And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. [Alford takes apekdusamenos (G554) as in Colossians 3:9.] Stripping off from Himself the rules and the authorities: GOD put off from Himself the angels - i:e., not employing them to promulgate the Gospel, as He had given the law by their "disposition" (Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2; Hebrews 2:5): God (stripping off the mediation of angels, as a kind of veil) manifested Himself without a veil in Jesus. 'THE principalities and THE powers' refer to Colossians 2:10, Jesus, "the Head of all principality and power," and Colossians 1:16. In His sacrifice on the cross, God subjected all the principalities, etc., to Jesus, declaring them powerless as to His work and His people (Ephesians 1:21). Paul's argument against those engrafting on Christianity Jewish observances, along with angel-worship, is, whatever part angels had under the law, is now at an end, God having put the legal dispensation itself away. But the context refers to a triumph over bad angels. Ellicott, 'Having stripped away from Himself the (hostile) principalities and powers' that sought, in His human nature, to win for themselves a victory. A strained sense. The Greek middle favours 'Having spoiled;' 'having completely stripped (of their power) for Himself' (cf. Romans 8:38-39; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 6:12: especially Matthew 12:29; Luke 11:22; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8). [So Vulgate, expolians; and Wahl, clavis.]
Made a show of them openly - at His ascension (notes, Ephesians 4:8: confirming 'Having spoiled.')
Openly, х en (G1722) parreesia (G3954)]. John 7:4; John 11:54, supports the English version against Alford's, 'in openness of speech;' and Ellicott's, 'with boldness.'
In it - namely, His cross: so the Greek fathers. Many Latins, 'In Himself,' Christ. Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 2:5; Ephesians 2:16 favour the English version. Demons, like other angels, were in heaven up to Christ's ascension, and influenced earth from thence. As heaven was not yet opened to man before Christ (John 3:13), so it was not yet shut against demons (Job 1:6; Job 2:1). But at the ascension Satan and his demons were "judged" and "cast out" by Christ's obedience unto death (John 12:31; John 16:11; Revelation 12:5-10), and the Son of man was raised to the throne of God; thus His resurrection and ascension are an 'open' solemn triumph over the principalities and powers of death. The pagan oracles were silenced soon after Christ's ascension.