1 Thessalonians 5:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Just as nothing can quickly cut through a breastplate, and it forms a rampart for the chest, so you also must guard the soul with faith and love. Then none of the devil's fiery darts will be able to pierce it.

Truly, where the strength of the soul is guarded by the weapon of love, every attempt of those who plot evil is vain and empty.

Neither malice, nor enmity, nor envy, nor flattery, nor hypocrisy, nor anything else will be able to touch such a soul.

He did not simply say, "in love." He said that one must put it on as a strong breastplate.

Having said this, he then adds, "and for a helmet, the hope of salvation." As the helmet protects what is most important in us, the head, surrounding and covering it on every side, so hope keeps our mind from falling.

It holds the mind upright, like the head, not allowing anything alien to fall upon it. As long as nothing falls upon it, we also do not bow downward.

Indeed, whoever is guarded by this armor can never fall. For it is written: "these three abide: faith, hope, love" (1 Cor 13:13).

As a helmet covers the most important part in us, the head, and saves and preserves it, so hope guards the mind and saves it. It does not permit anything from outside to fall upon it.

Notice the three things he mentioned elsewhere, in 1 Cor 13:13: faith, hope, and love. These he now commands us to acquire.

The helmet serves as the same protection for the head. A man full of hope calmly and watchfully lifts up his head, like a soldier who feels that blows to the head cannot harm him.

In Eph 5:16 faith is called a shield, and thus a weapon for the protection of the breast.

At the same time, the Apostle again presents Christians' abiding in the light, or in sonship to the light, and their opposition to people of darkness, who sleep and become drunk.

He sets this forth as favorable to the triumph of good, which can readily appear in the light, just as evil appears in darkness.

The Savior Himself commanded us to watch, saying: "Watch therefore at all times, praying that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Lk 21:36).

The Apostles taught the same thing (1 Pet 5:8; 1 Cor 16:13).

According to Chrysostom's explanation, "here the Apostle shows that remaining in the light of day depends on us. With ordinary day and night this does not depend on us. But with that night and that sleep it is not so.

One can watch continually. One can abide constantly in the day. To close the spiritual eyes and give oneself over to sinful drowsiness is not a matter of nature, but of choice.

Even the one who watches can sleep, if he does not do good. Therefore he added, 'let us be sober.' Sobriety is an intensification of watchfulness."

"Sobriety," says Bishop Theophan, "is the detachment of the heart from attachments and passions. Watchfulness is the tension of the active powers."

The reminder about vigilance and attention brought to mind a military guard, and the guard brought to mind armor.

Faith with love protects the whole constitution of the soul. It does not allow wrong thoughts or movements of the heart. Hope preserves the head of life, namely energy, which immediately falls when despair steals into the soul.

Faith, love, and hope, the chief functions of Christian life, are at the same time the very weapons for repelling the assaults of the enemy (cf. 1 Cor 13:13; 2 Cor 10:4; Rom 6:13; Eph 6:11).

“Therefore, if it is necessary to watch, be sober, and be armed, and we remain without weapons, naked, and even asleep, who will prevent the enemy from thrusting the sword into us? For this reason the Apostle arms us” (Chrysostom).

“He said this elsewhere: ‘The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light’ (Rom 13:12).

“Here he says: let faith in God and love for neighbor protect us in place of a breastplate. Let the hope of promised salvation be an unbreakable helmet for us” (Theodoret).

Faith with love protects the whole constitution of the soul, not permitting right thoughts and movements of the heart to be harmed. Hope guards the head of life, its energy, which immediately falls as soon as hopelessness creeps into the soul.

Faith, love, and hope, the chief operations of Christian life, are also powerful weapons for repelling hostile attacks. Faith repels the arrows of falsehood, unbelief, and error.

Love repels the enticements and attractions of sin and the passions. Hope repels every wavering in fidelity caused by present misfortunes and sorrows, and by the hiddenness of the future.

It assures us that the Lord will never abandon us if we do not depart from Him. He will keep and defend us, and will unfailingly lead us into His eternal kingdom.

A man filled with faith, love, and hope is a son of the day. His view of all that exists and happens is bright because of faith. His conscience is bright because the works of love are never neglected.

Everything around and ahead is bright because of hope and surrender to the will of God: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). This is the true watchman and sober man.

Chrysostom writes: “‘Having put on,’ he says, ‘the breastplate of faith and love,’ thereby commanding both a righteous life and the confession of right doctrines.

“See how he explained what it means to watch and be sober. It means having the breastplate of faith and love. Not just any faith, but a burning and sincere faith, which makes invincible those protected by it.

“Just as no one can easily cut through a breastplate, and it forms a defense for the chest, so you also must protect the soul with faith and love. Then none of the devil’s fiery arrows will be able to pierce it.

“Where the power of the soul is protected by the weapon of love, all the attempts of those plotting evil are vain and futile. Neither malice, nor envy, nor flattery, nor hypocrisy, nor anything else can touch such a soul.

“He did not simply say ‘in love.’ He said that one must put it on as a strong breastplate. Having said this, he then adds: ‘and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.’

“As a helmet guards what is most important in us, namely the head, surrounding and covering it on every side, so hope will not let our mind fall. It holds it upright, like the head, and does not allow anything external to fall upon it.

“As long as nothing falls upon it, we do not bend downward. Indeed, it is impossible for one protected by this armor ever to fall. For it is said: ‘faith, hope, love, these three abide’” (1 Cor 13:13).