Lessons #285 and 286
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual exposition not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GWT = God’s Word Translation, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New English Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
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Alertness in spiritual warfare (Eph 6:18b)
…. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Success or victory in the spiritual warfare requires that a believer be equipped with the right spiritual armor that consists of defensive and offensive weapons. However, the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul mentioned two actions that should accompany both equipping oneself with the spiritual armor and in actual withholding one’s ground in the spiritual warfare. The first action is praying, as we considered in the last study. Prayer is so important in the spiritual warfare that even the second action the apostle gives is also related to prayer as we will note later.
The second action that should accompany both equipping oneself with the spiritual armor and in actual withholding one’s ground in the spiritual warfare is being spiritually vigilant or alert as conveyed at the beginning of the second sentence of Ephesians 6:18 of the NIV that reads With this in mind, be alert. This translation of the NIV and that of many of our modern English versions make it difficult to see that being spiritually alert is that which accompanies both equipping oneself with the spiritual armor and in actual withholding one’s ground in the spiritual warfare. To see this second action, we have stated, requires the consideration of the literal translation of the Greek expression that reads and to this keeping alert. The literal translation reveals that the rendering of the NIV or that of our most modern English versions is interpretative as conveyed with the phrase with this in mind and the command be alert. Thus, it is essential to consider how the literal Greek should be interpreted.
We begin with the phrase with this in mind of the NIV that literally from the Greek reads and to this. The interpretation of the literal phrase hinges on the words and, and this. In effect, the problem of interpretation boils down to how should we interpret the Greek word translated “and” and how we should understand what “this” refers in the passage. The conjunction “and” is translated from a Greek word (kai) with several usages. For example, it can be used to introduce a result that comes from what precedes in which case it may be translated “and so.” It can be used to explain what goes before it and so may be translated “that is, namely.” It may also be used as a marker of an additive relation which is not coordinate (equal in rank or significance) with a preceding clause and so may mean “in addition, and also.” In our context, some of our English versions, although not stating directly, imply that the Greek conjunction is used in the sense of explanation because they translate the rest of the sentence of verse 18 in such a way that implies that the apostle was simply elaborating on the action of prayer he mentioned in the first sentence of the verse. This approach notwithstanding, the meaning of the Greek conjunction in the literal phrase and to this seems to be that of “in addition.” This makes sense considering the fact we indicated that Ephesians 6:18 began with a Greek preposition (dia) that we stated is used in sense of attendant or prevailing circumstance with the meaning “with” to state the actions that will accompany both equipping oneself with the spiritual armor and in actual withholding one’s ground in the spiritual warfare. Hence, we contend that the Greek word translated and in the literal phrase and to this is one that gives additional action to the prayer that will accompany successful equipping of oneself with spiritual armor and actual holding of one’s ground in the spiritual warfare.
The second problem of the literal phrase and to this concerns the pronoun this. The problem is to determine what it refers in the context. There are two possible interpretations. It could refer to the action of prayer that is mentioned in the first sentence of Ephesians 6:18 or it could refer to the entire spiritual armor that the apostle discussed in verses 14 to 18. Both interpretations fit the context but because prayer was the last-mentioned action in the first sentence of verse 18 and because the apostle continued to elaborate on prayer in what follows, it seems more likely that the pronoun this refers to prayer that accompanies the spiritual armor the apostle had discussed.
The additional action that should accompany both equipping oneself with the spiritual armor and in actual withholding one’s ground in the spiritual warfare is being spiritually vigilant or alert. The NIV described this action as a command be alert although the literal Greek reads and to this keeping alert. The literal translation is because we have a Greek participle that is subject to various interpretations. Most of our English versions translate the Greek participle as a command including the English versions such as the NASB and the ESV that are usually literal in their translation. This is not to say that there are no exceptions to this approach since the Authorized Version (the KJV) and the Lexham English Bible were literal in their translation. The translators of the NET, first edition, are aware of this that they gave the foot note that reads: ‘Both “pray” and “be alert” are participles in the Greek text (“praying … being alert”). Both are probably instrumental, loosely connected with all of the preceding instructions. As such, they are not additional commands to do but instead are the means through which the prior instructions are accomplished.’ It is our interpretation that the Greek participle should not be translated as a command. There are at least three reasons for this assertion. First, the apostle twice used the imperative with another Greek word that is similar to the one he used in Ephesians 6:18 to indicate when he wants the hearers to be vigilant. He used it in addressing the elders of the Ephesian church regarding being vigilant, as it is reported in Acts 20:31:
So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Again, he used the imperative in his instruction to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 16:13:
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
If the apostle used the imperative with related Greek word to the one he used in Ephesians 6:18 when he clearly meant to issue a command, then it is difficult to see the reason he would have not used the imperative in Ephesians 6:18, especially as he addressed the elders of the Ephesians church using the imperative of a Greek word that means being alert. Thus, we are compelled to take the view that the apostle did not want the participle he used in Ephesians 6:18 to be understood as a command. Second, the apostle in a similar situation of prayer, could have commanded being alert; but instead, he used a Greek participle to imply being alert is connected with prayer in Colossians 4:2:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
The word “devote” is from a Greek verb (proskartereō) that is related to the Greek noun the apostle used in Ephesians 6:18 that means “perseverance” that we will get to at the appropriated time. Meanwhile, the expression being watchful is one that expresses the circumstance that accompanies prayer or the way prayer is to be conducted although some English versions, such as the TEV, consider it to be a command. The point is that if the apostle wanted to issue a command regarding being alert in Ephesians 6:18 there is no reason for him not to do so. Third, the rule of Greek grammar as we indicated when we considered the Greek participle that literally translates praying in the first sentence of Ephesians 6:18 suggests that we should not use the imperative since being alert can be related to the clear command either stand firm of verse 14 or take of verse 17. Based on these reasons, we reject the interpretation that translates the Greek participle as be alert.
