salvation
....
Devxasqe
suggests a personal welcome of GOD'S gift, and a glad
appropriation of it: 2 Cor. 6:1; 8:17; 2 Thess. 2:10.
The helmet guards the centre of life. The sense of salvation puts life beyond all danger.
For the image compare Is. 59:17 kai; perievqeto perikefalaivan swthrivou ejpi; th'" kefalh'" . In 1 Thess. 5:8 St Paul describes the hope of salvation ( ejlp. swthriva" ) as our helmet.
To; swthvrion is used frequently in the LXX. for salvation. In the N. T. it occurs ( to; swt. tou' qeou' ) Lk. 2:30; 3:6 (Is. 40:5); Acts 28:28. The phrase expresses rather that which brings salvation than salvation itself. th;n mavc. tou' pn .] the sword which the Spirit provides and through which it
rJh'ma qeou'
] a definite utterance of GOD: Matt. 4:4; John 6:63. Comp.
c.
5:26 note. The
rJhvmata
are manifold expressions of the
lovgo"
: Heb. 4:12.
The Christian spirit (Eph. 6:18-20).
18.
In all prayer and supplication praying at every season in spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints;
19 and on my behalf, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth to make known with boldness the revelation
(
mystery
)
of the gospel
,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
The description of the armour of the warrior is followed by the description of his spirit. He must use the vital powers and the instruments of service which he has received in unceasing prayer for all his fellow-believers. Prayer is naturally connected with action.
dia; pavsh"
...] V.
in omni instantia et obsecratione pro omnibus.
The universality of the duty as to mode, time, persons, is enforced by
pavsh", pantiv, pavsh/, pavntwn. Proseuchv
is addressed to GOD only and includes the element of devotion:
devhsi"
is general in its application and includes some definite request. The words occur together Phil. 4:6 (see Light-foot's note); 1 Tim. 2:1;5:5.
Diav marks the condition in every prayer, that is, while you use every prayer: compare 2 Cor. 2:4 dia; pollw'n dakruvwn .
It appears to be most natural to connect
dia; p. pros. kai; dehvs
. with
proseucovmenoi
, and not to take them absolutely: using every kind of prayer and supplication, praying....
ejn p. k.
] 1 Thess. 5:17 (
ajdialeivptw"
); Rom. 12:12 (
proskarterou'nte"
); Phil. 4:6 (
ejn pantiv
).
ejn pneuvmati
]
in spirit
, not in form or in word only, but in that part of our being through which we hold communion with GOD. Thus praying in spirit, when viewed from the other side, is praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 21). Comp. Eph. 2:22 note; 3:5 note.
kai; ... ajgrup
.] not merely praying under the influence of a natural desire, but also
watching thereunto
with resolute effort.
jAgrupnei'n
is found in N.T., Mark 13:33; Lk. 21:36; Heb. 13:17
aujtoi; ga;r ajgrupnou'sin uJpe;r tw'n yucw'n uJmw'n wJ" lovgon ajpodwvsonte"
: and in the LXX., Ps. 127:1 (126:1)
eja;n mh; oJ kuvrio" fulavxh/ povlin, eij" mavthn hjgruvpnhsen oJ fulavsswn
, Wisd. 6:15
oJ ajgrupnhvsa" dij aujth;n tacevw" ajmevrimno" e[stai
. Compare Col. 4:2 (
grhgorou'nte"
).
eij" aujtov
] The power of prayer is gained by systematic discipline.
ejn pavsh/ prosk
....]
in all perseverance, steadfastness
.... The word
acts.