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Luke 23:13, 14; 20-22; John 19:4 – Spotless Lamb of God

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Will

¹³Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, ¹⁴and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. … ²⁰Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. ²¹But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" ²²For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. … ⁴Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him."

Truth to Learn

Jesus is the true Pascal Lamb, sacrificed for you and me!

Behind the Words

The word translated “examined” is the Greek word anakrinō, which is a compound word made up of ana, used here as an intensifier meaning “repeatedly” and krinō, meaning “to judge.” It specifically refers to a thorough legal examination.

“Wanting” in Luke 23:20 is translated from thelō, which is most often translated “will.” But it implies more than just a wish or a desire, it implies a determination. Hence, it implies that Pilot was determined to release Jesus.

Meaning Explained

In Exodus chapter thirteen the LORD gave Moses instructions regarding the Passover. On the tenth of the first month, they were to select a lamb without spot or blemish. On the fourteenth of the month, they were to kill the lamb and sprinkle its blood on the two side posts and the top of the doorway. This was to be the sign to the destroyer to “pass over” the house and not kill the first born within the house. Any family in Egypt which did not have the blood sprinkled on the door posts of their home would wake up in the morning to find their first born son dead.

After the Israelites entered the Promised Land and built the temple, they rigorously followed this ritual. Each year on the 10^th of Nisan (the 1^st month), they selected the paschal lamb, leading it through the streets of Jerusalem to the temple. As it entered the temple, the people waved palm branches in all four directions and sang “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” laying palm branches before the lamb. This lamb was kept under observation until the fourteenth of the month when it was declared to be without spot or blemish. Then it was sacrificed by one of the priests for the sins of the people.

On the 10^th of Nissan, Jesus entered the gates of the city to the cries of “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” while palm branches were laid in His path. On the 14^th of Nissan, Jesus was judged by the Sanhedrin and no fault was found in Him except that He claimed to be the Christ, the Messiah. Pilot then gave Him a thorough legal examination and declared, “I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.” Then, even though Pilate was determined to set Him free, the Jewish religious leaders, including the chief priests, insisted on having Him crucified.

Application

Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, was declared to be without spot or blemish and His blood was shed to pay for your sins and mine. Has that blood been applied to your sins?

In God's service, for His glory,

Mark 14:55, 56, 61b-64 – Christ the Messiah

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Will

⁵⁵Now the chief priests and all the council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. ⁵⁶For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree. … ^61bAgain the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" ⁶²Jesus said, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." ⁶³Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses? ⁶⁴You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.

Truth to Learn

Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God.

Behind the Words

The word translated “Christ” is the Greek word christos, meaning “the anointed one.” It is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew meshiach, or Messiah. The Jews believed the Messiah to be the Son of God (making Him equal with God) and that He would come as a ruling king.

The word “blasphemy” is transliterated from the Greek word blasphēmia, meaning “verbal abuse of the most slanderous kind, particularly anyone claiming equality with God.” By claiming Himself to be the Christ, Jesus was saying that He is God and the anointed one for whom the Jews had long been waiting.

Meaning Explained

The night that He was arrested, Jesus underwent trials before the Jewish political rulers. Annas had been appointed High Priest more than twenty five years earlier. This was a position which the Jews believed was retained for the remainder of the High Priest’s life. The Romans, however, chose to change High Priests more frequently. After Annas questioned Jesus, He was sent to Caiaphas who was the High Priest then recognized by the Roman government. He gathered the Sanhedrin, the religious rulers of the Jews, to judge Jesus’ case.

By Jewish law a person could not be convicted of a capital offense unless two separate witnesses could independently corroborate the charge. When Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin could not find two such witnesses (because they were all lying) and Jesus made no defense against the charges brought against Him, he asked Jesus directly, “Are you the Christ?” When Jesus admitted being the Christ, He was claiming that He was God in the flesh. This claim of being God was recognized by the High Priest and the Sanhedrin whereby they accused Jesus of blasphemy, which was a capital offense for the Jews.

The most interesting part of this exchange is the fact that the Messiah was standing before the religious rulers of the day claiming to be who He really is. And, they condemned Him to die for it.

