to faith, hope, love, the gifts [of the Spirit], either in the way of a force opposite [to those graces], or by a false imitation of them. Moreover, as in the same epistle, 1Co 14:12, spirits are used for spiritual things, so here spiritual things are very aptly used for spirits. For these spirits make their assault with such quickness and dexterity, that the soul does not almost think [generally is not aware] of the presence of these foreign existences lurking beneath, but believes that it is something in itself within which produces the spiritual temptation; and even , spiritual, in the singular, may be taken as a kind of military force, in the same way as , horsemen, is applied in Rev 9:16, and is else where used of an army; so that here , viz. , may be used as in Zosimus, 1. 3: , , The bands of infantry, a foreign force. Aristot. 3, pol. 10, p. 210.- , in places above the heavens) Even enemies, but as captives (ch. Eph 4:8, note), may be in a royal palace, and adorn it.

[99] refers to place; to time: The world-rulers of the age; the world-rulers of the darkness. But Engl. V. makes governed by , of the darkness of this world.-ED.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Eph 6:12

Eph 6:12

For our wrestling-Wrestling is a technical word of the Greek athletic contests. It was probably suggested by the word stand. For the wrestlers work is to maintain his position and to throw his adversary. And it is a most graphic picture of the Christian life. For, unlike military conflict, each one contends alone against a personal contestant, and can gain the victory only by intense personal effort and watchfulness. This suitability of the word led Paul to drop for a moment the military metaphor involved in the word armor, to which he returns in the next verse, and to borrow another metaphor from the athletic festivals.

is not against flesh and blood,-This denotes mankind as limited by the constitution of the human body. The Christian struggle is not against persons so limited. This is true even when we have resolute human opponents. For these are but instruments of unseen and more tremendous foes.

but against the principalities, against the powers,-The signification of this and the following terms, and the analogy of scripture, renders it certain that the reference is to evil spirits. For the angels that sinned and were cast out of heaven, it is said: God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment. (2Pe 2:4). And again: Angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (Jud 1:6). They are now subject to Satan their prince. They are now called those who are first in high rank; and powers, those invested with high authority. These terms have probably reference to the relation of the spirits among themselves.

against the world-rulers-This expresses the extent of the dominion of these invisible foes-the term is extended only to the rulers of the most widely extended realms; there is no part of the earth to which their influence does not extend, and where this dark rule does not show itself. (Luk 4:6).

of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness-These evil spirits reign over the existing state of ignorance and alienation from God. That is, the world in its apostasy is subject to their control; or ‘this darkness is equivalent to kingdom of darkness. Rulers of the kingdom of darkness, which includes in it the world as distinguished from the true people of God. Our conflict, therefore, is with the potentates who are rulers of the kingdom of darkness as it now is.

in the heavenly places.-Undoubtedly the places here meant are those in which are found the hosts of wicked spirits against whom believers are in perpetual struggle, and in which they need the panoply of God described in the following verses. These places cannot be called heavenly because of heavenly enjoyment experienced by these occupants, but for some other reason. The allusion is the same as in the following: “And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience. (Eph 2:1-2). If our “adversary the devil, as a roaring lion (1Pe 5:8), if he is going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it (Job 1:7), his activity is in the same place precisely in which the angels are employed. He is often at church, and sometimes in the pulpit. He is at work in places that are heavenly, to angels, though they are far from being heavenly to him. Paul often speaks of the Christian life as a conflict, but only here does he name the opponent. In 1Jn 5:4-5, the enemy to be conquered is the world. This calls attention to the outward and visible form, and the multiplicity, of the foes arrayed against us. In 1Jn 4:4-6, the power of this multiform antagonist is traced to one animating and personal principle. In 2Co 4:4, Paul says the god of this world proves his hostility by blinding the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, . . . should not dawn upon them. And the passage before us speaks of various superhuman powers acting under the directions of one supreme foe, the devil.

[At the head of the ranks of wicked spirits is the devil. The subject is a forbidding one, but the levity with which it is treated in many circles, the number of those who scorn the idea of personal evil spirits whose sole aim is to antagonize the Lords work, grace among men, justifies some reflections on it. Probably there is no criminal known to men that has so many aliases as the devil. I subjoin a partial list of names given him by the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit: Evil One (Mat 13:19); Enemy (Mat 13:39); Beelzebub (Mar 3:22); Prince of Devils (Mar 3:22); Strong One (Luk 11:21); Murderer (Joh 8:44); Liar (Joh 8:44); Father of Lies (Joh 8:44); Prince of This World (Joh 12:31); Satan (Act 5:3); God of This World (2Co 4:4); Belial (2Co 6:15); Serpent (2Co 11:3); Spirit of Evil (Eph 2:2); Tempter (1Th 3:5); Adversary (1Pe 5:8); Angel of the Abyss (Rev 9:11); Apollyon (Rev 9:11); Abaddon (Rev 9:11); Great Red Dragon (Rev 12:3); The Dragon (Rev 12:7); Great Dragon (Rev 12:9); The Old Serpent (Rev 12:9); Devil and Satan (Rev 12:9); Deceiver of the Whole World (Rev 12:9); Accuser (Rev 12:10). Here are twenty- seven names given the devil, each of which is descriptive of his energy, and his power. The Lord Jesus himself calls him the prince of this world, a title which invests him with marvelous authority. Paul calls him the god of this world. Both describe the sphere of the devils influence, and both have to do with that strange, lawless, and godless thing called the spirit of the twentieth century. How profoundly this spirit of the age is dominated by the devil and interpenetrated vicious influence which every observant Christian perceives. There is scarcely a beneficial invention of this age that is not perverted into an instrumentality for evil. With such a foe confronting him, the Christian needs the whole armor of God, which is fully provided and freely given.]

