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,

Ephesians 1:22 nkjv

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

Ephesians 1:22 niv

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,

Ephesians 1:22 esv

And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

Ephesians 1:22 nlt

God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.

Ephesians 1 verses

Ephesians 1 22 Meaning

Ephesians 1:22 reveals the supreme authority of Jesus Christ, established by God the Father. God has placed all creation and every power in ultimate subjection to Christ, making Him Lord over everything. Furthermore, this universally exalted Christ is then specifically given by God as the sovereign and preeminent "Head" to His Church, emphasizing Christ's divine appointment to lead, guide, and nourish His body.

Ephesians 1 22 Context

Ephesians 1:22 is a pivotal statement nestled within Paul's magnificent theological discourse on God's eternal purpose and the glorious position of believers in Christ. The chapter opens with a doxology, praising God for the spiritual blessings in Christ, including election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, and the revelation of God's mystery—to unite all things in Christ. Paul then transitions to a powerful prayer, asking God to grant believers wisdom and revelation to know God better, to understand the hope of their calling, the riches of their inheritance, and "the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe." Verse 19 sets the stage for demonstrating this power. Verses 20-21 describe the manifestation of this power: God "raised Christ from the dead and seated Him 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 the one to come." Against the backdrop of an ancient world teeming with beliefs in various spiritual powers and a rigid social hierarchy, these verses polemically assert Christ's absolute supremacy over every imaginable spiritual or earthly power. Verse 22 builds directly upon this exaltation, stating the practical implications of Christ's supreme authority, especially concerning His Church, which is the direct recipient and beneficiary of this powerful headship. The context emphasizes Christ's cosmic preeminence, flowing directly from God's immense power, ensuring the Church's ultimate security and authority through Him.

Ephesians 1 22 Word analysis

• And: Links the immediate consequence of Christ's exaltation described in Eph 1:20-21, establishing continuity and completion of God's action.

• He: Refers to God the Father (from the context of Eph 1:17-21, where God raised Christ, seated Him, etc.). This underscores that Christ's authority is divinely appointed and gifted.

• put: (ἔθηκεν - etheken, from τίθημι - tithēmi) This strong aorist verb means to place, set, or appoint. It signifies a decisive, sovereign act of God. It is an act of deliberate installation, a definitive enthronement, not a gradual acquisition of power.

• all things: (πάντα - panta) A universal, exhaustive term. This means literally everything in creation: cosmic powers, human rulers, principalities, authorities, dominions (as mentioned in Eph 1:21), and the entire physical universe. There is no entity, visible or invisible, excluded from this subjugation. This asserts Christ's comprehensive dominion against any pagan belief in independent powers or deities.

• under: (ὑπὸ - hypo) Denotes position beneath, signifying subjection, inferiority, and complete control.

• His feet: (τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ - tous podas autou) This is an ancient idiomatic expression originating from Psa 8:6 and reflected in Psa 110:1. It vividly represents absolute conquest, victory, and complete subjugation. In ancient warfare, a conqueror would sometimes place his foot on the neck or head of a defeated enemy to symbolize utter triumph.

• and gave Him: (καὶ αὐτὸν ἔδωκεν - kai auton edōken, from δίδωμι - didōmi) Another crucial act of divine bestowment. It signifies a gracious and purposeful gift from the Father to the Son for the benefit of His Church. This is a special endowment, distinct from the universal subjugation already mentioned.

• to be head: (κεφαλὴν - kephalēn) This is a significant metaphor. "Head" implies authority, leadership, preeminence, source, and even life-giving sustenance for the body. Christ is not merely a symbolic figurehead but the ultimate, governing, life-giving authority. In Greek thought, kephalē could refer to source or origin, reinforcing Christ as the life-source of the Church.

• over all things: (ὑπὲρ πάντα - hyper panta) This preposition hyper means "above" or "for the benefit of." Here, it points to the nature of Christ's headship – it is super-eminent and encompasses everything. Critically, His being "head over all things" is specifically given "to the church." This isn't just a restatement of "all things under His feet," but specifies that this universal headship functions for the church's benefit. His cosmic authority directly serves the purposes and well-being of His body.

• to the church: (τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ - tē ekklēsia) The direct recipient and beneficiary of Christ's exalted headship. The term ekklēsia refers to the assembly of called-out ones, the body of believers. This highlights God's singular focus on His redeemed community. All Christ's cosmic authority is directed towards nurturing, protecting, and leading His Church. This relationship elevates the Church's status tremendously.

• He put all things under His feet: This phrase describes Christ's universal, unchallengeable dominion established by God. It implies ultimate authority, conquest, and subjection over every created entity, seen and unseen, animate and inanimate. It is the fulfillment of prophetic declarations concerning a reigning King (e.g., Psa 8, 110).

• gave Him to be head over all things to the church: This complex phrase clarifies the unique application and purpose of Christ's cosmic authority. While Christ's dominion is universal ("under His feet"), His specific "headship over all things" is exercised for the benefit of and in relation to "the church." The Church, His body, is the central focus of His exercise of this unparalleled power, signifying that everything He controls in the cosmos ultimately works towards the good and perfection of His Bride. This grants the Church an incomparable security and ensures its victorious future under such a Head.

Ephesians 1 22 Bonus section

The positioning of "to the church" at the very end of the verse emphasizes its climactic significance. All of God's incredible power displayed in Christ's exaltation, and all of Christ's subsequent cosmic authority, is ultimately channeled and directed toward the building up, sustenance, and benefit of the Church. This underscores the profound love and purpose God has for His people. It refutes any notion of the Church being a marginalized or weak entity; rather, it is in a supremely privileged position, being directly connected to the Universal Head of all things. This also implies an eschatological dimension: while "all things are put under His feet" immediately after His resurrection, the full manifestation of this subjection awaits His final triumph, a truth the Church anticipates and proclaims. The Church, as the body, is an extension of Christ's earthly presence and participates in His reign, even as it awaits the complete and final visible subjugation of all things at His second coming.

Ephesians 1 22 Commentary

Ephesians 1:22 is a profound theological statement that caps Paul's description of God's immense power revealed in Christ's exaltation. It articulates a two-fold aspect of Christ's supremacy: His absolute universal dominion over all things, and His specific, gracious, and active headship given to and for the Church. First, God the Father, by His mighty power, has definitively subjected every single thing—visible and invisible, earthly and spiritual, good and evil—under the feet of the resurrected Christ. This speaks to His cosmic authority, a sovereign rule that leaves no rival or challenger. Second, this same exalted Christ, with all His universal dominion, is uniquely presented and given as the Head specifically to His Church. This means that Christ's limitless authority is now entirely at the disposal of His body. The Church finds its identity, purpose, and power solely in Christ, its life-giving Head. This implies protection, provision, guidance, and authority for the Church as it operates within His reign. The Church is not a minor footnote in the universe but is deeply connected to and empowered by the one who possesses absolute cosmic rule. Believers, being part of this Body, share in His victory and are united to His boundless authority.