We have argued that the Greek participle that literally reads being alert should not be interpreted as a command, so how should it be interpreted? It is to be interpreted as a participle of means. This means that the participle is used as a means of accomplishing a command given in the context, specifically the command issued in Ephesians 6:14 stand firm. This interpretation makes sense if we read the command given in verse 14 with portion of verse 18 as stand firm … by being alert. In effect, to hold one’s ground in the spiritual warfare, the believer in addition to using the defensive and offensive weapons mentioned and praying, needs to remain spiritually alert or vigilant.
What does it mean to be alert? To answer this question, we need to consider the Greek word (agrypneō) translated “alert” in our passage. It is a word that literally means “to keep oneself awake, to be awake” but it is used figuratively in the NT. It may mean “to be vigilant, be alert.” It is the word that is used for Jesus instructing believers to be vigilant or alert with respect to the His second coming in Mark 13:33:
Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.
Not only is it used in relation to the Second Coming, it is used in the context of being alert with respect to a threatening danger as it is used with the meaning of “always on watch” in the context of the coming destruction of Jerusalem that Jesus predicted in Luke 21:36:
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
The word can mean to be alertly concerned about someone in the sense of looking after the person, as the word is used with respect to the concern of spiritual leaders over those they lead in Hebrews 13:17:
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
In our passage of Ephesian 6:18, the meaning is that of being alert or being watchful in a spiritual sense. This means that a means of holding one’s ground in the spiritual warfare is to be vigilant or watchful or being on guard so as not to be overcome by satanic forces.
The apostle did not state what one is to become vigilant about but the entire context of the Scripture enables us to know what this vigilance in spiritual warfare concerns. It is concerned with being alert with respect to the things satanic forces would throw to believers in order to distract us so we become victims in the spiritual warfare. It is because of this that the Holy Spirit through Apostle Peter warns believers against Satan in 1 Peter 5:8:
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
As we have said, the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul elaborated on what is involved in vigilance or the means of this vigilance but not what the vigilance is about. Therefore, we need to consider some of the things believers should be vigilant about with respect to the spiritual warfare. A believer should be vigilant with respect to the word of God in the sense of paying close attention to it. Satanic forces have ways of trying to distract believers from the word of God; therefore, believers should strive to be alert with respect to the word of God to ensure that they are not distracted from learning and applying it. It is because of the necessity to be spiritually vigilant with respect to the word of God that God the Holy Spirit enabled Moses to warn Israel about God’s word in Deuteronomy 4:9:
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.
Israel is here being warned of forgetting their experience in Mount Sinai where God appeared to them and spoke to Moses. They were encouraged to pass their experiences that include their covenant with God and its requirements to their children because such experiences are necessary for sustained reflection on God’s work. This being the case, spiritual vigilance requires believers to ensure that they reflect on their salvation experience as well as what God has done for them in their spiritual journey. It is not difficult for believers to forget what God has done for them so that they may start to go astray in their commitment to the Lord. Therefore, spiritual vigilance requires first and foremost that believers do not ignore the word of God and what God has done for them with respect to their salvation. Furthermore, it is because of the importance of being vigilant with respect to God’s word that the Holy Spirit gave the instruction we have through the human author of Hebrews in Hebrews 2:1:
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
The instruction in this passage is for believers to be spiritually vigilant to avoid drifting away, that is, to avoid being in a state where the word of God diminishingly affects a person. You see, no believer who is mindful of his spiritual life will give up what he believes, but if he does not pay attention to truth and be devoted to it then it is a matter of time before he starts ignoring that which he previously learned, becoming careless and lax with spiritual matters. He will gradually forget to apply certain truths from the word of God and eventually he will come to the state he was before his salvation. In other words, the believer will come to a state where the word of God no longer affects him or controls his actions. It is this the Holy Spirit through the human author of Hebrews was concerned should not happen. In effect, we are saying that the drifting away is gradual diminishing influence of the word of God on a person’s life because the individual gradually forgets the word of God. I am greatly concerned about you in this congregation regarding this point, that is, that you are not in state where what we study every time we meet no longer affect you. Every believer should be spiritually vigilant to ensure that the word of God is not neglected as that will delight all satanic forces. We can understand why if a believer neglects the word of God, satanic forces will be delighted. This is because, as we have already noted, the word of God is the believer’s offensive and defensive weapon. So, if Satan can get a believer to be lax with respect to the word of God, this guarantees that such an individual will not be successful in the spiritual warfare. Hence, it is important that every believer should be spiritually vigilant regarding his/her attitude towards the word of God, monitoring self consistently to ensure there is never any slack in devotion to God’s word.
