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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Ephesians 6:11 - 6:11
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
11. ἐνδύσασθε τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ θεοῦ. Cf. Eph 4:24 for the figure of ‘clothing’ as describing the acquisition of moral and spiritual ‘habits.’
πανοπλίαν. Luk 11:22; Psalms 90(91):4 Aq.; Jdt 14:3; Wis 5:18. The armour of God is primarily that which God supplies. At the same time, as the Saints of old had learnt from the time of Abraham (Gen 15:1; Psa 18:2 etc.), God Himself was their armour. Both thoughts are satisfied in the revelation that Christ Himself is the armour of the Christian.
μεθοδίας. Cf. Eph 4:14. The danger suggested by this word comes from cunning, cf. ἡ πλάνη Eph 4:14, ἡ ἀπάτη Eph 4:22, rather than physical force. So we read in Gen 3:1 ‘The serpent was more subtle’ etc. What we need is the power to unmask our foe; cf. 2Co 2:11; 2Co 11:14.
τοῦ διαβόλου. Cf. Eph 4:27. See Hort on Jam 4:7. The enemy regarded primarily as a slanderer, ‘the malicious accuser’ of God to men, and of us to God, and again of ourselves to each other. There is a remarkable harmony between St Paul and St Peter (1Pe 5:8) St James (Jam 4:7) and St John (Apoc. passim and 1Jn 5:18 f.) in regard to the personal character of the conflict in which we are engaged. There can be no doubt how they understood Mat 6:13.