Ephesians 6:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"With which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one." That is, shameful desires, thoughts of unbelief, such as whether there will be a resurrection or a judgment, and temptations. They are fiery not only because lusts kindle and inflame toward shameful deeds. They are also fiery because here we are, as it were, burned by conscience. Moreover, the devil sets us on fire both through thoughts of unbelief and through temptations. But faith quenches this. For if it subdues demons, much more does it subdue the passions. If lust inflames you, you will quench it by believing in the good things and joy to come. If temptation burns you, you will find consolation by believing in the future. Consider with what fire Abraham was burned when he offered his son in sacrifice. But faith quenched that flame.

Faith without works of righteousness is insufficient for salvation. Likewise, righteousness of life is not secure for salvation by itself, unless it is joined with faith. Therefore, as though weaving faith and righteousness as materials in this weapon, the Apostle brings the vessel of the soldier's heart into safety. For by the breastplate the heart is meant. He secures the head of the valiant man with hope. By this he shows that a good soldier should have hope in things above, like a plume upon a helmet. The shield, the protective weapon, is unbreakable faith, which the point of a spear cannot pierce. By the spears which the enemies hurl at us, we should understand the manifold assaults of the passions. But the saving weapon that arms the right hand of those who contend valiantly against the enemies is the Holy Spirit. He is terrible when He resists, and saving when He is communicated to those who receive Him. And every evangelical teaching gives safety to the feet, so that no part of the body is found naked and exposed to receive a blow.

The prophet laments this fire and says: "They are all adulterers; their hearts are like a burning oven" (Hos 7:1). Whoever holds this convex shield with a firm hand and trusts in the Lord will know that he is safe from the flying darts. He says without trembling: "In the Lord I put my trust. How can you say to my soul, 'Flee to the mountain like a sparrow? For sinners have bent the bow; they have prepared arrows on the strings, to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart'" (Ps 10:1-2). Thus he says: "Since I put my trust in God, why do you counsel me not to stand against the assault of enemies? Why not stand against the arrows which they have prepared against me on the strings? They wish to strike not only me, but all the upright in heart, or to strike straight at the heart. Behold, I stand upon the rock and cannot flee to the gloomy mountains. All the arrows that are deflected turn back upon those who aim them."

For he believes that there is a future eternal life, and he awaits the dread judgment and recompense. He is convinced that those who keep the truth, love righteousness, and willingly do good works receive the incorruptible crown of divine blessedness and the inheritance of the heavenly Kingdom. But the unbeliever believes none of these things, expects nothing, and accepts nothing. He neither keeps truth nor practices righteousness, and he has not the least care for divine virtues. Instead he says, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" (1 Cor 15:32). Notice that faith not only hands us the weapons of the virtues mentioned. It not only gives us power that quenches the fiery darts of the evil one. It also makes us fit to receive the other weapons, as the divine Apostle shows in the following words: <...>

If the first series of weapons wholly indicates what must come from us, the second indicates what comes from God and from the order of salvation established by Him. We shall therefore conduct the interpretation in this way.

Above all, over all these three, place a new series of weapons, a distinct one over each. First, take up the shield of faith.

“By faith here the Apostle does not mean the confession of the truths of faith, that is, knowledge of dogmas. He means that faith which believes in future things as though they were present, can work signs, and move mountains” (Theophylact).

“Let faith be your shield, for it points you to the almighty God. It reveals the rewards for battle, the proclamation as victors, and crowns for deeds of valor” (Theodoret).

It may also be defined in this way: childlike assurance in God, which so closely unites one with Him that it does not separate itself from Him, nor Him from itself.

For this reason it is almighty, since in it God Himself is the one acting, and He also gives it.

Saint Chrysostom speaks of such faith: “The Apostle very rightly calls faith a shield. Just as a shield covers the whole body, becoming as it were a wall, so faith protects us in the same way.

For everything yields to it. Nothing has the power to tear apart this shield. Hear what Christ the Lord says to His disciples: If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move (Mt 17:20).”

To make clearer what this faith is, let us make several extracts concerning it from Saint Isaac the Syrian.

