Ephesians 6:10-20

5. Concluding exhortation

Ephesians 6:10-20

10Finally, my brethren, be strong [Finally be strengthened]26 in the Lord, and in the power of his might [in the might of his strength]. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle [our27 wrestling is] not against flesh and blood, but against [the] principalities, against [the] powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world [the world-rulers of this darkness],28 against spiritual wickedness [the spiritual hosts of wickedness]29 in high [heavenly] places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done [accomplished] all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt [girt your loins] about with truth, and having [put] on the breastplate of righteousness. 15And your feet shod [having shod your feet] with the preparation [preparedness] of the gospel 16of peace; Above [In addition to]30 all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall 17be able to quench all the fiery darts31 of the wicked [evil one]. And take32 [or receive] the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication [With all prayer and supplication praying at all times] in the Spirit, and watching thereunto33 with [in] all perseverance and supplication for all [all the] saints; 19And for me [or on my behalf], that utterance may be given34 unto [to] me, that I may open my mouth boldly, [in the opening of my mouth, in boldness] to make known the mystery of 20the gospel,35 For [or In behalf of] which I am an ambassador in bonds [literally in a chain]; that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Summary: 1. Internal strengthening, Ephesians 6:10; Ephesians 2:0. Necessity of armor on account of the enemies, Ephesians 6:11-13; Ephesians 3:0. The armor itself, Ephesians 6:14-17 (a. the preparation, Ephesians 6:14-15; b. the defensive armor, Ephesians 6:16-17 a; c. the one offensive weapon, Ephesians 6:17 b); 4. The prayer and intercession, Ephesians 6:18-20 (a. prayer in general; b. intercession in general, Ephesians 6:18; c. intercession for the Apostle, Ephesians 6:19-20).

Ephesians 6:10. Finally, τὸ λο ìπόν—Particula sive formula concludendi et ut ad rem magnam excitandi, 2 Corinthians 13:11, formula progrediendi (Bengel). Philippians 3:1; Philippians 4:8; 1Th 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:1. Luther is good: finally. Τοῦ λοιποῦ [See Textual Note!] would mean: henceforth, in future (Galatians 6:17); here it would be unintelligible.

Be strengthened in the Lord, ἐνδυναμουσθε ἐν κυρίω—What in the active form is ascribed to the Lord, who strengthens (Philippians 4:13; 1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:17), is expressed by the passive36 here, without further qualification, Acts 9:22; more closely defined in 2 Timothy 2:1 : “in the grace;” Romans 4:20 : “in faith;” Hebrews 11:34 : “out of weakness” (ex morbo convalescere). It cannot be middle (Piscator), nor can κυρίω refer to God (B-Crusius). The general qualification: in the Lord is then more closely defined: and in the might of his strength, καὶ ἐν τῶκράτει τῆς ἰσχύος αύτοῦ.—Καί explicative here. [“This appended clause serves to explain and specify the principle in which our strength was to be sought for, and in which it dwelt” (Ellicott).—R.] On the whole phrase see Exeg. Notes, Ephesians 1:19. This gives prominence to what comes, to us from, Christ (1 Corinthians 12:9): Christ’s strength becomes our strength; only in Him are we strengthened.

The necessity of armor (panoply) on account of the enemies; Ephesians 6:11-13.

Ephesians 6:11. Put on the whole armour of God [ἐνδύσασθε τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ θεῦ].—To those being strengthened in the Lord it is said: “put on;” ἐνδύσασθε has something of a paronomasia between ἐνδυναμοῦσθε and δύνασθαι. The internal strengthening must appropriate the proffered means of assistance, in order to become powerful in conflict. For this the Christian requires τὴν πανοπλίαν37 τοῦ θεοῦ (here, Ephesians 6:13; Luke 11:22). The figure of a conflict is frequently used by the Apostle (2 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7; Romans 6:13; Rom 6:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; comp. Isaiah 59:16-19; Wis 5:17-23). The word πανοπλία refers to the entire equipment; it will not suffice to choose, or put on one or another piece of this military equipment; Ambrose: universitas armorum; Luther incorrectly limits it to: Harnesch [old English harness, defensive armor], both here and Ephesians 6:13. But it must also be “the panoply of God,” arma, quæ offeruntur, suppeditantur a Doc (Calvin, Calovius), therefore a Divine armament; the arms should be altogether of a Divine kind, in contrast to the arms of the opponent. The emphasis rests on the whole idea: God’s equipment, neither on πανοπλία alone (Meyer), nor on θεοῦ alone (Harless).38 It is not a detailed and playful imitation of 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (De Wette), but rather an independent reference to Isaiah 59:16-19, which is used in a different way for the Judgment in (Wis 5:17-23). Whether a Roman or Jewish warrior was in Paul’s mind is in itself an unprofitable question; the former met him constantly, the latter not.

That ye may be able to stand, πρὸς τὸ δύνασθαι ὑμᾶς στῆαι. The first verb is repeated in Ephesians 6:13 (δυνηθῆτε) and Ephesians 6:16 (δυνήσεσθε). Στῆναι πρός τίνα is a military phrase, the opposite of φεύγειν, and denotes the acceptance of a conflict with him who attacks. [“To stand one’s ground;” Ellicott remarks on the sense ofπρός in this phrase, that it means adversus, with the implied notion of hostility (‘contra’), which is otherwise less usual unless it is involved in the verb. Comp. Winer, p. 378.—R.]

Against the wiles of the devil, πρὸς τὰς μεθοδείας τοῦ διαβόλου.—Luther very aptly renders it: “against the crafty assaults of the devil.” The plural marks both the multiplicity of the concrete cases, and the obstinacy of the repeated attack (Stier).39 Craft and strength are both present in the assault, but the latter is concealed under the former, thus becoming dangerous and destructive. “The devil” is mentioned as the precise enemy, even though it be sin that is to be immediately contended against (Hebrews 12:1; Hebrews 12:4). “The panoply of God” and “the wiles of the devil,” are thus opposed to each other. The power of the latter is by no means inconsiderable and the contest is difficult, hence the next statement.

Ephesians 6:12. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood [ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἱμα καὶ σάρκα.]—“For” (ὅτι) introduces a reason for the proposition: “to stand against the wiles of the devil” is in question. The form οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη is remarkable; ἡμῖν includes with emphasis the Apostle; a proposition valid for all is treated of; ἔστἰν πάλη denotes the present conflict, while πάλη (πάλλειν, to throw, to swing), the wrestling-match, lucta (Erasmus), colluctatio (Augustine, Vulgate), is used in order to characterize the close, personal, struggle. Paul had in view the subject-matter and the readers, not mere rhetorical beauty. The article denotes the contest, which exists and which every one already knows. The Apostle denies the contest “against blood and flesh” because pone homines, qui nos infestant latent spiritus (Bengel). Underneath and behind what is human and sinful, Satan himself is active (Stier). Paul insists on the final ground, the deepest cause of the contest, the guiding principle, the commanding general; flesh and blood is to him only the division of the army which presses forward, occasioning special danger. Comp. Winer, p. 463. Augustine: Non est nobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem, i.e., homines, quos videtis sævire in nos. Vasa sunt, alius utitur; organa sunt, alius jungit. We have οὐκ—ἀλλά, hence not=non tam, non tantum—quam (Grotius, Stier and others). [Most commentators now oppose the softening down of the negation (following Winer and Meter). The word πάλη (only here) has been generally considered a change of metaphor or taken in a general sense. It undoubtedly marks the hand to hand conflict, and should therefore be taken literally. Meyer, who formerly accepted a change of metaphor, now maintains that this figure enters only in the negative clause, and that some general word is to be supplied after ἀλλά. This avoids a mixing of metaphors, but the learned author does not seem to notice that it weakens the sense just where it ought to be strongest, in the positive clause. He also takes the article as generic, but Alford suggests that ἡ πάλη refers to “the only conflict which can be described by such a word—our life and death struggle, there being but one such,” which is better.—R.]

The contest with flesh and blood is not, however, on this account excluded. The usual order is σὰρξ καὶ αἶμα (Matthew 16:17; 1 Corinthians 15:50; Galatians 1:16), in Hebrews 2:14 we find as a various reading [probably the correct reading, as it is supported by our best uncial authorities.—R.]: αἵματος καὶ σαρκός. Since the formation of the flesh proceeds from the blood (Wis 7:1-2), reference is made here to the origin of man and his corrupt nature denoted, according to the context. The position of the two words is not accidental (Meyer). Elsewhere the phrase means human nature in itself (1 Corinthians 15:50), including what is sinful, Matthew 16:19; Genesis 1:16. One’s own flesh and blood is also included here; it is not to be referred only to the human persons about one’s self (Bengel, Harless, Meyer, and others).

