KJV: (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
YLT: and that, he went up, what is it except that he also went down first to the lower parts of the earth?
Darby: But that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
ASV: (Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
Τὸ | - |
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
|
Ἀνέβη | He ascended |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: ἀναβαίνω Sense: ascend. |
|
ὅτι | that |
Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
|
καὶ | also |
Parse: Conjunction Root: καί Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but. |
|
κατέβη | He descended |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: καταβαίνω Sense: to go down, come down, descend. |
|
εἰς | into |
Parse: Preposition Root: εἰς Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among. |
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κατώτερα | lower |
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural, Comparative Root: κατώτερος Sense: lower. |
|
μέρη | regions |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural Root: μέρος Sense: a part. |
|
τῆς | of the |
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
|
γῆς | earth |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: γῆ Sense: arable land. |
Greek Commentary for Ephesians 4:9
Paul picks out the verb αναβας anabas (second aorist active participle of αναβαινω anabainō to go up), changes its form to ανεβη anebē (second aorist indicative), and points the article (το to) at it. Then he concludes that it implied a previous καταβας katabas (coming down). [source]
If the αναβας anabas is the Ascension of Christ, then the καταβας katabas would be the Descent (Incarnation) to earth and της γης tēs gēs would be the genitive of apposition. What follows in Ephesians 4:10 argues for this view. Otherwise one must think of the death of Christ (the descent into Hades of Acts 2:31). [source]
Ephesians 4:9and Ephesians 4:10are parenthetical, showing what the ascension of Christ presupposes. By descending into the depths and ascending above all, He entered upon His function of filling the whole universe, in virtue of which function He distributes gifts to men. See Ephesians 1:23. Rev., properly, inserts this, thus giving the force of the article which calls attention to the fact of ascension alluded to in the quotation. “Now the or this 'He ascended.”' [source]
What does it imply? [source]
His ascent implies a previous descent. A.V. reads first, following the Tex. Rec. πρῶτον . Rev., correctly, He also descended. Compare John 3:13. [source]
The under world. The reference is to Christ's descent into Hades. Some give the words a comparative force, deeper than the earth. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Ephesians 4:9
Μέρος partis never used adverbially in the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation. In the Epistles it is rarely used in any other way. The only exceptions are 2 Corinthians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 9:3; Ephesians 4:9, Ephesians 4:16. Paul employs it in several combinations. With ἀπό from(1 Corinthians 1:14; 1 Corinthians 2:5), and ἐκ outof (1 Corinthians 12:27; 1 Corinthians 13:9, 1 Corinthians 13:10, 1 Corinthians 13:12), in which a thing is conceived as looked at from the part, either ( ἀπὸ ) as a simple point of view, or ( ἐκ ) as a standard according to which the whole is estimated. Thus 1 Corinthians 12:27, “members ἐκ μέρους severallyi.e., members from a part of the whole point of view. Also with ἐν inas Colossians 2:16, with respect to, literally, in the matter of. With ἀνά upthe idea being of a series or column of parts reckoned upward, part by part. Μέρος τι withregard to some part, partly, occurs 1 Corinthians 11:18; and κατὰ μέρος , reckoning part by part downward; according to part, particularly, Hebrews 9:5. Construe here with hath happened: has partially befallen. Not partial hardening, but hardening extending over a part. -DIVIDER- -DIVIDER- [source]
Ephesians 4:9and Ephesians 4:10are parenthetical, showing what the ascension of Christ presupposes. By descending into the depths and ascending above all, He entered upon His function of filling the whole universe, in virtue of which function He distributes gifts to men. See Ephesians 1:23. Rev., properly, inserts this, thus giving the force of the article which calls attention to the fact of ascension alluded to in the quotation. “Now the or this 'He ascended.”' [source]
Used nowhere else of Christ's second coming. Frequently in the Fourth Gospel, of Christ's descent to earth as man. See John 3:13; John 6:33, John 6:38, John 6:41, etc. In Ephesians 4:9, of his descent by the Spirit in order to endow the church. [source]
That is, in spirit (relative referring to πνευματι pneumati). But, a number of modern scholars have followed Griesbach‘s conjecture that the original text was either Νωε και Nōe kai (Noah also), or Ενωχ και Enōch kai (Enoch also), or εν ωι και Ενωχ en hōi kai Enōch (in which Enoch also) which an early scribe misunderstood or omitted Ενωχ και Enōch kai in copying It is allowed in Stier and Theile‘s Polyglott. It is advocated by J. Cramer in 1891, by J. Rendel Harris in The Expositor (1901), and Sidelights on N.T. Research (p. 208), by Nestle in 1902, by Moffatt‘s New Translation of the New Testament. Windisch rejects it as inconsistent with the context. There is no manuscript for the conjecture, though it would relieve the difficulty greatly. Luther admits that he does not know what Peter means. Bigg has no doubt that the event recorded took place between Christ‘s death and his resurrection and holds that Peter is alluding to Christ‘s Descensus ad Inferos in Acts 2:27 (with which he compares Matthew 27:52.; Luke 23:34; Ephesians 4:9). With this Windisch agrees. But Wohlenberg holds that Peter means that Christ in his preexistent state preached to those who rejected the preaching of Noah who are now in prison. Augustine held that Christ was in Noah when he preached. Bigg argues strongly that Christ during the time between his death and resurrection preached to those who once heard Noah (but are now in prison) and offered them another chance and not mere condemnation. If so, why did Jesus confine his preaching to this one group? So the theories run on about this passage. One can only say that it is a slim hope for those who neglect or reject Christ in this life to gamble with a possible second chance after death which rests on very precarious exegesis of a most difficult passage in Peter‘s Epistle. Accepting the text as we have, what can we make of it? [source]