Eph 6:13-14, Phili 4:1 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 13. In the evil day . The day of temptation; the day when you are violently assaulted. And having done all, to stand . Marg., "or overcome." The Greek word means, to work out, effect, or produce; and then to work up, to make an end of, to vanquish. Robinson, Lex . The idea seems to be, that they were to overcome or vanquish all their foes, and thus to stand firm. The whole language here is taken from war; and the idea is, that every foe was to be subdued---no matter how numerous or formidable they might be. Safety and triumph could be looked for only when every enemy was slain. (4) "done" "overcome" (+) "done all" "subdued"

Ephesians 6:13-14

Verse 13. In the evil day. The day of temptation; the day when you are violently assaulted.

And having done all, to stand. Marg., "or overcome." The Greek word means, to work out, effect, or produce; and then to work up, to make an end of, to vanquish. Robinson, Lex. The idea seems to be, that they were to overcome or vanquish all their foes, and thus to stand firm. The whole language here is taken from war; and the idea is, that every foe was to be subdued---no matter how numerous or formidable they might be. Safety and triumph could be looked for only when every enemy was slain.

(4) "done" "overcome" (+) "done all" "subdued" Verse 14. Stand therefore. Resist every attack--as a soldier does in battle. In what way they were to do this, and how they were to be armed, the apostle proceeds to specify; and, in doing it, gives a description of the ancient armour of a soldier.

Having your loins girt about. The girdle, or sash, was always with the ancients an important part of their dress, in war as well as in peace. They wore loose, flowing robes; and it became necessary to gird them up when they travelled, or ran, or laboured. The girdle was often highly ornamented, and was the place where they carried their money, their sword, their pipe, their writing instruments, etc. Mt 5:38 and Mt 5:39-41. The" girdle" seems sometimes to have been a cincture of iron or steel, and designed to keep every part of the armour in its place, and to gird the soldier on every side.

With truth. It may not be easy to determine with entire accuracy the resemblance between the parts of the armour specified in this description, and the things with which they are compared; or to determine precisely why he compared truth to a girdle, and righteousness to a breast-plate, rather than why he should have chosen a different order, and compared righteousness to a girdle, etc. Perhaps in themselves there may have been no special reason for this arrangement, but the object may have been merely to specify the different parts of the armour of a soldier, and to compare them with the weapons which Christians were to use, though the comparison should be made somewhat at random. In some of the cases, however, we can see a particular significancy in the comparisons which are made; and it may not be improper to make suggestions of that kind as we go along. The idea here may be, that as the girdle was the bracer up, or support of the body, so truth is fitted to brace us up, and to gird us for constancy and firmness. The girdle kept all the parts of the armour in their proper place, and preserved firmness and consistency in the dress; and so truth might serve to give consistency and firmness to our conduct. "Great," says Grotius, "is the laxity of falsehood; truth binds the man." Truth preserves a man from those lax views of morals, of duty, and of religion, which leave him exposed to every assault. It makes the soul sincere, firm, constant, and always on its guard. A man who has no consistent views of truth, is just the man for the adversary successfully to assail.

And having on the breastplate. The word here rendered "breastplate" --θωραξ--denoted the cuirass, (Lat., lorica,) or coat of mail; i.e., the armour that covered the body from the neck to the thighs, and consisted of two parts, one covering the front and the other the back. It was made of rings, or in the form of scales, or of plates, so fastened together that they would be flexible, and yet guard the body from a sword, spear, or arrow. It is referred to in the Scriptures as a coat of mail, 1Sam 17:5; an habergeon, Neh 4:16, or as a breastplate. We are told that Goliath's coat of mail weighed five thousand shekels of brass, or nearly one hundred and sixty pounds. It was often formed of plates of brass, laid one upon another, like the scales of a fish. The cuts on the opposite page will give an idea of this ancient piece of armour.