But, ἀλλά supply ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη.—Against the principalities, πρὸς τὰς .—The repetition of the preposition with each term gives prominence rhetorically to the several notions. Winer, p. 392. Ἀρχάς indicates the organization of the kingdom of the devil, denoting the chiefs and heads of the separate groups,—Against the powers, πρὸς τὰς ἐξουσίας marks the efficient, attacking powers, comp. Ephesians 1:21; Ephesians 3:10.—Against the world rulers of this darkness, πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας του σκότους τούτου.—This term (also in the Hebrew [Rabbinical term] קוֹזְמוֹקרָטּוֹר) denotes the world-ruling power: for “the whole world lieth in darkness” (1 John 5:19; 1 John 2:14) and Satan is “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), “the prince of this world” (John 16:11; John 14:30); his angels are under him world-rulers, whose sphere is designated by the genitive: “of this darkness.” Κόσμος more closely designates the local extension and region of the dominion, τοῦ σκότους its quality as to origin and corruptness, but it is limited by τούτου, which points to something transient and bounded. On this account we should neither weaken the meaning of κοσμοκράτορες into “rulers” (Harless), nor is it necessary (with Bengel, Stier [E. V. ] and others) to read τοῦ αἰῶνος after τοῦ σκότους. Bengel: Bene quod non sunt omnitenentes: magna tamen non solum ipsius diaboli, sed etiam eorum, quibus præest, potentia est. Videntur alia esse genera malorum spirituum, quæ magis domi in arce regni tenebrarum manent, imperia, potestates, aliud hoc tertium, quod foris mundanas quasi provincias obtinet munditenentes.40 The power is made prominent in the first two terms, and in the third the sphere; there follows next a designation which gives prominence to the character:

Against the spiritual hosts of wickedness.—Πρὸς τὰ πνευματικὰ (Vulgate: spiritualia) is an abstract term, the concluding antithesis of “flesh and blood,” comprising all the spiritualities, which, in contrast with the kingdom of the Holy Ghost, deserve the characteristic: τῆς πονηρίας, as the spirit of revolution; to such belong moral wickedness and malice, which is directed to the destruction of others. It is incorrect to take πνευματικώ πνεύματα (Luther: with evil spirits), or collectively as Geisterschaft (Meyer), or to translate the phrase spirituales nequitias (Erasmus). [This view, supported by Braune, is that of Stier, but it is by no means so satisfactory as that of Meyer, accepted by Hodge, Eadie, Alford, Ellicott and others. This takes the term collectively (see Winer, p. 224, and Meyer), as implying something more than “spirits,” rather the bands, hosts, armies, confraternities of spirits, best expressed by the German term: Geisterschaft. See Ellicott against the altogether untenable rendering of the E. V., as well as against the abstract meaning in general.—R.]

In heavenly places, ἐυτοῖς ἐπουρανίοις.—This is to be connected grammatically with τὰ πνευματικά (omnium doctorum opinio, Jerome), and, as in Ephesians 3:10; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 2:6; has a local signification, designating a region in antithesis to the earthly, to what is in any manner perceptible to the sense; here, where angels are spoken of, it means the region assigned to these beings who are purely spiritual over against men, and although there are angels who have not remained in their original fellowship with God, yet there still remains to them a region corresponding to their nature, of course not in nearness to God. It does not then mean in statu cœlesti as a moral notion, but only as a physical one, so that it may be taken as parallel to ἀήρ, Ephesians 2:1, though it is not exactly equivalent; ἀήρ is spoken of from the stand-point of man, τὰ ἐπουράνια from the nature of angels, marking the dangerous element of the contest with these spirits and their spiritualities. Hence before all we are to reject the explanation: “for heavenly possessions” (Greek Fathers, Calovius, Morus and others), since the position of the words will not permit this phrase to be joined with πάλη in the beginning of the sentence, passing over ἀλλά, nor is ἐν = ὑπέρ, δὶά, while the signification of the phrase is uniformly local. [Comp. Ephesians 1:3.] It does not designate the place of the conflict, the kingdom of heaven (Matthies),41 nor the place, but in a symbolical sense, out into the fathomless air, in order to show that the contest is unequal Marte iniquo (Rueckert), or in such a way that region and subject meet, as though a conflict was spoken of in our souls, but respecting calling and sanctification, our praying and preaching of God’s grace (Stier); nor yet are we to think of the spiritual world and its affairs (B-Crusius). Finally with the proper view of the connection we should neither interpolate a “formerly” (Semler), as though only the previous condition of the angels was denoted, nor does it suffice to accept the limitation to a locality excluded (Hofmann, Schriftbeweis, i. 455), nor is it admissible to treat the notion of heaven as an elastic one, so that these angels are still relatively in a heaven, the atmospheric one (Meyer). Nor does it at all mean a pretended stay, so that the expression is apt irony in view of the arrogation of equal dignity, power and glory with God. (Schenkel).

[The connection with the phrase immediately preceding is accepted by nearly all recent commentators, but there is necessarily difference of opinion about the exact force of the term. Ellicott objects to any precise specification of locality, though referring to Hofmann, whose view is properly rejected by Meyer. Schenkel’s view is a pure invention. Such irony was not befitting the earnestness of Paul’s discourse, and was scarcely so “apt” as Schenkel thinks, if no one else but himself has hitherto appreciated it. Ellicott aptly expresses the sense: “supernal spirits of evil.” The E. V. shows the reluctance to apply the word “heavenly” to evil spirits. See Meyer and Eadie for notice of other shifts.—R.]

Ephesians 6:13. Wherefore, διὰ τοῦτο, because we have to contend against such.—Take up the whole armour of God.—Comp. Ephesians 6:11. Ἀναλάβετε is a technical term for taking up the arms.—That ye may be able to withstand.—Instead of πρός (Ephesians 6:11) we here have ἵνα; the goal is denoted there, the purpose here; ἀντιστῆναι is somewhat livelier, indicating the attacks of the spirit, whom he in spirit sees making an assault.—In the evil day, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρα τῇ πονηρᾶ.—At all events this means a particular day, immediately impending, but quite as certainly is it not the same for every one, since a common contest is not implied, not a battle, but a πάλη, “wrestling,” in which the victory is decisive for “the day of redemption.” Therefore the decisive, imminent day of conflict for each one is marked. Bengel: bellum est perpetuum; pugna alio die minus fervet; dies malus vel ingruente morte, vel in vita; longior, brevior, in se ipso sæpe varius. [So Hodge, Eadie, Alford, Ellicott.] See Doctr. Notes. It is neither the day of death (Schmid), still less the day of Judgment (Jerome), nor in general every day of conflict with its calamity (Theodoret, Pelagius, Harless and others), [nor the present life with the accompanying thought of brevity, Chrysostom, Œcumenius, Theophylact,] nor the particular common day [of the last great Satanic outbreak] before the Second Advent (Koppe, Meyer, Stier and others), nor is it merely the evil hours (Luther.)

And having accomplished all, to stand [καὶ ἅπαντα κατεργασάμενοι στῆναι].—To ἀντιστῆναι, referring to the conflict, the Apostle appends (καί) στῆναι, which designates the victorious keeping the field on the place of contest; it is the opposite of fleeing, yielding, being thrown down. Ἅπαντα κατεργασάμενοι, placed first, denotes a performing, effecting, the object of which is more fully designated with ἅπαντα, more comprehensible than πάντα, omnia operati (Jerome), well executing all (Luther); comp. Romans 7:13; Philippians 2:12. The Apostle here treats of the doing of the Divine will in all directions and relations, the ethical activity and efficiency of the Christian, which outs its way through all assaults and conflicts from the side of the demons, without being led astray or weakened. It is neither=παράσκευασάμενοι, omnibus rebus probe comparatis ad pugnam (Bengel and others), nor=debellare, phrasis bellica (Greek Fathers, Grotius, Koppe, Harless and others), nor does it refer to the conflict itself (Meyer and others), nor yet is it: in omnibus perfect (Vulgate).

[The participle is never used by Paul in the sense of “having overcome;” it is therefore best to accept the usual meaning: “having accomplished,” especially as we might expect a masculine object instead of the neuter ἅπαντα, were the former sense intended. At the same time the view of Bengel is evidently too restricted for the extended meaning of both participle and object. There remains still another question respecting the scope of the clause. Braune follows Luther in referring the infinitive to keeping the field; in that case the participle necessarily refers to all the antecedent action. Eadie, Alford, and Ellicott however apply the term to standing firm until the end of the combat, which seems preferable in view of the continued reference in context to the conflict itself. The participle, with its object, then means: having done all that the exigencies of the conflict require, “being fully equipped and having bravely fought.”—R.]