“By faith we understand not the foundation of the confession common to all, but that spiritual power which strengthens the heart by the light of the mind. By the witness of conscience, it awakens in the soul great hope in God.

Thus the soul does not concern itself with itself, but casts all its care upon God without anxiety in everything” (Homily 44).

“The soul that has once entrusted itself to God with faith, and has learned His aid by repeated experience, no longer cares for itself. It is bound by wonder and silence.

Whoever follows such faith soon becomes free and self-governing. As a son of God, he makes use of all things with authority. He who has loved this faith disposes of every created nature as God does.

By faith many entered the flame, restrained the burning power of fire, and passed unharmed through its midst. They walked upon the ridge of the sea as on dry land.

Neither earth nor heaven can contain the treasures of faith. He whose heart is strengthened by faith never loses anything. When he has nothing, he possesses all things by faith (2 Cor 6:10).

As it is written: Whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive (Mt 21:22). And again: The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing (Phil 4:5-6).

All things are possible to him who believes (Mk 9:23), because nothing is impossible for God. What ineffable riches!” (Homily 25).

“Faith says: For every work, He to whom I once entrusted my soul is sufficient for me. I am not here. He knows this.

Whoever is such a man is followed by grace, and grace reveals its power to him in various kinds of assistance. First it does this in what is manifest and concerns the body.

Then, with regard to what is hidden, it reveals to him the intricate weaving of thoughts and their deception. Before his eyes, it puts to shame all the malice of the demons” (Homily 49).

Saint Chrysostom also says that such faith commands demons. Such is the shield that secures us.

It is hard for us to receive such judgments about faith. So far is it from us, or we from it.

Yet we may surmise that it is such because consciousness has been blended together with the Lord, with the holy Church, and with all the saints.

It feels within itself that it is not alone, but that the Lord is with it. The angels and the saints of God are with it.

For this reason it feels itself to be as strong as the Church is strong, and as mighty as the Lord is mighty.

By my God, it says, I shall leap over a wall. Though I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. If God is for us, who is against us? (2 Sam 22:30; Ps 22:4; Rom 8:31).

Nor can we fail to understand that such faith cannot be forced into oneself by thinking about it or desiring it.

It is the fruit of this: the Lord truly takes the soul into His right hand. He truly fills it with His power. He truly grafts it, alive, into the living members of His living Body.

The power of the Lord, the Head of the Church, and the power of His whole Body, the Church, are reflected in it. Therefore it is strong. This is the true shield.

The fiery darts are inward and outward temptations, strong and decisive, as though they were the enemy's final efforts, in which he gathers together all his malice.

They cannot be defined exactly, because they change according to the person and his circumstances. For one person, one thing is a fiery dart. For another, it is something else.

Saint Chrysostom says: “By the darts of the evil one, the Apostle means both outward temptations and furious desires. By the word fiery, he indicates their character.

There are many thoughts that trouble the soul, many doubts and insoluble questions. But true faith gives a calming answer to all.

There are many suggestions by which the devil inflames the soul and casts it into perplexities of every kind. For example, people say: Is there a resurrection? Is there judgment? Is there recompense?

Only have the shield of faith, and with it you will quench the devil's darts. Has some furious desire arisen in you? Have evil thoughts blazed like fire within you?

Show the enemy your faith in the good things to come, and he will no longer appear. More than this, he will perish.

He says all the darts, not some darts quenched and others not. Do you see how many darts the righteous once quenched?

Thoughts war against us; let us send faith ahead. Furious desires assail us; let us call faith to our aid.

We find ourselves in difficult circumstances and misfortune; let us seek consolation in faith.

Faith is that by which every weapon is guarded. If we lose it, every weapon is immediately shattered.

Above all, it is said, take up the shield of faith. Above all what, precisely? Above truth, righteousness, and the preparation of the gospel. This means that they need faith.”

This shield of faith stands in direct relation to the preceding shodding of the feet, or readiness for everything with detachment from everything.

That readiness opens the way to receiving this faith, and this faith seals that readiness.