Air

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

The apostles, like other Jews of their time, regarded the air as a region between earth and the higher heavens, inhabited by spirits, especially evil spirits. In  Ephesians 2:2 the air is the abode or Satan (see below); in  Ephesians 6:12 ‘the heavenlies’ (τὰ ἐπουράνια)-a vague phrase used also in  Ephesians 1:3;  Ephesians 1:20;  Ephesians 2:6;  Ephesians 3:10 to denote the heavenly or spiritual sphere, the unseen universe*[Note: The Peshiṭta renders it ‘in heaven,’ except in  Ephesians 6:12 when it significantly has ‘under heaven.’]-is where the wrestling of the Christian against the spiritual hosts of wickedness takes place, and is apparently in this ease equivalent to ‘this darkness’ (cf.  Luke 22:53,  Colossians 1:13 ‘power of darkness,’ i.e. tyranny of evil). In  Revelation 12:7 the war between Michael and the dragon is in ‘heaven.’ This can hardly refer to the first rebellion of Satan, nor yet can we with Bede interpret ‘heaven’ as the Church; but rather the righting is in the heavens, a struggle of Satan to regain his lost place, ended by his final expulsion. ‘As the Incarnation called forth a counter-manifestation of diabolic power on earth, so after the Ascension the attack is supposed to be carried into heaven’ (Swete, Com. in loc .). But the conception is not unlike that of St. Paul as noted above.

There are several parallels to these passages in that class of literature which is thought to be a Christian rehandling of Jewish apocalyptic writings. In the Testaments of the Xii. Patriarchs ( q.v. [Note: quod vide, which see.] ) we read of the ‘aerial spirit Beliar’ (Benj. 3). In the Ascension of Isaiah ( q.v. [Note: quod vide, which see.] ) there is described an ascent ‘into the firmament,’ where were Sammael and his powers, and there was a great fight (vii. 9); Christ descends from the lowest heaven to the firmament where was continual warfare, and takes the form of the angels of the air (x. 29). In the Slavonic Secrets of Enoch the apostate angels are suspended in the second heaven awaiting the Last Judgment (§ 7; see Thackeray, Relation of St. Paul to Contemp. Jewish Thought , London, 1900, p. 176f.). These works in their present form probably date from the latter part of the 1st or the beginning of the 2nd cent. a.d. The ideas seem to have had much currency among Christians, for we find Athanasius ( de Incarn . 25) speaking of the devil having fallen from heaven and wandering about ‘our lower atmosphere,’ ‘there bearing rule over his fellow-spirits …,’ ‘while the Lord came to cast down the devil, and clear the air and prepare the way for us up into heaven.’

The prince of the power of the air ( Ephesians 2:2) is Satan. That he had authority over the evil spirits whose abode is in the air was the general Jewish belief, except among the Sadducees. St. Paul does not, however, here say ‘powers of the air,’ i.e. evil spirits, but the ‘air-power’ or ‘air-tyranny’ (for this meaning of ἐξουσία see Lightfoot’s note on  Colossians 1:13). Satan is the arch-tyrant whose abode is in the air.

Literature.-See articleDemon.

A. J. Maclean.

King James Dictionary

Air, n. L. aer Heb. to shine. The radical sense is to open, expand whence clear or to flow, to shoot, to radiate.

1. The fluid which we breathe. Air is inodorous, invisible, insipid, colorless, elastic, possessed of gravity, easily moved, rarefied, and condensed.

Atmospheric air is a compound fluid, consisting of oxygen gas, and nitrogen or azote the proportion of each is stated by chimists differently some experiments making the oxygen a twenty-eighth part of a hundred others, not more than a twenty-third, or something less. The latter is probably the true proportion.

Oxygen gas is called vital air. The body of air surrounding the earth is called the atmosphere. The specific gravity of air is to that of water, nearly as 1 to 828. Air is necessary to life being inhaled into the lungs, the oxygenous part is separated from the azotic, and it is supposed to furnish the body with heat and animation. It is the medium of sounds and necessary to combustion.

