January 13, 2002

THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD

Ephesians 6:10-14

   "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph. 6:11). The word for "whole armor" is the Greek panoplia which we have brought into English as panoply. It combines the prefix " pan " meaning all, and " hoplon " meaning armor. In addition to being strong in the Lord we are to be fully armed.

   The armor is intended to help us "stand against the wiles of the devil." Later in the passage we are to "withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore..." We are to take arms and repeatedly told to stand, but not once are we called to fight. Conflict is meant by the term "wrestle," for clearly no one wrestles with girdle, helmet, breastplate, shield, shoes, and sword. The Greeks wrestled naked ( gumnos ) from which we borrow their word "gymnasium."

   Our conflict is spiritual, not against flesh and blood, neither is it in heavenly places. We do wrestle against spiritual wickedness who are the rulers of the darkness of this world, not that world at the right hand of God. The common word order has suggested the sense that this conflict is in the high or heavenly places. The devil is mentioned here in verse 11 is also called "the prince of the power of the air" in Ephesians 2:2. Although our position is seated at our Lord's right hand in heavenly places according to Eph. 2:6, that is not the scene of this conflict. It is here on earth where we live each day and where Satan's authority is limited to the air. Christ and His church are "far above all principalities and powers..." (Eph. 1:21).

   In Luke 11:21-22 Satan is pictured as a strong man trusting in "all his armor" ( panoplia ), yet he is overcome by a stronger man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the "whole armor of the devil" is no match for the "whole armor of God"! Paul speaks of "the armor of light" in Romans 13:12 which contrasts with Satan's "power of darkness"; and "the armor of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 6:7) which contrasts with the unrighteousness which characterizes Satan's warfare. What a glorious panoply; the armor of right, light and might -- the whole armor of God! Let us take it, and put it all on!

Ivan L. Burgener