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

wrestle: Luk 13:24, 1Co 9:25-27, 2Ti 2:5, Heb 12:1, Heb 12:4

flesh and blood: Gr. blood and flesh, Mat 16:17, 1Co 15:50, Gal 1:16

principalities: Eph 1:21, Eph 3:10, Rom 8:38, Col 2:15, 1Pe 3:22

against the: Eph 2:2, Job 2:2, Luk 22:53, Joh 12:31, Joh 14:30, Joh 16:11, Act 26:18, 2Co 4:4, Col 1:13

spiritual wickedness: or, wicked spirits

high: or, heavenly, Eph 1:3

Reciprocal: Gen 32:24 – wrestled 2Sa 3:1 – between Dan 7:18 – most High Dan 10:13 – the prince Mat 12:45 – seven Mat 13:39 – enemy Luk 4:5 – taking 1Co 9:26 – so 1Co 10:13 – hath 2Co 2:11 – General 2Co 11:15 – his Gal 1:4 – from Eph 5:8 – ye were Col 1:16 – thrones 1Ti 1:18 – mightest Jam 4:7 – Resist 1Jo 4:4 – than Rev 2:10 – the devil Rev 2:24 – the depths Rev 12:7 – war Rev 16:17 – into

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

(Eph 6:12.) -For our struggle is not against flesh and blood. The reading , commended by Griesbach, and adopted by Lachmann, Rckert, and Olshausen, has the authority of B, D1, F, G, but is supported by the preponderant authority of A, D3, E, K, L, etc., with other concurrent witnesses. Olshausen’s argument for proves the reverse of his position, for the temptation was to alter to , since the rest of the paragraph is delivered in the second person. The idea of a necessary combat on the part of man with evil of all kinds around him, is so natural, that we find it under various representations in classical writers. Homer, Il. 20.47, and especially Plato, De Leg. 10.906. This latter passage is regarded by some of the Fathers as parallel to the one before us (Clemens Alex. Strom. 593; Eusebius, Evang. Praep. 11.26), and as an echo from some old oracle of the Jewish scriptures.

The apostle has just spoken of the wiles of the devil, and he justifies the statement now–because. The article is prefixed to , not simply because the contest is already supposed in the preceding verse, but because it is the one contest in which each must engage-a contest of life and death. The noun occurs only here, and is not used by the Seventy. It signifies a personal encounter, and is rendered colluctatio in the Vulgate. The phrase flesh and blood denotes humanity, viewed in its palpable characteristics, and as opposed to such spiritual and uncompounded natures as the apostle describes in the following clauses. The terms do not point out humanity in its sinful or fallen state, but only in its ordinary and organized form. Mat 16:17; 1Co 15:50; Gal 1:16. The conflict which the apostle describes is no equal one with humanity, no wrestling on equal terms of potsherd with potsherd; and man being placed at this terrible disadvantage, there is therefore all the more need of the panoply of God. The common notion, adopted also by Stier, Passavant, and Burton, that the apostle means to say that we wrestle not only with the evil of human corruption, but against superhuman adversaries, cannot be sustained. Yet Bloomfield and Trollope without hesitation supply . Our struggle is not against flesh and blood-

, -but against principalities, against powers. The combat is with spirits, and those of high rank and position. It has been remarked by Meyer and de Wette, that . . . does not mean non tam, non tantum, for the apostle excludes flesh and blood from the lists altogether: the combat is only with principalities and with powers. Winer, 55, 8; Klotz-Devarius, vol. Eph 2:9. The two substantives are explained under Eph 1:21. The terms there employed to denote the good are here used to denote the evil chiefs. The apostle therefore refers to fallen spirits, who once occupied positions of rank and prerogative in heaven, and may still retain a similar place among the hosts of apostate angels. It is no vulgar herd of fiends we encounter, but such of them as are darkly eminent in place and dignity. For we fight-

