The Meaning of Ephesians 1:22 Explained

Ephesians 1:22

KJV: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

YLT: and all things He did put under his feet, and did give him -- head over all things to the assembly,

Darby: and has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the assembly,

ASV: and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,

Discover Ephesians 1:22

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Ephesians 1:22?

MEANING: What does Ephesians 1:22 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Ephesians 1:22 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Ephesians 1:22?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  hath put  all  [things] under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  [to be] the head  over  all  [things] to the church, 

What does Ephesians 1:22 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The second manifestation of God"s power in Christ was the Father"s subjection of all things to Christ. Adam lost his lordship over creation when he sinned, but Jesus gained lordship over creation by His obedience ( Ephesians 1:10; Romans 5:12-21). His lordship over creation will be obvious in the future when He reigns during the Millennium ( Psalm 8:6; 1 Corinthians 15:27; Hebrews 2:6-8). [1]
The third manifestation of God"s power in Christ is the Son"s appointment as Head over the church (cf. Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18). This aspect of His lordship is evident now.
"There is given to the Church, and for the Church"s benefit, a Head who is also Head over all things. The church has authority and power to overcome all opposition because her Leader and Head is Lord of all." [2]
Morris, however, took "the head" here, and in Ephesians 4:15, as "the beginning." [3]

Context Summary

Ephesians 1:15-23 - What The Heart May Receive
It is well to go over the successive links of this golden chain when we are in our secret chamber, appropriating them one by one and asking whether we have received a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know Christ, and whether the eyes of our heart have been enlightened to know the hope, the riches, the glory, and the greatness of His power. In so far as we yield ourselves to the strength of God's might, He will raise us from the grave of selfishness and cause us to sit with Christ in the place of spiritual life and power.
Notice the emphasis with which the Apostle affirms the supremacy of Christ's nature, Ephesians 1:21-22. This is a psalm of ascension. We can almost follow His tracks, as all the evil powers which rule the darkness of this world drop far beneath Him. The ascending Lord is high over all, and if we claim our right as members of His glorified body, we also shall stand above all our spiritual adversaries; and it is easier to descend on an enemy from above him than to seek to assail him from beneath. Notice that Christ needs the Church as much as the head needs the body, because it is through the Church that He fulfills Himself. Ask Him to fill all of you with all of Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ephesians 1

1  After Paul's salutation,
3  and thanksgiving for the Ephesians,
4  he treats of our election,
6  and adoption by grace;
11  which is the true and proper fountain of man's salvation
13  And because the height of this mystery cannot be easily attained unto,
16  he prays that they may come to the full knowledge and possession thereof in Christ

Greek Commentary for Ephesians 1:22

He put all things in subjection [παντα υπεταχεν]
First aorist active indicative of υποτασσω — hupotassō quoted from Psalm 8:7 as in 1 Corinthians 15:27. [source]
Gave him to be head [αυτον εδωκεν κεπαλην]
Gave (εδωκεν — edōken first aorist active indicative of διδωμι — didōmi) to the church (the universal spiritual church or kingdom as in Colossians 1:18, Colossians 1:24) Christ as Head (κεπαλην — kephalēn predicate accusative). This conception of εκκλησια — ekklēsia runs all through Ephesians (Ephesians 3:10, Ephesians 3:21; Ephesians 5:23, Ephesians 5:24, Ephesians 5:25, Ephesians 5:27, Ephesians 5:29, Ephesians 5:32). [source]
Gave [εδωκεν]
This conception of εκκλησια — ekklēsia runs all through Ephesians (Ephesians 3:10, Ephesians 3:21; Ephesians 5:23, Ephesians 5:24, Ephesians 5:25, Ephesians 5:27, Ephesians 5:29, Ephesians 5:32). [source]
Put all things in subjection []
Compare Colossians 1:15-18; Psalm 8:5-8. [source]
Gave Him []
Him is emphatic: and Him He gave. Not merely set Him over the Church, but gave Him as a gift. See 2 Corinthians 9:15. [source]
The Church [τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ]
See on Matthew 16:18. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Ephesians 1:22

