A phrase familiarized by the King James Version of the Bible. It occurs several times in Paul’s writings and is expressed using three Greek synonyms. The concept of principalities is represented by the Greek words exousia and archai. The concept of powers is represented by dunamis. In the New Testament, exousia describes the power inherent in authority as something confirmed by or derived from a position of prominence. There is nothing evil about this kind of authority. On the contrary, it is essentially right both morally and spiritually (Matthew 21:23). It thus applies most appropriately to these positions of authority:
the authority of the Messiah, God's anointed one (Matthew 9:6; Mark 2:10)
the authority of the apostles (2 Corinthians 10:8; 13:10)
the authority of human government (compare Matthew 8:9; Luke 20:20).
Archai has several meanings but occurs 12 times in the sense of “command,” “rule,” or “sovereignty.” Nine of these occurrences are in Paul’s letters (Romans 8:38; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 1:21; 3:10; 6:12; Colossians 1:16; 2:10, 15; Titus 3:1). The last word, dunamis, is a common word for power. It denotes the ability or strength to achieve an impressive goal (Matthew 25:15; Acts 3:12).
By using the expression “principalities and powers,” Paul was referring to the hierarchy of supernatural agencies, such as angelic beings, who worship and serve the Creator of the universe. Some commentators have divided this hierarchy into five categories:
thrones (a throne is a chair where rulers sit when exercising their authority)
principalities
powers
authorities
dominions
However, this categorization must be inferred, since there is nothing in Scripture that points directly to such distinct groups. In using the phrase, Paul was probably expressing the cosmic lordship of Jesus in as colorful and dramatic a manner as possible.
In giving Jesus a name above every other name, Paul was demonstrating the supreme lordship of Christ over all created beings, whether good or bad (Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10). As their Creator, the heavenly armies of angels were his subjects, acknowledging him as Lord of the universe. This affirmation was important for the Colossians, whose understanding of God had apparently been tainted by unbiblical speculation (Colossian 2:8). The truth is that in Jesus there resided all the fullness of God, and this is transmitted to believers through the Lord’s Spirit.