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Q2. Under His Feet


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The Ephesians understood that when God seated Jesus at His right hand God was distinguishing Jesus to a place of high honor. Jesus was given all authority and all power over everyone and everything when he was placed there.

The imagery of Jesus having all things under His feet is powerful. The lesson teaches that a conquering king would have the fallen king's neck be placed under his feet to visually demonstrate that he has conquered that king and his kingdom. So if all things are under Jesus' feet that would include spirit beings and power. ALL THINGS ARE UNDER JESUS' CONTROL AND AUTHORITY. So to Jesus we must give our allegiance FOR IT IS DUE HIM.

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What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms?

Christ is now placed above any realm or sphere which the gentile christians once knew demonstrating Gods supremacy causing the re-enforcement of their faith in God.

In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"?

In the literal sense as being conquered, dethroned, stripped of any strong hold that they had on the minds of the Gentile christians before their conversion.

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Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.This same power of God that raised Jesus from th dead is the same power that took him to heaven and seated Him at God's right hand giving Him honor ans authority

these spirit beings and power under his feet Christ rules overall spirit beings

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  • 5 months later...

"What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? "

Paul is saying that, Christ is Above all their previous pagan gods. And is given his mighty power by the One seated next to Him.

"In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"?"

Although, they were worshiped as gods, they still are under Christ's control.

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(Ephesians 1:20-22) The Ephesian Gentile Christians believed in various spirit beings that exercised power over them. What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"? Exposition

Paul used the term "heavenly realms" on purpose. The pagans of his time understood the concept within their own religious terminology. By doing such Paul was able to let Gentiles know that Christ is supreme all spiritual beings of any religion.

As noted in your lecture, Paul uses both the ideas of "far above" and "under his feet" (1:22a). The phrase under his feet" is used for utter subjugation, both in the Old and New Testaments (1 Kings 5:3; Lamentations 3:34; 1 Corinthians 15:25-27; Hebrews 2:8). Jesus' exaltation echoes Psalm 8 which the Jews understood as referring to the conquering Messiah: "You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet" (Psalm 8:6).

The terminology "Far above" and "under his feet" provide clarity to the Gentiles that Jesus is above all and in control of all. Paul was using terms and ideas common in the cultural norm of the listeners. Most likely they witness acts where a "lord" over someone (e.g. roman soldier over person, master to a slave) exerted such power over that someone physically. These ideas, which may be more or less philosophical to us in the U.S. were commonplace to the people Paul was writing to.

Through this question and the reading of the word, I sense the power that Jesus, our lord and savior, really has. I have head knowledge of such but that which makes me who I am in Christ - the spirit within- did not truly sense or feel or KNOW (not intellectually) that Power!

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(Ephesians 1:20-22) The Ephesian Gentile Christians believed in various spirit beings that exercised power over them. What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"? Exposition

-First, some of the gentiles believed in spirit powersw, just as some non-Christians today believe in earth sprites and the pantheism of God-is-everything. Some believe and believed in nothig, either as agnostics or atheists. However, to the question, Paul is seeking to "be all things to all people" for the sake of transmission of the Gospel. He can easily use, as can we, the images of spirit beings to illustrate the Holy Spirit power God has available to us. But God's power does not have an agenda separate from our good, as the sprites may. Instead God only seeks our good, as we seek to live godly lives.

-Sitting at the right hand of God in Heaven is simply an anthropomorphic image of being close to God; it mirrors the pagan understanding of a "human' relationship with deity, but does not mean God is forced to sit in a chair, in a room, in some county called heaven. We sit next to Him when we place our spiritual selves next to Him, and that can happen anywhere.

-First, the beings the gentiles worshipped and pagans worship today don't exist, so Paul is speaking metaphorically here. And the types of demons or evils about which he warns us, "principalities and powers", they relate immediatly to all those things we allow ourselves to place before God in order of worship. As in, " my car needs washed so I'll skip the service this week".

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2a)The most honoured individual according to custom would be seated at the right hand of the host, so Christ seated at God

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The significance of Paul teaching that Christ is seated at God's right hand was to establish with them the authority and favor God has given to Jesus. He wanted to reassure the Gentile believers who thought that spiritual beings had power over them, that the one whom they had believed in (Christ)had supreme power over any other being. He taught the truth that Christ was second to none and has power and authority over all. God raised Him to the highest place over all and all are under His feet and must be submitted to Him and His will and decree. He wanted believers to retain security in the power of God and even in the supremacy of all His decrees. Even in times when testing or trouble is allowed....we all can trust God in all things. Paul wanted to remind too, that they themselves (and we) are seated with Jesus and by being in Him, have power and authority over their (our) enemies so though trouble may come or suffering for a time in anything, Christ has the victory in it and we do too! We win!

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(Ephesians 1:20-22) The Ephesian Gentile Christians believed in various spirit beings that exercised power over them. What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"? Exposition

It means that Christ is the spirit in control.

Other spirits (i.e. the demons and other angels) can't do anything without His permission.

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The Ephesian Gentile Christians believed in various spirit beings that exercised power over them. What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet?

I THINK THAT PAUL WANTED THE EPHESIANS TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST HAS ALL POWER, AUTHORITY AND DOMINION OVER THE POWERS OF DARKNESS AND ALL EVIL SPIRITS COMBINED.BEING SEATED AT GOD'S RIGHT HAND SPEAKS OF AUTHORITY AND HAVING SPIRIT BEINGS UNDER HIS FEET DECLARES THAT HE IS RULER OVER ALL PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS.PRAISE GOD!!

