In his inspired letter to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul had prayed that they would know God’s power for those who believe. In verses 19 through 23 of chapter one he continues by saying, “according to that working of the strength of his might which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”
There are many times when we feel helpless in the face of life’s problems and difficulties. But Paul assures the followers of Christ that the same power which raised Christ from the dead is also available to them. Notice, however, that one cannot be raised unless one has first died. This is one of the most important principles of Christianity. God will not exert His power on our behalf until we are willing to let go, to give up, to set ourselves aside. Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.” (John 12:24-25 NIV) If we want to experience the power of the resurrection, we must first die. In another place Scripture says, “…don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection;” (Romans 6:3-5 NIV) It is this power to live a new life which Paul wishes his readers to experience. He will discuss this further in chapter 2.
God not only raised Christ from the dead, He also exalted Him. When Paul says that God seated Christ at His right hand, he is referring to Psalm 110. There God spoke through the prophet David, “Yahweh [that is, the Lord] says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”” (Psalm 110:1 NIV) The figure of speech, ‘to sit at the right hand’ means to exercise power and authority on behalf of the person referred to. It is also a place of honor. Therefore when we say that Christ is at God’s right hand, we mean that God has honored Him and that He is exercising power and authority on God’s behalf.
The place of Christ’s exaltation is in the ‘heavenly places.’ Christ has not only been given power over those on earth, but over angels and whatever other heavenly beings there may be. His authority extends over all.
How much honor and power has Christ been given? Paul writes that it is “far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion .” Another Scripture explains it this way: “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For, “He put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when he says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that he is excepted who subjected all things to him. When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son will also himself be subjected to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:25-28 NIV)
Not only has Christ been given supreme authority, but He has also been raised far above “every name that is named .” As Paul explains in another place, Christ was given this honor because He willingly humbled Himself. “Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11 NIV)
From this we learn that any philosophy or any religion which gives a higher place or name to any person or to anything than that which was given to Christ is false. It is an attempt to discredit the name which God has given Him and an attempt to usurp His authority.
Some people would say that this might have been true at one time, but that God has since abrogated it with a further revelation. But Paul makes it very clear that this is not so when he writes that Christ’s name is exalted, “not only in this age, but also in that which is to come.” (verse 21) The meaning is that Christ has been exalted above every name not only during the present time, but also for all future time.
Paul reinforces what he has said about Christ’s authority by writing, “He [that is, God] put all things in subjection under his feet …” (Verse 22) This is a quotation from Psalm 8 which says, “You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet:” (Psalm 8:6 NIV)
Having established that Christ’s authority is supreme, Paul now turns to one specific area of his supremacy– Christ has been appointed “to be head over all things for the assembly, which is his body .” Here Paul is not referring to a particular congregation but rather to the sum total of the followers of Christ. The church is identified metaphorically as Christ’s body with Christ as the head. This concept will be repeated and expanded later on in this letter.
Paul’s next statement is quite puzzling when he says that the church is Christ’s fullness. Perhaps it can be explained by saying that just as the church is nothing without Christ, so Christ is fully glorified only in the church.