-against the world-rulers of this darkness. The Received Text interposes before , but without valid proof. The words are wanting in A, B, D1, F, G, and in many versions and Fathers, though they are found in D3, E, K, L. It is wrong on the part of Harless to sink the meaning of by explaining the compound term as meaning only rulers. When applied to earthly sovereigns, it is always to those of most extensive sway, who were supposed to have the world under control-munditenentes. Tertullian. The strong term denotes world-lords, and is so far equivalent to in Joh 12:31; Joh 14:30; Joh 16:11; and in 2Co 4:4. The rabbins have also adopted the word-. See also 1Jn 5:19. What influence is ascribed in these texts to Satan, is here ascribed to others of his unholy associates or subjects. These evil spirits, who are our wary and vengeful antagonists, have acquired a special dominion on earth, out of which they are loath to be dislodged. This darkness is that spiritual obscurity which so painfully environs the church-that zone which surrounds an unbelieving world with an ominous and lowering shadow. The moral obscurity of paganism and impiety is fitly presided over by beings congenial in gloom and guilt. See Eph 2:2, Eph 5:8; Act 26:10. The darkness, as Chrysostom says, is not that of the night, but . It is plain that fallen spirits have a vast and mysterious agency in the world, and that in many ways inscrutable to man they lord it over ungodliness-shaping, deepening, or prolonging the means and methods of spiritual subjugation. Not, says Theophylact, as if they were lords of the creature, but only of the world of sin-of such as voluntarily submit to them- ; not, says Theodoret, as if God gave them such government- . This dark spirit-world is anxious to possess and maintain supremacy, and therefore Christians must wage incessant warfare with it. The term is used by Irenaeus as synonymous with the devil-, . . Contra Haereses, lib. i. cap. v. p. 64; ed. Stieren, Lipsiae, 1848-52. The same idea pervaded the demonology of the later Judaism, as Schoettgen (Horae Hebr. p. 790), Buxtorf (Lexicon Talmud. p. 2006), and Wetstein (in loc.) abundantly prove. Elsner has also produced similar language and epithets from the Testament of Solomon and Jamblichus on the Egyptian Mysteries. Observat. p. 229. Not that the apostle fancifully adopted either their nomenclature or their notions, but these citations prove that the inspired language was well understood and recognized in the Eastern world.

-against the spirits or spiritual bands of evil, in heavenly places. Our English version, preceded by Erasmus, Zegerus, and a-Lapide, renders spiritual wickednesses-spirituales nequitiae. Adopting such a meaning of the adjective, the sense, as Meyer suggests, would be, the spiritual elements or aspects of evil. But the following genitive shows that the preceding adjective has the form of a substantive, and here of a collective noun. Winer compares with , which is really an adjective ( 34, note 3). So we have -the cavalry. Rev 9:16. Other critics compare to the -band of robbers, Polyaenus, Strat. 5.14; , Herodot. 7.103; , etc. Khner, 474, , 479, b; Bernhardy, p. 326; Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 378. The genitive will then be that of character or quality-the spiritual cohorts of evil. Scheuerlein, p. 115. Their nature is evil, their commission is evil, their work is evil. Evil and evil only are they, alike in essence and operation. This interpretation has the concurrence of Harless, Meyer, Olshausen, Meier, Matthies, Stier, Ellicott, and the Greek fathers OEcumenius and Theophylact.

The fivefold repetition of adds intensity to the sentiment, which displays the emphatic vehemence of martial excitement. Not only is repeated, but the usual is omitted. The verse is thus a species of asyndeton, in which each clause, as it is dwelt upon and individualized, stands out as a vivid, independent thought. Winer, 50, 7. To rouse up the Christian soldiery, the apostle brings out into bold relief the terrible foes which they are summoned to encounter. As to their position, they are no subalterns, but foes of mighty rank, the nobility and chieftains of the fallen spirit-world; as to their office, their domain is this darkness in which they exercise imperial sway; as to their essence, they are not encumbered with an animal frame, but are spirits; and as to their character, they are evil-their appetite for evil only exceeds their capacity for producing it.

-in the heavenly places. See under Eph 1:3; Eph 1:20, Eph 2:6, Eph 3:10. It needs scarcely be remarked-1. That the exegesis which makes signify heavenly things cannot be borne out, but is wholly against the idiom of the epistle. See under Eph 1:3. Yet this false meaning is adhered to in this place by Chrysostom, Theodoret, and OEcumenius, by Cajetan, Heinsius, Glassius, Rosenmller, and Tyndale, who renders-against spretuall wickednes for hevenly thinges, giving an unsustainable signification. 2. We need not stay to refute the notion of those who, like Schoettgen, Wilke, Crellius, Van Til, Brennius, and the editors of the Improved Version, think the apostle means, in whole or in part, in this verse to describe bad men of station and influence, like the Jewish rabbinical doctors, or provincial Gentile governors. The meaning of the phrase depends on the connection assigned it:-1. The phrase may describe the scene of combat. To sustain this interpretation, there is no necessity either, with Augustine, to join the words to , or to connect them with , as is done by Rckert, Matthies, and Baumgarten-Crusius, for perhaps they are too remote in position. Or, 2, may mean the seat of these evil spirits. This view is maintained by no less names than Jerome, who adds-haec autem omnium doctorum opinio est; by Ambrosiaster, Luther, Calvin, Beza, Estius, Grotius, Bengel, Hammond, Meier, Holzhausen, Meyer, Olshausen, Harless, de Wette, Ellicott, and Alford. See Photius, Quaest. Amphiloch. p. 94; Petavius, Dogmata Theol. lib. iii. c. iv. But Jerome says-non quo daemones in coelestibus commorentur, sed quo supra nos ar hoc nomen acceperit. But the heavenly places have been referred to by the apostle as the scenes of divine ble ssing, of Christ’s exaltation, of His people’s elevation, and as the region of unfallen and pure intelligences, and how can they be here the seat or abode of impure fiends? The first opinion does not, as Alford hints, stultify itself; for the scene of warfare may be different from the scene of proper residence. His view is, in effect at least, coincident with ours-the place of abode becomes the place of combat. Nor is there any proof that means heaven, in the sense of the air or atmosphere. None of the other clauses in which the phrase occurs can bear such a signification, and yet such is the sense put upon the words by the majority of those whom we have quoted. Allioli renders-in der Luft. Consult what is said under Eph 2:2, as to the meaning of . are the celestial spots occupied by the church (Eph 1:3, Eph 2:6); and in them this combat is to be maintained. Those evil spirits have invaded the church, are attempting to pollute, divide, secularize, and overthrow it; are continually tempting its members to sin and apostasy; are ever warring against goodness and obstructing its progress; and therefore believers must encounter them and fight them in the heavenly places. Such appears to us to be the plain allusion of the apostle, and the exegesis is not beset either with grammatical or theological difficulty. Still the subject is one of mystery, and we dare not definitely pronounce on the express meaning of the terms employed.

