Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

My understanding is that these names refer to ranks or orders of a hierarchy of spiritual beings of varying power opposed to God. Although I don't believe that they are further enumerated or described in the Bible, they were a component of Jewish rabbinical thought at the time that Paul wrote.

Paul was emphasizing that, no matter how much strength these beings might possess, they were still subordinate to God, and did not have the power to annul or obstruct the love that God had for Christians because of their faith in Christ, and the salvation that Christ had gained for them by His atoning death and resurrection, through which God had disarmed those beings and triumphed over them.

March 05 2019 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

"Thrones" are heavenly kingdoms or rulers (angels: Col 1:16).

William Baur in bible.org

"Authorities" in the New Testament:
is used most often for exousia; exousiazo; and katexousiazo: (a) of God's authority (Acts 1:7): as the potter's over clay (Rom 9:21, right"; Jude 1:25, "power"; Rev 9, "power"); 

and among other things (b) of subordinate heavenly authorities or powers (1 Cor 15:24; 1 Pet 3:22; and the same Greek word in Eph 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Col 1:16; 2:10,15; Rev 11:6; 14:18; 18:1). --T. Rees in bible.org

In [Colossians] Chapter 2 Paul emphasizes that Christ "is the Head over all rule and authority" referring to the spirit world. Jesus Christ is the Creator and Ruler of the universe and all its spiritual beings (Col 1:16), not a lesser being emanating from God. --Lightfoot in preceptaustin.org

February 10 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report