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KJV:
Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
worketh in the children of disobedience
Quoting part of the great answer here: In Ephesians 2:2, to what or whom does "the authority of the air" refer? , we get a bit of an idea about how "air" is being used, perhaps as a metaphor:
Notice the first two words referring to what Christ is over (ἀρχῆς,
ἐξουσίας) are related to, or the same word as, the words in Eph 2:2
(ἄρχοντα, ἐξουσίας). Later, it is further learned that there are
"principalities and powers in the heavenlies" (ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς
ἐξουσίαις ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις; Eph 3:10) that something is being made
known to (indicating they are "personal" beings referred to, ones that
can gain "knowledge").
Maybe I’m reading too much into just this one line or am guilty of confirmation bias, but I can’t help but pick up Pentateuch or even Midrashic notes. Air being used in such an abstract sense and the notion of "heavenlies" bears some resemblance to Qliphoth or some other Zoroastrian influenced 2nd Temple Era imagery.
However, I may be completely wrong on this. This is of course the New Testament, and Paul may have chosen these words for an entire different reason.
Question
Would it be accurate to ascribe Jewish-mysticism to the language used in Ephesians2:2 or was Paul simply trying to textualize the gospel for the audience at Ephesus, which also had pagan customs and beliefs?
