Ephesians 6:15

your feet shod Lit., and better, having shod your feet. See note above, on "having on." If the warrior is to "stand" he must have no unprotected and uncertain foot-hold.

the preparation The Gr. word occurs here only in N.T. In the LXX. it occurs several times, and tends, curiously, to denote equipment in the special form of base or pedestal (e.g.Ezra 3:3; A.V. "bases"). Such a meaning is obviously in point here, where the imagery suggests not readiness to run, but foothold for standing. Equipment will be a fair rendering.

the gospel of peace Cp. Isaiah 52:7; Nahum 1:15; and the quotation, Romans 10:15. Those passages are closely linked to this by the concurrence in them of the words "feet" and "message of peace." But in them the imagery distinctly suggests movement, message-bearing; in this, as distinctly, steadfastness in personal spiritual warfare. Here, accordingly, we interpret "the Gospel, the glad message, of peace," to mean the Divine revelation of peace as heard and welcomed by the Christian for himself. See above, Ephesians 2:17 (and note), where the words "Gospel" (in the Gr.) and "peace" also concur; and, for other mentions of the Gospel message and work in the Epistle, Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 3:6; Ephesians 3:8, and below Ephesians 6:19.

The paradox here, "peace" as part of the panoply of the holy war, is as significant as it is beautiful. The warrior's foothold needs to be settled, sure, and restful, just in proportion to the stress around him. "Peace withGod" (Romans 5:1), the peace of justification, and its holy sequel and accompaniment, "the peace ofGod, keeping the heart and thoughts in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7), are just then most necessary to the saint's spirit, and most real to his consciousness, when put to the proof "in the evil day." Christ, in Himself, is the Rock of vantage; a clear view and personal hold of Him revealed is the secret of a true foothold upon Him. The Apostle himself stood in this strength when he wrote, "I know Whom I have believed, &c." (2 Timothy 1:12).