The armor itself; Ephesians 6:14-17. a. The preparation; Ephesians 6:14-15. b. The defensive armor; Ephesians 6:16-17 a. c. The one offensive weapon; Ephesians 6:17 b.

Ephesians 6:14. Stand therefore, στῆτε οὐν, in the conflict, in order after the conflict to stand as victor. [Meyer, Ellicott: “stand ready for the fight;” Alford: “whether ‘ready for the fight’ or ‘in the fight’ matters very little: all the aoristic participles are in time antecedent to the στῆτε—and the fight ever at hand.”—R.]—Having girt your loins about with truth, περιζωσάμενοι τὴν ὀσφὺν ὑμῶν ἐν .—Being girded about their loins, they have on the girdle, or waist-belt (ζωστήρ, ζώνη), which covers the groin and the stomach below the breastplate, the most vulnerable part of the body, the region of the hips and loins; this is the first and a very important piece (Isaiah 5:27; Isaiah 11:5; Luke 12:35; 1 Peter 1:13). [Meyer: “An ungirded soldier would be a contradiction in terms.” The girdle kept the armor in place, formed in itself a part of the cuirass, and was also used to support the sword. The latter notion Alford regards as confusing here, but it hardly seems so, since the sword was objective truth.—R.]—Ἐν that with which the loins are enveloped, like καίειν ἐν πυρί, καλύπτειν ἐν ἱματίῳ (Winer, p. 36342); here it means the objective truth revealed in the word, which is appropriated. Veritas adstringit hominem, mendaciorum magna est laxitas (Grotius). On this account we should neither exclude the former (Harless, Meyer), nor understand merely the moral truth of willing (Harless) or the agreement of knowledge with the objective truth given in the gospel (Meyer), or sincerity (Calvin and others), or apply this to ornament (Harless). [“Truth” here is subjective truth, since the article is wanting and the objective truth is mentioned in Ephesians 6:17. Still it is based on the faith and standing of a Christian (Alford); “the assured conviction that you believe” (Eadie). It should be noticed that faith (by implication) enters here and in the mention of the sword, as well as explicitly in the figure of the shield.—R.]

And having put on the breastplate of righteousness [καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν θώρακα τῆς δικαιοσύνης].—Here καί adjoins another piece. Ἑνδυσάμενοι43 means putting on like a part of the clothes. Τὸν θώρακα is added by the Apostle without a designation of the part of the body (στῆθος) which it covers because that is self-evident. The genitive (τῆς δικαιοσύνης) is appositional; here it means the righteousness of faith and of life, justification and sanctification before God and men (Romans 6:4; Romans 6:13). In pectore sedes est conscientiæ, quæ munitur justitia. Hostis per omnia ipsi contraria vincitur (Bengel). Meyer finds here the ethical rectitude, as in the previous clause the intellectual, which is only so far correct, that here we should find an ethical reference, there an intellectual one, as in Ephesians 5:9; Isaiah 11:5. Harless: The righteousness of faith, with which alone one does not stand on the place of conflict, which also passes over into the life. [So Alford: “The purity and uprightness of Christian character which is the result of the work of the Spirit of Christ; the inwrought righteousness, not merely the imputed righteousness.” The latter reference is defended by Eadie and Hodge; the former pressing the article in support of it, the latter urging that no moral virtue forms part of the armor and then saying that the subjective sense of righteousness was included already in the word “truth.” The wider reference is preferable, for the more restricted one belongs to a view of the word δικαιοσύνη, which is too forensic, sundering in twain an indivisible truth. For the correct meaning of the word, see Romans, pp. 74, 75, 78, etc.—R.]

Ephesians 6:15. Having shod your feet, καὶ ὑποδησάμενοι τοὺς πόδας.—This adds the third piece, and the terms are again significant. Here we must think of the war-sandals, προκνημῖδας, ocreœ militares,44 which give firm footing and gait.—With the preparedness of the gospel of peace [ἐν ἁτοιμασία τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς εἰρήνης].—That in (ἐν) which the feet stand, is for the warrior of Christ ἑτοιμασία, readiness, promptitudo animi, internal and external, the ready courage and preparedness for conflict, firmitas et constantia, which the gospel gives; hence τοῦ εὐαγγελίου is auctoris, the contents and pledge of which is set forth by τῆς εἰρήνης chiefly with God, (Romans 5:1; Romans 8:31; Romans 8:38 f.), then in one’s self and peaceableness toward men as such.45 The Christian fights in peace for the sake of peace, viz. the eternal one. That is an oxymoron (Schenkel): the gospel of peace instils readiness for conflict. We should not then, because pedumsæpe (Romans 10:15; Romans 3:16 sqq.; Luke 1:79) conjuncta mentio cum evangelis et cum pace (Bengel), allow ourselves, contrary to the context to think of the proclamation of the gospel (Luther: ready to carry on the gospel, Harless and others). [So Chrysostom and now Conybeare, but the Apostle was addressing the whole church as engaged in an individual conflict, mainly defensive too.—R.] Notwithstanding the frequent use of ἑτοιμασία to translate the Hebrew מָכוֹך (LXX. Ezra 2:68; Ezra 3:3; Psalms 89:15; Daniel 9:20-21), it is not to be rendered as=fundamentum (Bengel and Bleek and others), although what is positive is not to be excluded. Εἰρήνη is neither to be limited to peace with God (Harless, Meyer and others), nor referred to peace between Gentile and Gentile (Michaelis). Erasmus is irrelevant: evangelium—non-tumulta, sed tolerantia tranquillitateque defenditur.

The defensive armor; Ephesians 6:16-17 a.

Ephesians 6:16. In addition to all, ἐπὶ πᾶσιν (Winer, p. 367), as in Luke 3:20 : “Added this above all;” Luke 16:28. Erasmus: super omnia, for a protection over all. Incorrect: before all things (Luther). [Meyer, Hodge, Alford, Ellicott agree with Braune (as does Eadie, who formerly defended the local sense) in taking the preposition as=in addition to rejecting the local (Bengel and others) and ethical references (E. V.). If ἐν be accepted as the correct reading (see Textual Note5) the meaning would be: in all things, i.e., on all occasions.—Having taken up, ἀναλαβόντες, aptly chosen here:46 the shield of faith.—Τον θυρεόν (from θῦρα, originally that which closes an entrance) is chosen by the Apostle because he has in mind the scutum, which was four feet long and two and a half broad, צִנָּה (Psalms 35:2; Ezekiel 23:24, LXX.) and not ἀσπίς, clypeus, מָגֵך, the smaller, round shield. The concern is that the whole person be covered, as indeed faith (τὴς πίστεως, genitive of apposition as in Ephesians 6:14; Ephesians 6:17) entirely covers and defends the Christian: as God’s gift effecting salvation (Ephesians 2:8) [Meyer: fides salvifica], bringing about forgiveness of sins in the past (Ephesians 1:7), affording for every moment access to God (Ephesians 3:12), assuring in advance of eternal life, by securing to us the gift of the Holy Ghost (Ephesians 1:13-14), rendering holy and without blame (Ephesians 1:4). Comp. Romans 8:14-16; Romans 8:31-39. Man’s own holiness is not a shield for him, as in Wis 5:20; God’s holiness is his shield; God Himself is our shield (Genesis 15:1; Psalms 18:31; Proverbs 30:5; 1 Peter 5:9; 1 John 5:4). It is faith, entirely and constantly giving itself up to God in Christ, on the part of a child and heir, hence not the faith of miracles, nor justifying faith alone (Schenkel).

Wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.—Thus the Apostle describes the protection of faith against dangerous attacks. Ἐν ᾦ is on which, not with which (Luther and others). [It means either, lighting on it and being quenched in it, or “as protected by and under cover of which” (Ellicott). The former is perhaps preferable.—R.] The figure and the reality are here so much complicated in each other, that we should not think of a shield with wet hides (Olshausen), but of faith on which the destructive fire from Satan is extinguished, without causing damage. The future (δυνήσεσθε) refers to the impending conflict.47 In this are thrown τὰ βέλη τοῦ πονηποῦ τὰ πεπυρωμένα; these are malleoli (darts), falaricæ (javelins), tela ignita (made of reeds, with tow and pitch), which are ignited and then hurled (Psalms 7:14; Livy, Psalms 21:8). The evil one, i.e., Satan48 (Matthew 5:37; Matthew 13:19; Matthew 13:38; John 17:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:3) throws temptations of many kinds; hence πάντα comes first and τὰ πεπυρωμένοι is placed last for emphasis (Winer, p. 127)49. Certainly we are to understand in part dangerous and corrupting words and speeches which come to one’s ears, impart thoughts cast into the heart, the fire of passions, etc. In the σβῆσαι the figure is simply exceeded by the reality. Of course we need not think of poisoned darts (Rueckert and others), which are not burning, but inflict burning wounds. Yet it cannot be said that we should not think of burning desires (Chrysostom), because these are present within man (Schenkel); faith is an affair of the heart, and in the heart the conflict of redemption is fought and won; besides fire and iron could scarcely be two deadly elements, which aptly illustrate the attacks of Satan. [Schenkel].

