(= Heb. η». ; Dan. xi. 7). Some have
given it this last sense here, either as = stedfastness in keeping the faith, or as = on the foundation, the strong and certain ground, of the Christian religion (Beng., Bleek, etc.). But in harmony-with the general idea of the ethical equipment of the Christian, it means readiness, pre- paredness of mind. The ἐν is again the instrum. prep.—rov εὐαγγελίον τῆς εἰρή- νης: of the Gospel of peace. The first gen. is that of origin, the second that of con-
14—16,
387
᾿ εὐαγγελίου τῆς "εἰρήνης, 16. “ἐπὶ πᾶσιν " ἀναλαβόντες τὸν y Here
᾿ θυρεὸν τῆς πίστεως, “ἐν ᾧ δυνήσεσθε πάντα τὰ βέλη τοῦ “ πονηροῦ
xx. 24; Isa. lii. 7; Rom. x. 15. k a Ver. 13 reff. b Here only; 2 Kings i. 21. xiii. το al.; (2 Thess. iii. 3)? 1 John ii. 13, v. 18.
only; see Mark i. 14; Acts
z Luke iii. 20, xvi. 26; 2 Cor. vii. 4; Col. iii. 14; 1 Thess. iii. 7, 9. c Simply local, see note.
d=(Matt. v. 37, 39)?
lem. ADEFGKL, etc., Syr.-scr., Arm., Goth., Chr., Euth., etc.; for em, ev BP 17, 26, 31-7, 80, 118, 213, It., Vulg., Method., Naz., Cyr.-jer., Cypr., etc. 3Ξδυνασθαι DFG, ἆ, ε, f, 6, m, Victor., Jer.
tents, = ‘‘ the preparedness which comes from the Gospel whose message is peace”. The εἰρήνη here is doubtless peace with God (Rom. v. 1), that peace which alone imparts the sense of freedom, relieves us of what burdens us, and givez the spirit of courageous readiness for the battle with evil. The phrase ‘‘the Gospel of peace”’ is elsewhere associated with the idea of the message preached (Isa. lii. 7 ; abun, τες δ΄: Rom. x. :5). Έστε, however, the readiness is not zeal in proclaiming the Gospel, but promptitude with reference to the conflict. The pre- paredness, the mental alacrity with which we are inspired by the Gospel with its message of peace with God, is to be to us the protection and equipment which the sandals that cover his feet are to the soldier. With this we shall be helped to face the foe with courage and with promptitude.
Ver. 16. ἐπὶ [ἐν] πᾶσιν ἀναλαβόντες τὸν θυρεὸν τῆς πίστεως: in addition to all (or, withal) taking up the shield of faith, The readings vary between ἐπί and ἐν. The former, that of the TR, is supported by ADGKL, most cursives, and such Versions as the Syr.-P, and the Arm.; the latter, by ΒΝΕ, 17, Syr.-H., Boh., Vulg., etc. The latter is accepted by L (non-marg.) TTrWHRV; and with it the sense is “in or among all,” aptly rendered withal by the RV. With ἐπί the sense will be neither “above all” (AV) as if = most especially, nor “ over all,” with refer- ence to position ; but, in accordance with the general idea of “‘ accession,” ‘‘ super- addition” expressed by ἐπί (cf. EIl.), in addition to all (cf. Luke iii. 20). θυρεός, in Homer = a stone put against a door (θύρα) to block or shut it (Od., ix., 240, etc.), but later =a shield, is the large, oblong shield, Lat. scutum, as distin- guished from the smaller, circular ἀσπίς, the Lat, clipeus. It is described by Poly- bius (vi., 23, 3 as the first portion of the πανοπλία, and is appropriate here where the Christian is presented under the figure of a heavy-armed soldier. τῆς πίστεως, the gen. of appos. or identity, = ‘‘ the
shield which is, or consists of, faith”; πίστις having here also its distinctive NT sense of saving faith—the faith by which come the Divine forgiveness and the power of a new life.—év ᾧ δυνήσεσθε πάντα τὰ βέλη τοῦ πονηροῦ [τὰ] πεπυρω- μένα σβέσαι : wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. ἐν ᾧ = ‘‘ by means of which,” as the shield is placed before us to cover us from the stroke. There is no necessity for putting on δυνήσεσθε the sense of the remote future, as if the last conflict preceding the Judgment (Mey.) alone were in view. It refers to the future generally—to any time in our Christian course when we shall need special power for special assault. The art. τά is omitted before πεπυρωμένα by BD*G, etc., but inserted by the mass of authorities. Lach. deletes it; Treg. and WH bracketit. The anarthrous par- ticiple might have the qualitative sense, =‘‘fire-tipped as they are” (so Abb.). If the article is retained, it would be implied, as Meyer remarks, that the wicked one has also other arrows to discharge besides these fearsome and pre-eminently destruc- tive ones, which are mentioned here in order to express in its utmost force the terror of the attack. The βέλη in view are not poisoned arrows (referred to, as is supposed, in Job vi. 4; Ps. xxxviii. 2), which were not flaming missiles; but arrows tipped with tow, pitch or such like material, and set on fire before they were discharged, the πυρφόροι ὀΐστοί tDind τς il., 75, 4), or βέλη πυρφόρα Diod., xx. 96), the malleoli used by the Romans (Cic., Pro Mil., 24), the Greeks (Herod., viii., 52), and, as it would seem, the Hebrews (Ps. vii. 13). The σβέσαι has its own appropriateness here, the @v- ρεός being constructed of material (wood and leather, Polyb., Hist., ii., 23, 3), which not only prevented the missile from penetrating, but was proof against its fire and let it burn itself out. τοῦ πονηροῦ, in harmony with the general idea of a personal stand against spiritual foes, must be masc., ‘the Evil One,” the Devil.