Philippians 3:21 Subdue [ὑποτάξαι]
Rev., subject. See on James 4:7. It is more than merely subdue. It is to bring all things within His divine economy; to marshal them all under Himself in the new heaven and the new earth in which shall dwell righteousness. Hence the perfected heavenly state as depicted by John is thrown into the figure of a city, an organized commonwealth. The verb is thus in harmony with Phlippians 3:20. The work of God in Christ is therefore not only to transform, but to subject, and that not only the body, but all things. See 1 Corinthians 15:25-27; Romans 8:19, Romans 8:20; Ephesians 1:10, Ephesians 1:21, Ephesians 1:22; Ephesians 4:10. [source]
Philippians 2:10 Things in heaven, etc. []
Compare Revelation 5:13; Ephesians 1:20, Ephesians 1:22. The words may apply either to all intelligent beings or to all things. The latter is in accord with Paul's treatment of the creation collectively in Romans 8:19-22, and with the Old-Testament passages, in which all nature is represented as praising God, as Psalm 148:1-14; Psalm 65:13. [source]
Colossians 1:18 The head of the body, the Church []
The Church is described as a body, Romans 12:4sq.; 1Corinthians href="/desk/?q=1co+10:17&sr=1">1 Corinthians 10:17, by way of illustrating the functions of the members. Here the image is used to emphasize the position and power of Christ as the head. Compare Colossians 2:19; Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 4:4, Ephesians 4:12, Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 4:16; Ephesians 5:23, Ephesians 5:30. [source]
Colossians 1:18 The head of the body [η κεπαλη του σωματος]
Jesus is first also in the spiritual realm as he is in nature (Colossians 1:18-20). Paul is fond of the metaphor of the body (σωμα — sōma) for believers of which body Christ is the head (κεπαλη — kephalē) as seen already in 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Corinthians 12:12, 1 Corinthians 12:27; Romans 12:5. See further Colossians 1:24: Colossians 2:19; Ephesians 1:22.; Ephesians 4:2, Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 5:30. [source]
Revelation 3:7 The holy, he that is true [ο αγιοσ ο αλητινος]
Separate articles (four in all) for each item in this description. “The holy, the genuine.” Asyndeton in the Greek. Latin Vulgate, Sanctus et Verus. αγιος — Hosea hagios is ascribed to God in Revelation 4:8; Revelation 6:10 (both αλητινος — hagios and αλητινος — alēthinos as here), but to Christ in Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34; John 6:69; Acts 4:27, Acts 4:30; 1 John 2:20, a recognized title of the Messiah as the consecrated one set apart. Swete notes that αλητης — alēthinos is verus as distinguished from verax So it is applied to God in Revelation 6:10 and to Christ in Revelation 3:14; Revelation 19:11 as in John 1:9; John 6:32; John 15:1.He that hath the key of David (και ουδεις κλεισει — ho echōn tēn klein Daueid). This epithet comes from Isaiah 22:22, where Eliakim as the chief steward of the royal household holds the keys of power. Christ as the Messiah (Revelation 5:5; Revelation 22:16) has exclusive power in heaven, on earth, and in Hades (Matthew 16:19; Matthew 28:18; Romans 14:9; Philemon 2:9.; Revelation 1:18). Christ has power to admit and exclude of his own will (Matthew 25:10.; Ephesians 1:22; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 19:11-16; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 22:16).And none shall shut Charles calls the structure Hebrew (future active indicative of ο ανοιγων — kleiō), and not Greek because it does not correspond to the present articular participle just before και ουδεις ανοιγει — ho anoigōn (the one opening), but it occurs often in this book as in the very next clause, “and none openeth” (κλειων — kai oudeis anoigei) over against κλειει — kleiōn (present active participle, opening) though here some MSS. read kleiei (present active indicative, open). [source]
Revelation 3:7 He that hath the key of David [και ουδεις κλεισει]
This epithet comes from Isaiah 22:22, where Eliakim as the chief steward of the royal household holds the keys of power. Christ as the Messiah (Revelation 5:5; Revelation 22:16) has exclusive power in heaven, on earth, and in Hades (Matthew 16:19; Matthew 28:18; Romans 14:9; Philemon 2:9.; Revelation 1:18). Christ has power to admit and exclude of his own will (Matthew 25:10.; Ephesians 1:22; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 19:11-16; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 22:16). [source]

What do the individual words in Ephesians 1:22 mean?

And all things He put under the feet of Him Him gave [to be] head over to the church
καὶ πάντα ὑπέταξεν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ αὐτὸν ἔδωκεν κεφαλὴν ὑπὲρ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ

πάντα  all  things 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: πᾶς  
Sense: individually.
ὑπέταξεν  He  put 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὑποτάσσω  
Sense: to arrange under, to subordinate.
ὑπὸ  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ὑπό  
Sense: by, under.
πόδας  feet 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: πούς  
Sense: a foot, both of men or beast.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἔδωκεν  gave 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
κεφαλὴν  [to  be]  head 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: κεφαλή  
Sense: the head, both of men and often of animals.
ὑπὲρ  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ὑπέρ 
Sense: in behalf of, for the sake of.
τῇ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ὁ  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐκκλησίᾳ  church 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐκκλησία  
Sense: a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly.

What are the major concepts related to Ephesians 1:22?

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