Ephesians 6:11. Put on the whole armour, lit, panoply, a term then applied to the entire equipment, offensive and defensive (comp. Ephesians 6:17), of heavy armed infantry, the choice troops of those days. The several parts are spoken of in Ephesians 6:14-17. As Paul was bound by a chain to a soldier thus equipped (comp. Ephesians 6:20), the figure was literally at hand.

Of God. Supplied by God, ‘altogether of a Divine kind, in contrast to the arms of the opponent' (Braune).

That ye may he able to stud; to stand one's ground against foes, a military phrase, the opposite of fleeing.

Against the wiles of the devil; in contrast with ‘the whole armor of God.' ‘Wiles,' or, stratagems, usually in a bad sense; the plural marking the variety of the attacks. Luther: ‘against the crafty assaults of the devil.' He is the real enemy against whom we contend (Ephesians 6:12), and without the Divine equipment he will be too powerful for us. The existence of a personal devil (not ‘demon' here) is assumed.

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Old Testament