Part 6 – What then is the meaning of “He led Captivity Captive”?

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called “He Led Captivity Captive”.

Now back to discuss the rest of Ephesian 4:8-9 concerning the fact that it says “He [Jesus] Led Captivity Captive.” As we will see shortly the simplest explanation of “he led captivity captive (Eph. 4:8) is to think of being bound or captive’ as slave.

When Jesus died, was buried, rose from the dead and ascended to “the right hand of God.” (1Peter 3:22);

  • Jesus led by first setting believersfree,’ we had been the captives of Satan under Sin’s dominion (Rom. 6:14).
  • Jesus at the same time took us ‘captive to Himself.’
  • Jesus continues to lead us believers even today and He will lead us until He returns again at the Rapture to bring us to dwell with Him, ‘reigning’ with Him “eternal in the heavens” (2Cor. 5:1, 2Tim. 2:12).
  • We are His ‘captives.’ After our salvation believers are held securely and lovingly… as those who are ‘willingly captive’ to Christ, ‘constrained by the bands of His love.’ We love Him only because “He first loved us” (1Jn. 4:19), for ... “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8).

We all have been slaves of sin in the past, but now, upon expressing faith in Christ, He freed us from that enslavement or captivity” to Sin (cf. Rom. 6:6, 16-18). So, Paul thinks of our faith in receiving salvation and “regeneration” by His Spirit of life” being dispensed to us (Titus 3:5, a new ‘birth’ of sorts) intrinsically includes our ‘consenting’ or ‘willing enslavementto the service of Jesus Christ as our Lord [Master].

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” (1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV)
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” (1 Corinthians 7:23 (KJV)

That “he led captivity captive” (Eph. 4:8) is actually prophecy of our redemption… being “bought with a price.”

“All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24).

He redeemed us by ransoming us out of the ‘slave market.’

 “the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45).

He thereby paid the price due for our sins so as to release us from captivity in sin, to purchase us as His own, now as ‘slaves to righteousness(cf. 1Cor 6:20).

 He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14).

As willing captive slaves of Christ, we find a liberty in our new captivity. This is paradox, not a contradiction, because as Christ’s slaves we are members of His family, being the blessed as “sons of God... heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17).

Jesus Ascended to the Father Alone’ – accompanied by Nobody:

The statement “When he ascended on high HE LED captivity captive” (Eph. 4:8) may seem to imply that when Jesus ascended into heaven He led a host of captives in train who ascended into heaven with Him,  as many Pastors and Christians may suppose, but this is not the case.

I myself, as many others have, have erroneously said Jesus led the O.T. believers who were captive in “Hades,” taking them with Him to heaven. But I stand corrected by “the word of God,” which does not say this. But note that there’s not a word of taking souls to ‘heaven’ in this passage.

There’s no such event as taking souls to ‘heaven’ recorded in scripture to this day; rather Scripture indicates Jesus ‘ascended into heaven ALONE.’

“And when he [Jesus] had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee [all were Jews], why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:9-11)

“… Christ (is) risen from the dead, and become THE Firstfruits of them that ‘Slept.’ 21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23But Every Man In His Own Order: Christ The firstfruits; AFTERWARD THEY that are Christ’s At His Coming. (1Cor 15:20-23)

A proof of this is noted some days after the cross and Jesus’ ascension ALONE when Peter preached that David Was Still In His Grave and Has Not ascended to the heavens.”

“… let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day…. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens…” (Acts 2:29, 34a)

Christ has “led” and yet also He today ‘leads us as the “Captain” of God’s “many sons,” individually, bringing them to the full expression (full blossoming) of His glorious indwelling “spirit of life.”

Christ leading us individually as His willing “captives,” is also Christ’s leading His church corporately, “that he might fill all things” (Eph. 1:10; cf. Col. 1:18-19). This interpretation certainly reflects the context in which Paul mentions the prophecy – leading us “till we all come to the unity of the faith” (Eph. 4:13). Paul is discussing his apostolic leadership of the church, being called to “edify [build-up]” “His body” in faith (cf. Eph. 4:1-16 for context.)

Today Christ is the ruling “Head” of “His body” givinggifts unto men(Eph. 4:8b) through the dispensing of His Spirit working in each body member, per “the mystery, which is Christ in you [plural] the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).

What exactly are these ‘gifts’ Christ gave to men?

  • He “gave gifts unto men” beginning with the free gift of salvation to the remnant of believers of Israel and later to those of Paul’s grace believers who are saved “by grace through faith” in Christ alone (Eph. 2:8-9).
  • Then He “gave” us the indwelling “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” to indwell and lead us individually. His Spirit thereby equips “His body” members for the spread of “the gospel of the grace of God.”
  • And He “gave” His “body” certain ministries, those for teaching and preaching the gospel and that which would be used of God to furnish “His body” with the rightly divided” …  “the word of truth.” This would equip each sincere member of “His body” with the message and life-giving ‘words’ that are spirit and life.” These gifts of truth being proclaimed have the power to save and build-up every believer in accord with His “Spirit of life.”

And he (Christ) GAVE some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors (elder shepherds) and teachers; 12 For the perfecting [Gk. karartismos, furnishing] of the saints (“sanctified” as believers), for the work of the ministry, for the edifying [building up] of the body of Christ:” (Eph. 4:7-12)

Christ has “led” a host of “captives [all the believers], gifting them through the agency of His Holy Spirit with Christ’s divine life, nature, and inspiration.

Thus, today He leads and empowers believers to live and preach the grace gospel to all Satan’s captive ‘slaves of sin,’ by delivering the true message of liberty, to lead them to Christ and into His light and liberty as His willing beloved captives of Christ.’