Ephesians 6:16

above all The Gr. admits the renderings, "overall things"; "besidesall things"; "on occasion ofall things, (on all occasions)"; "againstall things." We incline to this last, as suitable to the imagery of the shield shifted to meetany and every stroke. Another reading gives "inall things"; at every turn of the conflict. But the evidence is far from conclusive. "It has not sufficient external support, and may have been a correction for the ambiguous [preposition in the text]" (Ellicott).

taking Lit., haying taken up. See note on Ephesians 6:13 above.

the shield The Gr. is one of two familiar words for "shield," and denotes a large oblong shield (such as that used by the heavy Roman infantry) about 2½x4 feet in size. (See Smith's Dict. Class. Ant., under the word Scutum). The significance of the choice of word is obvious. In the parallel apocryphal passage (see note on Ephesians 6:11 above) the Gr. word for "shield" is the other alternative, denoting a circular and lighter shield. But this is no proof (as some expositors have thought) that the present word was not deliberately chosen, in a passage like this, where the idea of protection, and the need of it, is pressed to the utmost.

faith "That faith whereby we resolutely rely on God and His word for deliverance from temptation" (Monod). The true safeguard in the evil day lies ever, not in introspection, but in that look wholly outward, Godward, which is the essence of faith (see Psalms 25:15).

wherewith Lit., and perhaps better, in this vivid picture, in which.

ye shall be able Observe the certainty of the promise, good for the whole future of the conflict.

to quench before the soul's living frame, so to speak, is reached and burned. It may be, and very often is, impossible for the Christian to detect the point where temptation passes into sin; a fact which should secure humble caution in all language about personal spiritual victory. But this verse warrants the reverent expectation of very true victories in the real exercise of enlightened and simple faith. The word "all" is important.

the fiery darts Lit., "the darts, the igniteddarts." The metaphor is taken from the fire-arrows of ancient warfare. Wetstein here gives abundant illustration, from Thucydides, Livy, Vegetius, Ammianus, and many other authors. Ammianus (about a.d. 380) describes the Roman malleolias arrows carrying a perforated bulb, like a distaff, just below the point; the bulb filled with burning matter; the arrow discharged from a slack bow, lest speed should kill the flame. Another variety was simpler; the shaft near the point was wrapped in burning tow.

The imagery is sternly true to the experience of injections into the soul of polluting ideas, or of doubts of God, or of unchastened anger.

the wicked I.e., as R.V., the Evil One; the great General of the besieging host.