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ajlhqeiva/ eiJlhmevno" ta;" pleurav" ) indicates the close connexion between righteousness and truth.
to;n qwvr. th'" dik .] the breastplate of righteousness , truth applied to our relations with others (Acts 10:35), illuminated, purified, strengthened by the grace of Christ. Comp. Is. 59:17 ejneduvsato dikaiosuvnhn wJ" qwvraka ; Wisd. 5:19 ejnduvsetai qwvraka dikaiosuvnhn . In 1 Thess. 5:8 St Paul speaks of ‘faith and love’ as the Christian breastplate. The two statements are completely harmonious. By faith we are able to realise the Divine will and the Divine power and by love to embody faith in our dealings with men: this is righteousness.

The gen. th'" dikaiosuvnh" describes that which constitutes the breastplate, just as in Eph. 6:17 ( th;n perikef. tou' swthrivou ) salvation is the helmet. Comp. Eph. 2:14 to; mesovtoicon tou' fragmou' ; 4:3 ejn tw'/ sundevsmw/ th'" eijrhvnh" ; Rom. 4:11 shmei'on peritomh'" ; Col. 3:24 th;n ajntapovdosin th'" klhronomiva" .

15. uJpodhsavmenoi t. p ....] having shod your feet in .... Comp. Acts 12:8 zw'sai
kai; uJpovdhsai ta; sandavliav sou
.
ejn eJtoim. t. euj. t. eijr .] in the preparedness of the gospel of peace. In the midst of the conflict that which brings alacrity at once and firmness is the consciousness of a message of peace for the world. Warfare is the work of an enemy whom our Lord has overcome.

JEtoimasiva occurs in the LXX. in the sense of ‘preparedness’ in Ps. 10:17 (9:38 LXX.) th;n eJtoimasivan th'" kardiva" aujtw'n : but more commonly in the sense of ‘preparation,’ as Wisd. 13:12 eij" eJtoimasivan trofh'" , or ‘prepared foundation,’ as Ps. 89:14 (88:15) dikaiosuvnh kai; krivma eJtoimasiva tou' qrovnou sou ; Ezra 2:68 tou' sth'sai aujto;n ejpi; th;n eJtoimasivan aujtou' (cf. Dan. 11:7, Theodot.).
tou' eujagg. th'" eijr .] The phrase is unique, but the thought is given in Nahum 1:15 oiJ povde" eujaggelizomevnou kai; ajpaggevllonto" eijrhvnhn ; Is. 52:7; Eph. 2:17 kai; ejlqw;n eujhggelivsato eijrhvnhn uJmi'n toi'" makra;n kai; eijrhvnhn toi'" ejgguv" ; Rom. 10:15. Compare Lk. 2:14; John 14:27; Acts 10:36.

Similar titles are found: Acts 20:24 to; eujagg. th'" cavrito" tou' qeou' . 2 Cor. 4:4 to; eujagg. th'" dovxh" tou' cristou' . 1 Tim. 1:11 to; eujagg. th'" dovxh" tou' makarivou qeou' . Eph. 1:13 to; eujagg. th'" swthriva" uJmw'n .

Compare oJ qeo;" th'" eijrhvnh" 1 Thess. 5:23 (2 Cor. 13:11); Rom. 15:33; 16:20; Phil. 4:9; Heb. 13:20; 2 Thess. 3:16 oJ kuvrio" th'" eijr .

16. ejn pa'sin ajnal .] in all —as affecting your whole action— having taken up the shield of faith .... For ajnalabovnte" see Eph. 6:13. The qureov" ( scutum ) was a
large oblong shield capable of being used as a protection for every part. This is the quality of faith, and specially
in this the Christian is able to quench all the darts of the evil one that are set on fire (as they strike harmlessly upon it).
ta; b....ta; pepur .] Such purfovroi oji>stoiv (Thuc. 2.75), malleoli (Amm. Marcell.
23, 4) were used in Greek and Roman warfare: see also Ps. 7:13 and Hupfeld. The image describes vividly the manifold and deadly malignity of the attack of the Evil One.


tou' ponhrou' ] Latt. nequissimi ( maligni ). This title is not found elsewhere in St Paul. It is characteristic of the first Epistle of St John (2:13 f.; 3:12;5:18 f.). It occurs also in Matt. 5:37; 6:13; 13:19, 38 (not Lk. 11:4); John 17:15.
17. When the Christian soldier has taken his stand, well-girt with breastplate, shoes, shield, he yet needs helmet and sword. So St Paul continues, changing the construction,
kai; ...devxasqe .
th;n perik. tou' swt. devxasqe ] receive—accept from GOD— the helmet of


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