NBST 610_ Exegetical Paper_ Final Assignment
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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Exegetical Paper: Final Assignment (Ephesians 6:10-20)
Submitted to Dr. Joseph Pak
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
NBST 610_B03
by
Marshai Taylor-Aulton
October 13, 2023
Contents
Introduction
...................................................................................................
2
Historical Context…………………………………………………………..2
Summary of Principles
...................................................................................
3
Biblical Connection: War and Preparation
.....................................................
5
Applications for the Contemporary Church………………………………...8
Conclusion
.....................................................................................................
10
Bibliography
...................................................................................................
11
Introduction
Often many wonder where heartache and deception comes from. Is God present? In a
1
world where there is evil, loss, greed, pain, and violence, it is imperative for Christians to put on
the full armor of God, exemplifying Christ’s characteristics to others, introducing them to who
He is, and teaching them how to get dressed daily with their full armor. In this exegesis, I will
investigate the place that the passage (Ephesians 6:10-20) inhabits in the overall story of the
Bible. “Ephesians consists of a series of statements about God, Christ, and salvation, followed by
exhortations (or prayers) urging readers to reflect God’s truth and will in their lives.”
1
I will also
explain what each piece of Armor entails. Lastly, I will expound upon four principles from the
scripture and how those principles can fit within a contemporary church setting. I will explain
what each piece of Armor entails.
Historical Context
The Apostle Paul is attributed to writing the book of Ephesians during the time period of
AD 60-61 while he was imprisoned in Rome. “Ephesians might have been a circular letter sent to
multiple churches in the region, including the congregation at Ephesus.”
2
Ephesus was a space
where Paul taught in synagogues and began ministering where many others began to listen to
him and follow him. Ephesus was a wealthy port city in the Roman province of Asia. It was a
center of learning and was near several key land routes. (
Acts 28
).”
3
Paul was an example of
what standing for Christ truly meant during persecution, even if that would result in
imprisonment and death. “Throughout his missionary career, Paul had consistently sought out the
principle cities of the region and made them the objects of his evangelistic efforts.. He knew that
1
Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough,
Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and Theological
Survey
, Third Edition., Encountering Biblical Studies (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 292.
2
Jason C. Kuo, “Ephesians, Letter to the,” ed. John D. Barry et al.,
The Lexham Bible Dictionary
(Bellingham, WA:
Lexham Press, 2016). 1
3
https://www.esv.org/resources/esv-global-study-bible/introduction-to-ephesians/#:~:text=The%20Setting
%20of%20Ephesians&text=Ephesus%20was%20a%20wealthy%20port,in%20Rome%20(Acts%2028)
.
2
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if the gospel were preached in Rome, it would quickly be spread throughout the entire empire.”
4
In the book of Ephesians, Paul addresses falses teachers within the church and divisions
within the church. He encourages the saints to be mindful and have discernment of what/whom
they listen to and follow. In addition, Paul, Timothy and Silas preached to a group of women
gathered near the river and casted out a demon from a slave girl. This caused them to be
imprisoned on false charges and accusations, because they were doing the work of the Lord. Paul
addressed racism, unity, instructions for households and living, and warfare. “He deals with the
Christian’s warfare (literally, wrestling or hand-to-hand combat) against the spiritual forces of
darkness and the Christian’s provision against this foe being the armor of God... thus while the
Christian finds himself “in the heavenly places'' (1:3, 10, 20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12), he is also to avail
himself of all God’s provisions and give careful heed to all His demands for his life and warfare
upon the earth.”
5
Additionally, the Jews and Gentiles were living among each other, and
everything was mixed, except for the church which Paul spoke out against. “Pious Jews found
many Graeco-Roman practices repulsive, and the Hellenistic (Greek-speaking) Romans found
many Jewish customs baffling. Bringing down walls between these two cultures in the power of
Christ necessitated daily transformation made possible only by the Holy Spirit.”
6
Summary of Principles
The Apostle Paul understood that there was a war that would be taking place and
armor would be needed in preparation for this war, not only physically when it pertained to
defending the kingdom of God, but spiritually. It went beyond the physical struggles in day to
4
Elmer L. Towns, A Story Through the New Testament: The Story of Christ and How He Developed the Church
(Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2008), 282.