Application

Who is Jesus to you? Is He simply a historical figure, a good man who did great things and was executed on a cross? Or is He the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior, the Lamb of God who gave up His life to pay the penalty for your sins and mine?

Your answer to this question is the most important one you will ever give, and it has eternal consequences!

In God's service, for His glory,

Mark 14:44, 45; John 18:4-6 – Deception vs. Righteousness

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Will

⁴⁴Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely." ⁴⁵As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, "Rabbi, Rabbi!" and kissed Him … ⁴Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?" ⁵They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am He." And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. ⁶Now when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground.

Truth to Learn

Those who are righteous are bold even in the face of danger.

Behind the Words

“Kiss” is translated from two different Greek words in this passage. In Mark 14:44 it is from phileō, meaning “to be fond of.” It is used here to indicate an act of fondness, in other words, a kiss. In verse forty-five, however, it is translated from kataphileō, which is a compound made up of kata, used as an intensifier and phileō. This represents “a fervent kiss.”

The word translated “knowing” in John 18:4 is a form of eidō, meaning “to know.” It is expressed here as a participle in the perfect tense. The participle indicates ongoing action and the perfect tense indicates action that occurred before the main verb (He went forward). In other words, previous to this event, Jesus already knew all that was going to happen to Him.

“Drew back” is from aperchomai, which means “to go away from.”

Meaning Explained

There is a very dramatic contrast in these verses between the manner in which the works of darkness and the works of righteousness are carried out. We see Judas, who selfishly betrayed Jesus, acting under false pretense with subtlety and deceit. He could simply have pointed to Jesus and told the others, “He’s the one.” If he had, however, the other disciples would immediately have known that he was a traitor.

Instead, Judas told the mob ahead of time that he would kiss Jesus as a sign that He was the one to take. This gave Judas “reasonable deniability” with the other disciples. Even though both actions would have accomplished the same purpose, in Judas’ mind the kiss would not appear to be a betrayal. Also notice that it was not the kind of kiss that would normally be expected from a disciple to his teacher, it was a fervent kiss which would indicate to the casual observer as if Judas greatly admired and respected Jesus. This was outright deception.

Jesus’ actions represent the polar opposite. Even though He already knew what was going to happen from the moment He surrendered Himself, to his death on the cross (and beyond), He boldly approached His captors. He asked who they were looking for and readily admitted that He was the one.

His response to the mob is interesting. He said “I am.” The word “He” does not appear in the Greek text. Notice that this is precisely the name that God gave to Moses when asked what His name was – “I am.” And the power of His name drove His captors flat onto their backs!

Application

Even in the face of serious consequences, being honest and forthright is the way the righteous behave. Do you have the courage to follow your Lord’s example?

In God's service, for His glory,

Mark 14:32-34 – Man of Sorrows

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Will

³²Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray." ³³And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. ³⁴Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch."

Truth to Learn

Jesus felt terrified and intensely sad before His death.

Behind the Words

The name “Gethsemane” is of Chaldean origin and is transliterated from the Aramaic gath, meaning “a press” and shemen, meaning “oil.” Thus, it is called “oil press garden.”

The word “troubled” in verse thirty-three is translated from ekthambeō, meaning “to be utterly amazed or astonished.”

“Distressed” is from the Greek word adēmoneō, which implies a “feeling of terrified surprise.”

“Exceedingly sorrowful” in verse thirty-four is translated from perilupos, which is made up of peri, meaning “around” and a form of lupē, meaning “sorrowful or sadness.” Hence this word means “grieved all around” or “intensely sad.”

Meaning Explained

When Jesus took his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane for the last time, he knew he was about to offer his life as a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus is completely God, so in His divinity He knew exactly what was about to transpire. But, He is also completely man, subject to the same emotions that we are. He knew that His obedience to the Father was about to undergo the supreme test and His human emotions surfaced. He was not surprised because He hadn’t known what was coming. He knew what was coming because He is God. But, in his humanity, He may have been surprised by the intensity of emotion He was experiencing.