Of righteousness. Integrity, holiness, purity of life, sincerity of piety. The breastplate defended the vital parts of the body; and the idea here may be, that integrity of life, and righteousness of character, is as necessary to defend us from the assaults of Satan, as the coat of mail was to preserve the heart from the arrows of an enemy. It was the incorruptible integrity of Job, and, in a higher sense, of the Redeemer himself, that saved them from the temptations of the devil. And it is as true now that no one can successfully meet the power of temptation unless he is righteous, as that a soldier could not defend himself against a foe without such a coat of mail. A want of integrity will leave a man exposed to the assaults of the enemy, just as a man would be whose coat of marl was defective, or some part of which was wanting. The king of Israel was smitten by an arrow sent from a bow, drawn at a venture, "between the joints of his harness," or the "breastplate," (margin,) 1Kgs 22:34; and many a man who thinks he has on the Christian armour is smitten in the same manner. There is some defect of character; some want of incorruptible integrity; some point that is unguarded--and that will be sure to be the point of attack by the foe. So David was tempted to commit the enormous crimes that stain his memory, and Peter to deny his Lord. So Judas was assailed, for the want of the armour of righteousness, through his avarice; and so, by some want of incorruptible integrity in a single point, many a minister of the gospel has been assailed and has fallen. It may be added here, that we need a righteousness which God alone can give--the righteousness of God our Saviour--to make us perfectly invulnerable to all the arrows of the foe.

(b) "girt" Isa 11:5

Philippians 4:1

Philippians CHAPTER 4

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER.

THIS chapter comprises the following points :--

I. Exhortations.

II. Solemn commands to live as became Christians.

III. The expression of a grateful acknowledgment of the favours which he had received from them; and,

IV. The customary salutations.

I. Exhortations, Php 4:1-3.

(1.) He exhorts them to stand fast in the Lord, Php 4:1

(2.) He entreats Euodias and Syntyche, who appear to have been alienated from each other, to be reconciled, Php 4:2

(3.) He entreats one whom he calls a "true yokefellow" to render assistance to those women who had laboured with him in the gospel, Php 4:3.

II. Commands, Php 4:4-9. He commands them to rejoice in the Lord always, Php 4:4; to let their moderation be known to all, Php 4:5; to have no anxiety about worldly matters, but in all their necessities to go to God. Php 4:6,7; and to do whatever was honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, Php 4:8,9.

III. A grateful acknowledgment of their kindness, Php 4:10-19. He says that their care of him had been manifested again, in such away as to be highly grateful to his feelings, Php 4:10. He did not indeed say that he had suffered, for he had learned, in whatever state he was, to be content, Php 4:11-13; but they had shown a proper spirit in endeavouring to relieve his necessities, Php 4:14. He remarks that their church was the only one that had aided him when he was in Macedonia, and that they had sent to him more than once when he was in Thessalonica; and says that their favour now was an offering acceptable to God, who would abundantly reward them, Php 4:15-20.

IV. Salutations, Php 4:21-23.

Verse 1. Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for. Doddridge unites this verse with the previous chapter, and supposes that it is the proper close of the solemn statement which the apostle makes there. The word therefore ωστε has undoubted reference to the remarks made there; and the meaning is, that in view of the fact that there were many professed Christians who were not sincere-- that the "citizenship" of all true Christians was in heaven, and that Christians looked for the coming of the Lord Jesus, who would make them like to himself, the apostle exhorts them to stand fast ill the Lord. The accumulation of epithets of endearment in this verse shows his tender regard for them, and is expressive of his earnest solicitude for their welfare, anti his deep conviction of their danger. The term "longed for" is expressive of strong affection. Php 1:8, 2:26.

My joy. The source of my joy. He rejoiced in the fact that they had been converted under him; and in their holy walk and theft friendship. Our chief joy is in our friends; and the chief happiness of a minister of the gospel is in the pure lives of those to whom he ministers. See 3Jn 1:4.

And crown. Comp. 1Thes 2:19. The word crown means a circlet, chaplet, or diadem,

(1.) as the emblem of royal dignity-- the symbol of office;

(2.) as the prize conferred on victors in the public games, 1Cor 9:25; and hence as an emblem of the rewards of a future life, 2Ti 4:8, Jas 1:12, 1Pet 5:4;

(3) anything that is an ornament or honour, as one glories in a crown Comp. Pr 12:4, "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband;" Prov 14:24, "The crown of the wise is their riches;" Prov 16:31, "The hoary head is a crown of glory; Prov 17:6, "Children's children are the crown of old men." The idea here is, that the church at Philippi was that in which the apostle gloried. He regarded it as a high honour to have been the means of founding such a church, and he looked upon it with the same interest with which a monarch looks upon the diadem which he wears.

So stand fast in the Lord. In the service of the Lord, and in the strength which he imparts. Eph 6:13, Eph 6:14.