Ephesians 6:17. And take [or receive] the helmet of salvation [καὶ τῆν περικεφαλαίαν τοῦ σωτηρίου δέξασθε].—This advance is natural. In accordance with the genius of the Greek language a translation is made to the finite construction; it is not simply Paul’s lively method (Meyer), but that of the language. The genitive, τοῦ σωτηρίου, is one of apposition, as in Ephesians 6:14; Ephesians 6:16.] The word is entirely general as in Luke 2:30; Luke 3:6; Acts 28:28 (from Isaiah 59:17, LXX. with a reference to the name of Jesus, in which the battle is fought and won, whom faith appropriates) and is used for σωτηρία. The salvation of the Messianic kingdom is represented as a helmet, covering the head. For the warrior does not hide himself behind his shield, but looks over it into the face of his opponent.—Δέξασθε, accipite oblatam a domino. Salute erigitur caput et munitur. 1 Thessalonians 5:8; Psalms 3:3-4 (Bengel). Salvation is the subject of the faith, in which the salvation is apprehended (Harless). [Hodge: “That which adorns and protects the Christian, which enables him to hold up his head with confidence and joy, is the fact that he is saved.” The German has an alliteration here: Den Helm des Heils nehmt, which Wickliffe gives in the Old English of his version: “the helme of helthe.”—R.]

The one offensive weapon; Ephesians 6:17 b.

And the sword of the Spirit, καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν τοῦ πνεύματος.—There is no mention, in addition, as in 1 Samuel 17:47; of the “spear,” or of the “bow” (Genesis 48:22; Joshua 24:12; Psalms 44:7). The Christian has only to contend cominus, personally, not eminus. The sword is “of the Spirit;” τοῦ πνεύματος is a genitive auctoris: He gives it, makes it. It cannot be appositional (Harless and others), as before, since the apposition follows in the relative clause.50

Which is the word of God.—Ὅ ἐστι which is neuter by attraction of ρῆμα θεοῦ, relates to μάχαιραν, and is not to be construed with πνεύματος (Olshausen), for the Holy Ghost is not the Word of God; the latter is the product, the former is the Producer of what is in the word of God. Concinne subsequitur mentio Spiritus, adeoque coll. Ephesians 6:13 habetur mentio s. trinitatis (Bengel). The Holy Ghost is meant, in antithesis, both to the letter and to the flesh, hence not the human spirit (Morus), which in itself is also σάρξ. “The Word of God” is not to be limited to commandments (Flatt), or threatening against the enemies of the kingdom (Koppe).

This completes the equipment. Two things are to be maintained: 1. The difference of the arms and the ethical or supersensuous realities set forth in them should not be arbitrarily weakened. It should not be said: universa potius armorum notio tenenda est. Nor can a proof of this be deduced from 1 Thessalonians 5:8, where we read: “the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation.” From a different stand-point there can be afforded a partially different point of view. 2. The figures are not to be pressed beyond measure and the lively objective metaphor of the Apostle to be dissected in arbitrary subjectivity to practical use.51

The prayer and the intercession; Ephesians 6:18-20. (a.) Prayer in general, Ephesians 6:18 a. (b.) Intercession in general, Ephesians 6:18 b. (c.) Intercession for the Apostle, Ephesians 6:19-20.

Ephesians 6:18. With all prayer and supplication praying.—[The connection of this verse is with στῆτε (Ephesians 6:15), not with δέξασθε, which is a subordinate thought referring to a definite act, hence inconsistent with the “all,” “always” of this verse (Meyer). Meyer is scarcely justifiable in disconnecting διὰ πάσης προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως from προσευχόμενοι on the ground of tautology and logical difficulty. Each phrase expresses a proper qualification of the participle, and to pray always with every form of prayer involves no contradiction. Hodge seems to have been led into Meyer’s view. Conybeare improperly takes the participle as an imperative and begins a new paragraph with this verse.—R.]

The participle (προσευχόμενοι) is closely connected with the summons to the conflict and the putting on of the armor. The summons to prayer did not appear independently. Prayer is rather to be regarded as attending the taking up of the weapons and the conflict, as the present strongly indicates. The phrase: διὰ πάσης προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως, placed first, only requires, that prayer should not be neglected and that constant prayer of every form be earnestly offered up. The first term means prayer in general, the second the special request. [So Harless, Meyer, Fritzsche, Trench (Syn. II., § 1), Ellicott, Alford and most recent commentators.—R.] The opinion [Grotius] is untenable, that the former refers to the bestowment of a blessing, the latter to the averting of an evil (James 5:16-17).

At all times in the Spirit.—Ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ gives prominence to the prayer as persevering, despite all change of relations and circumstances, at every opportunity, ἐν πνεύματι to prayer, as fervent and Christian occurring in the impulse of the Holy Ghost.52 Bengel: Quoties cunque oratis, orate in Spiritu, quippe qui nullo tempore excluditur.

Intercession in general. And watching there unto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.—With reference to the already described prayer (εἰς αὐτό) there should also enter (καί), “watching” (ἀγρυπνοῦντες, from ἅϋπνος, Mark 13:33; Luke 21:36), which is elsewhere also joined with prayer (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; Colossians 4:2). [Alford: “continual habits of prayer cannot be kept up without watchfulness to that very end.”—R.] This should take place: “in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” The feeling of fellowship in the conflict finds its immediate expression in the supplication for all the fellow-combatants, whose standing fast is strength and assistance to their neighbor. The Christian should have a clear view about him, to the companions in conflict at other positions, in other places, and besides continue constant in such supplication. [“Perseverance and supplication” here amounts to “persevering supplication,” though it is not a grammatical Hendiadys, since the order would be inverted in that case. Ellicott says it is “a virtual or what might be termed a contextual ε͂ν διὰ δυοῖν.” Eadie: “In praying for themselves they were uniformly to blend petitions for all the saints.”—R.] How much depends on this is exemplified in what follows.

Intercession for the Apostle, Ephesians 6:19-20. Ephesians 6:19. And for me [or on my behalf], καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ.—[Καί brings into prominence a particular instance: Winer, p. 407.—R.] On the change of prepositions (see Exeg. Notes on Ephesians 5:2) it may be remarked: As regards the saints the figure of encirclement by attacking foes is the one, hence περί, but in the case of the Apostle in prison, that of a fallen combatant, hence ὑπὲρ. Or the former is=on account of, propter, the latter=for, pro (1 Peter 3:18), making known a stronger personal interest.53

That utterance may be given to me.—Ἵνα μοι δοθῇ, that there may be given me from the Lord as His gift.54 Non nitebatur Paulus habitu suo (Bengel). But. what? Utterance, in the opening of my mouth, λόγος ἐν .—This is one conception: λόγος without the article, indefinite, is more qualified by the prepositional phrase. Ἄνοιξις τοῦ στόματος is a pregnant expression (Matthew 5:2; 2 Corinthians 6:11), signifying joyful courage, streaming fulness, as well as granted freedom and fit opportunity (Stier). It is an emphatic designation of the inworking of God upon him who should speak in His name (Harless). Comp. Exodus 4:12; Psalms 51:17; Isa. 51:66; Ezekiel 3:27; Ezek 29:31; Ezekiel 32:22; Matthew 10:19; Luke 21:15. Chrysostom: ἡ ἅλυσις ἐπίκειται τήν παῤῥησίαν ἐπιστομίζουσα, ἀλλἡ εὑχὴ ἡ ὑμετέρα , ἵνα ἐν αὐτῶ παῤῥησιάσωμαι. Calovius: Petit sibi sermonem dari, non catenas solvi; petit apertionem oris, non vinculorum; petit sermonis παῤῥησίαν in ipsis vinculis, non liberationem ab iisdem. A word thus uttered in the opening of the mouth effected by God is God’s word. He therefore wishes a word, not for himself in his heart, but a word in his mouth for others, in furtherance of the conflict which tends to peace. This differs then from Colossians 4:2, where external opportunity is in question, while here the internal life of the Apostle is treated of. Accordingly it is incorrect to render: ut aperiam os meum (Beza [E. V.] and others); in that case εἰς would occur instead of ἐν. So too: when I speak or open my mouth (Meyer and others) [so substantially Eadie, Ellicott, Alford and Hodge]; it is not merely a graphic and solemn expression, that would be too flat. Nor is an improvisation referred to (Œcumenius), or an internal moral quality of Paul, the frankness=ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ (Calvin, Koppe [Bleek, Schenkel] and others), or occasione data (Grotius and others), nor is it to be joined with what follows. [The connection with what precedes (not, as in the E. V., with what follows) is now generally accepted. “The opening of the mouth” most naturally refers neither to the quality nor to the source of the discourse, but to the simple act or fact of speaking, so that the view of Meyer is on the whole preferable. As the phrase occurs here in the purport of a prayer, it may refer to an act of God in opening the mouth, as Braune claims, but in that case another form would have made the sense much clearer.—R.]

In boldness to make known the mystery of the gospel [“So that with boldness I may make known,” etc.].—This expresses that for which he wishes that to him “utterance may be given,” “in the opening of my mouth.” He would gladly “make known,” and this was permitted to him in Cesarea (Acts 24:23) and in Rome (Acts 28:30-31; 2 Timothy 1:16) in spite of his bonds. But he wishes to do it ἐν παῤῥσίᾳ (Ephesians 3:12), hence the phrase stands emphatically in advance. What he will gladly make known is the “mystery” (Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 3:9), which is the substance “of the gospel.” [Ellicott takes it as a genitive subjecti, “the mystery which the gospel has, involves.”—R.]

Ephesians 6:20. For which [or in behalf of which (Ellicott: “in commodum cujus, to preach which”); see below on the exact reference.—R.]

I am an ambassador.—He thus expresses the reason why he would so gladly stand up and labor for the gospel [not merely why he was in bonds.—R.] As Christ’s ambassador he holds that office for all nations, and for the gospel; hence ὑπὲρ οὖ, not ὸὖ. Πρεβεύω is I am an ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20) and that too in bonds, ἐν ἁλύσει.—What a contrast: to be an ambassador in a chain! Bengel: Paradoxon; mundus habet legatos splendidos. Wetstein: Alias legati jure gentium sancti et inviolabiles, in vinculis haberi non poterant. The verb does not however indicate that he was accredited to the Roman court (Michaelis), nor does the noun in the singular refer to the single chain with which he was bound to a soldier, to the custodia militaris (Baumgarten and others).55 Grotius is incorrect: nunc quoque non desino legationem, for we do not read: καὶ ἐν . Nor is it=πρεσβεύων ἐν (Rueckert). Finally οὖ does not refer to μυστή ριον or to τὸ ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ γνωρίσαι. [Eadie refers it to the whole preceding clause, but this is indistinct; Meyer, Ellicott and Alford (apparently most correctly) refer it to “the mystery of the gospel,” since this was the object of γνωρίσαι, and what he should make known would naturally be that for which he was an ambassador in bonds. R—.]

That therein I may speak boldly, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παῤῥησιάσωμαι.—Ἵνα introduces an end, and the final one: “that therein I may speak boldly.” [“His being thus a captive ambassador, was all the more reason why they should pray earnestly that he might have boldness” (Alford). On the grammatical connection see the concluding note.—R.] The gospel is the immediate task of the free discourse, in this, however, there is also a message of Divine power, is the source and ground of the boldness. When there is first vouchsafed to him “an utterance in the opening of his mouth,” then also does he obtain “boldness” in the gospel, and that too: as I ought to speak, ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι.—The emphasis rests on the ὡς as in Luke 12:11 (Stier). Much depends on how it is done, hence “as I ought to speak.” He must indeed testify; that is his “necessity” (1 Corinthians 9:16); but to him belongs also, beyond the εὐαγγελίσασθαι, the manner worthy of the ambassador of Christ. This defines the fulfilling of his task, his duty. Comp. Col 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:2. Accordingly ἵνα in this verse is not co-ordinate with the first ἵνα in Ephesians 6:19 (Meyer, Bleek and others), since this is the final end of the Church’s supplication, to be attained through the fulfilment of the first ἵνα; nor is it dependent on πρεσβεύω (Bengal), which is inconceivable.

[Eadie, Alford, Hodge and Ellicott, all agree with Meyer, in taking this ἵνα as co-ordinate with that in Ephesians 6:19, thus setting forth a second purpose of the watching and the supplication for the Apostle. This involves no tautology, as Harless supposes, since the reference here is to a conditioned boldness, and “therein” indicates not the source or ground, but the sphere of the boldness: “in the matter of, in dealing with the mystery of the gospel;” God is the source. Such a co-ordinate ἵνα occurs in Romans 7:13; Gal 3:14; 2 Corinthians 9:3. It is true as Braune suggests, that this design is accomplished only through the fulfilment of the previous purpose (Ephesians 6:19), but grammatically the clause must be either co-ordinate or subordinate (the view of Bengel being altogether untenable); if the latter, then it would express the purpose, not of the whole previous context, the supplication and consequent utterance, but simply of the gift of utterance, a view which Braune himself does not accept. We prefer therefore the other construction as more grammatical and not militating against the special point our author would bring out. For convenience a paraphrase of Ephesians 6:18-20 is appended: In this conflict therefore stand, not only armed thus, but with all (every form of) prayer and supplication, praying at all times (perseveringly and under all circumstances) in the (Holy) Spirit, and watching thereunto (in respect to this varied and constant prayer) in all perseverance and supplication (abiding even as you pray in persevering supplication) for all the saints; and (in particular) on behalf of me, that to me may be given (from God) utterance, in the opening of my mouth (when I am called upon to speak), so that with boldness I may make known the mystery of the gospel (whose contents are the gospel), in behalf of which (gospel mystery) I am an ambassador in bonds (a chained ambassador); (praying for me too in view of my office and condition) that therein (in the matter of the gospel mystery) I may speak boldly, as I ought (as becomes my office) to speak.—R.]

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. The kingdom of Satan. There is an organized kingdom of evil (Hahn, Theologie des N. T., I., p. 347), opposing the kingdom and people of God. In this there is a head, διάβολος (Ephesians 6:11; Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 4:27); there are different groups, ἀρχαί, ἐξουσίαι (Ephesians 6:12; Ephesians 3:10; comp. Ephesians 1:21), superior and inferior, with dominion over the world, κοσμοκράτορες. The nature of the prince and his dependents is pneumatic (Ephesians 6:12 : τὰ πνευματικά) and super-terrestrial, ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις (Ephesians 6:12); thus prominence is given to their might over against men; they are super-terrestrial, with angelic power. Their character, however, is marked by the terms “wickedness” (Ephesians 6:12 : τῆς πονηρίας), “darkness” (τοῦ σκότους, Ephesians 6:12) and “the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16); at his service are multifarious wiles (Ephesians 6:11 : αἱ μεθοδεῖαι), which perceive the necessities and weakness of the object to be assaulted in all relations, preparing the attacks accordingly. [Eadie: “To rouse up the Christian soldiery, the Apostle brings out into bold relief the terrible foes which they are summoned to encounter. As to their position, they are no subalterns, but foes of mighty rank, the nobility and chieftains of the spirit-world; as to their office, their domain is ‘this darkness’ in which they exercise imperial sway; as to their essence, they are not encumbered with an animal frame, but are ‘spirits;’ and as to their character, they are ‘evil’—their appetite for evil only exceeds their capacity for producing it.”—R.]

2. The contest in its essence is a single-handed struggle in wrestling (Ephesians 6:12 : α̇λλα, sc. ἕστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη), in which each for himself is attacked. The danger lies in the power and character of the enemy and of his wiles (see 1), in which he does not himself openly appear; he casts βέλη, many (πάντα) and fiery ones (Ephesians 6:16), as also in the end of the vanquished one, who belongs to “darkness” (Ephesians 6:12) as a result of the “deceit” (Ephesians 4:14). The means for assault and conflict are afforded to the Evil one by the world, which is at his disposal, and by “flesh and blood” (Ephesians 6:12), which war against the soul and become allies in the service of Satan, against whom the contest really is waged, standing behind these as he does with his stratagems and artifices. What is natural and created is not the precise antagonist against whom we must contend. The Apostle sketches the conflict as a present one (ἔστιν, Ephesians 6:12), concerning every member of the church, the Apostle and every Christian, having however its history, its various stages up to the day of decision (“in the evil day,” Ephesians 6:13) for which we must be prepared by opposition from the very start, being practiced in the turns and twists of the contest. Hence we are to understand the temptations and antagonisms, which meet every Christian in this world, which are spared to no period of the Church. They appear as contests with flesh and blood, with the world and its influence through its possessions, pleasures and honors, but back of this there stands really and in truth the kingdom of darkness.56 At certain times and hours they are intensified into specially decisive conflict. The evil day may be either the most fierce persecution and bitter sorrow, or quite as readily prosperity and undisturbed earthly happiness, in which some may fall even deeper and the Church itself be corrupted into unfaithfulness. This is true in particular for every Christian and his Christian life, and also in general for the Christian Church in its groups and its course of development. As the power of the Evil one is a cosmical one, and not merely a human one, humanly individualized, so the conflict itself is a cosmical one also, and not merely an individual one.

