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Greek Thoughts

EPOURANIOS* - Part 3 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
Heavenly, celestial, the spirit realm

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Please note that all Biblical quotes, in this and all other lessons posted to Greek Thoughts, are from The Literal English Translation of the Bible produced by BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America.


This week we undertake the third part of our study of the adjective ἐπουρὰνιος (epouranios — Strong's #2032), which means the heavenly regions or the spirit realm. ̓Επουρὰνιος is a compound word comprised of the preposition ἐπὶ (Epi — Strong's #1909 meaning upon, on, at) and the noun οὐρανὸς (Ouranos — Strong's #3772, the Greek word used for heaven). It is an adjective (ἐπουρὰνιος) used in the New Testament to represent the spirit realm, which is the location of God's throne and the place where all spiritual beings and forces (both good and evil) exist.

In the first two parts of this study, we established, from Ephesians, that believers have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. These blessings are located in the spirit realm, where God and all other spiritual forces are functioning. The specific location for these blessings is in Christ, who is seated in the spirit realm in the place of authority and honor, at the right of the throne of God, above all other spiritual forces. In this section of the study, we will identify other spiritual forces in the spirit realm, as revealed in Ephesians 1:21; 3:10; 6:12.

Ephesians 1:20-21

20) which He energized in the Christ, having raised Him from out of the dead, and seated Him at His right in the heavenlies (ἐπουρὰνιος),

21)
above all rule and authority and power and lordship, and every name being named not only in this age, but also in the coming one.

In previous parts of the study, we established the position of the Christ in the spirit realm as being seated at the right of God, far above all rule and authority and power and lordship. The spiritual forces of rule and authority are ranks of angelic forces in the spirit realm, as Ephesians 3:10; 6:12 explain. For now, it is sufficient to know that Christ is positioned above all of these forces in the spirit realm.

Ephesians 3:8-10

8)
To me the less than the least of all the saints this grace was given, that I might preachF1 among the Gentiles the unsearchable wealth of the Christ,

9)
and that I might enlightenF2 everyone as to what is the fellowship of the mystery which has been hidden from the ages in God, the One who has created all things through Jesus Christ

10)
in order that now might be known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies (ἐπουρὰνιος) through the Church the manifold wisdom of God,

In this text, Paul explains that God's grace was given to him, so that he might preach the unsearchable wealth of the Christ to the Gentiles and to enlighten everyone as to what is the fellowship of the mystery which God hid in ages past. Verse 10 is a purpose clause used to explain the purpose of God's grace performing this ministry through Paul — in order that the diversified wisdom of God might be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavenlies (our word of study). Here the ranks of spiritual forces are placed in the spirit realm where the Christ is seated. In Paul's text in Ephesians 6:12, he further describes these spiritual forces.

Ephesians 6:11-12

11)
Put on the full armor of God, for you to be able to stand against the methods of the devil.

12)
Because for us the wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies (ἐπουρὰνιος).

In this summary of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul presents that it is a necessity for the believer to put on the full armor of God for the purpose of standing against the systematic attacks of the devil. Paul explains that Christians are not wrestling against the human realm (blood and flesh), but "against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies" (our word of study). He is teaching that our warfare is spiritual, not physical. He describes this warfare as being against spiritual forces of evil in the spirit realm. He also describes these forces as being in ranks; rulers, authorities, and evil spiritual forces that are governing this world, which he describes as world rulers of the darkness of this age. He summarizes all of these forces as being spiritual forces of evil in the spirit realm (heavenlies).

So far in our study of ἐπουρὰνιος, we have established, from Ephesians, that believers have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. These blessings are located in the spirit realm, where God and all other spiritual forces are functioning. The specific location for these blessings is in Christ, who is seated in the spirit realm above all other spiritual forces, in the place of authority and honor at the right of the throne of God. Now that we have established the position of the Christ above all spiritual forces in the spirit realm, it is important that we establish one final position in the spirit realm — that of the believer in Christ, which is the theme of Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

Next week we will establish, from Ephesians 2:6, the position of believers as being in Christ in the spirit realm, above all spiritual forces.

*EPOURANIOS is the English font spelling of the Greek word ἐπουρὰνιος.

F1: The infinitive of purpose εὐαγγελὶσασθαι, "to preach," is translated νᾶεὐαγγελὶσω, "that I should preach.

F2: The infinitive of purpose φωτὶσαι, "to enlighten," is translated νᾶφωτὶσω, "that I should enlighten."

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Meet the Author

Bill Klein has been a pastor, counselor, and educator for the past 41 years. He has had extensive training and education in biblical languages, and has authored a Biblical Greek course.

He is currently serving as Professor of Biblical Greek at Master's Graduate School of Divinity, and president of BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America, a non-profit organization located in California that provides Bible study tapes and Greek study materials through their website BTEMinistries.org.