William Burkitt Notes and Observations - Ephesians 6:12 - 6:12

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William Burkitt Notes and Observations - Ephesians 6:12 - 6:12


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

The apostle mentioned our enemy in the former verse; here he describes the combat in this verse, We wrestle. A Christian's life is a perpetual warfare, a continual wrestling; but with what, and with whom?

Ans. Negatively, Not with flesh and blood; that is, not only or chiefly with flesh and blood, with human enemies; but we must grapple and contend with angelical powers, with devils, who are principalities and powers, & c.

Here note, How the devil and his angels are described:

1. By their prince-like authority and government which they exercise in the world, called therefore principalities and powers, to denote that Satan is a great and mighty prince: a prince that has the heart and knee of all his subjects.

2. By the seat of his empire: he rules in this world, not in the other; the highest the devil can go, is the air; heaven fears him not. And he is a ruler of the darkness of this world: that is, in such sinners as labour under the darkness of sin and ignorance.

3. Satan and his angels are here described by their spiritual nature, called spiritual wickedness, that is, wicked spirits: intimating to us, that the devils are spirits; that they are spirits extremely wicked; and that these wicked spirits do chiefly annoy Christians with, and provoke them to, spiritual wickedness.

4. They are described by their residence or place of abode: in high places; that is, in the air, of which he is called the prince.

From the whole note, How plainly Christ our captain deals with all his soldiers, and the difference between Christ's dealing with his followers, and Satan with his: Satan durst not let sinners know who that God is whom they fight against, but Christ is not afraid to show his saints their enemy in all his power and strength; well he might, because the weakness of God is stronger than the powers of hell.