Ephesians 6:11-18 reads as follows from the New International Version:
"(11) Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
(12) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
(13) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
(14) Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
(15) and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
(16) In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
(17) Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
(18) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."
This passage is often presented as a series of similes in which each piece of armor is likened to the spiritual attribute. Such as, truth is like a belt, because it holds everything together. Or, the word of God is like a sword, because it makes a good weapon. Having pondered further upon these verses, however, I recognized something a little different than what I have heard presented before. So, let's take a little different angle on this passage and see if it doesn't make a little more sense than a series of similes.
First, let's consider the time period. The apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians likely during his first imprisonment at Rome in about A. D. 60. Rome had dominated the Mediterranean world and was the occupying force at that time. We are informed by Acts, chapter 28, that Paul was held in a rented house under Roman guard while he awaited a hearing before the Roman emporer. Therefore, as Paul wrote this letter he may very well have observed the guard before him and considererd the warfare of the day.
The weaponry of this era consisted of various implements designed to engage the enemy at long range, medium range or short range. Long range weapons were used to effectively strike from a safe distance and consisted of weapons such as the bow and the sling. Medium range weapons were used to strike from a closer distance, while still beyond arm's length. These included the javelin and the spear. At short range, close combat, the sword, the ax and the mace were common weapons.
Next, let's consider the articles of armor that Paul includes in this passage:
- helmet
- breastplate in place
- belt buckled around the waist
- feet fitted
- shield
- sword
From head to toe, these articles of armor comprise the full complement of protection for a typical Roman foot soldier. And the weapon? A sword. Not a bow or a sling to fight from a distance in relative safety, but a sword for short range, hand-to-hand, close combat. Hand-to-hand combat is intense with life and death consequences. So, what Paul is describing here is a fully equipped soldier prepared to fight an intense battle with life and death consequences.
Paul has called us to be prepared for battle, an intense battle with life and death consequences. A battle in which we must stand firm and hold our ground against the assault of the enemy. But Paul states that the battle is not against flesh and blood. The battle is not a physical battle. It is a spiritual battle against the spiritual forces of evil. An intense battle with life and death consequences of an eternal nature.
Given the gravity of this battle with which we are faced, how can we be fully prepared? It's not by our own strength that we will withstand this assault, but only by God's grace at work in us. Just as in Deuteronomy 31:6, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Let's look at the spiritual attributes included in this passage:
- salvation
- faith
- truth
- righteousness
- word of God
- prayer
- readiness that comes from the gospel of peace
Without salvation we are left spiritually weak and vulnerable to attack. It is only by God's grace through our faith, believing that God can do it, that we are saved from our own depravity. The word of God provides the direction to live in truth and righteousness against which evil cannot prevail. And just as a soldier follows the direction of his commander, we must maintain communication with our commander through prayer. Therefore, we must be ready so that when the assault is upon us, -- and it will come -- we will be firmly grounded and able to withstand it.
In conclusion then, we must recognize the nature of the battle and prepare accordingly, acknowledging that victory in this spiritual battle will only be attained through the strength of the LORD's almighty power.
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Original composition by Steven E. Weible