3. The panoply. In such a conflict the Christian needs an equipment, given by God and covering the whole man (ἡ πανοπλία τοῦ θεοῦ, Ephesians 6:11; Ephesians 6:13). Man of himself, in his own power and strength, is unable to withstand the attacks; he has assailable and vulnerable points, which he must protect against the assaults of the Evil One, but which he alone cannot protect; only with the Lord Christ and in His power can he do it, even though he stands isolated; without God in Christ never!—The separate pieces of this armor (Ephesians 6:14-17) are: truth, righteousness, zealous but not passionate witness, faith, which concerns the whole personality, hope, which exalts, and God’s Word. The first three pieces betoken the garments, the next two the defensive armor, the last the one only weapon of offence and attack adapted only for single-handed and close combat, which belongs to the Christian warrior, to the Christian assailed by the Evil One and yet courageous and assured of victory. No one piece can be undervalued or neglected: each one requires the other; they together form one whole.—The putting on of this armor presupposes a being strengthened, points to an internal and vital appropriation, and requires faithful fulfilment of duty (ἅπαντα κατεργασάμενοι, Ephesians 6:13). Neither a knowledge which is a matter either of the memory merely or of the reflecting understanding, nor an external mechanical skill in the handling of these spiritual pieces of armor, will suffice for the conflict and the victory. Even the standing ready for the combat is not enough; there must be a solicitous regard as to what is to be done, and performance of the immediate task in peaceable walk. But above all must we cling to the Lord, in order to become inwardly strengthened by Him.—Hence Paul adjoins to the lively sketch of the panoply in close connection soberly without a figure.

4. Praying and watching (Ephesians 6:18), just as the Lord enjoined it and practiced it in the struggle in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46); God’s Word to and for us teaches and leads us to open our hearts before Him in our word to Him. There must be at length intercourse between Him and our souls, in order to strengthen us more and more and enable us to do our duty. In prayerful intercourse, that grows ever more fervent, free, joyous and constant, we obtain God’s power. But we must with true open look see about and within ourselves, so that our weakness, the motions of the flesh, the surrounding agitation, the state of the times, the assaults of the enemy, God’s will and word, do not escape us.

5. We must advance to intercession for all saints and for the special warriors of the present. The Christian stands in single-handed combat, but is not isolated; the fall of one may involve the fall of another, perhaps of many. The victory of one preserves many from a fall. The conflict of the Christian is a common concern, the cause of the Church. That is an evidence of watching, when in the supplication for all special thought is given to those who are fighting in the van and most of all exposed to assaults. That is watchfulness, when one sees that the matter is not that the external condition of the assailed one is altered and improved, that the prison should be opened for the prisoner, but rather that he continues internally in joy and boldness to be an unhampered witness of the gospel, especially of the marrow of the gospel, full of life, of the profoundest contents of revelation, thus enabled amid all outward disgrace before the world to preserve the inward dignity of a child and servant of God, of His ambassador.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

About nothing does man have such indistinct views as about his own strength. Every one, be he never so weak, thinks himself strong: this is proved by his resolutions, his plans, which have been mostly frustrated and shattered. It is with strength as with beauty, which no one even the ugliest thinks is far off. Indeed man is often afraid for himself just where there is nothing to fear, as the miser of unnecessary expense, the ambitious man of renouncing something, not knowing their own weakness. That in the Lord alone, the strong and mighty One, strength is to be sought and found, all those do not consider who are unwilling to ground true freedom in the service of God; only the children of God are strong, and he who stands fast on the soil of Divine precepts, eternal principles, has unconquerable might. He who is overcome by God and holds to Him, overcomes himself and the enemies without him.—The conflict is stirred by a powerful enemy without us, who is the more dangerous, the more allies he finds within us in our flesh and blood, in our natural man. Were there no false friends in us, the enemy, Satan, without us would not have so great power.—The Christian alone is assailed; he who is not assailed is no Christian, either no longer, or not yet. Satan does not attack his own, but rather uses them only in assaulting believers.—In the panoply of God all temptations of the devil turn out to be trials from God, in which we become stronger and more invincible.—The girdle of the Christian warrior is a chain of eternal truths, his breastplate is righteousness which avails before God, his war-shoes are skill in Gospel testimony in word and deed without precipitancy in peaceableness; his shield is that faith of the heart which hangs on Christ, securing against seven darts, those of sin, virtue, the world, the cross, despair, calumny and death (H. Mueller); the helmet is the hope of everlasting salvation, and the short sword is the apprehended word from God, which has the edge and point to parry as drawn by the Lord Himself. Only learn how to choose and use such texts as Matthew 4:4; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10! See thou hast the sword of the Spirit! 1. The sword which is of the Spirit is a word, God’s word, but this word is a sword. 2. The Spirit, whose the sword is, is the Holy Spirit, not theology, not polity, nor confession, neither letter nor man’s reason.—Without God’s word reason and strength were a leaden banner, a lance without a head, a sword without an edge.—To handle the sword Of the Spirit thou needest the strength of God. Hamann says aptly, the breastplate is no bodice but a breast-plate, to which a champion is as much accustomed as patrons to their loose clothes. From supplication we first learn how to pray for ourselves rightly.—More depends on internal than on external freedom. To be free in chains and bonds, to be full of pure joy hr tribulation, to be oppressed and yet freehearted, is the Apostle’s wish and precept.

Starke: Do you suppose that Christianity comes off without a conflict or that you will receive a crown of glory without having contended? You deceive yourself. Daily must you be in the combat and show good knighthood in faith. Do you ask: who then are my enemies? look into your own breast and there you will find sinful lusts, warring against you; sloth and sleepiness, clouding thy spirit, unbelief and doubt, wounds of conscience, disturbing you, etc. Without you are Satan and the world, setting their nets. If you are not properly armed in faith against these enemies, you will go to ruin.—Since artifice is so much more dangerous than force, we must specially protect ourselves against this.—He who is well armed can composedly look the devil in the face and stand up to him foot to foot; he will assuredly conquer.—A good conscience is the Christian’s breastwork.—The less sin, the less the power of the devil.—Let a believing Christian take especial care that he guards his heart.—When the enemy is there it is too late to begin to arm; prepare yourself beforehand and be always ready.—Where there is no faith, there is no armor that avails against Satan; all is lost.—The word of God is necessary for all men, even for the overcoming of spiritual adversaries. How can the Romish Church answer for this, that they have refused this to their poor people?—Prating is not praying. He who has not the spirit of prayer, cannot pray aright.—Strong, well-fortified and blessed souls need our intercessions also.—Ye hearers, why is it that your teacher is so dull and that he cannot speak with power to your conscience! The answer is: you do not pray for him! Oh, as often as he enters the pulpit, so often should your mind and your whole heart rise to the Lord, praying earnestly that he may with boldness and great impression speak to your souls.—Oh how much useless stuff is often brought out from the pulpit! Let him who appears before the Lord, see to it that he speaks nothing else than God’s word.

Rieger: A good warrior needs inward courage and then outward armor.—The devil has a great advantage when his power is denied or deemed trifling. For there is then the less arming against him.—The magnificent names which the Apostle applies to these powers arranged in the kingdom of darkness, we must never look at in themselves, for then they might appear to be expressed only to increase the fear of our hearts; but when we consider in addition the destruction of all these works which is announced in the Gospel, they serve rather to exalt the name of Christ.—In the entire period of life, during which we find ourselves placed on the field of conflict, there still occurs some one occasion which constitutes the evil day, and upon which it depends whether the purpose of the enemy be repelled, our will for good, taken from God’s word and Spirit, become strengthened and thus God’s will toward us be accomplished.—It is really a principal part of the honorable condition of the children of God, that they cannot only present their own concerns in prayer to Him, but also assume those of others in supplication.—There is here however no approval of an indolent leaning upon the intercessions of others, such as Simon sought with a heart “not right” (Acts 6:24), or of a self-interested application of intercession, such as our Saviour rebuked in the Pharisee (Matthew 13:14), but we are to understand a common contest and mutual help in prayer.

Heubner: Weapons of human prudence, the straw-armor of our reason, as Luther says, are not sufficient against the evil, spiritual powers. If God is not with us, with His counsel and His strength, all is in vain.—The Christian must ever stand, ever be armed, because there is always a conflict. A fool does not know what kind of a contest there is going to be! He calls the evil powers the fancies of benighted ones.—As among the Spartans the saying was: “either with this or on this,” so the Christian should either preserve his shield of faith or die on it.—No one is so strong that he can do without the intercession of others. Even a Paul still needed strengthening and stimulus. The word to be preached is given by the Lord; the Lord opens the mouth. From Him must come the impulse to speak; he who preaches according to his own fancies and pleasure accomplishes nothing. The Gospel is to the perverted heart always a mystery.