2. Air in motion a light breeze.

Let vernal airs through trembling osiers play.

3. Vent utterance abroad publication publicity as, a story has taken air.

You gave it air before me.

Wind is used in like manner.

4. A tune a short song or piece of music adapted to words also, the peculiar modulation of the notes, which gives music its character as, a soft air. A song or piece of poetry for singing also, the leading part of a tune, or that which is intended to exhibit the greatest variety of melody. 5. The peculiar look, appearance, manner or mien of a person as, a heavy air the air of youth a graceful air a lofty air. It is applied to manners or gestures, as well as to features. 6. Airs, in the plural, is used to denote an affected manner, show of pride, haughtiness as, when it is said of a person, he puts on airs. The word is used also to express the artificial motions or carriage of a horse. 7. In painting, that which expresses the life of action manner gesture attitude. 8. Any thing light or uncertain that is light as air.

Who builds his hope in air of your fair looks. Obs.

9. Advice intelligence information. Obs. 10. Different states of air are characterized by different epithets as, good air, foul air, morning air, evening air and sometimes airs may have been used for or vapor, but the use is not legitimate.

To take the air, is to go abroad to walk or ride a little distance.

To take air, is to be divulged to be made public.

Air,

1. To expose to the air to give access to the open air to ventilate as, to air clothes to air a room. 2. To expose to heat to warm as, to air liquors. 3. To dry by a fire to expel dampness as, to air linen.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (n.) To expose to the air for the purpose of cooling, refreshing, or purifying; to ventilate; as, to air a room.

(2): (n.) A particular state of the atmosphere, as respects heat, cold, moisture, etc., or as affecting the sensations; as, a smoky air, a damp air, the morning air, etc.

(3): (n.) Any aeriform body; a gas; as, oxygen was formerly called vital air.

(4): (n.) Air in motion; a light breeze; a gentle wind.

(5): (n.) Carriage; attitude; action; movement; as, the head of that portrait has a good air.

(6): (n.) Odoriferous or contaminated air.

(7): (n.) Utterance abroad; publicity; vent.

(8): (n.) Intelligence; information.

(9): (n.) A musical idea, or motive, rhythmically developed in consecutive single tones, so as to form a symmetrical and balanced whole, which may be sung by a single voice to the stanzas of a hymn or song, or even to plain prose, or played upon an instrument; a melody; a tune; an aria.

(10): (n.) In harmonized chorals, psalmody, part songs, etc., the part which bears the tune or melody - in modern harmony usually the upper part - is sometimes called the air.

(11): (n.) The peculiar look, appearance, and bearing of a person; mien; demeanor; as, the air of a youth; a heavy air; a lofty air.

(12): (n.) Peculiar appearance; apparent character; semblance; manner; style.

(13): (n.) An artificial or affected manner; show of pride or vanity; haughtiness; as, it is said of a person, he puts on airs.

(14): (n.) The representation or reproduction of the effect of the atmospheric medium through which every object in nature is viewed.

(15): (n.) That which surrounds and influences.

(16): (n.) To expose for the sake of public notice; to display ostentatiously; as, to air one's opinion.

(17): (n.) To expose to heat, for the purpose of expelling dampness, or of warming; as, to air linen; to air liquors.

(18): (n.) Symbolically: Something unsubstantial, light, or volatile.

(19): (n.) The fluid which we breathe, and which surrounds the earth; the atmosphere. It is invisible, inodorous, insipid, transparent, compressible, elastic, and ponderable.

(20): (n.) The artificial motion or carriage of a horse.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: ἀήρ (Strong'S #109 — noun, masculine — aer — ah-ayr' )

Eng., "air," signifies "the atmosphere," certainly in five of the seven occurrences,  Acts 22:23;  1 Corinthians 9:26;  14:9;  Revelation 9:2;  16:17 , and almost certainly in the other two,  Ephesians 2:2;  1 Thessalonians 4:17 .

