Contents
The Passage....................................................................................................................................1
Outline............................................................................................................................................1
Thesis..............................................................................................................................................2
Introduction....................................................................................................................................2
Context............................................................................................................................................4
Historical -Cultural Context........................................................................................................4
Literary Context...........................................................................................................................5
Conclusion......................................................................................................................................6
Bibliography...................................................................................................................................7
ii
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The Passage
Ephesians 6:10-20
Problems: Who is the enemy? What is the “full armor of God”?
How do Christians “put on” that armor? What does it look like in everyday life? How
important is spiritual warfare to Paul? How important is a prayer to spiritual warfare?
Outline
I. Empower Yourself for Spiritual War (10-20)
a. Be Strong In The Lord’s Power (10-13)
1. An exhortation to remain firm in the Lord and His mighty power (10)
2. Put on all of God's armor so you can withstand the devil's tricks (11)
3. Because we don't battle against actual people, but rather (12)
a. Principalities and powers
b. The overlords of this world's evil
c. Evil spiritual hosts in heavenly places
4. As a result, don the full Godly armor (13)
a. For you to be strong enough to endure in the day of evil.
b. After doing everything to remain firm
2. Wearing the Entire Armor Of God (14-17)
1. As a result, keep firm with the God-given armor, which includes
a. Truth girds your waist (14)
b. The righteousness breastplate (14)
c. Feet equipped with the gospel of peace's preparation (15)
d. Above all, a shield of faith to repel the wicked one's fiery darts (16)
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e. The salvation helmet (17)
f. The word of God, which is the "sword of the Spirit" (17)
II CALLS FOR WATCHING AND PRAYING (18-20)
1. Constantly pleading with God through all kinds of spiritual intercession and watchfulness
b. Maintaining vigilance while pleading with God in the name of all the saints (18)
2. Interceding for Paul (19)
b. He may be given that utterance (19)
c. So that he could speak confidently as he should (19)
d. To reveal the gospel's mystery (19)
3. for whom he is a prisoner-of-war ambassador (20)
Thesis
Paul explains the significance of having the right tools to battle Satan and the forces of
evil in Ephesians 6:10–20. He also provides defensive and offensive strategies, including the use
of prayer and the armor of God because our enemies are evil spirits.
Introduction
Paul concludes his letter of instruction in Ephesians 6:10-20 with an exhortatory
commentary on spiritual warfare.1 According to Paul, Christians' battle is a spiritual conflict that
all believers will face. It is not a matter of "if" one will encounter an enemy battle, but rather
"when," and one must prepare accordingly.2 Focusing on Christ rather than circumstances is
necessary to receive God's spiritual provisions in response to the spiritual forces of this world.3
Paul acknowledges the fierce and intense battle against believers and encourages them to draw
1 Thomas D Lea and David Alan Black, The New Testament, 2nd ed. (Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman &
Holman Publishers, 2003), 441.
2 Ibid.
3.
3
strength from Christ.4 This paper will analyze the literary and cultural setting in which the letters
were written, provide an exegetical analysis of chapters 6:10-20, and conclude with practical
suggestions for how Christians can put their faith into practice in the modern world.5 The author,
I argue, was trying to get Christians to band together in prayer and rely totally on God's
provision for the future.
Ephesus was a stop on many of Paul's missionary journeys throughout his ministry.
Ephesians stands out from the rest of His letters because it is difficult to pinpoint the exact
occasion for writing it. The book provides broad teachings on the Christian community, life, and
the church. It was a constant battle for Christians to resist Satan's cunning and betrayal. Paul
commanded his readers to be constantly on guard and prayerful by donning all of God's armor.6
Satan is always looking for new ways to harass Christians and discourage them from spreading
the gospel.
Paul wrote the instructions found in Ephesians 6:10-20 so that we would have something
to follow during the war. Christians have an eternal duty to fight the demonic forces of darkness
until the end. When a believer puts on the armor of God, they are not fighting alone; instead, the
entire church stands with them.7 Paul concentrates on the battles we regularly face—inspiring
them to employ the weapons God has given them in their struggle against sin and the devil.
Corresponds to openings in Roman soldiers' armor before going into battle. Christians,
like those soldiers, need to be armed and ready to defend themselves, so they should clothe
4 Thomas D Lea and David Alan Black, The New Testament, 2nd ed. (Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman &
Holman Publishers, 2003), 441.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Paul T. Eckel, "Ephesians 6:10-20." Interpretation 45, no. 3(1991):293, accessed July 16, 2018, ATLA
Religion Database with ATLASerials PLUS, EBSCOhost.
4
themselves in the whole armor of God. Paul declares that Christians are in an ongoing spiritual
battle against Satan's treachery and deception in Ephesians 6:10-20 and offers a powerful defense
and offense in the form of God's armor and prayer.8 To be effective soldiers for God, they had to
abide by Ephesians 6:10–20 and put on the full armor of God.9 The battles they were engaged in
were not physical but spiritual.10
Context
Four of Paul's letters sometimes called "prison epistles," refer to him as a prisoner "in
bonds," describing himself as such. There was no actual physical confinement of him. Captivity
alludes to his circumstances at the time he penned the letters. Colossians 4:17 and Ephesians
6:21 are two examples of Paul's referencing a specific location at the time he wrote each letter.
