"This is the famous stone
That turneth all to gold,
For that which God doth touch and own
Cannot for less be told"--_George Herbert._
Ver. 9. +Do the same things unto them.+--The utmost application of
the "golden rule." +Forbearing threatening+ "may either mean abating
or giving up."
Ver. 10. +Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.+--In
ch. i. 19 the phrase "power of His might" is reversed. See note there.
Ver. 11. +The whole armour.+--"The panoply." "A complete suit of
armour." +The wiles of the devil.+--A craftily designed plan of
attack.
Ver. 12. +For we wrestle.+--We need not suppose a transference of the
metaphor. It may describe the hand-to-hand fight in which equally
matched opponents refuse to back an inch. +Not against flesh and
blood.+--With "vulnerable crests" (_Macbeth_). When ghostly
combatants appear, unassailable, and with powers of injury against
which we are helpless, we may well say:
"Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves
Shall never tremble."
Ver. 13. +In the evil day.+--Compare ch. v. 16. A day of great peril.
+And having done all, to stand.+--"When the hurly-burly's done" to
find oneself unvanquished.
Ver. 14. +Stand therefore.+--The words ring short and sharp as a
bugle-call. +Loins girt about with truth.+--"To speak of a
well-equipped warrior without a girdle is a _contradictio in
adjecto,_ for it was just the girdle which produced the free bearing
and movement and the necessary attitude of the warrior" (_Meyer_).
"+Truth+ is a subjective conception corresponding with the eternal
realities" (_Beet_). +Breastplate of righteousness.+--"As the actual
warrior has protected the breast when he laced the corslet over his
chest, so with you righteousness . . . renders your breast (heart and
will) inaccessible to the hostile influence of the demons" (_Meyer_).
"He is but naked though locked up in steel
Whose conscience with _injustice_ is corrupted."
Ver. 15. +Feet shod.+--Ensuring agility and a firm foothold.
+Preparation of the gospel of peace.+--"Preparation" might perhaps
give way to "preparedness." St. Paul does not mind a paradox. "What
hast thou to do with peace?" said one soldier to another; but the
herald was a soldier too.
Ver. 16. +Above all, taking the shield.+--Large enough to block the
entrance to a doorway--being about four feet by two and a half. The
lighter missiles were harmless against a roof of these shields
over-lapped. They were of wood, thickly coated with leather. +Quench
the fiery darts.+--"Arrows tipped with inflammable material, and shot
off after having been kindled" (_Meyer_).
Ver. 17. +Take the helmet of salvation.+--For the large shield might
leave the head exposed to the archer's aim. +The sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.+--How effectual in fence and thrust it was
in the hands of the Captain of our salvation, the "world-ruler" had
experienced.
Ver. 18. +Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit.+--Here we have the recognition of a directing Superior. The
true soldier fights under the direction of his ἀρχηγός. The "sounds
of strife" are dying away in this verse.
Ver. 20. +An ambassador in bonds.+--R.V. "in chains." Sustaining the
honour of Christ under personal indignity. +That I may speak
boldly.+--It needed not only the apostle's own, but his readers'
prayers to enable him to speak freely within stroke of the "lion's
paw" (2 Tim. iv. 17).
Ver. 21. +Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister.+--If all
servants were "brethren" first, the troubles of our modern commercial
life would be few.
Ver. 23. +Peace, love and faith.+--A worthy triad, and the greatest
of _these_ is love.
Ver. 24. +Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in
sincerity.+--Paul's favourite word "grace" comes in as "epilogue"--as
it was "prologue" (ch. i. 2). Sincerity means incorruptly--to love in
a spirit corruption cannot touch.
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.--Verses_ 1-4.
_Duties of Children and Parents._
+I. The duty of children to parents is to obey.+--1. _This obedience
has the Divine sanction._ "In the Lord" (ver. 1). Both the command
and the obedience must be in harmony with the relation in which both
parents and children stand towards God. The parent who has not
himself learnt to respect and obey the law of God is ill prepared for
the grave responsibilities of family government. Natural affection
and the instincts of common sense will guide the parents in the
ordinary affairs of home-life, and the sense of dependence and
respect should induce instinctive obedience in the child. No parent
has any right to enforce an obedience which is not in harmony with
the supreme claims of God. The child who submits to the will of his
parents is taught at the same time to obey the higher law of God. If
he defies parental authority and persists in disobedience, he is sure
to be treated in the same way if he ever has children of his own. To
be able to govern we must first learn to obey.