Perhaps, while He was in the upper room only minutes before, He was so occupied with caring for His disciples that He didn’t really think about the abuse and torture that was about to come upon Him. Once in the garden, however, He knew that it was only a matter of time before the humiliation and physical suffering began. Even worse, His closest friends were sleeping in His time of sorrow and they would soon desert Him.

The Prophet Isaiah foretold this sorrow:

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. (Isaiah 53:3)

Mark tells us that He was not merely troubled, but astonished. Perhaps it was the thought of all the sin He was about to take on at the cross. Perhaps it was the wrath of His Heavenly Father that was about to be poured out on Him. Or, perhaps it was the knowledge that on the following day His Father, too, would turn His back on Him for three hours! He was about to face the worst time of His life – completely alone.

Application

The next time you are very sad or even terrified about the prospects of the future, think about Jesus and pray. He knows what it feels like. He can identify with you and comfort you.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 6:18 – Perpetual Persistent Prayer

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Will

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Truth to Learn

Prayer is important in spiritual battles and at every other time.

Behind the Words

“Praying” is from the Greek verb proseuchomai, which is made up of pros, meaning “to” or “toward” and euchomai, meaning “to vocally express a wish or a vow.” Proseuchomai means “to pray to God.” It is a generic term for praying.

The word “always” is translated from en panti kairō, which literally means “in all seasons” or “at all times.”

The word “supplication” is translated from deēsis, which is derived from the verb deomai, meaning “to make known a particular need.” Deēsis is sometimes used in reference to a prayer in general, but it typically refers to a specific request for oneself.

Agrupneō is the word translated “being watchful.” It is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of hupnos, meaning “to sleep.” So, literally this word means “without sleep,” but figuratively it means “to be watchful and attentive to possible danger.” It is a picture of a watchman who is alert and watching out for danger while everyone else is asleep.”

“Perseverance” is from proskartereō. This is made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and kartereō, meaning “to endure.” Proskartereō means “to remain steadfast and faithful.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now seems to abruptly switch from spiritual battles to the believer’s prayer life. Actually, the change is not as abrupt as it may first appear. He recognizes that prayer is vitally important in the midst of spiritual battles. However, prayer is just as important for every other aspect of the Christian walk, so Paul uses the subject of prayer to bring his teaching to a close.

First, he teaches us when to pray (in all seasons). In other words, even though we end each individual prayer with “amen,” our attitude of prayer continues. In 1Corinthians 5:17, he teaches us to “pray continually.” Our minds and spirits should always have an open connection with God. Next, Paul tells us that we should pray with all kinds of prayer, making known all kinds of needs. There is nothing so insignificant that it should not be prayed about. Our prayers should always be “in the Spirit.” This means that we need to be “in tune” with the Spirit of God, sensitive to His leading, submitted to His will, allowing the Spirit to intercede for us when we don’t know how we ought to pray.

“Being watchful” is probably in reference to spiritual attacks from our enemy. We need to be ever on our guard, so that we can bathe each skirmish in prayer. Paul then tells us that we need to remain steadfast and faithful in our prayer life, not just for our own battles, but for all Christians.

Application

Prayer is so easy, yet at times it’s hard to do. It is nothing more than talking to God, yet it is easy to forget about in all the busyness of our lives. Some people set aside a specific time of the day to pray while others endeavor to talk to God all day long. What do you do to continually talk with the One who has already given you more than you could ever ask for?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 6:17 – The Sword, The Word

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Will

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Truth to Learn

Christians have a sword to use in our spiritual battle.

Behind the Words

“Take” is translated from the Greek verb dechomai, meaning “to deliberately and readily accept what is offered.” It is different from the word lambanō, which means “to take as a self-prompted action.” Thus, we could more accurately translate this word as “receive.”

The word “helmet” is from perikephalaia, which is made up of peri, meaning “around” and a form of kephalē, meaning “head.” Hence, we see that perikephalaia means something that goes “around the head.”

Sōtērion is the word translated “salvation.” This is derived from the verb sōdzō, meaning “to save,” “to deliver,” or “to preserve safe from danger.”

