A Roman soldier, preparing for battle, would tie on a pair of sturdy, military sandals. A multilayered sole featured rugged hobnails, helping the soldier hold his ground and “stand” (Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:13-14). Paul explains this military footwear with language from Isaiah 52:7, which celebrates the moment when a messenger brings the news that Yahweh’s battle on behalf … Continue reading –>
How does Paul imagine believers beginning their preparation for the battle against evil? Ephesians 6:14; see also 1 Peter 4:1; 1 Peter 5:8; Romans 8:37-39. Paul’s warning of an intense battle (Ephesians 6:13) prepares readers for his final call to stand (his fourth, compare Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:13) and is a detailed call to arms (Ephesians 6:14-17). Paul describes the action of “girding up one’s waist” (compare Isaiah 11:5). … Continue reading –>
Read Ephesians 6:10-20. What is Paul saying about the kind of warfare the church is engaged in? Is Paul primarily depicting just an individual believer’s spiritual battle against evil, or the church’s corporate war against evil? Victory in Greek and Roman warfare was dependent on the cooperation of the soldiers in a military unit and especially … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: Ephesians 6:10-20; 1 Peter 4:1; 1 Peter 5:8; Isaiah 59:17; Isaiah 52:8-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Memory Text: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of … Continue reading –>
Finding the Right Words By Andrew McChesney Alexei Arushanian, a 33-year-old Ukrainian national living in Poland, noticed a Bible and many other religious books in the apartment of the woman whose windows he was installing. Alexei belonged to a group of church members who distributed Ellen White’s The Great Controversy. It was a difficult task … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: “Our work is an aggressive one, and as faithful soldiers of Jesus, we must bear the blood-stained banner into the very strongholds of the enemy. ‘We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ If … Continue reading –>
What do you judge to be Paul’s purpose in listing a variety of titles for the evil spiritual powers depicted in Ephesians 1:21, Ephesians 3:10, and Ephesians 6:10-20? Paul describes “our struggle” (Ephesians 6:12, NRSV), using a Greek word for the competition between wrestlers (palé). Since wrestling was regarded as excellent preparation for battle, this is an appropriate description of … Continue reading –>
Read through Ephesians 6:10-20, noting each time Paul uses some form of the verb stand. Why is this idea so important to him? We must understand Paul’s military metaphor in the context of the ancient battlefield. What did it mean to “stand” (Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:13-14)? Does the verb suggest a defensive-only posture? Battle speeches included in the writings of … Continue reading –>
Read Romans 13:11-14, 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8, and 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. How do these verses compare with Ephesians 6:10-20? Why do you think Paul uses this kind of imagery? In his letters, Paul frequently employs military language and imagery, inviting believers to mimic exemplary, soldierly behavior. While Ephesians 6:10-20 represents his longest and most concentrated use, military language exhibits one of his … Continue reading –>
Paul ends his letter with a powerful call to battle that draws together themes and ideas important to the letter as a whole. He begins by announcing the overarching theme of the conclusion, offered in the tone of a commander’s battle cry: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians … Continue reading –>
