Eph 4:8 Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."
It is an expression of conquering and triumphing over a captor. It is a picture of a spiritual reversal. The one who was over us , who oppressed us and took us captive is now defeated, while we go scot-free emancipated. The best explanation to make the meaning of this expression clear is Isaiah 14:1-2:
Isa 14:1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob.
2 Then people will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the LORD; they will take them captive whose captives they were, and rule over their oppressors.
* It is a fact that Satan exercises dominion over unsaved sinners:
2Ti 2:25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
* It is a fact that the Lord Jesus Christ in His death disarmed the spiritual forces of evil:
Col 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Heb 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
* It is also a fact that the Lord Jesus freed saved sinners from the bondage of sin:
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
35 "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
36 "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Ro 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