Passavant: Paul was a man of God and as such of varied and great experience in all these conflicts.—The more earnestly Paul contended, the more earnestly did his love for the Christians, the brethren, the churches of the Lord, fear and tremble.—Paul is the ambassador on behalf of the Gospel and on account of the preaching of it in bonds.—This office has its sorrows and dangers; it has heights and also abysses, a destruction, a condemnation, a death.

Stier: As certainly as you can count upon God’s help, so necessary is your own activity in the use of means, which God proffers that you may offer resistance.—To withstand the enemy and to stand is already the entire, difficult triumph.—We are not however once for all done with girding, putting on, grasping our arms and armor; in the midst of the conflict we must constantly look after them and keep them in order.—The contest, the enemies, the field of battle, the equipment,—that is all; but the arms, which the Spirit gives, can be managed only with the prayer of our spirit, can be attained, put on and grasped only through prayer.—An ambassador in bonds! But although bound, he can still proclaim unhindered and conduct properly his embassy.—Gerlach: Bound with a chain to a soldier, Paul preached the Gospel and dictated this Epistle, from which the Christian Church in all ages has received so much love and pleasure.

On the Epistle for the 21st Sunday after Trinity [Ephesians 6:10-17].—Herberger: The hand-book (Enchiridion) of a Christian knight. 1. What kind of heart and courage such an one must have to appear in the place of review. 2. Who is his chief Captain, to whom he must have regard. 3. What kind of equipment he must have, what is the best armory, the best arsenal. 4. Who are his worst enemies. 5. How he ought and must accustom himself to his armor. 6. What a severe regimen he must carry out. 7. Finally what he has to expect, if he conduct himself in a knightly manner.—Lisco; The sacred combat of the Christian: 1. The cause for which he contends (Ephesians 6:10-11); 2. The enemies against which he contends (Ephesians 6:12-13); 3. The weapons with which he contends (Ephesians 6:14-17).—Rautenberg: Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! How the equipment with the whole armor of God Isaiah 1:0) so indispensable, 2) so accessible, 3) so glorious.—Harless: The bond of Christian fellowship consists: 1) in the assurance of the same contest for all; 2) in the possession of the same arms; 3) in the command to accordant love.—Gesetz und Zeugniss [a German periodical]: The secret conflict of the Christian. 1) The secret of his danger, 2) of his strength, 3) of his victory.—Muenkel: The Apostle’s war sermon shows 1) the enemy against whom, 2) the armor in which, 3) the kingdom for which we contend.—Pröhle: The Christian warrior. 1. The host of foes against him (Ephesians 6:12); 2. The heroic spirit in which he goes forth (Ephesians 6:10-11); 3. The armor he bears (Ephesians 6:13-17).

[Hodge: Ephesians 6:10-13. As a conflict is inevitable, the believer should: 1. Muster strength for the struggle. 2. He should seek that strength from Christ. 3. Since his enemies are not human, but superhuman, he needs not only more than human strength, but also Divine armor.

Ephesians 6:10. He who rushes into this conflict without Christ has not strength even to reach the field. When most empty of self, we are most full of God.

Ephesians 6:14. With the flowing garments of the East, the first thing to be done in preparing for any active work was to gird the loins. To enter on this spiritual conflict ignorant or doubting, would be to enter battle blind or lame.—A warrior without his breast-plate was naked, exposed to every thrust of his enemy, and even to every casual dart. In such a state flight or death is inevitable.

Ephesians 6:15. In ancient warfare swiftness of foot was one of the most important qualifications for a good soldier. As the Gospel secures our peace with God, and gives assurance of His favor, it produces that joyful alacrity of mind which is essential to success in the spiritual conflict.

Ephesians 6:16. It is a common experience of the people of God, that at times horrible thoughts, unholy, blasphemous, sceptical, malignant crowd upon the mind, which cannot be accounted for on any ordinary law of mental action, and which cannot be dislodged. There are others which enkindle passion, inflame ambition, excite cupidity, pride, discontent, or vanity. Against these most dangerous weapons of the evil one, the only protection is faith.

Ephesians 6:17. This sword puts to flight all the powers of darkness; it is true in the individual experience of the Christian, and in the experience of the church collective. All her triumphs over sin and error have been effected by the Word of God. When anything else takes its place, the Church, or the Christian, is at the mercy of the adversary.

Ephesians 6:18. To obtain strength to use this armor aright, and to secure victory, we should pray. These prayers should be: 1. Of all kinds; 2. On every occasion; 3. Importunate and persevering; 4. By the aid of the Holy Spirit; 5. For all saints.—R.]

[Eadie:

Ephesians 6:10. The valor is as spiritual as the armor.

Ephesians 6:11. The great enemy of man, a veteran fierce and malignant has a method of warfare peculiar to himself, for it consists of “wiles.” His battles are the rush of a sudden ambuscade.

Ephesians 6:12. It is no vulgar herd of fiends we encounter, but such of them as are darkly eminent in place and dignity.

Ephesians 6:16. The biography of Luther and Bunyan affords apposite examples of these fiery darts.

Ephesians 6:17. The Captain of salvation set the example, and once and again, and a third time, did He repel the assault of the prince of darkness by three brief and simple citations from Scripture.

Ephesians 6:18. “ ‘Praying always’—what does it mean? Being always on our knees? always engaged in the act of prayer? This I believe to be one of the grossest glosses that Satan casts on that text. He has often given it that gloss; monkery, nunnery, abstraction from the world in order to give up one’s self to prayer, are but the effects of that false gloss” (Evans).—“All the saints” pray for us, and in a spirit of reciprocity it becomes us to pray for them.

Ephesians 6:19. “The mystery of the Gospel.” It is a system which lay hidden till God’s time came for revealing it. To know it there must be a Divine initiator, for its truths are beyond the orbit of human anticipations. The God-man, a vicarious death, gratuitous pardon, the influence of the Spirit—are doctrines which man never could have discovered. This Gospel, without mutilation, in its fulness and majesty, and with all its characteristic elements, the Apostle wishes to proclaim with plain and unfaltering freedom.

Ephesians 6:20. The Apostle’s earnest wish was, that he might expound his message in a manner that became him and his high commission, that his imprisonment might have no dispiriting effect upon him, and that he might not in his addresses compromise the name and dignity of an ambassador for Christ.—R.]

Footnotes:

[26] Ephesians 6:10.—[The Rec. reads: τὸ λοιπὸν , but μοῦ λοιποῦ occurs in א1. A. B.,2cursives, and some fathers; it is accepted by Lachmann, Rückert and Alford, but the other form is retained by Tischendorf, Meyer, Ellicott on the authority of א.3D. F. K. L., most cursives and fathers. Most editors, however, reject ἀδελφοί μου, which is found only in א.3 K. L. (though in others with the omission of μου, and in a different position) most cursives and fathers; besides the good external authority for the omission (א.¹ B. D. E., good versions), the phrase is open to double suspicion: first, as usually following τὸ λοιπόν and hence likely to be inserted second, as not used in direct address in this Epistle (Olshausen). Meyer holds that the reading τοῦ λοιποῦ is a mechanical repetition from Galatians 6:17, urging the insertion of the added phrase in favor of τὸ λοιπόν (see his critical note).—R.]

Ephesians 6:12; Ephesians 6:12.—[Lachmann and Rückert accept ὑμῖν on the authority of B. D.1 F. G., a few cursives, a number of versions and fathers; but ἡμῖν is very well supported (א. A. D. 3 K. L., most cursives, versions and fathers), while the change to the second person is an apparent correction on account of the individualizing, hortatory character of the passage as a whole.—R.]

Ephesians 6:12; Ephesians 6:12.—[The Rec. reads: τοῦ σκότους τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, but the words τοῦ αἰῶνος are rejected by all recent editors as an explanatory gloss. They are found in א3 (but rubbed out) D.3 K. L., most cursives, a number of fathers (with an asterisk in Syriac-Phil.), but omitted in א.2 A. B. D.3 F., good versions, most fathers.—R.]

Ephesians 6:12; Ephesians 6:12.—[The emendations in the latter part of this verse are required by the exegetical views adopted in the additional notes. The only variation from the rendering required by Dr. Braune’s opinions is in the insertion of hosts. See Exeg. Notes.—R.]

