For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.
Ephesians 6:15
You will need to do some work on this next piece of the armour before we start on it. There are some questions we need to find answers to. Always ask questions of the Bible text before you. It is the best way to understand it more. No question is stupid or wacky. Just ask. Ask yourself; ask God. Find out the details of what is written and why.
This verse in the list of spiritual armour has prompted questions before. There is much debate about it.
- Why are shoes important enough to include in the list of armour? [Any cursory look at a list of the armour mentioned here would make one think the shoes are the “odd man out”. ]
- What is the importance of the shoes to spiritual warfare? Or in being fully equipped for the spiritual battle?
- What is the connection between the shoes and the gospel of peace?
- Why is the notion of readiness or preparedness mentioned? Being fully prepared for what?
- Why does Paul sandwich the shoes in between the belt and breastplate and the shield and helmet?
- Is there an order to armour and why? There are all sorts of theories or suggestions that people have made about the order of these pieces of armour.
- What do you think about why the pieces of armour are ordered as they are?
So take time to think about these questions and more. Come up with your own. The more you ask, the more you will find out. “Lord open my eyes to behold amazing things from Your Word.”
Do it now with this relatively simply verse before us. There are no hidden meanings. Everything to be read is plain and simple and as it seems. You don’t have to go looking for “the deeper meaning of the Greek”. Recently I became aware of confusion of one person as to why people said “The Greek says . . . “. The person couldn’t work out why people said that, thinking that people were talking about the ancient Greeks and what they had to say about the matter. Why would people say that? In case there are others in the same boat, the reason preachers and others say “the Greek says” is that they are referring to the Greek text of the Bible. The original New Testament was written in Greek not English or Hebrew. So when people say that, they are meaning what it says in the original language before it was translated is X. Supposedly it adds authenticity and detail not available to us in English or Indonesian or any other language. We learn by asking questions. No question is too dumb to ask God.
Go ahead ask some questions of this passage. It’s totally up to you what you ask. Share them with me if you like; I like learning from other people’s perspectives or questions. Other people ask questions sometimes that I have never thought to ask and I have gained some of my more precious revelations into Scripture because of another person’s question.
Spend time on this verse now asking yourself and God some questions. And asking me if you wish – who knows your question may appear in tomorrow’s Bible Gems.
No one is in charge of your growth and development but you. It is your responsibility, so grow and develop yourself.
Ian Vail
Do you have ten year’s experience or do you have 1 year of experience repeated 10 times? Think about it.
Ian Vail
Are you making progress or are you spinning your wheels?
Ian Vail
Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.
Ian Vail