《Eadie’s Commentary on Ephesians (Vol. )》(John Eadie) 04 Chapter Introduction Chapter 4

ἐν ᾧ δυνήσεσθε πάντα τὰ βέλη τοῦ πονηροῦ τὰ πεπυρωμένα σβέσαι—“in,” or, “with which ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” The article τά before πεπυρωμένα is not found in B, D_{1, F, G, and is rejected by Lachmann, but probably without sufficient authority. It seems to imply that the devil throws other darts besides those so specified. ῾ο πονηρός is “the wicked one,” either in proper person or as leader and representative of the foes so vividly described in} Ephesians 6:12_. 2 Thessalonians 3:3_; Matthew 6:13_; John 17:15_; 1 John 5:18_{. In the phrase τὰ βέλη τὰ πεπυρωμένα, there is a reference to a species of missile which was tipped or armed with some combustible material.} Psalms 7:13_{; Lipsius, de Milit. Roman. p. 106; Alberti, Observat. Philol. in loc. This malleolus resembled a hammer, as its name imports. The inflammatory substances were compressed into its transverse portion or head, and this being ignited, the mallet was thrown among the enemy. References to such weapons are found in Herodotus, lib. 8:52; Arrian, Alexan. Exped. 2.18; Thucydides, 2:75; Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Latin Antiquities, sub voce-Malleolus; Winer, art. “Bogen;” and other ancient writers. Thucydides calls these shafts πυρφόροι ὀϊστοί; and Apollodorus gives them the same name as the apostle. Bibl. 2.4. See also Livy, lib. xii. c. 8; Ammianus Marcellinus, 23, 4. The Coptic version reads —“filled” with fire. These blazing arrows are shot by the evil one- ὁ πονηρός-who is evil and undiluted evil; the evil one “by merit raised to that bad eminence.” In the verb σβέσαι there is an allusion not to any power in the shield to quench the burning darts, as many try to sh ow with learned labour, but to the simple fact, that such a missile caught on, or in, the shield, glances off it, and falling to the earth, is speedily extinguished. It is a misconception of the meaning of the participle πεπυρωμένα on the part of Bodius, Rollock, Hammond, and Bochart, that poisoned darts are meant, and are named “fiery” because of the burning sensation, or fever, which they produce; as if they received this appellation not from their effect, but from their nature. Hierozoicon, Opera, tom. iii. p. 425, ed. Leusden, Lugd. Bata 5.1692. What they are, it is difficult to say. The Greek fathers, with too great restriction, think that reference is made to such lusts and desires as we sometimes term “burning” lusts and desires. The darts appear to be Satanic assaults, sudden and terrible-such suggestions to evil, such unaccountable impulses to doubt or blaspheme, such horrid insinuations about the Divine character and one's own state, as often distract persons, especially of a nervous temperament. The biographies of Luther and Bunyan afford apposite examples. But the shield of faith must be used to repel such darts, and if brought to intercept them, it preserves the Christian warrior intact. His confidence in God keeps him from being wounded, or from falling a prisoner into the hands of his ruthless enemies. Whatever happens moves him not; his faith saves him from despondency and defeat. The future form of the verb by no means supports Meyer's view as to the period of the evil day.}

Verse 17

(Ephesians 6:17.) καὶ τὴν περικεφαλαίαν τοῦ σωτηρίου δέξασθε—“And take the helmet of salvation.” D¹, F, and G omit the verb; δέξασθαι, a glaring emendation, is found, however, in A, D³, K, and L. The adjectival form σωτήριον is found also in Luke 2:30; Luke 3:6; Acts 28:28. This use of the finite verb in such a series is a characteristic of Pauline style, as if from the participial construction his mind likes to rest at length on the finite form. The military helmet protected the head. It was a cap usually made of leather, strengthened and ornamented with metallic plates or bosses, and commonly surmounted with a crest or plume. In 1 Thessalonians 5:8, the apostle says, “For an helmet the hope of salvation”- ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας-and therefore many suppose that the same idea is expressed elliptically here. Such is the view of Calvin, Zanchius, Calovius, Grotius, Estius, Bodius, Meier, and Winzer, but a view which is as unwarranted as that of Theodoret, Bullinger, Cocceius, and Bengel, who refer σωτήριον to the Saviour Himself, because He has received such an appellation in Luke 2:30. The apostle takes the phrase from the Alexandrian version of Isaiah 59:17, in which the Hebrew כוֹבַע יַשׁוָָּעה ִךס translated περικεφαλαίαν σωτηρίου. Salvation, and not the hope of it, is here represented as forming the helmet; not salvation in an objective sense, but in conscious possession. It is the assurance of being interested in this salvation that guards the head. He who knows that he is safe, who feels that he is pardoned and sanctified, possesses this “helme of helthe,” as Wyckliffe renders it, and has his “head covered in the day of battle:”-

καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν τοῦ πνεύματος, ὅ ἐστιν ῥῆμα θεοῦ—“and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The last genitive is that of source, and the relative ὅ is neuter, by attraction or assimilation. This is the only offensive weapon which the Christian soldier is to assume. That sword is described as being the “word of God.” By “the word of God” we understand the gospel, or revealed will of God-and to us it is in effect Holy Scripture, not in any restricted sense, as limited either to its commands or its threatenings. Theodore of Mopsuestia says, however, that ῥῆμα θεοῦ is equivalent to θεοῦ ἐνέργεια-referring in proof to such phrases as “by the word of the Lord the heavens were made,” the meaning of which is easily understood. And this weapon—“the word of God”-is “the sword of the Spirit,” for it is the Spirit who supplies it. By the special organic influence of the Spirit, plenary inspiration was enjoyed, and God's ideas became, in the lips and from the pens of apostles and prophets, God's words. The genitive, πνεύματος, thus indicates the relation in which God's word stands to the Spirit. How strange on the part of Harless, Olshausen, Matthies, Stier, and von Gerlach, to make it the genitive of apposition, and to represent the sword as the Spirit Himself! In this erroneous view they had been preceded by Basil, who has adduced this verse as a proof that not only the Son, but the Spirit, is called the Word-the Son being the Word of the Father, and the Spirit the Word of the Son. Contra Eunom. lib. v. cap. 11. Such an exposition only darkens the passage, and compels Olshausen himself to ask in perplexity a question which his own false exegesis originates-How can the Word of God be represented as the Spirit? and he answers the insoluble query by a statement no less erro neous and unintelligible, that the Spirit is an operation which the Word of God produces. Harless argues, that as the previous genitives specifying the pieces of armour are those of apposition, so analogy must justify the same syntax in this clause. But the argument is wholly out of place, and that because the apostle subjoins an explanation. Had he simply said “the sword of the Word,” then according to the analogy of previous clauses the exegesis of Harless and Olshausen would be the correct one, but he enters into fuller and more precise detail. Away at the other extreme from this exposition is that of Chrysostom in one of his interpretations, of OEcumenius and Theophylact, with Michaelis and Grotius, which makes the clause merely mean—“take the spiritual sword of the Word; and still more remote is the lame exegesis of Morus, Rosenmüller, and de Wette, which understands by “spirit” the human spirit, as if the apostle meant to say—“take your soul's best sword, the word of God.”

The word of God is thus the sword of the Spirit, by which the spiritual foe is cloven down. The Captain of salvation set the example, and once and again, and a third time, did He repel the assault of the prince of darkness by three brief and simple citations from Scripture. Diplomacy and argument, truce and armistice, are of no avail-the keen bright sword of the Spirit must be unsheathed and lifted.

Verse 18

(Ephesians 6:18.) διὰ πάσης προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως προσευχόμενοι ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἐν πνεύματι—“With all prayer and supplication praying always in the Spirit.” The participle is not, with Conybeare, to be rendered as a simple imperative. We cannot agree with de Wette and others in regarding prayer as a separate weapon, for the apostle now drops the figure. It is indeed an effectual means of repulse, not by itself, but in its connection with all these other graces. So that we understand this verse as describing the spirit or temper in which the armour should be assumed, the position taken, the enemy met, and the combat pursued, that is, as still connected with στῆτε οὖν. We cannot, with Olshausen, restrict it to the previous clause, namely, that prayer must accompany the use of the sword of the Spirit. The order of thought is-make preparation, take the armour, stand, fight, and all the while be praying.

