A Greek adverb and preposition meaning above, over, upon, or more than. From epi (upon) and ano (upward). Used frequently in the Gospels for spatial "above" or positional "over," and in 1 Corinthians 15:6 for "more than five hundred brothers."
The spatial language of epano — above and over — maps the kingdom of God as a vertical realm that transcends and governs the earthly order. When Jesus places the lamp "above" (epano) the stand (Matthew 5:15), the physical act speaks spiritually: light is meant to illuminate, not to be hidden. When He is described as seated "far above" all rule and authority (Ephesians 1:21), the cosmic scope of the resurrection victory is declared. In 1 Corinthians 15, the "more than five hundred" who saw the risen Christ is a legal-weight argument: the testimony is too extensive to dismiss. The risen Christ rules epano — over all.