Ephesians 2.2d-Satan is the Sovereign Ruler and Authority Over the Evil Spirits in the Earth's Atmosphere
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday September 7, 2023
Ephesians Series: Ephesians 2:2d-Satan is the Sovereign Ruler and Authority Over the Evil Spirits in the Earth’s Atmosphere
Lesson # 74
Ephesians 2:1 Now, correspondingly, even though, each and every one of you as a corporate unit were spiritually dead ones because of your transgressions, in other words, because of your sins. 2 Each and every one of you formerly lived by means of these in agreement with the standard of the unregenerate people of this age, which is the production of the cosmic world system, in agreement with the standard of the sovereign ruler, namely the sovereign governmental authority ruling over the evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere. Specifically the spirit who is presently working in the lives of those members of the human race who are characterized by disobedience. (Lecturer’s translation)
As we noted, the third prepositional phrase in Ephesians 2:2 kata ton archonta tēs exousias tou aeros (κατὰ τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ ἀέρος), “in agreement with the standard of the sovereign ruler, namely the sovereign governmental authority ruling over the evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere” advances upon the second prepositional phrase in this verse.
It asserts that the recipients of the Ephesian epistle prior to their justification by faith in Jesus Christ lived their lives “in agreement with the standard” in which the sovereign governmental ruler of this cosmic world system lives, who is the ruler over the evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere and thus planet earth itself.
The referent of the articular accusative masculine form of the noun archōn (ἄρχων) is the angel who is called in Scripture “the devil” or “Satan,” who is the sovereign ruler of the cosmic world system, which unregenerate humanity is enslaved to since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.
This word expresses the idea that Satan possesses sovereign authority delegated to him by God over all of unregenerate humanity and the resources of planet earth as a result of the fall of Adam and Eve.
The articular construction of the noun archōn (ἄρχων) is “monadic” indicating that Satan’s sovereign rulership is unique to him because he is the temporary sovereign authority over the earth’s atmosphere until Jesus Christ’s returns to earth at His Second Advent.
It implies here that this ruler possesses certain characteristics, which distinguish him from the ruler of the millennial reign, Jesus Christ.
Thus, the article and the word’s genitive adjunct implies that Satan’s rulership of planet earth is distinguished from Jesus Christ’s millennial reign in that the former rules by lies and deception and tyranny whereas the latter will rule by truth, justice and righteousness.
The articular genitive feminine singular form of the noun exousia (ἐξουσία), “the sovereign governmental authority” pertains to a person’s authority to rule and is used in relation to Satan’s sovereign governmental authority over all of unregenerate humanity and the resources of planet earth.
The articular construction of this word is “monadic” indicating that Satan’s sovereign governmental authority is unique to him because this authority is that of ruling over the earth’s atmosphere.
The noun exousia (ἐξουσία) functions as a genitive of apposition or epexegetical genitive, which means that it is identifying or describing the sovereign ruler of the cosmic world system as the sovereign governmental authority who rules over the earth’s atmosphere.
The articular genitive masculine singular form of the noun aēr (ἀήρ), “the evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere” contains the figure of metonymy which means that the earth’s atmosphere is put for Satan’s angels who perform their activities in the earth’s atmosphere.
This interpretation is indicated by the fact that people of the first century view the earth’s atmosphere as the personal abode of evil spirits.
It functions as a genitive of subordination, which indicates that the angels of Satan who perform their duties in the earth’s atmosphere are subordinate to the sovereign governmental authority of Satan.
In other words, it indicates that the devil is the sovereign governmental authority who rules over the angels who perform their evil activities in the earth’s atmosphere.
The apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:10 and 6:12 mentions these evil spirits who are under the authority of Satan dwelling the earth’s atmosphere as well as the stellar universe and having access as well to the first heaven and the throne room of God.
Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—3:2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3:3 that by revelation the divine secret was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly. 3:4 When reading this, you will be able to understand my insight into this secret of Christ. 3:5 Now this secret was not disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, 3:6 namely, that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the exercise of his power. 3:8 To me—less than the least of all the saints—this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ 3:9 and to enlighten everyone about God’s secret plan—a secret that has been hidden for ages in God who has created all things. 3:10 The purpose of this enlightenment is that through the church the multifaceted wisdom of God should now be disclosed to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms. (NET)
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 6:11 Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. (NET)
The prepositional phrase en tois epouraniois (ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις), “in the heavens, “in the heavenly realms” not only appears in Ephesians 3:10 and 6:12 but also in Ephesians 1:3, 20 and 2:6.
In each instance, it refers to the first, second and third heavens.
Therefore, in Ephesians 3:10 and 6:12 Paul is teaching that the evil spirits or angels under the authority of Satan dwell in the first, second and third heavens and are performing their rebellious and activities against God in each of these three levels.
In Ephesians 2:2, the prepositional phrase kata ton archonta tēs exousias tou aeros (κατὰ τὸν ἄρχοντα τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ ἀέρος), “in agreement with the standard of the sovereign ruler, namely the sovereign governmental authority ruling over the evil spirits residing in the earth’s atmosphere” is expressing the idea that prior to their justification the recipients of the Ephesian epistle existed in the state of living their lives committing sins “in agreement with the standard” in which the sovereign ruler of the cosmic world system lives his life.
Lastly, as we noted, the appositional clause tou pneumatos tou nyn energountos en tois huiois tēs apeitheias (τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ νῦν ἐνεργοῦντος ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς τῆς ἀπειθείας), “Specifically the spirit who is presently working in the lives of those members of the human race who are characterized by disobedience” is modifying the third prepositional phrase.
It identifies or describes the sovereign ruler or sovereign governmental authority of the cosmic world system.
He is the spirit who during the present age is working in the lives of those members of the human race who are characterized by disobedience to God.
The noun pneuma (πνεῦμα), “the spirit” pertains to a supernatural non-material being that is self-aware with powers to affect the course of human events.
It functions as a genitive of apposition or epexegetical genitive, which means that it is describing this sovereign ruler and sovereign governmental authority of the cosmic world system as the spirit who is now in this present age working in the lives of members of the human race who are characterized as disobedient to God.
The articular construction of this noun is “monadic” indicating that this spirit or supernatural immaterial being is unique or in a class all its own because he is working in the lives of those members of the human race who are characterized as disobedient to God, i.e. they are unregenerate humanity.
In this appositional clause, the articular genitive neuter singular present active participle conjugation of the verb energeō (ἐνεργέω) pertains to being engaged in some activity or function, with possible focus upon the energy or force involved.
The articular construction of the participle conjugation of this verb functions as a genitive of simple apposition.
This means that the former is simply clarifying who is this particular spirit or supernatural immaterial being, namely, he is the one who working in the lives of those members of the human race who are characterized by disobedience to God.
The adverb of time nun (νῦν), “presently” is modifying verb energeō (ἐνεργέω) and pertains a point of time simultaneous with the event of the discourse itself.
The two points of time which are simultaneous with each other are Satan working in the lives of those members of the human race who are who are characterized by disobedience to God, i.e. unregenerate humanity and this age in which Satan is the ruler of his cosmic world system and also the sovereign governmental authority who rules over the earth’s atmosphere.