2. _This obedience is in harmony with natural order and the eternal
principles of justice._--"For this is right" (ver. 1). Obedience is
the law of the universe, and without it everything would rush into
anarchy and chaos. Law is so all-pervasive as to cover every
department and relationship of life, and its breach in any sphere
carries with it its own punishment. Disobedience is not only a wrong
to the person who commits it, but it is an injustice to somebody
else. Obedience to parents in things lawful is no hardship. It is
becoming and commendable because it is right. It is the perversity of
our nature, when it becomes difficult to do right. Disobedience is a
wilful divergence from the straight line of rectitude, and is the
essence of all sin.
3. _This obedience ensures the Divine blessing_ (vers. 2, 3).--It is
our duty to obey irrespective of any advantage to be secured. The
loyal heart looks, not to the reward, but to the duty. It is no merit
to do what it is our duty to do. Yet such is the condescension and
goodness of God that He attaches a special blessing to every act of
unselfish obedience. Filial obedience should not be dilatory and
reluctant, but prompt, cheerful, self-denying, and uniform. Obedience
is the path of safety. A pointsman in Prussia was at the junction of
two lines of railway, lever in hand, for a train that was signalled.
The engine was within a few seconds of reaching the embankment when
the man, turning his head, perceived his little boy playing between
the rails on which the train was running. He stuck to his lever, but
shouted to the child, "Lie down! lie down!" The train passed, and the
father rushed forward to pick up what he feared would be the mangled
body of his child; but what was his joy to find the boy had at once
obeyed his order, had lain down, and the train passed over him
without injuring him. His prompt obedience saved his life. Dutiful
children secure the blessing of God. Filial obedience practised in
the Christian home forms habits of promptitude, self-control, and
self-respect which are important conditions of success and prosperity.
+II. The duty of parents to children is to exercise
discipline.+--1. _Not by enforcing commands that tend to irritate._
"Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath" (ver. 4). Children
are a sacred trust and solemn responsibility; not to be weakly
fondled or foolishly spoilt, but to be wisely, kindly, and strictly
disciplined into obedience and duty. The Chinese have a proverb, when
a son is born into a family a bow and arrow are hung before the gate.
In Eastern books sons are spoken of as arrows of their fathers. "As
arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth"
(Ps. cxxvii. 4). As the bowman straightens and polishes his arrow,
giving it a sharp and solid point, and wings it with feathers, so
parents must train and equip their children that they may go straight
to the point of duty and hit the mark. The arrows that are not
prepared and directed when in the hand may, when they are gone abroad
into the world, and all parental training is too late, prove arrows
in the heart that will rankle with unspeakable pain. The training of
children is also a training of the parent. Many a hint is
unconsciously given as to "training up a _parent_ in the way he
should go." While there should be firm discipline, there should not
be exasperating and tantalising severity. Rousing a child's anger is
not the best way of subduing it. A sullen submission gained, by
provoking and then crushing an angry opposition, is rendered with a
sense of injustice and wrong that will breed future mischief. Monod
says: "Correction and instruction should proceed from the Lord, and
be directed by the Spirit of the Lord in such a way that it is not so
much the father who corrects his children and teaches them, as the
Lord through him." The father who chastises in wrath provokes the
child to wrath and rebellion.
2. _But by judicious religious culture._--"But bring them up in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord" (ver. 4). Children are the gifts
of God to be trained for God. They are susceptible of genuine
religious experience, and are often nearer the truth than grown-up
people. Christ recognised the spiritual faculty in children, and gave
them a conspicuous place in His kingdom. When He wished to show the
type of true greatness, He did not point to stars or mountains or
earthly dignities, but "called a little child unto Him and, set him
in the midst" (Matt. xviii. 2-4). Children are capable of useful
religious service, and in many ways may be little missionaries for
Christ. Dr. W. L. Breckenridge once said to his mother: "Mother, I
think you ruled us with too rigid a rod in our boyhood. It would have
been better had you used gentler methods." The old lady straightened
up and said: "Well, William, when you have raised up three as good
preachers as I have then you can talk." The smaller magnets have
proportionately much the greater power, and children have a
remarkable spiritual force with which the Christian parent has to
deal.
+Lessons.+--1. _Personal discipline should be in harmony with the law
of God._ 2. _The rigour of parental discipline should be tempered
with love._ 3. _Respect and obedience to parents will be Divinely
rewarded._
_GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES._