Loading…
VRSZ
This sets the art on your cards and whose commentary you read on each verse. You can change it later in settings.
Translation
Loading…
What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
"Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." He saith not, against the fightings, nor against the hostilities, but against the "wiles." For this enemy is at war with us, not simply, nor openly, but by "wiles." What is meant by wiles? To use "wiles," is to deceive and to take by artifice or contrivance; a thing which takes place both in the case of the arts, and by words, and actions, and stratagems, in the case of those who seduce us. I mean something like this. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
What the full armor consists of, he will show a little later. But notice why he did not say: battles or wars, but – "schemes." "Schemes" means seduction and entrapment through cunning. For the enemy does not openly propose sin; for example, he does not openly incline one to idolatry, but disposes one to it by another means, through craftiness, that is, by plausible speech and the use of cunning. Paul, by indicating that the adversary is terrible and resourceful, encourages them and urges them to caution.
Theodoret of Cyrus
In ordinary battles the generals do not arm women or children or the aged. But our general, Christ the Lord, distributes this royal armory to all alike. He then teaches them the stratagems of the devil. This is what he means by the devil's wiles.
Western Saints
Jerome
From what we read of the Lord our Savior throughout the Scriptures, it is manifestly clear that the whole armor of Christ is the Savior himself. It is he whom we are asked to "put on." It is one and the same thing to say "Put on the whole armor of God" and "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ." Our belt is truth and our breastplate is righteousness. The Savior is also called both "truth" and "righteousness." So no one can doubt that he himself is that very belt and breastplate. …
Thomas Aquinas
Someone might say: if God is powerful and wills [to protect us], we ought to be unconcerned. He replies that this is not so; indeed, everyone must do what he can since, if an unarmed man went into battle, no matter how much the king protected him he would still be in danger. Hence he says Put you on the armour of God, that is, the gifts [of the Holy Spirit] and virtues. "Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light" (Rom. 13:12). …
Translation