You’ve put your finger on one of my FAVORITE topics in Pauline studies: Paul and the Angelic Powers (the “elemental spirits”). Be sure to re-read Colossians with this in mind is well; I am convinced it is the key to much of what he says. When you say you’re “not sure what to do with it,” I’m not totally sure either, but I do know that the key to understanding it is the important substratum to Paul’s thought: the inauguration of the New Creation in Christ. He appears to teach that both Jews and Gentiles were under the power of angelic spirits in the Old Creation; the Jews apparently good angels (like Michael; Dan 12:1-2), and the Gentiles wicked fallen angels (I’m thinking here 1 Cor 10: “What the Gentiles sacrifice, they offer to demons”). But through Baptism into Christ, Christians become part of the New Creation, where they are no longer subject to these spirits (cf. Gal 3 esp.) In Christ, we are actually elevated ABOVE the angels, who now minister to us (cf. Heb 1). This is why Paul can say, I think: “Don’t you know that we will judge the angels?” (1 Cor 6). Anyway, most people have missed the importance of this theme in Pauline thought. It was Albert Schweitzer’s masterpiece, THe Mysticism of Paul the Apostle, which turned me on to it. Even though Schweitzer gets some stuff wrong, he’s always brilliant, and puts his finger on this one.

May the angels be with you!