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.
'For the х hee (G3588)] wrestling to us [so 'Aleph (') A, Vulgate. But B Delta G f 'to you'] ('the wrestling' in which we are engaged) is not against flesh,' etc. Not merely against feeble man, but against powerful spirits of evil. 'Wrestling,' for it is a hand-to-hand and foot-to-foot personal, individual struggle: to wrestle successfully with Satan, we must wrestle with GOD in irresistible prayer, like Jacob (Genesis 32:24-29; Hosea 12:4). Translate, 'the principalities ... the powers' (Ephesians 1:21, note; 3:10; 1:16). The same grades occur in the case of the demons here as in that of the angels there (cf. Romans 8:38; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Colossians 2:15). The Ephesians having practiced sorcery (Acts 19:19), he appropriately treats of evil spirits in addressing them. The more any Scripture treats of the kingdom of light, the more clearly does it set forth the kingdom of darkness. Hence, nowhere does the Satanic kingdom come more distinctly into view than in the gospels which treat of Christ, the true Light.
Rulers of the darkness of this world, [tous kosmokratoras tou skotous tou aionos toutou (G5127)] - 'the world-rulers of the darkness of this age.' But 'Aleph (') A B Delta G f g Vulgate, omit 'of age' х tou (G3588) aioonos (G165)]. 'Against the world-rulers of this (present) darkness' (Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 5:8; Luke 22:53; Colossians 1:13). On 'world-rulers' cf. John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11; Luke 4:6; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19, Greek, 'lieth in the wicked one.' They rule not merely the disordered world, but the civilized, in so far as it is alienated from God. Though Satan and his demons be 'world-rulers,' they are not rulers of the universe: their usurped rule is soon to cease, when He shall "come whose right it is" (Ezekiel 21:27). Two cases prove Satan not a subjective fancy: (1) Christ's temptation;
(2) The entrance of demons into the swine (for these are incapable of such fancies).
Satan tries to parody God's working (2 Corinthians 11:13-14). So when God became incarnate, Satan, by demons, took possession of human bodies. The demoniacally possessed were not peculiarly wicked, but miserable, and so fit subjects for Jesus' pity. Paul makes no mention of demoniacal possession: in the time he wrote, it seems to have ceased; it probably lasted only during the Lord's stay on earth, and the foundation of His Church.
Spiritual wickedness х ta (G3588) pneumatika (G4152) tees (G3588) poneerias (G4189)] - 'the spiritual hosts of wickedness.' As three clauses describe the power, so this fourth the wickedness, of our spiritual foes (Matthew 12:45).
In high places - Greek, 'heavenly places:' in Ephesians 2:2, "the air," where see note. The alteration to 'in heavenly places,' 'supernal regions,' is to mark the higher range of their powers than ours, they having been, up to the ascension (Revelation 12:5; Revelation 12:9-10), dwellers 'in the heavenly places' (Job 1:7), and being now in the regions of the air called the heavens (cf. Luke 8:5; Luke 8:12). Pride and presumption are the sins in heavenly places, to which especially they tempt (Luke 4:9-12), being those by which they themselves fell from heavenly places (Isaiah 14:12-15). Believers have nought to fear, being 'blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places' (Ephesians 1:3).