Homilies on Ephesians

Ephesians 6:14-17

“Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

“Having girded your loins,” says he, “with truth.” What can be the meaning of this? I have stated in the preceding discourse, that he ought to be lightly accoutered, in order that there should be no impediment whatever to his running.

“And having on,” he continues, “the breastplate of righteousness.” As the breastplate is impenetrable, so also is righteousness, and by righteousness here he means a life of universal virtue. Such a life no one shall ever be able to overthrow; it is true, many wound him, but no one cuts through him, no, not the devil himself. It is as though one were to say, “having righteous deeds fixed in the breast”; of these it is that Christ says, “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.” Thus is he firm and strong like a breastplate. Such a man will never be put out of temper.

“And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” It is more uncertain in what sense this was said. What then is its meaning? They are noble greaves, doubtless, with which he invests us. Either then he means this, that we should be prepared for the gospel, and should make use of our feet for this, and should prepare and make ready its way before it; or if not this, at least that we ourselves should be prepared for our departure. “The preparation,” then, “of the gospel of peace,” is nothing else than a most virtuous life; according to what the Prophet says. “You will prepare their heart, you will cause your ear to hear.” “Of the gospel,” he says, “of peace,” and with reason; for inasmuch as he had made mention of warfare and fighting, he shows us that this conflict with the evil spirits we must needs have: for the gospel is “the gospel of peace”; this war which we have against them, puts an end to another war, that, namely, which is between us and God; if we are at war with the devil, we are at peace with God. Fear not therefore, beloved; it is a “gospel,” that is, a word of good news; already is the victory won.

“Withal taking up the shield of faith.”

By “faith” in this place, he means, not knowledge, (for that he never would have ranged last,) but that gift by which miracles are wrought. And with reason does he term this “'faith' a shield”; for as the shield is put before the whole body, as if it were a sort of rampart, just so is this faith; for all things yield to it.

“Wherewith you shall be able,” says he, “to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.”

For this shield nothing shall be able to resist; for hearken to what Christ says to His disciples, “If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove.” But how are we to have this faith? When we have rightly performed all those duties.

“By the darts of the evil one,” he means, both temptations, and vile desires; and “fiery,” he says, for such is the character of these desires. Yet if faith can command the evil spirits, much more can it also the passions of the soul.

“And take the helmet,” he continues, “of salvation,” that is, of your salvation. For he is casing them in armor.

“And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” He either means the Spirit, or else, “the spiritual sword”: for by this all things are severed, by this all things are cleft asunder, by this we cut off even the serpent's head.

Ver. 18, 19, 20. “With all prayer and supplication,” says he, “praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints; and on my behalf that utterance may be given unto me, in opening my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

As the word of God has power to do all things, so also has he who has the spiritual gift. “For the word of God,” says he, “is living, and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.” Now mark the wisdom of this blessed Apostle. He has armed them with all security. What then is necessary after that? To call upon the King, that He may stretch forth His hand. “With all prayer, and supplication, praying at all seasons in the Spirit”; for it is possible “to pray” not “in the Spirit,” when one “uses vain repetitions”; “and watching thereunto,” he adds, that is, keeping sober; for such ought the armed warrior, he that stands at the King's side, to be; wakeful and temperate:— “in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints; and on my behalf that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth.” What do you say, blessed Paul? Have you, then, need of your disciples? And well does he say, “in opening my mouth.” He did not then study what he used to say, but according to what Christ said, “When they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what you shall speak”: so truly did he do everything by faith, everything by grace. “With boldness,” he proceeds, “to make known the mystery of the Gospel”; that is, that I may answer for myself in its defense, as I ought. And are you bound in your chain, and still needest the aid of others? Yea, says he, for so was Peter also bound in his chain, and yet nevertheless “was prayer made earnestly for him.” “For which I am an ambassador in chains, that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak”; that is, that I may answer with confidence, with courage, with great prudence.

Ver. 21. “But that you also may know my affairs, how I do, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things.”

As soon as he had mentioned his chains, he leaves something for Tychicus also to relate to them of his own accord. For whatever topics there were of doctrine and of exhortation, all these he explained by his letter: but what were matters of bare recital, these he entrusted to the bearer of the letter. “That ye may know my affairs,” that is, may be informed of them. This manifests both the love which he entertained towards them, and their love towards him.

Ver. 22. “Whom I have sent unto you,” says he, “for this very purpose, that you may know our state, and that he may comfort your hearts.”

This language he employs, not without a purpose, but in consequence of what he had been saying previously; “having girded your loins, having on the breastplate,” etc., which are a token of a constant and unceasing advance; for hear what the Prophet says, “Let it be unto him as the raiment wherewith he covers himself, and for the girdle wherewith he is girded continually”; and the Prophet Isaiah again says, that God has “put on righteousness as a breastplate”; by these expressions instructing us that these are things which we must have, not for a short time only, but continually, inasmuch as there is continual need of warfare. “For it is said the righteous are bold as a lion.” For he that is armed with such a breastplate, it cannot be that he should fear the array that is against him, but he will leap into the midst of the enemy. And again Isaiah says, “How beautiful are the feet of him that brings good tidings.” Who would not run, who would not serve in such a cause; to publish the good tidings of peace, peace between God and man, peace, where men have toiled not, but where God has wrought all?