The word “sword” is from machaira, which is derived from machē (from which we get the word machete). Machē refers to “a knife.” Machaira refers to a short sword (a knife) used in close hand-to-hand combat. It is used in a thrusting or slicing manner. A different Greek word, rhomphaia, refers to a longer “broadsword.”

Meaning Explained

For a Roman soldier, the large shield (thureos) protected most of his body, but during actual hand-to-hand combat, the head had to protrude above the shield. Therefore, the helmet became a crucial piece of his armor. It was typically made of iron or brass, often adorned with a horsehair crest, dyed red. The helmet was so crucial that a soldier might continue to fight (and win) while missing any other part of his armor, but without his helmet he was as good as dead.

Paul said ours is a “helmet of salvation.” Like a Roman soldier in the physical world, any person is spiritually dead without salvation. In this metaphor a Christian is never without his or her helmet, but it must be worn to protect us in our battle. In other words, we must always be aware that salvation by grace, through faith, guarantees us forgiveness of all our sins and it secures for us the promise of eternal life. Notice that Paul tells us to receive (dechomai) this salvation. It’s not something we can take or earn; it is a gift that we can only receive by faith.

The final piece of our armor is the sword. This is the only offensive weapon in the arsenal. The Greek machaira was shorter than the romphaia, being slightly curved and having a single sharp edge designed for slicing. Paul tells us that our machaira is “the word of God.” Knowledge of Scripture is of vital importance in fending off attacks from our enemy. It is what Jesus Himself used against the temptations of Satan. It is good and useful to memorize Scripture, but it is even more important to read and study the Bible on a regular and consistent basis. I always encourage new believers to read their Bible daily, even if they think they’re not getting anything out of it. The Holy Spirit will direct our use of the Sword.

Application

Fifteen minutes a day is about 1/100^th of your life, yet fifteen minutes a day spent reading the Bible can make your life 100% better. Are you willing to devote 1/100^th of your day, every day, so that you can wield your sword in battle?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 6:16 – Keep the Faith!

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Will

above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

Truth to Learn

We need faith to protect us from some of Satan’s attacks.

Behind the Words

The words “above all” are translated from the Greek words epi pasin. Epi means “above, over, or on top of” and pasin is a form of pas, meaning “all.” There is a difference of opinion as to what Paul means by this. Some think his meaning is “in addition to,” while others think it means “as a covering overall”

“Taking” is from analambanō, which is composed of ana, meaning “up” and lambanō, meaning “to take.” Thus, it means “to take up.” The picture is of a soldier picking up his shield and putting it into position.

Thureos is the word translated “shield,” which is derived from the word thura, meaning “a door.” This was a large shield about 2 ½ feet wide and about four feet high, which protected the entire body of a soldier. There is another Greek word for shield, aspis, which refers to a smaller round shield.

“Extinguish” is translated from sbennumi, which means “to extinguish” or “to put out.” Figuratively, this word also means “to dampen, hinder, or repress.”

The word “darts” is from the Greek noun belos, which is derived from ballō, meaning “to throw.” It refers to any kind of missile that is thrown with a sling or shot from a bow.

Meaning Explained

When Paul wrote this letter, he was in prison guarded by Roman soldiers. It is fitting, therefore, that he would use the metaphor of Roman armor in describing how we are to prepare ourselves for our spiritual battle. Having described the belt, breastplate, and shoes of Christian armor, he now talks about our shield.

Roman soldiers used two different types of shields depending on the type of battle they were engaged in. The thurios was used when the Romans were facing a foe that utilized arrows as a primary strategy in their attack. These arrows often had the tips packed with a tar-like substance which was then set on fire. With this door-like shield, an entire regimen could set up a nearly impenetrable wall of protection from a salvo of arrows. A single soldier whose shield was struck with such a fiery arrow would sometimes cast his shield aside to avoid the fire, thus leaving him vulnerable to further attack.