Meyer's effort to make διὰ πάσης προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως an independent sentence, at least disconnected with the following participle, is not happy; and his argument as to tautology and the impossibility of “praying always” is without force. The preposition διά expresses the means by, or the condition in or through which, the spiritual exercise implied in προσευχόμενοι developes itself. The two nouns are distinguished not as imprecatio and deprecatio, as is the opinion of Chrysostom, Theodoret, Grotius, and others; nor can we say, with de Wette, that the first term denotes the form, and the second the contents, of prayer. The two words are conjoined in the Septuagint. 1 Kings 8:28; 2 Chronicles 6:19; Psalms 6:9; and in Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:1. We believe with Harless, Meier, Meyer, and others, that προσευχή is prayer in general-the general aspects and attitudes of devotion, in adoration, confession, and thanksgiving; and that δέησις is a special branch of prayer, direct and earnest petition. The adjective πάσης adds the idea of “every kind” of prayer-all the forms, public and private, secret and domestic, oral and unexpressed, formal and ejaculatory, which prayer may assume. And such prayer is not to be restricted to peculiar times, but is to be employed- ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ, at every season. Luke 21:36. “Not only the minor officers along the ranks, but the whole hosts are to join in these yearnings.” And such continuous and diversified prayer must be-

ἐν πνεύματι—“in the Spirit”-as its sphere. It is surely an unhallowed and perverse opinion of Castalio, Crocius, Grotius, Homberg, Koppe, Rosenmüller, and Zanchius even, which gives these words the meaning of ἐκ πνεύματος, and makes them signify “out of the heart, or sincerely.” Bloomfield indeed lays down the canon that πνεῦμα, not having the article, cannot mean “the Holy Spirit”-a canon which is contradicted by numerous passages of the New Testament, as already stated under Ephesians 1:17. The theology of the apostle is, that while the Son pleads for His people in heaven, the Spirit within them makes intercession for them and by them, by giving them an enlarged and appropriating view of the Divine promises, that they may plead them in faith and fervour, and by so deepening their own poignant consciousness of want as to induce them to cry for grace with an agony of earnestness that cannot be fitted into words. Romans 8:26. Jude speaks also of “praying in the Holy Ghost” (Ephesians 6:20), that is, in His exciting and assisting influence. The soldier needs courage, vigilance, and skill, and therefore he ought, with continued prayer and supplication, to look up to the Lord of hosts, “who teaches his hands to war and his fingers to fight,” and who will make him “more than a conqueror;” so that in due time, the combat being over and his foes defeated, the hand that wielded the sword will carry the palm, and the brow that wore the helmet will be crowned with immortal garlands before the throne. Praying always-

καὶ εἰς αὐτὸ ἀγρυπνοῦντες ἐν πάσῃ προσκαρτερήσει καὶ δεήσει περὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων—“and for this watching in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” τοῦτο, found in the Stephanic text after αὐτό, is regarded as doubtful on the authority of A, B, and other concurrent testimonies. εἰς αὐτό—“for this,” that is, for the purpose specified in the clauses preceding, not, as Koppe and Holzhausen argue, for the design expressed in the following verse- ἵνα μοι δοθῇ. To secure this earnest supplication at all times in the Spirit, they were to be ever on their guard against remissness, for many “impedimenta” exist in the Christian army. The phrase ἐν πάσῃ προσκαρτερήσει καὶ δεήσει, is one of pregnant emphasis. Acts 1:14; Romans 12:12; Colossians 4:2. “Perseverance and prayer,” though not properly a hendiadys (the technical order of the words, as they should occur in such a figure, being inverted), practically means perseverance characterized by prayer, the one and the other noun having a distinct, though blended signification. The term ἁγίων has been explained under Ephesians 1:3. We are inclined to take the two clauses as somewhat parallel, the second clause as containing, at the same time, a specific addition. Thus, first, the apostle exhorts them, by means of “all prayer and supplication,” to be praying at all times in the Spirit, the tacit or implied reference being for themselves; and then he adds, but without any formal transition, “and for this watching along with all perseverance and prayer for all saints.” The two thoughts are closely connected. To their persistent supplication for themselves, they were to join, not as a separate and distinct duty, prayer for all saints, but rather, as the compact language of the apostle suggests, in praying for themse lves they were uniformly to blend petitions for all the saints. “All the saints,” in obedience to the same mandate, pray for us, and in a spirit of reciprocity it becomes us to pray for them. They need our prayers; for many of them, at every given moment, must be in trial, temptation, warfare, sickness, or death. And as but a very few of them can ever be known to us, our allinclusive sympathy with them will prove its vitality by universal and unwearying supplication for them.

