Ephesians 4:8
Wherefore he saith, lWhen he ascended up on high, he led 2captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
διὸ λέγει, Ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος ᾐχμαλώτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν, καὶ ἔδωκε δόματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.
Textual key: no entry
l:
Psalms 68:17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
Colossians 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
2:
Judges 5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
the psalmist.
Christ, God manifested in the flesh: and then what was spoken by the psalmist prophetically in the second person, is spoken by the apostle historically in the third.
Christ ascended up on high after his death, both as to place, in his human nature, into heaven; and chiefly as to his state, in his being glorified.
either led those captive who had taken us captive, or rather led them captive whom he had taken captive;
being here put for captives, as elsewhere poverty for poor, 2Ki 24:14. This Christ did when, having conquered sin, death, Satan, he triumphed gloriously over them in his ascension, Col 2:15. It is spoken with allusion to conquering princes or generals, who in their triumphs had their captives attending upon their chariots.
he alludes in this likewise to the custom of conquerors casting money among the people that were the spectators of their triumphs, or giving largesses to their soldiers. Christ upon his ascension sent the Holy Ghost on the disciples, Act 2:1-47, and continues ever since to furnish his church with gifts and graces: see on Psa 68:18.