Ephesians 1:20 tells believers that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead also set him in a place of supreme authority at God’s right hand. The verse is part of Paul’s prayer for the church, and it explains where that power is and what it accomplished. Paul wrote this letter to the believers in Ephesus and the surrounding churches, probably in the early 60s AD, while he was in prison.
Which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places…
Ephesians 1:20 (WEB)
What Ephesians 1:20 Means
The verse begins by saying that the power at work is the same power God used in Christ. Paul is not describing a vague force. He points to a specific act: God raised Jesus from death. Death was the strongest opponent humans have ever faced, and God defeated it completely. The verse ties the reader’s hope to that event.
Next the verse says God “made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places.” In ancient culture, the right hand was the place of honor and shared authority. To sit there meant having the highest position of power next to the king. Paul is saying that the risen Jesus now holds a position of ruling authority over all things. The phrase “heavenly places” refers to the spiritual realm where God’s rule is fully established.
The verse does not promise that believers will never face hardship, nor does it describe every detail of how Christ rules today. What it does promise is that the authority Christ holds is real, complete, and secure. Believers are invited to trust that the one who conquered death is in control.
The Context of Ephesians 1:20
Ephesians is a letter that moves from praise to prayer to practical instruction. Chapter 1 opens with a long expression of thanks for the blessings God gives in Christ, and verses 17 to 23 are a prayer that the readers would grasp the depth of God’s power and hope. Verse 20 is the center of that prayer, offering the evidence of that power: the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus.
The verses just before it speak of “the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe,” and verse 21 goes on to say that Christ is “far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion.” Read in this setting, verse 20 is the foundation for the claims that follow. The power that believers receive is the same power that placed Christ over every rival authority, so the church’s confidence rests on Christ’s victory.
Key Phrases in Ephesians 1:20
Romans 8:11
But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
(WEB)
This verse connects the power that raised Jesus to the life of believers, teaching that the same Spirit who raised Christ also gives life to mortal bodies. It shows that Ephesians 1:20 is not only about Christ’s exaltation but also about what that power does in those who belong to him.
Psalm 110:1
The LORD says to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet.”
(WEB)
This Old Testament verse speaks of a ruler seated at the right hand of the LORD. Early Christians read it as a prophecy fulfilled in Jesus, and it offers the background imagery that Paul draws on in Ephesians 1:20.
A Short Prayer From Ephesians 1:20
Lord, thank you that the power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power you offer to me. When I feel weak, afraid, or unable to see a way forward, remind me that you hold all authority in heaven and on earth. Help me to trust that the one who defeated death is still working in my life today. Teach me to rest in your strength rather than my own. I give you the things I cannot control, believing that you are faithful and that your rule is secure. Amen.
