THE ARMOR OF GOD: EPHESIANS 6:10-17

I am sure that you all have heard several lesson over the years on this famous passage. But personally, I never before realized until recently that this list of Paul's did not come out of the clear blue. It has a number of parallels in other biblical passages. Also, just like the lists of the spiritual gifts, even Paul himself felt free to vary the listing in different writings of his.

Thielman explains that many scholars think that the apocryphal book Wisdom of Solomon was the main inspiration for these verses in Ephesians. But others, such as Hoehner, feel that various passages in the Book of Isaiah represent a closer analogy, even though Paul used the imagery in an entirely different way. Thielman sees strong parallels with both sources, but notes that Paul took the armor originally worn by God and the Messiah and transferred it to the believer instead. Hoehner adds that Paul's immediate inspiration may have come from closely observing the armor worn by the Roman soldiers who were guarding him while he was in prison

6:10-13 This introductory passage is bracketed by two references to “the whole armor of God.” Strikingly, that same phrase appeared earlier in Wisdom 5:17. The necessity of the believer putting on this spiritual armor is because “he knows that the victory of God's people over the devil is not yet complete.” (Thielman)  The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery echoes this thought: “The crucial battle in the warfare against Satan has been won and his fate determined, but the war continues.”

Harpur starts with Ephesians 4:24 and its admonition to the reader “to clothe yourself with the new self,” and notes, “The Christian's new wardrobe includes a warsuit!”

In Romans 13:12b, Paul urges his readers to “lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” This is parallel to his command to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 13:14)

6:14a The Belt of Truth

Isaiah 11:5 talks about the belt of righteousness and faithfulness (or truth).

R.P. Martin: “The belt is a sign of active duty...the soldier at the ready.” He feels “that in light of Romans 10:15, it may suggest a promptitude of service in evangelistic endeavor.”

Harpur: “He is to tighten his belt with sincerity, truth in the objective sense being used below in v. 17 for the sword.” Hoehner agrees when he says, “The belt of truth refers not to the facts of the gospel but to subjective truth, a believer's integrity and faithfulness.”

6:14b The Breastplate of Righteousness

Isaiah 59:17a mentions the tf righteousness, as does Wisdom 5:18.

In I Thessalonians 5:8, Paul speaks of the breastplate of faith and love.

Hoehner explains that “sanctifying, righteous living guards a believer's heart against the assaults of the devil.”

6:15 The Gospel of Peace for Sandals

Isaiah 52:6-7 mentions the feet of the messenger who announces peace and salvation.

Commenting on this verse, Allen says, “The divine plan for the Church is at once to fight the forces of evil and also offer to men who are God's enemies the benefits of life and salvation.” Harpur similarly states that the sandals suggest “that his movements are dictated by the needs of gospel witness.”

In contrast to these opinions, Hoehner states that this does not refer to the spread of the gospel at all. Instead, it refers “to a believer's stability or surefootedness from the gospel which gives him peace so he can stand in battle.”

6:16 The Shield of Faith

Wisdom 5:19 lists the shield of holiness as part of God's armor.

DBI notes the image of a shield appears throughout the OT, especially in the Psalms. It provides a long list of OT references.

J.A. Thompson explains that the scutum “was a large quadrangular shield designed to catch and extinguish ignited arrows.”

6:17a The Helmet of Salvation

The earliest example of this phrase comes from Isaiah 59:17a. Originally it applied to Yahweh's headgear but was later used by the rabbis to refer to the Messiah instead. (Martin)

In Wisdom 5:18, the helmet stands for impartial justice.

The “helmet of the hope of salvation” also is used by Paul as a symbol in I Thessalonians 5:8.

6:17b The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God

Isaiah 11:4 says, “He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth.” By contrast, the Greek Septuagint version has “word of his mouth.”

In Isaiah 49:2, the prophet says, He made my mouth like a sharp sword.”

Wisdom 5:20: “the sword of God's wrath”

“The sword, the only offensive weapon mentioned, is the proclamation of the gospel.” (Maclean)

II Corinthians 6:7 speaks of the weapons of righteousness for both hands.

II Corinthian 10:4 mentions that the weapons the believers have are not merely human.

The author of Hebrews 4:12 says that “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.”

A similar image appears several times in the Book of Revelation, but you should note that a different Greek word is utilized in these passages for “sword.”

Revelation 1:16 A sharp two-edged sword comes from Christ's mouth.

Revelation 2:16 Christ will make war on heretics in the church with the sword of his mouth.

Revelation 19:13-15,21 The rider named The Word of God makes war against the nations with the sharp sword from his mouth.

6:18 Prayer

Although usually not mentioned as part of a Christian's armor, Harpur perceptively notes that this “auxiliary weapon” is “his vital communication with headquarters.