Ephesians 1:22

22 And He put everything under His feet [a] and appointed Him as head over everything for the church,

Ephesians 1:22 Meaning and Commentary

Ephesians 1:22

And hath put all things under his feet
These words are taken out of ( Psalms 8:6 ) . (See Gill on 1 Corinthians 15:27).

And gave him to be the head over all things to the church;
the Vulgate Latin version reads, "and gave him to be the head over every church", or "all the church"; the Ethiopic version, "the whole church"; which intends not barely professors of religion, or a family of faithful persons, or a particular congregation, in which sense the word is sometimes used; but the whole body of God's elect, the church, which is built on Christ the rock, for which he gave himself, and which is the general assembly and church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven: Christ is an head to this church; in what sense he is so, (See Gill on 1 Corinthians 11:3). And this headship of Christ is the gift of God; and it is an honourable gift to him, as Mediator; it is a glorifying of him, and a giving him in all things the pre-eminence; and it is a free grace gift to the church, and a very special, valuable, and excellent one, and of infinite benefit and advantage to it; and which is expressed in his being head "over all things" to it; to overrule all things for its good; to communicate all good things to it; and to perform all the good offices of an head for it: the Syriac version reads, "and him who is above all things, he gave to be the head to the church" even him who is God over all, blessed for evermore.

Ephesians 1:22 In-Context

20 He demonstrated [this power] in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens-
21 far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
22 And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way.

Footnotes 1

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