Charles Ellicott Commentary Ephesians 4:8

"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men." — Ephesians 4:8 (ASV)

Wherefore he says.—The reference is to Psalm 68—a psalm which (as the quotation from Numbers 10:35 in the first verse shows) is a psalm celebrating some moving of the ark, traditionally (and most probably) connected with David’s bringing up of the ark (2 Samuel 6) to Mount Zion. The very change from the second person to the third person shows it to be a free quotation. This is made far more evident by the remarkable variation from the text of the original, which runs, Thou receivedst gifts in man—that is, probably, “among men”; and adds, even the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them. This clause we may suppose refers to the homage of the Gentiles to the Lord Jehovah.

Now, it has been noted that the word “received” is used constantly for “receiving,” or “fetching,” for another (Genesis 15:9; Genesis 18:5; Genesis 27:13, and others). It also appears that the Chaldee Targum actually has here, as a gloss, “Thou hast given gifts to the sons of men,” interpreting the words, curiously enough, of Moses as a mediator between God and man. The psalm also was recognized as a Messianic psalm, foreshadowing the dwelling of “God with us” in the universal kingdom of the true Mediator.

St. Paul accordingly uses it with a bold variation suiting his context. The key to this use is found in the truth enunciated of our Lord in Acts 2:33, that being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He hath shed forth this. Our Lord, as the Head of humanity, receives only in order to give. From the means, therefore, the Apostle passes to the end.

He led captivity captive.—The modern use of these words as describing our Lord’s triumph over the power of evil, previously triumphant over man, and so giving freedom by leading captive the power of captivity, although in itself profoundly true, is not supported by the original, in which it is simply used for “a body of captives.” St. Paul’s use of it here is probably best interpreted by Colossians 2:15, where it is said of the principalities and powers—the powers of sin and death—that He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in the cross. (See Note on this passage.)