Ephesians 6:16

ἐν πᾶσιν. ‘In all things,’ ‘in all circumstances.’ See 2 Corinthians 11:6; Philippians 4:12; 1 Timothy 3:11; 2 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 4:5; Titus 2:9.

ἀναλαβόντες τὸν θυρεὸν τῆς πίστεως. No shield is mentioned in either of the passages in Isaiah. In Wis 5:19 we read λήμψεται�, which is quite distinct both in thought and expression. ὁ θυρεὸς the large oblong shield covering the whole body. In Genesis 15:1 in close connexion with St Paul’s favourite text Genesis 15:6 (ἐπίστευσεν Ἀβ.) God says to Abraham ‘I am thy Shield’ (LXX. ἐγὼ ὑπερασπίζω σου). Here the shield is ‘the faith’ (cf. Ephesians 3:12), the revelation of God made to us in Christ regarded as a ground and source of faith in us, able to provide a complete protection against every temptation to doubt Him which the Devil is able to insinuate. See 1 Peter 1:7, Hort’s note. Eve’s defence in Genesis 3:5 is broken down by the suggestion that the command to abstain from the fruit of the tree of knowledge was due to envy in God.

τὰ βέλη τὰ πεπυρωμένα. Malleoli. Darts tipped with tow dipped in pitch and lighted.

τοῦ πονηροῦ from Matthew 6:13. Cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:3.