Ephesians 6:16; Ephesians 6:16.—[Instead of the well-Supported reading of the Rec. (ἐπί) א B., 10 cursives, a few fathers reads, ἐν, which is adopted by Lachmann, but rejected by nearly all more recent editors as a correction for the ambiguous ἐπί. Alford is in doubt.—The force of ἐπί is correctly given in the above emendation; comp. Exeg. Notes.—R.]

Ephesians 6:16; Ephesians 6:16.—[In B. D.1 F., τά his omitted, rejected by Lachmann, bracketted by Alford, but “it seems more probable that the article was omitted by an oversight, than that the transcriber felt any grammatical difficulty, and sought to remedy it by insertion” (Ellicott). So Meyer, and most, with the support of א. A. D.2 K. L., and most minor authorities. On the effect of the omission on the grammatical construction, see Exeg. Notes.—R.]

Ephesians 6:17; Ephesians 6:17.—[In D.1 F. G., some minor authorities the verb is omitted; in A. D.3 K., a number of cursives, it is changed into δέξασθαι (Matthies), but the reading of the Rec. (δέξασθε) is well supported, and generally accepted. The internal grounds are strongly in favor of it; had the verb been originally wanting the corrector would probably have supplied ἀναλάβετε, while the infinitive form may be ascribed either to itacism or to the presence of an infinitive in the clause immediately preceding (so Meyer.)—R.]

Ephesians 6:18; Ephesians 6:18.—[The Rec. inserts τοῦτο after αὐτό with D.3 K. L., some cursives and fathers, but it is rejected as an explanatory addition by recent editors on good uncial authority, confirmed by variations which are best accounted for on the theory of its spuriousness.—In is more literal than with, indicating also the variation in prepositions.—R.]

Ephesians 6:19; Ephesians 6:19.—The Rec. reads δοθείη, but it has no uncial support, found only in a few cursives.—The emendations in this verse are necessary, as the E. V. gives a wrong connection and interpretation.—R.]

Ephesians 6:19; Ephesians 6:19.—[The words τοῦ εὐαγγελίου are omitted in B. F. G., and bracketted by Lachmann, but accepted by more recent editors (Tischendorf, Alford, Wordsworth, Ellicott) on the evidence of א. A. D. E. K. L., good cursives and versions.—R.]

[36][“Be strong” does not bring out this passive force; hence “be strengthened” is generally substituted by English commentators and revisers.—R.]

[37][The E. V.: “whole armour,” is the only possible translation of this word; “panoply” is simply the Greek word with an English termination, and is less readily understood by the ordinary reader. That both offensive weapons and defensive armor are included will appear at first glance from Ephesians 6:17.—R.]

[38][Eadie, Alford and Ellicott follow Meter, urging that the emphasis on τοῦ θεοῦ would imply some other spiritual armor, but Braune’s view avoids this objection, and is preferable on account of the double antithesis: “the wiles of the devil.”—R.]

[39][The word is generally used in a bad sense, though Diodorus Siculus uses the verb of geometrical investigations (Alford). Eadie renders it: “stratagems;” Alford: “schemes.” The form μεθοδίας is found in א. A. B.1 D.1 F. K. L., many cursives, but not generally received, as the variation is supposed to be due to itacism (comp. Ephesians 4:14).—R.]

[40][Ellicott: “The dogmatical meaning is correctly explained by the Greek commentators: the evil spirits exercise dominion over the κόσμος, not in its mere material nature, but in its ethical and perhaps intellectual character and relations, the depravation of which is expressed by τοῦ σκότους τούτου.” Meyer’s note (mainly adopted by Ellicott) in loco is interesting and valuable.—R.]

[41][Eadie adopts this view: “The celestial spots occupied by the Church; on them this combat is to be maintained. Those evil spirits have invaded the Church—and therefore believers must encounter and fight them ‘in the heavenly places.’ ” To this view nothing in the context points, while it seems a too remote connection to join this phrase with πάλη.—R.]

[42][Meyer, Ellicott and others take the preposition as instrumental, but Alford is more exact: “not instrumental, but local; the girt person is within, surrounded by the girdle; but this is necessarily expressed in English by ‘with.’ ”—R.]

[43][The aorist participles are not used for presents (Holzhausen), but with propriety; “the different acts specified by the participles were all completed before the soldier took up his position” (Ellicott).—R.]

[44][The Roman caligæ were probably in the Apostle’s mind; sandals with soles thickly studded with nails.—R.]

[45][This view of the passage is now generally accepted (Meyer, Alford and many others). On the word ἑτοιμασία, used principally in the LXX. and ecclesiastical writers (the classical form was ἑτοιμότης), see Meyer and Alford in loco.—R.]

[46][Eadie: “The pieces of armor already mentioned being fitted on to the body and fastened to it, each by appropriate mechanism, have each its characteristic verb—but shield, helmet and sword need no such special fastening, for they are simply taken up or assumed, and therefore they are joined to the one general participle, ἀναλαβόντες, and the verb δέξασθε.”—R.]

[47][Not, however, as Meyer thinks, to the last great future fight. Alford thinks the future implies the certainty that the shield of faith will thus quench. Ellicott regards it as only “a conditioned present.”—R.]

[48][Should the article be omitted (see Textual Note6) the participle would be a tertiary predicate; “fire-tipt as they are” (Ellicott), “when inflamed, even in their utmost malice and fiery power” (Alford).—R.]

[49][Ellicott: “Not ‘evil,’ τὸ πονηρόν, but in accordance with the individualizing and personal nature of the conflict which the context so forcibly depicts—the Devil.” Alford: “The conflict being personal, the adversary must be, not an abstract principle, but a concrete person.”—R.]

[50][“Still less probably is it a genitive of quality, ἡ μάχαιρα πνευματικά (Chrysostom), or a simple genitive of possession in reference to the τιμωρητικὴ ἐνέργεια (Lever. ap. Cram. Cat.) of the Spirit, both of which seem to be at variance with the general tenor of the passage, which represents the ‘armatura’ as furnished to us by God. Thus then it is from the Spirit that we receive the sword, that sword being the Word of God, the Gospel (Ephesians 6:15), which is the δύναμις θεοῦ (Romans 1:18; 1 Corinthians 1:18) to every one who believeth; comp. Hebrews 4:12” (Ellicott).—R.]

[51][Eadie mentions among the works which are open to this objection: Gurnall, Christian in complete armour, Glasgow, 1763; Ainsworth, Tactica Sacra, 1657; Lydius, Syntagma de re militari. ed Van Til, 1698, Dort.—The best practical commentary on this section is undoubtedly to be found in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, especially the armory in the “Interpreter’s house,” and the combat with Apollyon in “the valley of humiliation.”—On the arms, comp. Smith’s Bible Dictionary, Arms.—R.]

[52][“The Holy Spirit in whose blessed and indwelling influence, and by whose merciful aid, we are enabled to pray (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6), yea, and who Himself intercedes for us (Romans 8:26).’ So Ellicott, who analyzes the clause thus: “With all prayer and supplication” denotes the earnest, because varied character of the prayer; “at all times” the constancy of it, thus showing that there is no tautology as Meyer asserts and Hodge implies.—R.]

[53][Meyer, Ellicott and others attach little or no importance to the change of preposition here, but Harless, Eadie, Alford and others are not satisfied with the explanation that the change was occasioned by mere desire for variety. That is unlike Paul. To mark the variation in English, Alford renders: “concerning all the saints and for me.” The Revision by Four Anglican clergymen gives: “for all the saints and on my behalf.” Ellicott in his translation gives: and in particular for me, but this is a paraphrase of the specializing καί.—R.]

[54][The reading of the Rec. (δοθείη), on which see Textual Note 9, would give the purpose a more subjective reference, and represent the feeling of a more dependent reality (Ellicott).—R.]

[55][The allusion is probable, but as the singular is frequently used in a collective sense, and this word is employed by Paul only in the singular, we cannot certainly infer that there is such an allusion here.—R.]

[56][Hodge remarks respecting the conflict: “It is one also in which great mistakes are often committed and serious loss incurred from ignorance of its nature, and of the appropriate means for carrying it on. Men are apt to regard it as a mere moral conflict between reason and conscience on the one side, and evil passions on the other. They therefore rely on their own strength and upon the resources of nature for success. Against these mistakes the Apostle warns his readers. He teaches that everything pertaining to it is supernatural. The source of strength is not in nature. The conflict is not between the good and bad principles of our nature. He shows that we belong to a spiritual as well as to a natural world, and are engaged in a combat in which the higher powers of the universe are involved; and that this conflict, on the issue of which our salvation depends, is not to be carried on with straws picked up by the wayside. As we have superhuman enemies to contend with, we need not only superhuman strength, but Divine armor and arms. The weapons of our warfare are not natural, but Divine.”—R.]