Experts believe Tychius was the one who delivered the letters.
Historical -Cultural Context
Ephesus, located in western Asia Minor, was a major port city on the Cayster River,
which ultimately met its end at the Aegean Sea.11K The location of Ephesus at a crossroads of
important trade routes made it an important commercial hub. The temple of the Roman goddess
Diana, a pagan deity, was housed there (Artemis).12 Diana's worship was central to Ephesus's
culture and the surrounding communities, which otherwise prioritized material success, sexual
8 Thomas D Lea and David Alan Black, The New Testament, 2nd ed. (Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman &
Holman Publishers, 2003), 441.
9 Ibid.
10
Ibid.
11 Ibid., 442.
12 Ibid.
5
promiscuity, and other vices. Believers in magic, incantations, and spirit powers influenced daily
life in Ephesus, especially among those with animalistic cosmology.13
In the fall of 52 A.D., during Paul's second missionary journey, the apostle stopped in
Ephesus to preach in the local synagogue before continuing to Jerusalem without taking Priscilla
and Aquila with him (Acts 18:18-21).14 He stayed for about 2.5 years on his third trip there
before moving on to Miletus and Jerusalem. Although there is abundant evidence that Paul spent
a considerable amount of time ministering to the people of Ephesus, some continue to question
whether he penned the epistle.15 Keener argues that Paul could have tailored his language to the
people he was writing to, something that is evident in his other works as well (e.g., Rom.; I
Cor.8).16
Literary Context
Ephesians begins with Paul's typical greeting to the church. Christian victory is broken
down into parts in the following chapter section. The sentences here are much longer and more
intricate than those in Paul's earlier letters. Ephesians differs from Colossians in that it does not
address any opponents or false teachings. The letter's use of parallelism and repetition, which has
been likened to that of Hebrew poetry, belongs to the rhetoric genre known as Epideictic (i.e., in
orations of praise concerning gods or humans).17
13 Paul T. Eckel, "Ephesians 6:10-20." Interpretation 45, no. 3(1991):293, accessed July 16, 2018, ATLA
Religion Database with ATLASerials PLUS, EBSCOhost.
14 Harold W. Hoehner. Ephesians: an Exegetical Commentary. (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic,
2002), 78.
15 Ibid.
16 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary, (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1993),
538.
17 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary, (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1993),
538.
6
Paul's use of the "armor" imagery is quite different from Isaiah's.18 He does not refer to
God or the Messiah by name but to God's people who are clad in this armor.19 Paul picked up on
a literary trend that had been going on since Isaiah: depictions of the divine or messianic
warrior.20 There are clear parallels between the Christian faith and warfare, as evidenced by the
repeated use of military imagery. At the same time, it demonstrates the ongoing spiritual conflict
between Christians and Satan.
Conclusion
Paul urges the church in Ephesus to stand firm and prepare for the coming of evil times
by donning the full armor of God (6:10-20).21 However, they need to train and equip themselves
like soldiers before they can defend themselves. The evil they are up against is not human but
somewhat spiritual. If they put on God's armor, they could stand firm in the coming darkness.22
Wearing a belt of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, shoes polished by the good news of peace,
and a shield of faith, putting on the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the scepter of
truth, and the sandals of peace; defending themselves with the shield and sword of the Spirit;
praying at all times with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.23KThey will be ready
to fight any harm that comes their way with all their heart. Christians of today have the same
tools for fighting evil as their forebears.
18 Ibid.
19 Ibid.
20 William J. Larkin. Ephesians: A Handbook on the Greek Text. (Waco, Tex: Baylor University Press,
2009), 98.
21 Ibid.
22 Ibid.
23 Harold W. Hoehner. Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary. (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic,
2002), 78.
7
Bibliography
Bock, Darrell L. Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 10;10.;. Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 2019.
Cohick, Lynn H.KThe Letter to the Ephesians. Chicago: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2020.
Eckel, Paul T. “Expository Articles: Ephesians 6:10-20.”KInterpretation$45, no. 3 (1991).
Fowl, Stephen E. Ephesians: A Commentary. First ed. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John
Knox Press, 2012.
Keener, Craig S., The IVP Bible Background Commentary, Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press,
1993.
Hoehner, Harold W.KEphesians: An Exegetical Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker
Academic, 2002.
Larkin, William J.KEphesians: a Handbook on the Greek Text. Waco, Tex: Baylor University
Press, 2009.
Lea, Thomas D., and David Alan Black, The New Testament, 2nd ed. Nashville, Tenn.:
Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003.
Lincoln, Andrew T. “‘Stand, Therefore ...’: Ephesians 6:10-20 as Peroratio.”KBiblical
interpretation.K3, no. 1 (1995): 99–114.
Neufeld, Thomas R.KEphesians. Waterloo, Ont.; Scottdale, Penn.: Herald Press, 2002.
Smith, Julien. Christ the Ideal King: Cultural Context, Rhetorical Strategy, and the Power of
Divine Monarchy in Ephesians. Vol. 313;313.;. TObingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2011.
Talbert, Charles H. Ephesians, and Colossians. Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2007.
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