(Now when it says, “he ascended,” what does it mean except that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, in order to fill all things).
–Ephesians 4:9-10
The parenthetical statement of Ephesians 4:9-10 ends with the words “all things.” These words are translated from the Greek adjective panta. Panta is a form of pas (Strong’s #3956), which occurs over 1,200 times in the New Testament and is used in a variety of ways. Sometimes it refers to things which we do. In 1 Corinthians 14:26, we are instructed that “all things” should be “done unto edifying.” Sometimes panta refers to something God has done. In Ephesians 1:10, the “all things in Christ” are the creation of God. Sometimes “all things” means things that happen. Ephesians 1:11 reveals that nothing which happens can unravel God’s plan, because He is “working all things according to the plan of his will.”
So the question becomes, what does “all things” mean in Ephesians 4:10? The question has been something of a challenge to Bible translators. Each of the following English versions renders panta to mean the entire universe.
Ephesians 4:10 (NIV)
He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.
Ephesians 4:10 (NLT)
And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.
Ephesians 4:10 (AMP)
He who descended is the very same as He who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He [His presence] might fill all things [that is, the whole universe].
Ephesians 4:10 (GNT)
So the one who came down is the same one who went up, above and beyond the heavens, to fill the whole universe with his presence.
Seeing “all things” in Ephesians 4:10 as referring to the entire universe is not a fringe theory. A significant number of Christians believe this is the meaning of the word in this verse. But another common rendering is to leave “all things” undefined and simply render the phrase literally as “all things,” which is how the Revised English Version handles it, as well as many other English versions.
The parenthetical insertion shows that Jesus went from one extreme to the other, from complete death to the highest epitome of exalted life. But the reason Jesus went from one extreme to the other, as the context shows, was not to fill up the universe. Translating “all things” as “universe” is a theological assumption which misses the point of the context. In context, Christ Jesus is filling “all things” in the church.
Some expositors postulate that his descent into “the lower parts of the earth” (Eph. 4:9) could mean “his descent from heaven to become a servant at his incarnation.” However, even some who see that as a possibility also understand that that the phrase “the lower parts of the earth” actually refers to the realm of the dead.[1] The idea of the incarnation can easily be read into the text. But to say the text asserts the incarnation would be to make it say more than it really says. Likewise, saying that Jesus ascended in order to fill the entire universe with his presence is saying more than the text really says.
Is there any other word or phrase in the passage which might have prompted translators to think in terms of Christ filling the entire universe? Perhaps there is. The phrase “far above all the heavens” may have been taken to mean above and beyond even every “level” of heaven. Many teachers posit that heaven is cosmographically arranged in three levels. The lowest level of heaven, the first heaven, is Earth’s troposphere, where birds fly and clouds are blown by the winds. The second level of heaven contains the celestial array, and the third and highest heaven is understood as the abode of God.[2]
Anyone who has an understanding of modern cosmology also understands that the universe is expanding in size.[3] However, nobody can say what the universe is expanding into. Jesus went “far above all heavens.” If that is taken to mean even beyond the highest heaven, that is saying something truly massive! If you are going to fill something up, you must be greater than what you are filling. Perhaps this assumption – or something similar to it – has informed the error of thinking about Christ filling the entire universe. Many scholars understand that “far above all heavens” is hyperbolic language, but that does not remove the fact that some are thinking the verse says that Jesus is filling up the entire universe.
The Greek word translated as “far above” is the adverb huperanō (Strong’s #5231). It can mean spatially above, or above in rank and importance.[4] It occurs three times in the New Testament (Eph 1:21; 4:10; Heb 9:5). The occurrence of huperanō in Hebrews is an example of the meaning “above” in a spatial sense.
Hebrews 9:5
and above [huperanō] it were cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we cannot speak in detail now.
The cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant are explained as being located “above” the mercy seat. Ephesians 1:21 is the first New Testament use of huperanō, and the usage is not a spatial orientation.
Ephesians 1:21
far above [huperanō] every ruler, and authority, and power, and those having dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come;
Ephesians 1:21 is not saying that Jesus Christ is higher up in distance compared to the other powers mentioned in the passage. The usage here has to do with ranking and importance. Ephesians 1:21 is saying that Jesus Christ far outranks any other being created by God. The usage of ranking also appears in the LXX, for instance:
Deuteronomy 26:19 (NETS)
and that you be high above [huperanō] all nations, as he has made you renowned and a boast and glorified, that you be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he spoke.
Deuteronomy 26:19 is not promising that Israel would exist at a higher physical location relative to every other nation. As the context makes crystal clear, Israel was promised praise, name, and honor. Their ranking and importance would be higher than other nations. So the question becomes: which usage is contextually relevant in Ephesians 4:10?
The passage speaks of Christ Jesus ascending and descending, so that is certainly a spatial reality. But the filling of the church is due to his being its head. As Philippians 2:10 shows us, Christ Jesus is ranked above every other created being. Christ can fill the church because God exalted him. In other words, the use of huperanō in Ephesians 4:10 must include the spatial sense, but the meaning of rank and importance is a secondary meaning that is also true.
Ephesians 4:8 quotes Psalm 68:18, saying, “When he ascended on high, he took captivity captive, and gave gifts to people.” The ascending on high speaks to the spatial reality and taking captivity captive required his superior ranking.
I believe the picture God wants us to see includes the spatial orientation and the fact that Jesus outranks every other being ever created by God. I believe God also wants us to understand that through Christ, the church is filled with gifts. We need to understand that Jesus Christ went from one extreme to the other in order to fully equip us so that we, in turn, may press on together toward the goal of the upward calling of God.
[1] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary, New Testament, 2nd Edition, Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2014. 549.
[2] John Hagee, The Three Heavens: Angels, Demons and What Lies Ahead. Brentwood, TN: Worthy Books, 2015. 18-19 and 265.
[3] John D. Barrow, The Origin of the Universe, New York, NY: Basic Books, Harper Collins Publishers, 1994. 3-18.
[4] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, being Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, Translated, Revised and Enlarged, New York, NY: American Book Company, 1889. 640.
