Stand ready, your feet shod with the shoes of
readiness to announce the Good News of peace!
Shoes or
boots, which were sometimes of iron, and sometimes of brass, are
reckoned among the armor of soldiers. They were essential to the
ancient armor. If the feet or legs were materially wounded, a man
can neither stand to resist his foe, pursue him if vanquished, nor
flee from him should he have to. The shoes of readiness are of equal importance to
the armor of God.
The Israelites were commanded
to eat the Passover with their feet shod, to show that they were
ready for their journey. Our Lord commanded his disciples to be
shod with sandals, that they might be ready to go and proclaim the
Good News, as the Israelites were to go to possess the promised
land. Every Christian should consider himself on his journey from a
strange land to his own country, and not only stand every moment
prepared to proceed, but be every moment in actual progress towards
his home.
The words used in the original version of Ephesians 6:15
are translated and interpreted in various
ways.
Take for
example, the following three Bible translations.
"As your
shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace."
[Good News
Bible]
"Be ready
with the good news of peace as shoes on your feet."
[Bible in Basic
English]
"Your feet
shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace."
[Modern King James
Version]
This means
that the feet could be shod either with preparation, with readiness, or
with the Good News of
peace, depending on your
understanding of the original Greek.
1. Some believe therefore
that these shoes mean that we should always be ready to walk in the
ways of the Good News, that is, to have an outward lifestyle that
is agreeable to the Good News, that we may walk and war without fear.
This
speaks of a promptitude or readiness:
-
to preach the Good
News,
-
to receive the Good
News,
-
to profess the Good
News,
-
to defend the Good
News;
-
to endure criticism and
persecution for the Good News,
-
to live the Good News, in the
doing of good works,
-
to do spiritual warfare,
and/or
-
to continue in the Christian's
journey heavenward.
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In this
case, the word preparation may imply that, by a conscientious
adherence to the Good News in the receiving of the salvation of
Christ and by walking in the way of obedience, the soul is prepared
for the kingdom of heaven.
"It was to this that God
called you, for Christ himself suffered for you and left you an
example,
so that you would follow in his steps." (1Pe 2:21)
2. Others believe that these shoes refer to the firmness
and solidity which the
Good News gives to those who conscientiously adhere to its
doctrines.
A firm and solid knowledge of
the Good News, that proclaims the peace of Jesus Christ, forms a
sure base or foundation for the Christian soldier to set his foot
upon. He can stand secure on it. The Good News exemplifies the
constant and firm standing of believers. It is termed the Good News
of peace because it establishes peace between God and man and
proclaims peace and good will to the world.
The shoes of Jesus took Him to the sick, the disabled, the
possessed and to others in need. If we are scared to go where Jesus
went, it shows hat we are not on a solid standing with God. If we
stand on the Good News of peace, it will show in our
lives.
The Good News makes men to be
of peaceable tempers and behavior, and it gives peace to distressed
minds. It directs the way to eternal peace, and proclaims peace by
the blood of Christ. Contentions, strife, quarrels, and wars are as
alien to the nature and design of the Gospel as they are opposed to
the nature of the triune God, who is loving and compassionate to
man in all His dealings.
The shoes of readiness, just like the rest of the armor of
God,
is Christ himself, the Power behind the Good News of
Peace.
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