2: οὐρανός (Strong'S #3772 — — ouranos — oo-ran-os' )

denotes "the heaven." The Rv always renders it "heaven." The Av translates it "air" in  Matthew 8:20 . In the phrase "the fowls (or birds) of the heaven" the Av always has "air;" "sky" in  Matthew 16:2,3;  Luke 12:56; in all other instances "heaven." The word is probably derived from a root meaning to cover or encompass. See Heaven , Sky.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. ἀήρ, the fluid that we breathe, and which surrounds the earth. There are two remarkable references to the air: one, that at the Rapture of the saints the raised dead and the living will be caught up into the clouds, and will meet the Lord in the air, 1 Thess. 4:17, in the same sphere in which the Lord disappeared at His ascension. The other is that Satan is called the prince of the power of the air,  Ephesians 2:2 , doubtless referring to the permeating character of the air, which we not only breathe, but it fills our houses and enters everywhere. When the air is tainted with malaria it permeates everywhere and poisons everything; so Satan has such power that his poisonous spirit morally contaminates everything in the world, of which he is the god.

2. οὐρανός, literally 'heaven' translated 'air' only in reference to the birds and fowls.  Matthew 8:20 , etc.

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 1 Corinthians 9:26 (a) This refers to the actions of one who wastes his life in busy idleness or in useless, fruitless endeavor.

 Ephesians 2:2 (a) Here is meant the space between Heaven and earth through which the prayers of GOD's people must pass, and through which the saints must go on their way home to God. The Spirit of God must take our prayers through the opposition of evil spirits up to the Throne of God and the Lord Jesus. Eventually the mighty power of God must take the spirits of His people through all Satanic opposition and bring them safe home to God.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Job 41:16  Jeremiah 14:6  Matthew 6:26 Acts 23:23 1 Corinthians 9:26 1 Corinthians 14:9 Ephesians 2:2  1 Thessalonians 4:17 Revelation 9:2 Revelation 16:17

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

that thin, fluid, elastic, transparent, ponderous, compressible body which surrounds the terraqueous globe to a considerable height. In Scripture it is sometimes used for heaven; as, "the birds of the air;" "the birds of heaven." To "beat the air," and "to speak to the air,"   1 Corinthians 9:26 , signify to fatigue ourselves in vain, and to speak to no purpose. "The prince of the power of the air" is the head and chief of the evil spirits, with which both Jews and Heathens thought the air was filled.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The air or atmosphere surrounding the earth is often denoted by the word heaven; so "the fowls of heaven" means the birds of the air.

2. To "beat the air," and to "speak in the air,"  1 Corinthians 9:26   14:9 , are modes of expression used in most languages, signifying to speak or act without judgment or understanding, or to no purpose. "The powers of the air,"  Ephesians 2:2 , probably means devils.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Revelation 9:2 16:17 Ruah   Job 41:16 Shamaiyim