Verse 19

(Ephesians 6:19.) καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ—“And for me.” When καί knits, as here, a part to a whole, it has an intensive or climactic signification. Winer, § 53, 3; Hartung, 1:45. The apostle lays emphasis on this mention of himself. And we apprehend that the same speciality of request is marked by the change of preposition. When he bids them pray for all saints, he says περὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων; but when he points to himself as the object of supplication, he writes ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ. Meyer and de Wette, indeed, and Robinson, apparently deny that any change of idea is involved in the change of preposition. Harless admits such a distinction as is between pro and propter. Certainly, in the later writers περί and ὑπέρ are almost identical in use and sense. They are even found together, as Demosthenes, Philip. ii. p. 162, vol. v. Oratores Att., ed. Dobson, Oxon.; Thucyd. 6.78, 1, p. 152, vol. iii. sect. 2, ed. Poppo. No one denies this, but surely it may be asked, Why should the preposition here be changed? not, perhaps, for mere variety of phrase and style. The preposition περί—“about,” used generally in a tropical sense when it governs the genitive, may be regarded as the vaguer in its reference. They could not know much about all saints, and they were to pray about them. All saints were to be ideally encircled with their supplications. The prayer for the apos tle was more direct and personal, and ὑπέρ is employed, while the blessing to be prayed for is also clearly specified. In Romans 8:26, 1 Timothy 2:1, Hebrews 7:25, where ὑπέρ is used, there is marked directness in the supplication, though it be for all men. 1 Peter 3:18. In Colossians 4:3, the apostle, in making a similar request, uses περί; but he includes himself with others, and writes ἡμῶν, and so in Hebrews 13:18. Though such a distinction cannot be uniformly carried out, yet the use of these two different prepositions in two consecutive clauses would seem to indicate that some ideal change of relation is intended. Turner says that the prepositions are changed “for the mere sake of variety,” and he instances ἐκ and διά in Romans 3:20, which in his opinion “apparently convey precisely the same thought.” But the explanation is slovenly; for though there is a kindred meaning, there is a distinct difference of image or relation indicated by the two prepositions. And for what were they to pray?

ἵνα μοι δοθῇ λόγος ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματός μου—“that to me may be given speech in the opening of my mouth.” The conjunction ἵνα denotes the purpose, which is told by telling the purport of the prayer. The Received Text has δοθείη, a more subjective representation, but the principal uncial MSS. are against such a reading. λόγος here denotes power of speech-utterance-as in 1 Corinthians 12:8; 2 Corinthians 11:6. The connection of the next clause has been much disputed. It appears to us plainest and easiest to join ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματός μου to the preceding words—“that utterance may be given unto me in the opening of my mouth.” The arguments for this view, and against the opposing hypotheses of Kypke and Koppe, are ably given by Fritzsche, Dissert. ii. ad Cor. p. 99. Such is the critical opinion of the three Greek fathers, Chrysostom, OEcumenius, and Theophylact, of Luther and Calvin, of Estius, Morus, Rückert, Harless, Olshausen, Matthies, and Meyer. The sense then is, not that the opening of his mouth was in itself regarded also as a Divine gift; but the prayer is, that utterance should be given him when the opportunity of self-vindication or of preaching should be enjoyed. Bullinger, a-Lapide, and Harless give ἄνοιξις an active signification, as if the sense were, that utterance along with the opening of my mouth may be given me, referring to Psalms 51:15, Ezekiel 3:27. We prefer the simple signification—“in the opening of my mouth,” that is, when I shall have occasion to open my mouth. Matthew 5:2; Acts 8:35; Acts 10:34; 2 Corinthians 6:11. Wholly baseless is the translation of Beza and Piscator-ut aperiam os meum. That the phrase describes not the simple act of speech, but also specifies its quality as bold or open, is the view of Pelagius, Vatablus, Bodius, Zanchius, Rückert, Meier, and Matthies. See Alford on 2 Corinthians 6:11. But this view gives an emphasis to the simple diction which cannot be proved to belong to it. We believe that its only emphasis lies in its use-prefacing a set discourse of some length, and not merely a brief or conversational remark. That the apostle refers to inspiring influence we have little doubt, whether that influence be regarded as essential to the general preaching of the gospel, or to the apostle's vindication of himself and his mission at the imperial tribunal in Rome; for he was now prosecuting the appeal which he had originated at Caesarea. Luke 21:14; Matthew 10:19-20; Mark 13:11. His pleading for himself involved in it a description and defence of his office, and that he refers to such unpremeditated orations is the view of OEcumenius. The next clause is explanatory, or gives the result-

ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ γνωρίσαι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ εὐαγγελίου—“in boldness to make known the mystery of the gospel.” B, F, G, omit τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, but the words have good authority. The genitive may be that of subject or of object, as in Ephesians 1:9. Ellicott prefers the former. The noun παῤῥησία has been explained under Ephesians 3:12, and does not signify “freely,” as Koppe and Grotius take it, that is, in contrast with previous confinement. Wyckliffe has—“with truth to make known.” It characterizes the speaking in itself or in quality, as bold and open-without reserve or trepidation. γνωρίσαι is the infinitive of design. ΄υστήριον has been spoken of under Ephesians 1:9. In the first chapter the apostle calls one special result and purpose of the gospel-to wit, the re-capitulation of all things under Christ-a mystery; and in the third chapter he characterizes the doctrine of the union of Jew and Gentile in one church by a similar appellation. But here he gives the same general name to the gospel. For it is a system which lay hidden till God's time came for revealing it. To know it, there must be a Divine initiator, for its truths are beyond the orbit of all human anticipations. The God-man-a vicarious death-a gratuitous pardon-the influence of the Spirit-are doctrines which man never could have discovered. They are to him a mystery, not indeed something unknowable, but something unknown till it be revealed. This gospel, without mutilation, in its fulness and majesty, and with all its characteristic elements, the apostle wished to proclaim with plain and unfaltering freedom, and for this purpose he asked the prayers of the Ephesian church.

Verse 20

(Ephesians 6:20.) ῾υπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει—“On behalf of which I am an ambassador in chains.” The antecedent to οὗ is not barely εὐαγγελίου-the gospel, but the preceding clause. It was not simply because of the gospel, but because of making known the gospel, that he was imprisoned. This simple sentence has been variously analyzed. Some, as Rückert and Matthies, translate it—“for which doing of the office of ambassador, I am in chains;” while others give it this turn—“for which, even in chains, I am an ambassador.” The apostle calls himself an ambassador, but one in chains. His evangelical embassy-an office peculiar to the apostles-has been described under Ephesians 4:11. It is perhaps too much to infer, with Paley, Macknight, and Wieseler, that the singular term ἅλυσις refers to that form of military surveillance in which the prisoner had his arm bound with a chain to that of the “soldier who kept him.” Acts 28:16; Acts 28:20. The singular form may bear a collective signification (Bernhardy, p. 58), yet, as we find the same expression in 2 Timothy 1:16, there is a possibility at least that such may be the reference. Still, we find the apostle, when in military custody at Caesarea, employing the plural, and saying- τῶν δεσμῶν τούτων. An ambassador in chains was a rare spectacle. τοὺς πρέσβεις νόμος μηδὲν πάσχειν κακόν, says Theophylact. The person of an ambassador is by international law sacred and inviolable; and yet Paul, a legate from the mightiest Sovereignty, charged with an embassy of unparalleled nobleness and urgency, and bearing with him credentials of unmistakeable authenticity, is detained in captivity. The object of the prayer was-

ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παῤῥησιάσωμαι, ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι—“in order that I may speak boldly in this, as I ought to speak.” This clause resumes the object or design of the prayer, and is parallel to the previous ἵνα μοι δοθῇ λόγος. Romans 7:13; Galatians 3:14; 2 Corinthians 9:3. It dwells upon the same thought. The phrase ἐν αὐτῷ refers back to the relative οὗ—“that in this,” in making known the gospel-and there is thus no repetition or tautology. It is not the ground, but the sphere of the παῤῥησία. This meaning of the sentence is lost in the exegesis of Meier, who follows Chrysostom and Bengel, and makes ἵνα and its clause dependent on πρέσβευω ἐν ἁλύσει, the sense then being—“that even my imprisonment may produce its effect.” The apostle's earnest wish was, that he might expound his message in a manner that became him and his high commission, that his imprisonment might have no dispiriting effect upon him, and that he might not in his addresses compromise the name and dignity of an ambassador for Christ. The epistle now ends with some personal matters-