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Eph_6:15. And the service which the ὑποδήματα , the military sandals, Xen. Anab. iv. 5. 14 [Josephus, B. J. vi. 1. 8] (caligae, compare the Heb. ñÀàåÉï , Isa_9:4; see Gesenius, Thes. II. 932; Bynaeus, de calc. Hebr. p. 83 f.), render to the actual warrior, enabling him, namely, to advance against the enemy with agile and sure step, the ἑτοιμασία τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς εἰρήνης is to render to you spiritual warriors, inasmuch as by virtue of it you march briskly and firmly against the Satanic powers.
ὑποδησάμενοι κ . τ . λ .] having your feet underbound with the preparedness of the gospel of peace. ἐν does not stand for εἰς (Vulgate, Erasmus, Vatablus, and others), but is instrumental, as in Eph_6:14, so that the ἑτοιμασία is conceived of as the foot-clothing itself. Beza well remarks: “non enim vult nos docere dumtaxat, oportere nos esse calceatos, sed calceos etiam, ut ita loquar, nobis praebet.”
ἑτοιμασία (with classical writers ἑτοιμότης , Dem. 1268, 7, but see also Hippocr. p. 24, 47) is preparedness,[308] whether it be an outward standing ready (Josephus, Antt. x. 1. Ephesians 2 : δισχιλίους ἐκ τῆς ἐμοὶ παρούσης ἵππους εἰς ἑτοιμασίαν ὑμῖν παρέχειν ἕτοιμος εἰμι ), or an inward being ready, promptitudo animi. So LXX. Psa_10:17, comp. ἑτοίμη ἡ καρδία , Psa_57:7; Psa_112:7, where the LXX. indicate the notion of a prepared mind, which is expressed in Hebrew by forms of the stem ëÌåÌï , by the use of ἑτοιμασία and ἕτοιμος , following the signification of making ready, adjusting, which ëÌåÌï has in all the conjugations of it which occur (Deu_32:6; Psa_8:4; Gen_43:16; Pro_19:29; Neh_8:10; Psa_14:5), alongside of the signification of laying down, establishing, from which the former one is derived. Hence the LXX. translate îÈëåÉï too (foundation, as Psa_89:15) by ἑτοιμασία ; not as though in their usage ἑτοιμασία signified foundation, which it never does, but because they understood îÈëåÉï in the sense of ἑτοιμασία . So Ezr_2:68, where the house of God is to be erected upon τὴν ἑτοιμασίαν αὐτοῦ , upon the preparation thereof, i.e. upon the foundation already lying prepared. So also Ezr_3:3; Psa_89:15; Dan_11:20-21. Wrongly, therefore, have Wolf (after the older expositors), Bengel, Zachariae, Morus, Koppe, Rosenmüller, Flatt, Bleek, and others, explained ἑτοιμασία by fundamentum or firmitas; so that Paul is supposed to indicate “vel constantiam in tuenda religione Christi, vel religionem adeo ipsam, certam illam quidem et fundamento, cui insistere possis, similem,” Koppe. This is not only contrary to linguistic usage (see above), but also opposed to the context, since the notion does not suit the figurative conception of putting on shoes ( ὑποδησάμ .). It is the readiness, the ready mind; not, however, for the proclamation of the gospel (so, in some instances with a reference to Isa_52:7, Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Pelagius, Erasmus, Luther, Vatablus, Clarius, Cornelius a Lapide, Erasmus Schmid, Estius, Grotius, Calovius, Calixtus, Michaelis, and others, including Rückert, Meier, Baumgarten-Crusius),—since, in fact, Paul is speaking to fellow-Christians, not to fellow-teachers,—but the promptitudo—and that for the conflict in question—which the gospel bestows, which is produced by means of it. So Oecumenius (who has this interpretation alongside the former one), Calvin, Castalio, and others, including Matthies, Holzhausen, Harless, Olshausen, Winzer, de Wette, Schenkel. The explanation of Schleusner: “instar pedum armaturae sit vobis doctrina salutaris … quae vobis semper in promptu sit,” is to be rejected on account of Eph_6:17, according to which the gospel is the sword.
τῆς εἰρήνης ] Subject-matter of the gospel, and that purposely designated in harmony with the context. For the gospel proclaims peace κατʼ ἐξοχήν , i.e. peace with God, Rom_5:1, Php_1:20, and produces precisely thereby the inner consecration of courageous readiness for the conflict in question (Rom_8:31; Rom_8:38-39). At variance with the context, Erasmus, Paraphr., makes it: “evangelium, quod non tumultu, sed tolerantia tranquillitateque defenditur;” and Michaelis holds: the peace between Jews and Gentiles is meant. If, however, it is taken, with Koppe and Morus, in accordance with the more extended sense of ùÑÈìåÉí (comp. Rom_10:15), the salvation-bringing (rather: the salvation-proclaiming, comp. Eph_1:13) gospel, this is done without any justification from the text, and to the injury of the special colouring of the several particulars. Winzer, finally, contrary to the unity of the sense, combines peace with God and everlasting salvation.
[308] In Wis_13:12 it means making ready (food). The Vulg. translates it in our passage in praeparatione (comp. Artemid. ii. 57).