The expression "to speak into the air" (  1 Corinthians 14:9 ) is a proverb denoting to speak in vain, as to "beat the air" ( 1 Corinthians 9:26 ) denotes to labour in vain.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(ἀήρ ), the atmosphere, as opposed to the ether (αἰθήρ ), or higher and purer region of the sky ( Acts 22:24;  1 Thessalonians 4:17;  Revelation 2:2;  Revelation 16:17). The Hebrew term רוּחִ,, ru’ ach, occurs in this sense but once ( Job 41:16); "air" is elsewhere the rendering of שָׁמִיַם, shama’ yim, in speaking of birds of the heavens. The later Jews (see Eisenmenger, Entd. Jud. 2, 437 sq.), in common with the Gentiles (see Elsner, Obs. 2, 205; Dougtaei Annal. p. 127), especially the Pythagoreans, believed the air to be peopled with spirits, under the government of a chief, who there held his seat of empire (Philo, 31, 28; Diog. Laert. 8:32; Plutarch, Quaest. Romans p. 274). These spirits were supposed to be powerful, but malignant, and to incite men to evil. That the Jews held this opinion is plain from the rabbinical citations of Lightfoot, Wetstein, etc. Thus in Pirke Aboth, 83, 2, they are described as filling the whole air, arranged in troops, in regular subordination (see Rosenroth, Cabbala denud. 1, 417). The early Christian fathers entertained the same belief (Ignat. ad Ephes. § 13), which has indeed come down to our own times. It is to this notion that Paul is supposed to allude in  Ephesians 2:2, where Satan is called "prince of the power (i.e. of those who exercise the power) of the air" (see Stuart, in the Biblioth. Sacra, 1843, p. 139). Some, however, explain "air" here by darkness, a sense which it bears also in profane writers. But the apostle no doubt speaks according to the notions entertained by most of those to whom he wrote, without expressing the extent of his own belief (see Bloomfield, Rec. Syn., and Meyer, Comment. in loc.). (See Power); (See Principality). The sky as the midst of heaven, or the middle station between heaven and earth, may symbolically represent the place where the Divine judgments are denounced, as in  1 Chronicles 21:16. (See Angel).

The phrase είς ἀέρα λαλεῖν , to speak into the aim ( 1 Corinthians 14:9), is a proverbial expression to denote speaking in vain, like ventis verba profundere in Latin (Lucret. 4:929), and a similar one in our own language; and εἰς ἀέρα δέρειν, to beat the air ( 1 Corinthians 9:26), denotes acting in vain, and is a proverbial allusion to an abortive stroke into the air in pugilistic contests (comp. Virgil, — AEn. 5, 377). (See Games).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

âr ( ἀήρ , aḗr ): In the Old Testament "air" is used (with one exception) in the phrase "fowl" or "fowls (birds) of the air." The Hebrew word is usually rendered "heaven" or "heavens." According to ancient Hebrew cosmogony the sky was a solid dome (firmament) stretching over the earth as a covering. In the above phrase the air means the space between the earth and the firmament. In Job ( Job 41:16 ) "air" renders רוּח , rūaḥ , "breath," "wind," "spirit." The scales of the leviathan are so closely joined together that no air can penetrate. In the New Testament the phrase "birds (or fowls) of the air," occurs ten times. This simply reproduces the Hebraism noticed above. Apart from this expression "air" in the King James Version represents aēr , which denotes the atmosphere which surrounds us. The expression "beating the air" ( 1 Corinthians 9:26 ) means to "deal blows that do not get home" - that miss the mark. In his conflict with the lower life represented by the body, Paul compares himself to a boxer who aims with unerring accuracy at his opponent. No stroke is lost. Paul also uses the phrase "speaking into the air" ( 1 Corinthians 14:9 ) in reference to the unintelligible utterances of those who "spake with tongues." In the expression, "prince of the powers of the air" ( Ephesians 2:2 the King James Version) we find an echo of the current belief that the air was the dwelling place of spirits, especially of evil spirits.

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Air, the atmosphere, as opposed to the ether, or higher and purer region ( Acts 22:23;  1 Thessalonians 4:17;  Revelation 2:2;  Revelation 16:17). The phrase to speak into the air ( 1 Corinthians 14:9) is a proverbial expression to denote speaking in vain, and to beat the air ( 1 Corinthians 9:26), denotes acting in vain, and is a proverbial allusion to an abortive stroke into the air in pugilistic contests. The later Jews, in common with the Gentiles, especially the Pythagoreans, believed the air to be peopled with spirits, under the government of a chief, who there held his seat of empire. These spirits were supposed to be powerful, but malignant, and to incite men to evil. The early Christian fathers entertained the same belief, which has indeed come down to our own times.