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2.(Ephesians 1:20-22)

The Ephesian Gentile Christians believed in various spirit beings that exercised power over them.

What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms?

In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"?

Paul is telling them that Christ is supreme over all the numerous spirit beings they believed in.

Jesus is above all; He has authority over all creation. We should all open our hearts and minds and realize the magnitude of God

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(Ephesians 1:20-22) The Ephesian Gentile Christians believed in various spirit beings that exercised power over them. What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"? Exposition

Jesus through His death and resurrection has conquered all demonic powers and authorities. He demonstrates this by being seated at the right had of God the Father. By being seated and by being above all things in the heavenly dimension is symbolic that all is under his feet or authority.

We have been conquered because of our sins, but Jesus never has been conquered. Yes, our sins were laid upon Him, but the resurrection demonstrates that His purity and holiness overcame the power of sin to dominate. He wants to do the same for each person who will trust Him and believe in Him and act upon these words of hope and life.

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(Ephesians 1:20-22) The Ephesian Gentile Christians believed in various spirit beings that exercised power over them. What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"? Exposition

They did not have to fear any spirits, because Jesus rules and reigns over everything and all the principalities and powers are under his feet. Everything was made by Him and for Him, so He is above all. Christ has a place of honour at the right had of the Father. He is also seated, the victory is his, His dominion is forever and ever and NO power can come against Him. Halleluja, we can also share in that victory

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Human beings lives are trapped and controlled by the flesh (our bodies cut off from the control of the Holy Spirit because we are spiritually dead without Christ) and the evil forces that control the our fallen world (the prince of the power of the air). Christ has overcome the powers that control the fallen world, and the powers of the flesh and sin. He is in a position to make all these powers submit to God's will. Christ has his foot on their necks like the pictures in our lesson.

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(Ephesians 1:20-22) The Ephesian Gentile Christians believed in various spirit beings that exercised power over them. What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"? Exposition

1. It is the symbolic place of highest honor and authority. Next to God, at His right hand. What a wonderful recognition of Gods love for His son.

2. Jesus will be over everyone and everything when He comes again. He will be ruler indeed.

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The significance to the Ephesians by Paul saying that Christ is seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms is that He is in full control. He has all the power to do what He wants and will follow whatever the Father wants Him to do.

The sense that these spirit beings and powers are “under his feet” means that He has concurred them and they are subject to Him.

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The point of being "seated at the right hand" is that in human terms that is the place of the man person under the ruler - King. So by Jesus taking this place puts Him next to God, the Father, with Jesus carrying out the Father's work.

In former days, of 20 centuries ago, the conqueroring ruler would symbolicly put the neck of the enemy under his feet to show victory. Even today in the middle-east, this is done. So we see Jesus with all His enemies subdued and He has complete control over them.

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question 2

 

answer:   By the death and reserrection of Christ we have all power as christians to overcome all bad spirits. The highest power

being that of God is the inheritence of Jesus at God's right hand by his death on the cross and assention into heaven. We as

christians have lives extent of sins by belief in Christ and asking for forgivenness which are placed under God.

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Could it be that God through Paul is showing Christians and the Gentiles the supremacy of Christ over all powers, especially when it comes to eternity.  The devil and demons have power on earth now, but will be thrown into the lake of fire.  So the question comes to believer and non-believer (Gentiles), "Does it make sense to listen to and obey the gods of this world who will one day be judged and in hell or does it make sense to listen to and obey the One Who has the power and authority and will judge them and reign forever and ever, with the gods of this world being under His feet?"  All authorities and powers will one day be subjugated to Christ.  They have short term power because of free will given in the garden of Eden leading to the fall of man.  Actually it started before then with the fall of Lucifer. That power will become as the dirt we tread upon because the full appropriation of Christ's power will be manifested. Also "under His feet" says that as believers now, we are safe and secure "under the blood of Christ", and the devil, nor the powers of darkness can snatch us away from God's mighty hand, thus great encouragement to believers to live as we ought, motivated by gratitude.

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By telling the church that God is in a heavenly realm and that Jesus was sitting at Hir right hand, Paul was stressing the heirarchy of the spiritual realm. He was letting the people know that Paul understood their thoughts, their inherent beliefs and that there is a way to incorporate the new teachings into their abilities to understand and comprehend the truths of Christianity.

 

Paul is stressing that God and Jesus rule over all the other Spirits on all other planes of existance.

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(Ephesians 1:20-22) The . What is the significance to them of Paul saying that Christ is seated at God's right hand in the heavenly realms? In what sense are these spirit beings and powers "under his feet"?

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23: I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;  and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;   to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;   to the weak I became as[ weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

The Ephesians are familiar with many of the pagan religions that speak of heavenly realms so Paul being all to everybody for Christ uses the terminology that is familiar to the Ephesians  so that Paul may win them to Christ.

 

Paul means that Christ has all these powers under control and they are under his feet. When Jesus was on earth in a physical body he often showed his power over the evil Spirits. (example Mark 5) When Jesus ascended to His father and our father his powers would have increased therefore he has even more control over the evil Spirits. And this incomparable great power is available to us.

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