And has put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
All Commentaries on Ephesians 1:22 Go To Ephesians 1
John Chrysostom
AD 407
* And He put all things in subjection under His feet.
Not simply so set Him above them as to be honored above them, nor by way of comparison with them, but so that He should sit over them as His slaves. Amazing! Awful indeed are these things; every created power has been made the slave of man by reason of God the Word dwelling in Him. For it is possible for a man to be above others, without having others in subjection, but only as preferred before them. But here it is not so. No, He put all things in subjection under His feet. And not simply put them in subjection, but in the most abject subjection, that below which there can be none. Therefore he adds, under His feet.
* And gave Him to be Head over all things to the Church.
Amazing again, whither has He raised the Church? As though he were lifting it up by some engine, he has raised it up to a vast height, and set it on yonder throne; for where the Head is, there is the body also. There is no interval to separate between the Head and the body; for were there a separation, then were it no longer a body, then were it no longer a head. Over all things, he says. What is meant by over all things? He has suffered neither Angel nor Archangel nor any other being to be above Him. But not only in this way has He honored us, in exalting that which is of ourselves, but also in that He has prepared the whole race in common to follow Him, to cling to Him, to accompany His train.