In a Christian’s battle against Satan and his demons, our enemy will often use such fiery arrows in the form of temptations, hateful or impure thoughts about others, or doubt. It is at these times that our unshakable faith protects us. This is not our saving faith, but our day-to-day living faith. It is the belief that we are secure in God’s love, that He will never leave us, that all of our sins have been forgiven, and that He will be a shield to us in times of attack. It is the faith which allows us to follow God’s leading in our lives even when the future looks uncertain along the path He has chosen for us.

Application

When you are attacked by the spiritual enemy, make sure that your shield is in place. Though your faith may be weak at times, believe God’s promises and trust in Him to protect you.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 6:15 – Stand Firm!

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Will

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Truth to Learn

We have a firm standing in our salvation.

Behind the Words

“Having shod” is translated from the verb hupodeō, which is a compound word made up of hupo, meaning “under” and deō, meaning “to bind.” So literally, this word means “to bind under.” This verb means “to fasten sandals to your feet” or “to put on shoes.”

The word “feet” is translated from the Greek word pous, which means “foot.” The plural of pous is poda. Many medical terms are based on Greek, so a doctor who specializes in feet is called a Doctor of Podiatry.

“Preparation” is from the Greek word hetoimasia, which is based on the verb hetoimadzō, meaning “to prepare” or “to make ready.” However, in early Greek this word referred to “a foundation” or “a solid base.”

“Gospel” is translated from euangelion, which is made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of the verb angellō, meaning “to proclaim, announce, or tell.” Thus, euangelion refers to “a good message” or “good news.”

Meaning Explained

In these past few verses the Apostle Paul has been instructing us regarding the daily battle that we are engaged in with the spiritual forces of evil. As God’s children we are also God’s soldiers fighting these one-on-one wrestling matches with things we cannot see. Paul’s purpose in telling us about these battles is to prepare us for them so that we can know daily victory in our Christian walk.

He already told us to stand fast against the enemy forces, and in order to win the battles we need to have our armor in place. Yesterday we learned about the importance of knowing the truth contained in God’s word. This truth acts as a foundation garment to support the rest of our armor. The other thing we learned yesterday was to put on righteousness as a breastplate. This is not our own righteousness, for we have none in and of ourselves. However, because we have Christ’s righteousness, God sees us as with the righteousness of Jesus Christ Himself.

The next part of our armor is our shoes. A Roman soldier had heavy sandals which had nails, or spikes, protruding from the bottom. This gave him a firm footing so that he could effectively leverage his power against the enemy. This is probably Paul’s meaning. Yes, we need to be prepared to share the Gospel message with others, but that is an act of peace and reconciliation, not an act of war. What Paul is referring to here is for us to have a firm standing in our understanding that because we have believed the good news about Christ’s death on the cross, we are at peace with God. All of our sins have been forgiven and we will not experience His wrath. Instead, we will know His eternal love.

Application

If you have confessed Christ as your Lord and Savior and have accepted His blood as payment for your sins, you are at peace with God. As we have said elsewhere, that salvation can’t be taken away from you and you can’t give it back. If you are saved, you are eternally secure. Without that knowledge, you are an easy mark for the enemy. With that knowledge of security, you can stand firm in the gospel of peace!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 6:14 – Truth and Righteousness

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Will

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Truth to Learn

Truth and righteousness are two of the key pieces of our armor.

Behind the Words

“Stand” is translated from the Greek word histēmi, meaning “to stand.” It is expressed here in the imperative mood, indicating that it is a command.

The words “having girded” are from the Greek verb peridzonumi, which is composed of peri, meaning “around” or “about” and dzonnumi, meaning “to bind about” or “wrap around.” Thus, this word means to “wrap all the way around.” It is expressed here in the middle voice indicating something that you do to yourself.

“Having put on” is translated from enduō, which we saw back in verse eleven. Like peridzonumi, it is expressed in the middle voice, indicating something you do to yourself. Also, these two words are both expressed as aorist participles, indicating that “having girded” and “having put on” are things we are to have already done before we try to stand against the enemy.

The word “breastplate” is translated from thōraka, which literally refers to “the chest.” It is also used metaphorically to refer to the piece of armor which covers the chest and back.

