Ephesians 6:12

Greek, "For our wrestling ('the wrestling' in which we are engaged) is not against flesh," &c. Flesh and blood foes are Satan's mere tools, the real foe lurking behind them is Satan himself, with whom our conflict is. "Wrestling" implies that it is a hand-to-hand and foot-to-foot struggle for the mastery: to wrestle successfully with Satan, we must wrestle with GOD in irresistible prayer like Jacob (Gen 32:24-29; Hos 12:4). Translate, "The principalities . . . the powers" (Eph 1:21; Col 1:16; see on Eph 3:10). The same grades of powers are specified in the case of the demons here, as in that of angels there (compare Rom 8:38; Co1 15:24; Col 2:15). The Ephesians had practiced sorcery (Act 19:19), so that he appropriately treats of evil spirits in addressing them. The more clearly any book of Scripture, as this, treats of the economy of the kingdom of light, the more clearly does it set forth the kingdom of darkness. Hence, nowhere does the satanic kingdom come more clearly into view than in the Gospels which treat of Christ, the true Light. rulers of the darkness of this world--Greek, "age" or "course of the world." But the oldest manuscripts omit "of world." Translate, "Against the world rulers of this (present) darkness" (Eph 2:2; Eph 5:8; Luk 22:53; Col 1:13). On Satan and his demons being "world rulers," compare Joh 12:31; Joh 14:30; Joh 16:11; Luk 4:6; Co2 4:4; Jo1 5:19, Greek, "lieth in the wicked one.

— Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (public domain)