This power is toward the believers. It is like the electrical power that is continually being transmitted from the power plant to our building for our daily life. In the same principle, the divine power is being transmitted into us continually to make us the inheritance for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose.
Verse 19 also says that the greatness of God’s power is “according to the operation of the might of His strength.” In writing Ephesians Paul virtually exhausted the Greek language. In this verse he speaks of power, operation, might, and strength. Paul used many different words to convey something of the vastness of God’s power to us.
The surpassingly great power of God toward us is according to the operation of the might of His strength which He wrought in Christ. God’s power toward us is the same power that operated in Christ. As the Body we participate in the power that operates in the Head.
The great power that operated in Christ firstly raised Him from among the dead. This power has overcome death, the grave, and Hades, the place where the dead are held. Because of God’s resurrection power, death and Hades could not hold Christ (Acts 2:24).
The surpassing greatness of God’s power has also seated Christ at God’s right hand in the heavenlies, “far above all rule and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is coming” (vv. 20-21). God’s right hand, where Christ has been seated by the surpassingly great power of God, is the most honorable place, the place with supreme authority. The heavenlies refers not only to the third heaven, the highest place in the universe, where God dwells, but also to the state and atmosphere of the heavens, in which Christ was seated by God’s power.
In verse 21 Paul says that Christ has been seated above all rule, authority, power, and lordship and above every name that is named. Rule refers to the highest office; authority, to every kind of official power (Matt. 8:9); power, to the mere might of authority; and lordship, to the preeminence which power establishes. The authorities here include not only the angelic, heavenly authorities, good or bad, but also the human, earthly ones. The ascended Christ has been seated far above all rule, authority, power, and lordship in the entire universe. Every name that is named refers not only to titles of honor, but also to everything that has a name. Christ has been seated far above everything, both in this age and in the coming age.
Verse 22 says, “And He subjected all things under His feet.” Thirdly, the great power that operated in Christ has subjected all things under His feet. For Christ to be far above all is one thing; for all things to be subjected under His feet is another. The former is Christ’s transcendency; the latter is the subjection of all things to Him. Here we see the subduing power, the power to subdue all things.