In fact, nowhere is the Evil One himself styled with such labels as principality, or power, or throne, or even dominion! Some critics will quote Ephesians 6:12 to try to connect these to him. However, the text as it now reads potentially makes for some ground for disputation. Why? P46 (the oldest extant manuscript of this passage yet found) omits any reference whatsoever to principalities and powers in that place, and also omits the phrase in the heavenly places (translated in high places in the King James Version). The translation of verses 11-12, from the Greek text contained in this ancient manuscript (set in the King’s English), reads as follows:
Put on the
full armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.
For to you the struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the wiles of
the Devil, against the rulers of this darkness, against spiritual forces
of wickedness.
As we see by comparison with the same text in current Bibles
the reading differs considerably. We now will align the Greek texts
side-by-side for easy visual comparison of the differing readings. . . .
|
Greek Texts of
Ephesians 6:12 Compared |
|
|
The Oldest Manuscript Reading |
Modern Critical Texts’ Reading |
|
ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν υμειν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς μεθοδιας, |
ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰς ἀρχάς, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου, πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ
τῆς πονηρίας ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις. |
As can be seen, there are substantial differences between the
reading which is seen today and that reading which occurs in P46, the oldest
manuscript of Pauline Epistles ever found. It might be seen by some more as an
accidental omission of the phrase translated “against principalities, and
against powers” but the presence of the wording “against the wiles” seems to
argue against that here. Now, while there are some errors of transmission in
even this manuscript, as was the case with all ancient manuscripts, overall the
scribe was careful in his work of copying from his exemplar. This manuscript
actually was the work of a professional scribe, as is shown by the various
markings that are found in the margins therein that count the number of lines
in this manuscript. Scribes often were paid by the
number of lines copied. It thus behooved professional scribes to copy
accurately so as not to lose money. The scribe who wrote this manuscript likely
saw this reading as it existed in his exemplar. The manuscript’s internal
evidence shows it.
Today this is the only extant
example of this reading in the manuscripts but its reading once was more
common. In any case, it is significant that the oldest manuscript omits any reference
to principalities and powers. Is it even possible that references to
principalities and powers actually were added to the text of Ephesians 6:12 at
a later date? Yes, it is possible, as the manuscript evidence just seen shows.
D. Charles Pyle, I Have Said Ye Are Gods:
Concepts Conducive to the Early Christian Doctrine of Deification in Patristic
Literature and the Underlying Strata of the Greek New Testament (Revised and
Supplemented)
(North Charleston, S.C.: CreateSpace, 2018), 342-44