Paul goes on to describe what God has done for His Son through His awesome power. He raised Christ from the dead, elevated Him to the throne at the Father's right hand, and ″placed all things under his feet″ (Ephesians 1:22). Christ's elevation above all things is in fulfilment of Psalm 8:6.

There is no created being excluded from the ″all things″ that are placed under the feet of Christ; He has supreme authority over all. Paul's prayer reaches its climax here as he sees Jesus at the summit of the universe. He is the ″head over everything″ (Ephesians 1:22)-the rightful ruler of the universe. Think of the incredibly huge universe, so large that it appears to be endless-Jesus rules over it all.

The phrase ″for the church″ (Ephesians 1:22) reminds us that Christ is the head of the church (4:15, 5:23), which is His body. The church has been given a Head who is no ordinary being. This head is not merely the best human being or even the most powerful angel; He is none other than the very head of the universe, the Son of God. As Bible scholar and author Arthur Skevington Wood observes, ″Christ in his exaltation over the universe is God's gift to the church.″ What great dignity God has given to the church! Christ has authority over the church just as He has authority over the universe. It is sad that this authority is not realised or acknowledged in the world, but more so when the same thing happens in the church. Where is supreme authority placed in the church? Is it in a leader, a council of leaders, or the people? When the authority that belongs to Christ alone is usurped and sinfully claimed or attributed to anything that belongs to the ″all things″ under Christ's feet, then idolatry has taken place. Those who try to be the head will lose connection with the true Head of the church. They will suffer and cause suffering in the church (Colossians 2:19).

Not only is Christ the Head of the church, but He also fills the church with His glory and blessings (Ephesians 1:23). If Christ, in whom all spiritual blessings are found, fills the church, then the church has been unimaginably blessed indeed. What a glorious truth!