Principalities
The word principality in the Bible is always translated[1] from the same Greek word in the New Testament.
The word is arche [2] meaning beginning or originfrom the word archomai[3] which means to begin or something first.
They are both from the word archo[4] which about being the chief or first to lead.
So what comes first. Jesus talks about those who lust after a women have already committed adultery in their heart.[5]
And God tells Samuel that when the people wanted it a king it was because they already rejected God that he should not reign over them.[6]
You see the whole world is in bondage not because of rulers or bankers or the Illuminati or Satan nor even the new world order but because of what they did first. What they did first they did in their hearts and minds and that is what they must repent of because "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities"
- "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]." Ephesians 6:12
The word power is translated from the word exousia[7] which is also translated authority, right, liberty, jurisdiction, and strength in the Bible. Its primary meaning is "power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases" and is most often used to describe the power of Christ.
- See the book The Higher Liberty.
So what we are warring against is our first choice. That was our choice to reject God and His ways of righteousness.
Most people who think they have repented have not really repented of what God and Christ and John the Baptist said to repent of nor are they making straight the way of the Lord.
Christ was very clear about the fact many people will confess him with their lips but would be fare from him.[8] And was clear that it was not those who say Lord Lord but those who do what he said.[9]
So what is the words "against the rulers of the darkness of this world" mean?
The word world there is the word for "age". It is not the word for planet nor is it the word we often see as "world" but means a constitutional government.
The word ruler is not the word archo but a word that only appears in this one place in the Bible. It is the word kosmokrator [10] which could mean "lord of the world" but appears to mean those "devil and his demons" who want to rule. Like the serpent in the garden or the adversary who took Christ up and tempted Him.[11] Some will suggest that there are No Devils and Demons but they may not understand the science of heaven and hell or what can be called the celestial realms.
Now the word darkness is very much a metaphore and is almost always translated from the word [12]
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Footnotes
- ↑ Matthew 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning <746> made them male and female,
- Matthew 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning <746> it was not so.
- Matthew 24:8 All these are the beginning <746> of sorrows.
- Mark 1:1 The beginning <746> of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
- Mark 10:6 But from the beginning <746> of the creation God made them male and female.
- Mark 13:8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings <746> of sorrows.
- Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning <746> of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
- Luke 1:2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning <746> were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
- Luke 12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates <746>, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
- Luke 20:20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power <746> and authority of the governor.
- John 1:1 In the beginning <746> was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- John 1:2 The same was in the beginning <746> with God.
- John 2:11 This beginning <746> of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
- John 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning <746> who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
- John 8:25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning <746>.
- John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning <746>, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
- John 15:27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning <746>.
- John 16:4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning <746>, because I was with you.
- Acts 10:11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners <746>, and let down to the earth:
- Acts 11:5 I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners <746>; and it came even to me:
- Acts 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning <746>.
- Acts 26:4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first <746> among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
- Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities <746>, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
- 1 Corinthians 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule <746> and all authority and power.
- Ephesians 1:21 Far above all principality <746>, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
- Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities <746> and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
- Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities <746>, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
- Philippians 4:15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning <746> of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
- Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities <746>, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
- Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning <746>, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
- Colossians 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality <746> and power:
- Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities <746> and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
- 2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning <746> chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
- Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities <746> and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
- Hebrews 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning <746> hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
- Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first <746> began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
- Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning <746> of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
- Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first <746> principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
- Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles <746> of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
- Hebrews 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning <746> of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
- 2 Peter 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning <746> of the creation.
- 1 John 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning <746>. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning <746>.
- 1 John 2:13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning <746>. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
- 1 John 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning <746>. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
- 1 John 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning <746>. If that which ye have heard from the beginning <746> shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
- 1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning <746>. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
- 1 John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning <746>, that we should love one another.
- 2 John 1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning <746>, that we love one another.
- Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate <746>, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
- Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning <746> and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
- Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning <746> of the creation of God;
- Revelation 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning <746> and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
- Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning <746> and the end, the first and the last.
- ↑ 746 ~ἀρχή~ arche \@ar-khay’\@ from 756; n f AV-beginning 40, principality 8, corner 2, first 2, misc 6; 58
- 1) beginning, origin
- 2) the person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader
- 3) that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause
- 4) the extremity of a thing
- 4a) of the corners of a sail
- 5) the first place, principality, rule, magistracy
- 5a) of angels and demons
- ↑ 756 ~ἄρχομαι~ archomai \@ar’-khom-ahee\@ middle voice of 757 (through the implication of precedence); v AV-begin 83, rehearse from the beginning 1; 84
- 1) to be the first to do (anything), to begin
- 2) to be chief, leader, ruler
- 3) to begin, make a beginning
- ↑ 757 ~ἄρχω~ archo \@ar’-kho\@ a primary word; v AV-rule over 1, reign over 1; 2 1) to be chief, to lead, to rule
- ↑ Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
- ↑ 1 Samuel 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
- ↑ 1849 ~ἐξουσία~ exousia \@ex-oo-see’-ah\@ from 1832 (in the sense of ability); n f AV-power 69, authority 29, right 2, liberty 1, jurisdiction 1, strength 1; 103 1) power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases 1a) leave or permission 2) physical and mental power 2a) the ability or strength with which one is endued, which he either possesses or exercises 3) the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege) 4) the power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed) 4a) universally 4a1) authority over mankind 4b) specifically 4b1) the power of judicial decisions 4b2) of authority to manage domestic affairs 4c) metonymically 4c1) a thing subject to authority or rule 4c1a) jurisdiction 4c2) one who possesses authority 4c2a) a ruler, a human magistrate 4c2b) the leading and more powerful among created beings superior to man, spiritual potentates 4d) a sign of the husband’s authority over his wife 4d1) the veil with which propriety required a women to cover herself 4e) the sign of regal authority, a crown
- ↑ Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
- Mark 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
- ↑ Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
- Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
- Luke 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
- ↑ 2888 ~κοσμοκράτωρ~ kosmokrator \@kos-mok-rat’-ore\@ from 2889 and 2902; n m AV-ruler 1; 1 1) lord of the world, prince of this age 1a) the devil and his demons
- ↑ Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Mark 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. Luke 4:2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
- ↑ 4655 ~σκότος~ skotos \@skot’-os\@ from the base of 4639; TDNT-7:423,1049; {See TDNT 724} n n AV-darkness 32; 32 1) darkness 1a) of night darkness 1b) of darkened eyesight or blindness 2) metaph. 2a) of ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their consequent misery in hell 2b) persons in whom darkness becomes visible and holds sway For Synonyms see entry 5926