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul has just informed us that we are in a spiritual wrestling match with the forces of evil. We learned that this wrestling match is one in which we are one-on-one against these spirit beings. They are part of Satan’s forces and they are opposed to God and anyone who aligns himself or herself with God. So, if you are a Christian, whether you like it or not, you are one of God’s soldiers engaged in warfare against evil.

The first thing we learn from today’s verse is that we are to battle from a standing position. In yesterday’s verse we learned that we are to “stand against” our adversary. As we take on the enemy, we are not to flee and we are not to yield ground. We are to stand firm. But before we stand against the enemy, we need to have our armor properly put in place.

Our first piece of armor is our belt. It is the foundation of our armor. Without it, our breastplate will not stay in place. So, what is our belt? It is truth! Truth is the foundation of our Christian faith. It is the truth of the gospel message that we believed in which secured our salvation. It is God’s truth, as revealed in the Bible, that we are to build our armor and our lives on.

Once we have on the belt of truth, we can put on our breastplate of righteousness. In the book of Romans we learned the truth that none of us is righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10). But we also learned in the third chapter of Romans that we received the righteousness of Christ when we believed the gospel message. According to James 2:23, righteousness was credited to Abraham when he believed. In the same way, when we believed the gospel of our salvation, God declared us to be as righteous as Jesus Christ in His record book.

Application

In order to use the truth, we have to know the truth. The best way to learn God’s truth is to read your Bible, not occasionally, but regularly and consistently. Learn God’s truth and learn about the righteousness that we have in Christ.

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 6:13 – Prepare for Battle

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Will

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Truth to Learn

We need to be prepared for spiritual battle at all times.

Behind the Words

Analambanō is the Greek word translated “take up.” It is composed of ana, meaning “up” or “again” and lambanō, meaning “to take.”

“You may be able” is translated from the verb dunamai, which means “to have the ability or the authority to do something.” It is expressed in the subjunctive mood indicating the possibility or probability of happening.

The words “to stand” are from the verb anthistēmi, made up of anti, meaning “against” and histēmi, meaning “to stand.” Thus, it literally means “to stand against.”

“Having done” is from the Greek verb katergadzomai, which is composed of kata, meaning “down” used here as an intensifier and ergadzomai, meaning “to work.” Katergadzomai means “to perform a task until it is completely finished.”

The word translated “all” is hapas. This word is made up of hama, meaning “together” and pas, meaning “all.” Hapas means “absolutely everything.”

Meaning Explained

As we have noted before, whenever you see a verse start out with “therefore” or “wherefore,” you need to look carefully at what it is “there for.” In this case, Paul is saying “because we are wrestling against spiritual forces (evil angels) in hand-to-hand combat, we need to put on all of the weapons that God provides for us.

It is not our own armor that we are to put on, however, it is God’s armor. In Greek mythology, the gods provided special armor for the heroes. Paul is playing off that idea by showing that our God provides us with the armor we need for battle.

What does Paul mean by, “the evil day?” One view sees this as every day since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. Since the day that Satan attacked and defeated Adam and Eve, evil has been present on this earth. These evil days won’t end until our Lord returns to conquer all evil. The other view is that the evil day refers to any time that we are actively battling the forces of evil. No matter which of these two is correct, the fact is that Christians are in face-to-face conflict with the forces of evil each and every day.

What’s even more important is that when we are attacked by Satan and his warriors, we need to be ready. Once the battle has begun, it’s hard to put on the armor. We need to have it on at all times. Some Roman soldiers complained about the weight of their armor, so they took it off as soon as the battle was over. Then, because of lack of exercise and practice fighting in the armor, they became quickly fatigued and were not able to stand firm against their rival, making themselves easy targets.

The expression “having done all” means that we have prepared ourselves and we have stood against the enemy with the victory of our King. As a result, at the end of the battle we are still standing, not having been defeated.

Application

Let’s pay close attention to the next few verses so we can put on the armor and be practiced and prepared for battle. Fighting a battle is not easy, but we can win, for God is on our side.

In God's service, for His glory,