5
Walter M. Dunnett, Exploring the New Testament (Wheaton, IL: Evangelical Training Association, 2001), 66.
6
John D. Barry et al., eds., DIY Bible Study (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).
3
day life, such as finances, martial issues, rebellious children, political disputes, poverty, or
educational disparity. There was a struggle with a real enemy who desired and still desires to
steal, kill, and destroy everyone who has a heart to live their lives solely for Christ. Satan is not
some made-up/imaginary evil villain. The armor of God, gives the soldier an advantage to
withstand the schemes and tricks of satan, as well as the ability to defend and shield his/her
fellow teammates. Those soldiers on the frontline are encouraged to 1) put on the girdle of truth,
2) the breastplate of righteousness, 3) the sandals of the gospel, 4) the shield of faith, 5) the
helmet of salvation, and lastly the sword of the spirit.
In Paul knowing the struggles/battles that were soon to come, there are four principles
derived from Ephesians 6:10-20; 1) being to remain firm and and strong in the Lord, 2)
understanding there is an art/strategy to war, 3) developing a stronger prayer life to combat
spiritual warfare, and lastly to always be on guard when it pertains to the Satan, his tactics,
distractions and the evils of this world. He was speaking to the church back then, as well as the
church now (you and I). God says in His word in Ephesians 6:12,
“For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this
dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
7
He put it into
perspective and gave a visual representation where readers can picture being like soldiers in boot
camp, getting ready for battle. There is a preparation period that soldiers endure before the battle.
Soldiers are not thrown on the battlefield by their leaders as soon as they first join the military,
but this also does not negate the fact that war is coming whether the soldiers feel
equipped/prepared, or not.
Biblical Connection: War and Preparation
7
Unless otherwise noted all biblical passages referenced are in the
New International Version
4
The armor of God, gives the soldier an advantage to withstand the schemes and tricks of
satan, as well as the ability to defend and shield his/her fellow teammates. Those soldiers on the
frontline are encouraged to put aside distractions and to follow Christ with every fiber of their
being spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Paul instructs us to understand that a part of
preparing for Christian combat is to put on the “belt of truth” (6:14). The belt helps to hold up all
of the other pieces of armor. During that time, soldiers wore tunics of loose-fitting clothing, and
this posed a potential danger if his/her opponent saw him/her without proper defensive garments
on. The belt was essential to pull in tightly the loose clothing. “The belt that pulls all the spiritual
loose ends in… is truth… Everything that hinders is tucked away.”
8
This ties into the principle of
the Christian being on guard when it pertains to Satan, his tactics, distractions, and the evils of
this world. The enemy loves to point out our weaknesses and the issues/challenges that we refuse
to address, deceiving ourselves. Paul here encourages us to tie up loose ends and to not get
caught out in the open as a target. The longer we do not confront the things that hinder us in
being successful and strong in our journey in Christ, the more Satan uses tactics to
cause
division within our families, schools, political and authoritative figures, etc. In a contemporary
church setting, having small groups and creating safe spaces where Christians can discuss their
weaknesses and insecurities, can aid in individuals beginning to practice accountability,
responsibility, and self-discipline. There are other scriptures that connect with this principle in
Ephesians, such as (1 Peter 5:8-9), “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith,
because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind
of sufferings.”
Additionally, James 1:23-25, “
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do
what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes
8
John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2005), 1705.
5
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away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law
that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they
will be blessed in what they do.”
Again, the emphasis is on us to remember who we are and
“whose” we are, not getting distracted by smoke screens and Satan's desire to cause many to
have a “form of godliness”, but not actually walk in His power and transformation from the
inside-out.
Another principle that Ephesians emphasizes is to remain firm and strong in the Lord.
The word strength is mentioned over 360 times in the Bible, relating to spiritual and physical
strength. For example, in (1 Corinthians 16:13), Paul writes to the Corinthian people, “Be on
your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”. In the Old Testament in Exodus
15:2-4, Moses writes that God is our strength and defense. “In Nehemiah 8:10, we are taught the
joy of the Lord is our strength, and Psalms teaches us that God is our refuge and strength (Psalm
46:1-3). God gives us the strength we need beyond measure. He gives us His supernatural
strength and empowerment to withstand these last and evil days. Standing firm in the Lord in
contemporary church today can look like an individual surrounding his/herself with others who
are fully committed to the Lord and walking in His ways. Also, being vulnerable enough to lean
on other brothers and sisters in Christ when feeling weak. Paul says “His strength is made perfect
in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Lastly, being willing to submit through the process of
being discipled and receiving correction when needed is a sign of wanting to understand God’s
word, and
remaining firm in the Lord.
Additionally, another principle that Ephesians emphasizes is to understand your opponent
Satan and know that there is an art to this war. The war is spiritual. We must recognize that in
this war we cannot fight the opponents with the same weapons they are using. We must again put
6
on the armor and use the tools that God has given us. Another component of armor is the
breastplate of righteousness (a tough and heavy piece of material with hoof pieces, which
protects the soldier's heart and vital organs). This is vital because His righteousness is what we
should seek after, not our own. When left to our own decision-making and righteousness, the
enemy has a field day, knowing the vital organs are uncovered (our hearts, minds, soul, will, and
emotions),
due to subjecting ourselves and navigating in our flesh, causing him to attempt to
destroy every uncovered area. Throughout the Bible, there are many scriptures that speak of the
art of war. The war is between the enemy’s kingdom, and the kingdom of God.
Lastly, the final principle that Ephesians 6:10-20 emphasizes is the importance of
developing a stronger prayer life to combat spiritual warfare. In today’s society, there are many
distractions that can be a hindrance to an individual having a consistent and flourishing prayer-
life. The enemy is fully aware of this. Some distractions can be social media, fear of how one
sounds when he/she prays out loud, and even the handling of day-to-day responsibilities with
family, friends, employers, ministry, etc. Although serving your family, ministry, and employer
can be seen in a positive perspective, it does no good if your prayer life and intimacy with God is
non-existent, or inconsistent. Vener Alston and Chuck Pierce state in their book
Next-Level
Spiritual Warfare: Advanced Strategies for Defeating the Enemy,
there are four factors that can
be involved with inconsistency in prayer:
One being unbelief. Unbelief can cause feelings of
anger and frustration toward God, rather than waiting with joyful expectation. How can you pray
to someone whom you do not believe in?
The second factor is laziness. This simply means one
is not willing to pray for themselves or others, but may pull on others to receive prayer for
his/herself. The third factor is distractions, as I mentioned previously, all the outside world has
more of an individual’s attention than God Himself. The last factor is the lack of commitment,
7
which can extend beyond a person’s prayer life, but he/she also not being committed to spiritual
things. This can come from allowing the gardens of our souls to go untended, resulting in less
leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives, which then turns into carnality.
9
Applications for the Contemporary Church
Duvall and Hays in their book
Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading,
Interpreting, and Applying the Bible,
state, “God certainly wants us to know biblical principles
and valid ways of living out those principles, but his ultimate goal in communicating with us is
to transform our thinking and acting so that we conform to the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.
When we come to the point of truly grasping God’s Word, we will find God’s Word grasping us.
In the end, it’s much more than just applying the Bible to our lives; it’s about adjusting and
conforming our lives to the Bible.”
10
As I read through this chapter in the book of Ephesians, I
asked myself, “What does Paul’s message to the church during this time mean for those who
desire to interpret and apply Scripture today? How should we as the church of today live out
these theological principles? I believe the application piece begins when one realizes his/her true
identity in God and not in the world. There are many labels, cultural background and upbringing
differences that everyone has encountered that can cause the Christian to question what his/her
true values and morals are. One can question, what should he/she fight for and advocate for
during this time. God declares in this text that He will intervene on their behalf. He intervenes
for the purpose of spreading the gospel. The message here is that Christ has defeated all evil
forces and gave freedom to those who believe in Him. Christians today, just as they were back
during that time, are called to be equipped with the full armor of God, and share the good news
9
Alston, Venner J..
Next-Level Spiritual Warfare : Advanced Strategies for Defeating the Enemy
. Grand Rapids:
Chosen Books, 2019. 68-69
10
J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays,
Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and
Applying the Bible
, Fourth Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic), 2020, 240.
8
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that God has already defeated Satan and has given us the same power to trample over every evil
force in the spirit through prayer, fasting, knowing the Word of God (Bible), and applying the
Word of God to our daily lives. Equipping ourselves with God’s armor is “an expression of our
dependance on God, in other words, of prayer.”
11
Application of Ephesians 6:10-20, requires that
we take the consistency of prayer in our daily lives seriously. It communicates to us that our trust
is in God, regardless of what is externally taking place around us. “Paul knew that prayer was
effective; therefore, he implored readers to pray on his behalf. There are three qualities of prayer
described in Ephesians 6:18: Prayer is unceasing, intense, and unlimited.”
12
Additionally, Paul knew that putting on the armor of God was similar to us putting on our
“clothes” everyday and getting dressed to tackle our daily responsibilities. I love having this
visual, as I read through the verses, of a warrior getting dressed for battle. I think of it in this
way, one (i would hope) would not leave their home completely naked to head into the office for
their job, or a lawyer would not go into court naked and unprepared to defend his/her case. It
would not make sense. Everyone gets dressed and puts on clothes before leaving their home and
exposing themselves to the outside air, neighbors, coworkers, etc. In this way, I would say Paul
was saying that when you are prepared, you are ready to conquer. If one does not feel
comfortable in his/her armor, it can cause the person to not be confident, resulting in possible
defeat, but when one practices putting on the armor daily, it becomes conformed to their bodies
and is like second nature. David A. Desilva in his book
An Introduction to the New Testament:
Contexts, Methods, and Ministry Formation,
states,“in light of the tendencies of modern and
postmodern scholars to boast of having finally achieved so firm a grasp on the real and the
11
Arthur G. Patzia, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishers, 1990),
416.
12
Ibid., 416-417
9
possible, it is appropriate that Ephesians also reminds us of how much of God remains
mystery.”
13
Paul writes from a cosmic perspective that still applies to those who read Ephesians
centuries later. As Christians, regardless of our weaknesses and shortcomings, we are involved in
a cosmic struggle between God and His enemies, but God is a redeemer. God has chosen to save
us and give us the tools to come out of the spiritual battle victorious! It is up to us if we will pick
them up and use them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, wearing armor goes beyond physical attire to protect a soldier from injury.
There is a spiritual war going on between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of darkness. It
is imperative for the Christian to wake up from his/her slumber, and to train for war, especially
during these last and evil days, as the time is drawing near for Jesus’ return. In order for the
Christian to be effective he/she must understand the full armor of God and what each piece of
armor symbolizes. Today, my goal was to give an explanation of this, in conjunction with the
historical context and contemporary context for the modern-day Christian and warrior.
Bibliography
1.
Arthur G. Patzia, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon (Peabody, Massachusetts;
13
David A. DeSilva, An Introduction to the New Testament; Contexts, Methods, and Ministry Formation
(Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2012), 727.
10
Hendrickson Publishers, 1990)
2.
David A. DeSilva, An Introduction to the New Testament; Contexts, Methods, and
Ministry Formation (Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2012)
3.
Elmer L. Towns, A Story Through the New Testament: The Story of Christ and How He
Developed the Church (Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2008)
4.
Jason C. Kuo, “Ephesians, Letter to the,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible
Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016)
5.
John D. Barry et al., eds., DIY Bible Study (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014)
6.
John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson,
2005)
7.
Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, Encountering the New Testament: A
Historical and Theological Survey, Third Edition., Encountering Biblical Studies (Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013)
8.
Walter M. Dunnett, Exploring the New Testament (Wheaton, IL: Evangelical Training
Association, 2001)
9.
Yoder Neufeld, Thomas R. “Put on the Armour of God” : the Divine Warrior from Isaiah
to Ephesians. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997.
10. Alston, Venner J..
Next-Level Spiritual Warfare : Advanced Strategies for Defeating the
Enemy
. Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 2019. Accessed October 9, 2023. ProQuest Ebook
Central.
11
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