Our translators felt a dilemma here, and shrank from the same right rendering which they had given in the other verses where the phrase occurred. Under the same perplexity, some have proposed to read , for which unwarranted emendation Erasmus and Beza had a kindly preference; and the version of Luther is-unter dem Himmel. The Syriac also renders – under heaven. The perplexity was felt to be so great, that no less a scholar than Daniel Heinsius actually proposes the desperate shift of transposing the words to the beginning of the verse, and making out this sense-in heavenly things our contest is not with flesh and blood. Exercitat. Sac. p. 472. Neither of the renderings of Storr can be sustained-qui in coelo fuere, or qui coelestes origine sunt. Opuscula, i. p. 179; Observat. p. 174. The opinions of Locke and Doddridge are erroneous. The former renders-the spiritual managers of the opposition to the kingdom of God; and the latter-spirits who became authors and abettors of wickedness even while they abode in heavenly places. Hofmann generalizes, or as Meyer says, rationalizes the phrase in saying-that it refers not to place-that evil spirits are not confined to this or that locality of this earthly world-sondern dieselbe berwaltend, wie der Himmel die Erde umspannt. Schriftb. i. p. 455. Not much different from the view of Doddridge is that of Cocceius and Calovius, who join closely with the phrase – spirits who do evil in the heavenlies. The exegesis of Peile is as arbitrary as any of these-wickedness exhibited in spiritual beings who kept not their first estate, their righteous principality in the centre of heaven.

Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians

The Conflict of the Ages

Eph 6:12-18

INTRODUCTORY WORDS

We believe we have given this sermon the correct name because the conflict which has come down through all the previous ages, which is now waging, and which will reach a final onslaught during the period of tribulation, is the conflict of Satan against the saints.

No sooner were Adam and Eve safely housed in the Garden of Eden than the enemy began to wage a battle against them-even against God’s supreme creation. We all know the story of how they were seduced, and fell victims of the great enemy.

Not long after the expulsion, Cain was possessed of Satan, as he slew his brother, Abel. Step by step from those primeval days down to the flood, a period which covered more than one thousand years, Satan enlarged his conquest over the human race until, at last, with man almost universally under his power, God sent the deluge to destroy man from the earth.

Noah and his family alone were saved in the ark.

After the flood, and until the days of Christ, Satan’s conflict centered first against Noah, then against Abraham, and Abraham’s seed, national Israel. As time progressed Satan particularly focused his efforts against the kingly line which ran from David down through Solomon to Mary, the mother of Jesus.

In a former sermon we studied Satan’s strategies against the Seed of the woman who was the Son of God. Today it is our desire to emphasize that phase of Satan’s warfare, the conflict of the ages which centered itself against the Church of God.

In fighting the Church Satan has his only present hour method of fighting against Christ. The Church, beloved of God, is the Body of Christ. To fight the ones beloved, is to fight the One who loves. A conflict against the body is a conflict against the head.

The world of today mocks the fact of Satan. They tell us that the devil is no more than the fancy of a disjointed brain. We, however, who know God, and know His Word, know of the personality of Satan. Jesus Christ, during His earthly life, was not fighting an imaginary enemy, but a real, living, and powerful foe.

The one who resisted Paul, Peter, the Apostles, and all of the saints through the ages has been a personal enemy. To be sure we recognize that the personal devil, of whom we have just spoken, is localized, and can, individually attack but few.

Satan, however, can, and does, martial innumerable hosts of fallen angels and demons in his conflict.

We often have heard the expression that Dewey sank the Spanish Armada in the waters of the Philippines. As it was, Dewey never fired a gun. He merely stood in his flagship and gave orders, directing the conflict.

Satan, himself, is a Dewey, the captain-general of his armies. He is the director of hosts. However, it is correct to say that he is the enemy of the individual saint, and of the Church, because he, through his emissaries, is constantly going about seeking whom he may devour.

I. SATAN’S STRATEGIES AGAINST THE EARLY CHURCH (Act 4:16-19)

The Church was born upon its knees, baptized in the Holy Ghost the day it was born.

The message of that first great and notable day is known by us all as Peter’s Pentecostal sermon.

The whole world seemed turned upside down as a result of that one great speech.

Thousands were present in Jerusalem-Jews and proselytes from every nation under Heaven, They that gladly received Peter’s word were baptized, and “the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls,”

To these, the first saints of the present dispensation, God gave untold victory and power. They continued stedfastly in the faith, praising God and having favor with all the people. Thus their numbers increased daily until there were more than five thousand believers.

Satan could not see this marvelous march of victory without being disturbed. He immediately began to set himself to disrupt the Church. His first great stroke was to enrage the scribes and the Pharisees against the saints. Thus it was that they drew Peter and John before the council, and commanded them that they should not speak at all, or preach in the Name of the Lord Jesus.

This stroke of Satan was absolutely useless. The disciples said, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Thus, “with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.”

Satan soon discovered that persecution cannot stay the power of the Gospel nor kill the spirit and ardor of saints.

II. SATAN’S SECOND ATTACK AGAINST THE CHURCH (Act 5:3)

Among the saints in Jerusalem there was a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira. They owned a certain possession which they sold, professing to lay the proceeds at the feet of the Apostles. However, the two connived together, and privately kept back part of the price of the land.

When Ananias came with his offering, Peter immediately said, “Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”

As Ananias heard these words he fell down and gave up the ghost. His wife came in three hours later, and not knowing what had happened, she told Peter that they had sold the land for the amount which they had brought as an offering to God.

Peter said, “Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.”

Then Peter said unto her, “How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.”

Thus it was that Satan’s effort to spoil the integrity of the saints was used of God to place the fear of the Lord upon the whole Church.

As we think of Satan’s strategy in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, we cannot but marvel that the same spirit dominates many saints of today. This is not accomplished merely in the realm of our free-will offerings and gifts to the Lord, but also in the lack of yielded lives. There are many who profess to follow the Lord fully, and yet they are retaining much space in their hearts and lives for the world. They are, so to speak, keeping back a part of the land.

III. SATAN AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT (2Co 11:13-15)

Satan never comes out in the open displaying his real self when he tempts saints. He approaches them as apostles and workers, and not as false apostles and deceitful workers. He, himself, is transformed into an angel of light; it is no great thing therefore if his ministers, also, be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.

Satan in his heart is a wolf, but in his outward manifestations he appears as a sheep. He parades himself as a religious enthusiast, although he is a hater of Jesus Christ.

He delights in bearing the name of an “apostle,” although he knows that he is an “apostate.”

He delights in robing himself as a “church worker,” when, in truth, he is moving among the saints as a “deceitful spy,” seeking to undo everything that the saints would accomplish.

Satan and his emissaries find no greater pleasure than in preaching from orthodox pulpits. They deceive the people with their flattery, as they paint word pictures of world righteousness, and human progress. They even proclaim righteousness, but a righteousness apart from faith and the Cross.

We remember the parable of Christ concerning the sower who sowed the good seed, and the enemy who sowed the tares. It was only in the harvests that the true and the false could be detected. Members of churches are paying for the support of men, and even applauding the preaching of men who deny every vital of the faith. These men cover their infidelities with high-sounding phrases which would, if possible, deceive the very elect.

Let us beware of this strategy of Satan, for an enemy once permitted within the camp is far more dangerous than an enemy outside of the walls.

IV. SATAN’S STRATEGIES IN THE LAST DAYS (1Ti 4:1)

All down through the centuries Satan has wrought against the saints. As time has rolled by he has tried various strategies. He has put forth every wicked wile against the Church, and yet the True Church still lives, and proclaims the message of Truth.

We, however, who live in the last days should be very careful to observe the particular methods which Satan uses against the end-time saints.

Of these strategies the Spirit speaks expressly, saying, “In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.” If this is a message spoken “expressly,” we need to consider it carefully.

People today are being carried off their feet by the doctrines of demons. They give heed to the seducing spirits who promulgate these doctrines. How often do we see professed believers, and perhaps actual saints, swept away by some power of the occults. Spirits are working, yes, they are real spirits but are not many the spirits of demons?

Fallen angels and demons may, and sometimes do, impersonate deceased men and women, and they cunningly parade themselves as the departed. Not only in this, but in many other ways, are the doctrines of demons afloat in the air. We need to cling to the Bible, and have all assurance of faith lest we, too, are carried away by these deceptions.

V. SATAN’S DELUSIONS IN THE LAST DAYS (2Th 2:9-11)

As the age wears on Satan becomes more and more subtle in his delusions. Perhaps he was the one who suggested to an outstanding comic publisher, “What fools these mortals be.” It often seems that the public likes to be fooled.

One thing that we know, Satan is already working with all power, and signs, and lying wonders. These deceptions will greatly increase with the coming of the antichrist and the Rapture of the Church. The antichrist will work marvelous feats in the last days.

Satan has always been a counterfeiter; whatever God has done, he has tried to do something like it. If God has a Church, so also will Satan have a church. We read of “the synagogue of Satan.” If God has ministers, so also do we read of the “ministers of Satan.” If God’s ministers preach righteousness, so also do Satan’s ministers parade themselves as preachers of righteousness. If God’s ministers work miracles, signs, and wonders, so also will Satan and his ministers startle the world with the same, as far as they are able. In the days of Moses, whenever he and Aaron wrought miracles before Pharaoh, thus did the magicians of Egypt endeavor to do.

May God grant unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, that we may be able to detect the false, and discern the true.

Thousands will fall under the marvelous power of the coming satanic trinity-the devil, the antichrist and the false prophet. The whole world will be amazed and wonder at the power of the beast. It will seem that nothing is impossible to him.

He will cause the image of the beast to speak. He will startle men with the miraculous and hold them with the power of a popularized potentate. No man, in those days, will survive unless he bears the image of the beast, and wears the number of his name.

VI. SATAN’S STRATEGIES FOLLOWING THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS (Rev 12:12)

Let us go a little deeper into some things suggested by the last Scripture. When the Lord Jesus Christ comes down through the air, and the saints are caught up to meet Him, Satan, himself, will then be cast down to the earth. This “casting down” is described in the Book of Revelation as a war in Heaven. Then comes the statement of our text: “The devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

The Rapture of the Church does not mean that Satan will have no place to ply his trade against saints. God’s chosen race, the people of Israel, will still be upon the earth. In addition, following the Rapture multitudes will be saved. These will come from every nation of the earth. Against the Jews, therefore, and against any who dare to profess their faith in Christ, Satan will press his battle.

In fact, during these few years which make up the tribulation period Satan will exercise great wrath. He will redouble his efforts, and energy. The devilish trinity composed of himself, the antichrist, and the false prophet will bring under his sway the kings and the princes of the earth. He will cause every man to bear the mark and number of his name in their hands or in their foreheads.

Thus empowered by his two allies, and by the rulers of the earth and their armies will he set himself against God and God’s chosen nation. If it were not for the fact that God sealed certain of the tribes of Israel and made them impervious to Satan’s wiles, and to the further fact that a Jewish remnant will be carried into the wilderness where they will be Divinely succored during this period, few men would be saved.

VII. HOW TO MEET SATAN’S STRATEGIES (Eph 6:10)

God, knowing that the devil went about seeking whom he might devour, and knowing his power, gave command unto His saints, saying, “Take unto you the whole armour of God.” Thank God, the saints are not now left unprotected from the wrath of the enemy. All of the power of God is granted unto saints: and the whole armor of God is theirs.

In Washington we saw in the museum the armor which the warriors of old used to wear. Their armor was not comparable to ours. Our helmet is the helmet of salvation; our girdle is the girdle of Truth. Righteousness is our breastplate. Peace shods our feet. The shield of faith, which we carry is able to challenge all of the devil’s fiery darts. The Sword of the Spirit which we wield is sharper than any two-edged sword. Over all and above all of this marvelous armor, God has given us the privilege and power of prayer and supplication in the Spirit.

We need not fear, for victory will crown us in the way.

Jesus Christ when on earth met the devil and vanquished him. He now vouchsafes unto us His power and conquest. He leads us in the train of His triumph.

Our part is to hide ourselves in Him away from the reach of the enemy, and then, when we go forth from His presence to go clothed in His armor of Truth. To Satan God says, “So far shalt thou go, and no farther.” We are secure from the strategies of the enemy, if we are sheltered under the wing of our God.

It would be folly, however, to underestimate the strength of our foe. It is far better to know his power, and to be panoplied against his devices. We serve a conquering Christ.

AN ILLUSTRATION

“Soldiers can take no chances with any possible enemy. During the war ‘McClure’s Magazine’ told of a great reservation here in America where untold quantities of explosives were kept. As eight officers in charge were at supper one night a slight flicker in the electric lights occurred. Instantly every officer was on his feet and had vanished without a word. A few minutes later they had all come back and gone on eating their supper. Why? Because the electric light kept aflame the great flares between magazines by which the guard could see the slightest shadow cast by a moving figure and because the man in charge of that electric plant, though an American, had a German name. The eight officers had been tugging at red tape for sixty days to have him replaced by a native American. And until this was accomplished one of the eight would always be watching him and the remaining seven would spring into action at the slightest flicker of the electric lights. Are we Christians as sensitively alert to the peril of every flicker of temptation that comes our way from one who is worse than the worst of enemy spies, Satan?”-Sunday School Times.

Fuente: Neighbour’s Wells of Living Water

Eph 6:12. Paul likens the Christian warfare to a wrestling contest which was a common form of athletics in those days. In that bout the winner was required not only to throw his rival, but must hold him down with his hand upon his neck. A Christian must not only “win a point” against the devil, but must continue his victory until the antagonist acknowledges his defeat. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jas 4:7). Not against flesh and blood means the warfare is not a temporal one, but one in which the issue is religious or spiritual. (See 2Co 10:3-6.) Principalities means rulers with seniority, and powers denotes that these rulers have authority from some effective source. The source is denoted by the phrase darkness of this world, which is a figure for the doctrines of error taught by false leaders. Spiritual wickedness is rendered “spiritual powers of wickedness” by the Englishman’s Greek New Testament. High places is rendered “heavenly” in the margin. The Greek word OURANOS is the word for the three heavens the air, the starry region, and the dwelling place of God. In our verse it means the first heaven, because the devil and his angels were said to have that region for their dominion. Hence we read of “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh In the children of disobedience” (chapter 2:2).

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Eph 6:12. For explains why we need to stand against this foe.

Our wrestling; the conflict in which we are engaged; the term being applied to hand to hand contests in athletic games.

