Ephesians 6:10-13

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 6:10

Verse 10 10.Finally. Resuming his general exhortations, he again enjoins them to be strong, — to summon up courage and vigor; for there is always much to enfeeble us, and we are ill fitted to resist. But when our weakness is considered, an exhortation like this would have no effect, unless the Lord were present, and stretched out his hand to render assistance, or rather, unless he supplied us with all the power. Paul therefore adds, in the Lord. As if he had said, “‘You have no right to reply,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 6:11

Verse 11 11.Put on the whole armor. God has furnished us with various defensive weapons, provided we do not indolently refuse what is offered. But we are almost all chargeable with carelessness and hesitation in using the offered grace; just as if a soldier, about to meet the enemy, should take his helmet, and neglect his shield. To correct this security, or, we should rather say, this indolence, Paul borrows a comparison from the military art, and bids us put on the whole armor of God. We... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 6:12

Verse 12 12.For we wrestle (171) not. To impress them still more deeply with their danger, he points out the nature of the enemy, which he illustrates by a comparative statement, Not against flesh and blood. The meaning is, that our difficulties are far greater than if we had to fight with men. There we resist human strength, sword is opposed to sword, man contends with man, force is met by force, and skill by skill; but here the case is widely different. All amounts to this, that our enemies... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ephesians 6:13

Verse 13 13.Wherefore take unto you. Though our enemy is so powerful, Paul does not infer that we must throw away our spears, but that we must prepare our minds for the battle. A promise of victory is, indeed, involved in the exhortation, that ye may be able. If we only put on the whole armor of God, and fight valiantly to the end, we shall certainly stand. On any other supposition, we would be discouraged by the number and variety of the contests; and therefore he adds, in the evil day. By... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:10

Finally . The apostle has now reached his last passage, and by this word quickens the attention of his readers and prepares them for a counsel eminently weighty in itself, and gathering up the pith and marrow, as it were, of what goes before. "My brethren," A.V., is rejected by R.V, and most modern commentators, for lack of external evidence. We note, however, that, whereas in the preceding verses he had distributed the Ephesians into groups, giving an appropriate counsel to each, he now... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:10

The secret of spiritual strength. This strength is needed under all the burdens, in all the conflicts and temptations of life, beneath its sorrows and its cares—strength of heart, strength of purpose, strength of will. I. " BE STRONG ." This is a strange command, just as strange as it would be for a physician to say to a weak man, "Be strong." It is like the command, "Rejoice in the Lord;" but it seems more difficult by any volition of our own to add to our strength than to add to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:10

Divine strength. As the Epistle draws to a close, St. Paul gives emphasis to the requisition of Divine strength by singling it out for a final word of exhortation. The doctrinal principles of the earlier chapters lead up to the practical duties of the later, and these several duties to the need of Divine strength wherewith to discharge them in face of the assaults of evil. I. CHRISTIANS ARE EXHORTED TO BE STRONG . Spiritual strength is decision of character and force of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:10-20

THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:10-20

The Christian warfare. Even in common parlance we speak of "the battle of life." Even for ordinary purposes we have to fight against indolence, evil lusts, dishonest tendencies, and many other things in ourselves; and against opposition, ill treatment, temptation on the part of others, and the depressing effects of trial and disappointment. All hard work -is a fight; we have to fight against the sense of monotony, against the feeling of weariness, against the longing for ease; and when we... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ephesians 6:10-20

Panoply of God. Conclusion of Epistle "Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. In drawing the Epistle to a close, the apostle falls back on a form of expression he had used in the first chapter. There he showed that he had a high admiration of the strength of his [the Father's] might which he wrought in Christ," and which was proved by Christ being raised from the state of the dead "far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion." Here his admiration... read more

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