He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
Truth to Learn
Some Biblical truths are very important to understand correctly, others are not worth arguing about.
Behind the Words
Both the words translated “descended” and “ascended” are expressed here as aorist participles. Thus, we could translate the first part of this verse as “the one having descended is also the one having ascended.” Although some translations say “came down” or “went down” and “went up,” the direction of travel (came or went) is not indicated by the Greek text.
“Far above” is translated from the Greek word huperanō. This word is made up of huper (or hyper), meaning “over” or “above” and the adverb anō, meaning “upward” or “on top.” So we see that huperanō literally means “above upward” or “above on top.” The best translation of this word into English is probably “high above” or “far above.”
The word “heavens” is from ouranos, which is probably based on the verb orō, meaning “to rise.” According to Jewish beliefs, there are three distinct heavenly regions. The first is the atmosphere of the earth (where the birds fly and the clouds exist). The second is the universe (where all the celestial bodies exist). The third is God’s abode, or God’s throne room, to which only God and the angelic beings have access today.
“Fill” is from the verb plēroō, which means “to cram completely full, such that no more can be added.”
Meaning Explained
As we pointed out in yesterday’s verse, there are some who believe that the statement in verse nine that He “descended into the lower parts of the earth” means the He “descended into the lower earthly regions.” In other words, they argue that it is a reference to Christ coming to earth as a man. Others, adhering to a more literal translation, believe it is a reference to Christ’s descent into Hades (Paradise) as we explained yesterday.
No matter which of these two views you prefer, today’s verse is clearly a statement regarding Christ’s resurrection. But, as scholars are wont to do, there is even disagreement as to what Paul meant in today’s verse when he referred to “the One who ascended far above all the heavens.” As we noted above, the Jewish concept of plural heavens pictures three heavens: the atmosphere, the universe, and God’s abode. Does today’s verse mean that He ascended above the atmosphere and the known universe, into His own realm (the third heaven), or does it mean that he ascended even above that? Again, a literal interpretation indicates that He ascended above “all the heavens,” which implies more than two.
But let’s not get distracted by such minor concerns. Paul’s message in these verses is not so much about where Christ descended to and where He ascended to, but the fact that when He did, He gave spiritual gifts to men. Some of these gifts are described in the next verse.
Application
Some Biblical teachings are foundational to our beliefs and how we relate to God. Others are less important. Let’s focus our attention on the important matters and not get hung-up on unimportant matters. Whatever we believe and do, let us do it so that God will get the glory and honor.
In God's service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved