Chapter 6:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 Galatians Philippians
Ephesians 6
Verse 1. Children, obey your parents - In all things lawful. The will of
the parent is a law to the child. In the Lord - For his sake. For this
is right - Manifestly just and reasonable.
Verse 2. honour - That is, love, reverence, obey, assist, in all things. The
mother is particularly mentioned, as being more liable to be
slighted than the father. Which is the first commandment with a
promise - For the promise implied in the second commandment
does not belong to the keeping that command in particular, but the
whole law. Exod. xx, 12
Verse 3. That thou mayest live long upon the earth - This is usually
fulfilled to eminently dutiful children; and he who lives long and
well has a long seed-time for the eternal harvest. But this promise,
in the Christian dispensation, is to be understood chiefly in a more
exalted and Spiritual sense.
Verse 4. And, ye fathers - Mothers are included; but fathers are named,
as being more apt to be stern and severe. Provoke not your
children to wrath - Do not needlessly fret or exasperate them. But
bring them up - With all tenderness and mildness. In the
instruction and discipline of the Lord - Both in Christian
knowledge and practice.
Verse 5. Your masters according to the flesh - According to the present
state of things: afterward the servant is free from his master. With
fear and trembling - A proverbial expression, implying the utmost
care and diligence. In singleness of heart - With a single eye to the
providence and will of God.
Verse 6. Not with eye-service - Serving them better when under their
eye than at other times. But doing the will of God from the heart -
Doing whatever you do, as the will of God, and with your might.
Verse 7. Unto the Lord, and not to men - That is, rather than to men; and
by making every action of common life a sacrifice to God; having
an eye to him in all things, even as if there were no other master.
Verse 8. He shall receive the same - That is, a full and adequate
recompence for it.
Verse 9. Do the same things to them - That is, act toward them from the
same principle. Forbearing threatening - Behaving with gentleness
and humanity, not in a harsh or domineering way.
Verse 10. Brethren - This is the only place in this epistle where he uses
this compellation. Soldiers frequently use it to each other in the
field. Be strong - Nothing less will suffice for such a fight: to be
weak, and remain so, is the way to perish. In the power of his
might - A very uncommon expression, plainly denoting what
great assistance we need as if his might would not do, it must be
the powerful exertion of his might.
Verse 11. Put on the whole armour of God - The Greek word means a
complete suit of armour. Believers are said to put on the girdle,
breastplate, shoes; to take the shield of faith, and sword of the
Spirit. The whole armour - As if the armour would scarce do, it
must be the whole armour. This is repeated, ver. 13, because of
the strength and subtilty of our adversaries, and because of an
"evil day" of sore trial being at hand.
Verse 12. For our wrestling is not only, not chiefly, against flesh and
blood - Weak men, or fleshly appetites. But against principalities,
against powers - The mighty princes of all the infernal legions.
And great is their power, and that likewise of those legions whom
they command. Against the rulers of the world - Perhaps these
principalities and powers remain mostly in the citadel of their
kingdom of darkness. But there are other evil spirits who range
abroad, to whom the provinces of the world are committed. Of the
darkness - This is chiefly spiritual darkness. Of this age - Which
prevails during the present state of things. Against wicked spirits -
Who continually oppose faith, love, holiness, either by force or
fraud; and labour to infuse unbelief, pride, idolatry malice, envy,
anger, hatred. In heavenly places - Which were once their abode,
and which they still aspire to, as far as they are permitted.
Verse 13. In the evil day - The war is perpetual; but the fight is one day
less, another more, violent. The evil day is either at the approach
of death, or in life; may be longer or shorter and admits of
numberless varieties. And having done all, to stand - That ye may
still keep on your armour, still stand upon your guard, still watch
and pray; and thus ye will be enabled to endure unto the end, and
stand with joy before the face of the Son of Man.
Verse 14. Having your loins girt about - That ye may be ready for every
motion. With truth - Not only with the truths of the gospel, but
with "truth in the inward parts;" for without this all our knowledge
of divine truth will prove but a poor girdle "in the evil day." So
our Lord is described, Isaiah xi, 5. And as a girded man is always
ready to go on, so this seems to intimate an obedient heart, a ready
will. Our Lord adds to the loins girded, the lights burning, Luke
xii, 35; showing that watching and ready obedience are the
inseparable companions of faith and love. And having on the
breastplate of righteousness - The righteousness of a spotless
purity, in which Christ will present us faultless before God,
through the merit of his own blood. With this breastplate our Lord
is described, Isaiah lix, 17. In the breast is the seat of conscience,
which is guarded by righteousness. No armour for the back is
mentioned. We are always to face our enemies.
Verse 15. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel - Let
this be always ready to direct and confirm you in every step. This
part of the armour, for the feet, is needful, considering what a
journey we have to go; what a race to run. Our feet must be so
shod, that our footsteps slip not. To order our life and
conversation aright, we are prepared by the gospel blessing, the
peace and love of God ruling in the heart, Colossians iii, 14, 15.
By this only can we tread the rough ways, surmount our
difficulties, and hold out to the end.
Verse 16. Above or over all - As a sort of universal covering to every
other part of the armour itself, continually exercise a strong and
lively faith. This you may use as a shield, which will quench all
the fiery darts, the furious temptations, violent and sudden
injections of the devil.
Verse 17. And take for an helmet the hope of salvation - 1 Thess. v, 8.
The head is that part which is most carefully to be defended. One
stroke here may prove fatal. The armour for this is the hope of
salvation. The lowest degree of this hope is a confidence that God
will work the whole work of faith in us; the highest is a full
assurance of future glory, added to the experimental knowledge of
pardoning love. Armed with this helmet, the hope of the joy set
before him, Christ "endured the cross, and despised the shame,"
Heb. xii, 2. And the sword of the Spirit, the word of God - This
Satan cannot withstand, when it is edged and wielded by faith.
Till now our armour has been only defensive. But we are to attack
Satan, as well as secure ourselves; the shield in one hand, and the
sword in the other. Whoever fights with the powers of hell will
need both. He that is covered with armour from head to foot, and
neglects this, will be foiled after all. This whole description shows
us how great a thing it is to be a Christian. The want of any one
thing makes him incomplete. Though he has his loins girt with
truth, righteousness for a breastplate, his feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of
salvation, and the sword of the Spirit; yet one thing he wants after
all. What is that? It follows,
Verse 18. Praying always - At all times, and on every occasion, in midst
of all employments, inwardly praying without ceasing. By the
Spirit - Through the influence of the Holy Spirit. With all prayer -
With all sort of prayer, public, private, mental, vocal. Some are
careful in respect of one kind of prayer, and negligent in others. If
we would have the petitions we ask, let us use all. Some there are
who use only mental prayer or ejaculations, and think they are in a
state of grace, and use a way of worship, far superior to any other:
but such only fancy themselves to be above what is really above
them; it requiring far more grace to be enabled to pour out a
fervent and continued prayer, than to offer up mental aspirations.
And supplication - Repeating and urging our prayer, as Christ did
in the garden. And watching - Inwardly attending on God, to
know his will, to gain power to do it, and to attain to the blessings
we desire. With all perseverance - Continuing to the end in this
holy exercise. And supplication for all the saints - Wrestling in
fervent, continued intercession for others, especially for the
faithful, that they may do all the will of God, and be steadfast to
the end. Perhaps we receive few answers to prayer, because we do
not intercede enough for others.
Verse 19. By the opening my mouth - Removing every inward and every
outward hindrance.
Verse 20. An ambassador in bonds - The ambassadors of men usually
appear in great pomp. How differently does the ambassador of
Christ appear!
Verse 21. Ye also - As well as others.
Verse 22. That he might comfort your hearts - By relating the supports I
find from God, and the success of the gospel.
Verse 23. Peace - This verse recapitulates the whole epistle.
Verse 24. In sincerity - Or in incorruption; without corrupting his
genuine gospel, without any mixture of corrupt affections. And
that with continuance, till grace issue in glory.
Chapter 6:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 Galatians Philippians
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
Genesis
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Titus
Philemon
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1 John
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3 John
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Revelation