Is not against flesh and blood. (The original has the unusual order: blood and flesh.) Our real conflict as Christians is not with men, nor even with our own human nature. There is no need of softening down the word not. The men with whom we may contend are vessels which another uses, instruments which another touches (Augustine).

But against principalities, etc. The contrast with what precedes compels us to explain this clause as meaning Satan and his organized forces. Principalities and powers refer to classes of superhuman beings in his kingdom; the former apparently superior (comp. chap. Eph 1:21). But more than this we cannot even conjecture.

Against the world-rulers; a peculiar term, also referring to the evil angels who serve the prince of this world (Joh 14:30; Joh 16:11; 1Jn 5:19).

Of this darkness. So the best authorities; the other words having been inserted, probably to explain the peculiar term world-rulers. The evil angels exercise dominion in the world, and its depraved character is expressed by this darkness.

Against the spiritual hosts or wickedness in the heavenly places. There can be little doubt that this is the sense of this difficult clause. The reference is still to evil spirits, but to their collective bands, hosts, armies, forces (the form of the original being indefinite); all these are characterized as being of wickedness. The main difficulty, however, is with the last phrase: in the heavenly places, which is found in chap. Eph 1:3 also. High places is a gloss to avoid using heavenly in a description of evil spirits. Some have attempted to obviate the difficulty by connecting the phrase with the former part of the verse, and explaining that the contest is about heavenly things or has its scene in the heavenly places, or, in the Church, etc. But the obvious connection is with what immediately precedes, either with spiritual hosts of wickedness, or with the last word alone. The former is preferable on grammatical grounds. That habitation of the evil spirits, which in chap. Eph 2:2 was said, when speaking of mere matters of fact, to be in the air, is, now that the difficulty and importance of the Christian conflict is being forcibly set forth, represented as in the heavenly places,

over us, and too strong for us without the panoply of God (Alford). The word heavenly usually has either a local or an ethical meaning; the latter disappears here, but in this connection the local sense has added to it the idea of might, in contrast with flesh and blood. The one great practical purpose is to warn us against misapprehending the nature of the spiritual conflict Satan is a read person; his emissaries are numerous and powerful, though like him unseen. It increases their advantage to have us deny their existence. The three great mistakes are: not knowing our own weakness; not knowing the strength of our spiritual foes; not knowing Gods provision for our defence (Eph 6:11) which is next set forth in detail.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

The apostle mentioned our enemy in the former verse; here he describes the combat in this verse, We wrestle. A Christian’s life is a perpetual warfare, a continual wrestling; but with what, and with whom?

Ans. Negatively, Not with flesh and blood; that is, not only or chiefly with flesh and blood, with human enemies; but we must grapple and contend with angelical powers, with devils, who are principalities and powers, & c.

Here note, How the devil and his angels are described:

1. 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.

2. By the seat of his empire: he rules in this world, not in the other; the highest the devil can go, is the air; heaven fears him not. And he is a ruler of the darkness of this world: that is, in such sinners as labour under the darkness of sin and ignorance.

3. Satan and his angels are here described by their spiritual nature, called spiritual wickedness, that is, wicked spirits: intimating to us, that the devils are spirits; that they are spirits extremely wicked; and that these wicked spirits do chiefly annoy Christians with, and provoke them to, spiritual wickedness.

4. They are described by their residence or place of abode: in high places; that is, in the air, of which he is called the prince.

From the whole note, How plainly Christ our captain deals with all his soldiers, and the difference between Christ’s dealing with his followers, and Satan with his: Satan durst not let sinners know who that God is whom they fight against, but Christ is not afraid to show his saints their enemy in all his power and strength; well he might, because the weakness of God is stronger than the powers of hell.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Eph 6:12. For we wrestle not Greek, , 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. Against the rulers of the darkness of this world Greek, , , against the rulers of the world, of the darkness of this age. Dr. Whitby explains this of those evil spirits that ruled in the heathen nations which were yet in darkness, and of those that had their stations in the region of the air. Perhaps, says Mr. Wesley, these principalities and powers (spoken of in the former clause) remain mostly in the citadel of the kingdom of darkness; but there are other evil spirits who range abroad, to whom the provinces of the world are committed. By the darkness of this age, that spiritual darkness is intended, which prevails during the present state of things. Evil spirits, Macknight thinks, are called rulers of this world, because the dominion which, by the permission of God, they exercise, is limited to the darkness of this world; that is, this world darkened by ignorance, wickedness, and misery, and which is the habitation or prison assigned them, until the judgment of the great day, Jude, Eph 6:6. Against spiritual wickedness Or rather, wicked spirits, as the Syriac translates the expression. The word , rendered wickedness, properly signifies malice joined with cunning, and is fitly mentioned as the characteristic of those wicked spirits with whom we are at war; and it is a quality so much the more dangerous, in that it exists in beings whose natural faculties are very great. And it must be observed, that they continually oppose faith, love, holiness, either by force or fraud, and labour to infuse unbelief, pride, idolatry, malice, envy, anger, hatred. In high places Greek, , in, or about, heavenly places. Those who translate it in the former way, think the expression refers to those places where they rebelled against the God of heaven, and drew in multitudes who were before holy and happy spirits, to take part with them in their impious revolt. But it seems more probable the sense is, about heavenly places; namely, the places which were once the abodes of those spirits, and which they still aspire to, as far as they are permitted; labouring at the same time to prevent our obtaining them. Dr. Goodwin, however, thinks that not heavenly places, but heavenly things are intended; namely, spiritual and eternal blessings, about which we may be properly said to wrestle with them, while we endeavour to secure these blessings to ourselves, and they to hinder us from attaining them.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

There are a number of terms that we want to look at but the overview of this verse is that we don’t wrestle with man, but that we wrestle with all sorts of other beings and evils. The term wrestle is a good choice, it is a struggle between us and all sorts of things that the Devil shoves in front of us, and it is a match that must end in one or the other as victor.

Since we are to stand, it must be us that God expects to be the winner. So, many people have talked to me about not being able to stand against temptation that they have failed due to their weakness – not true – they have not wanted to stand nor have they wanted to win. They have not prepared themselves for spiritual warfare, and they have succumbed to the Devil’s wiles.

“Flesh and blood” simply relates to humankind. We don’t have a fight with others of our kind, be they believers, or lost, but we have our fight with all that is the Devil’s and all that he has at his command.

“Against principalities” is the seat of power, or the beginning of power that a person/system has; that overall power to wield over those that serve it. The church constitution is the seat of power to the church leaders. It is where power begins within the church.

“Against powers” is the power that authority has for its use. The powers of the world, the powers of the Devil and the powers of the demons. This would be the massive power that our president commands. He has the power of the armed forces and all that the country to produce to back up his decisions.

“Against the rulers of the darkness of this world” actually is in the singular, the ruler of this world or the Devil himself. The one that has the rule over the world as we know it right now.

“Against spiritual wickedness in high [places]” relates to the wickedness in high places, in the heavenlies, again referring to the Devil and His assistants and all that they are doing in this world.

Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson

6:12 {13} For we wrestle not against flesh and {g} blood, but against {h} principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

(13) Secondly, he declares that our chiefest and mightiest enemies are invisible, so that we may not think that our chiefest conflict is with men.

(g) Against men, who are of a frail and brittle nature, against whom are set spiritual wiles, a thousand times more mighty than the flesh.

(h) He gives these names to the evil angels, by reason of the effects which they work: not that they are able to do the same in and of themselves, but because God gives them permission.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

If we want to obey God and resist the devil, we are in for a struggle. It is not easy to become a mature Christian nor is it automatic. It takes diligent, sustained effort (cf. Php 2:12-13). This is part of our human responsibility in progressive sanctification.

This struggle does not take place on the physical level primarily, though saying no to certain temptations may involve certain physical behavior. It is essentially warfare on the spiritual level with an enemy that we cannot see. This enemy is Satan and his hosts as well as the philosophies and feelings he promotes that people implement. Stott refuted the view that the principalities and powers are only structures of thought, especially embodied in the state and its institutions. [Note: See ibid., pp. 267-75.]

Some commentators believe that Paul described four different orders of angelic beings here. Probably the four terms used of our spiritual enemies in this verse do not identify four separate kinds of adversaries as much as they point out four characteristics of all of them. "Rulers" stresses their authority and "powers" or "authorities" their strength. "World forces of this darkness" or "powers of this dark world" point to their wide influence in the world, and forces "of wickedness" or "spiritual forces of evil" relate to their evil character. They operate in the heavenly realms (Eph 1:3; Eph 1:20; Eph 2:6; Eph 3:10). Presently Satan and his hosts have access to God in the sense that they can communicate with Him but not in the sense that they can coexist in fellowship with Him (cf. Job 1-2).

The idea that certain demons have special authority over specific territories comes from Dan 10:13 where we read that the "prince [Heb. sar, head, official, captain] of Persia" withstood Michael, one of the "chief princes [same Hebrew word]." It is impossible to know whether all demons have territorial authority and whether all territories have demonic heads because we do not have sufficient revelation. Clearly some demons have territorial assignments, but it seems unwarranted to conclude that all of them do.

"Nowhere in the NT do we find a territorial view of demons. Jesus never casts out a territorial demon or attributes the resistance of Nazareth or Jerusalem to such entities. Paul never refers to territorial spirits, nor does he attribute power to them-despite the paganism of cities where he established churches." [Note: Gerry Breshears, "The Body of Christ: Prophet, Priest, or King?" Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 37:1 (March 1994):15. See also Robert A. Guelich, "Spiritual Warfare: Jesus, Paul and Peretti," Journal of Pentecostal Studies 13:1 (Spring 1991):33-64.]

John Armstrong refuted from Scripture several of the teachings of some modern deliverance ministries. He wrote the following.

"In the face of growing citizen militia groups, committed to arming themselves in order to defend personal freedoms, it seems ironic that the church has forgotten that she is spiritually armed for an entirely different battle. As the church, in response to various culture wars, increasingly turns to numerous battles ’with flesh and blood’ rather than to the primary battle with ’the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places’ (Eph 6:12), one must wonder if we have forgotten the teaching of the New Testament itself." [Note: John H. Armstrong, "How Shall We Wage Our Warfare?" in The Coming Evangelical Crisis, p. 227.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)