Related to being vigilant with respect to the word of God is that of being vigilant to ensure the believer is not trapped with false teaching. False teaching presents great danger to the spiritual life of the believer that the Lord Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount warned against false prophets in Matthew 7:15:
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Apostle Paul addressing the elders of the Ephesian church encouraged them to be alert so they can guard against false teachers, as recorded in Acts 20:30–31:
30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Similarly, he encouraged the Corinthians to be spiritually alert in a passage we cited previously, that is, in 1 Corinthians 16:13:
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.
The command Be on your guard may be alternatively rendered be on the alert. As in the passage of Ephesians 6:18 that we are considering, the apostle did not specify about what the Corinthians should be alert, leading to different explanations as to what the spiritual vigilance is concerned. This notwithstanding, the context of the command indicates that the apostle wants the Corinthians to be alert with respect to anything that will destroy the truth he had taught them. The implication is that believers should guard against false teaching as that can affect adversely the spiritual life of the believer so that it is not surprising that the Holy Spirit through Apostle Peter indicates that false teaching is quite destructive, as we read in 2 Peter 2:1:
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Heresies here are false teaching of the false teachers and so they are what the apostle assert to be destructive. Anyway, false doctrine is destructive to the spiritual life of the believer. Therefore, a believer should remain alert to ensure he is not led astray by false teaching, that is, any teaching that is contrary to the Scripture or that denies the person and work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The believer who remains alert with respect to false teaching is one who learns the apostolic doctrines given in the Scripture.
Another object of spiritual vigilance that is necessary to be victorious in the spiritual warfare is believer’s lifestyle. A believer who is going to be successful in the spiritual warfare must be careful regarding his/her lifestyle. We are saying that holding one’s ground in the spiritual warfare requires that a believer should pay close attention to his/her lifestyle as the satanic forces are interested in making the believer a liar. Satanic forces are aware that we do not stand before God on the basis of our merit but on the merit of Jesus Christ but that does not keep them from attacking us. They know they could not make any headway by bringing our failures to God because the Lord Jesus Christ advocates for us before the Father. Therefore, they focus on making us liars to unbelievers. In other words, they strive to focus unbelievers’ attention on our lifestyles as Christians to make us appear hypocritical because we do not live up to who we are in Christ. To ensure that a believer does not become an object of ridicule by unbelievers, there is need to pay close attention to one’s lifestyle. Consequently, you should watch out for sin in your life.
Lifestyle of the believer has been addressed in several ways by the apostle in this epistle to the Ephesians such as how believers are to interact with each other, with their families, and with the world so as reflect they are believers in Christ. Certainly, the apostle would want believers to be vigilant to carry out the instructions he has detailed in this epistle so there would be no need to mention these all over. Nonetheless, there are two aspects of lifestyle that a believer should be vigilant about that our Lord Jesus warned His disciples and so to all believers. They are concerned with anything that affects the mind through what one consumes, and worrying. Both aspects of lifestyle that a believer should be vigilant about are given in Luke 21:34:
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.
The first aspect of lifestyle that is concerned with anything that affects the mind is given in the instruction Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness. On a surface reading, it appears that the Lord is concerned only with drunkenness but there is more to what our Lord says. He is concerned with anything that alters the mind or personality of a person not only alcohol. It is true that alcoholic beverage taken in excess affects a person’s mind or personality but that is not the only thing that affects a person’s mind in our time. We use the word “mind” because the word “heart” in the instruction of Jesus Christ is not a reference to the physical heart. Heart in the Scripture is often used of such things as personality, intellect, memory, emotions, desires and will. Of course, our personality is a function of many different aspects of our being, including our thinking, remembering, feeling, desiring and willing. In Luke 21:34, the sense of the word “heart” is the mind. Thus, Jesus cautioned that the mind should not be dulled by use of wine. This is because He wants believers to have full possession of their mental faculties as they function on this planet. Wine is the primary substance that robbed individuals of their mental alertness in the ancient world. Since the concern of the caution of Jesus is the robbing of mental acuteness then it becomes important we contemporize Jesus’ warning. This means that a believer should be cautious with respect to anything that has the potential of altering the mind or personality. Today, this comes not only from abuse of alcohol but also from the use of illegal drugs. It is because of this contemporizing of Jesus’ warning to the disciples that we asserted the first type of thing regarding lifestyle that Jesus was concerned is related to anything that affects the mind or personality through what one consumes. If a believer is going to be successful in the spiritual warfare, such an individual should be alert to recognize when the person is involved in anything that can alter the mind or personality. You see, a person whose mind is controlled by anything that alters the individual’s thinking ability could not possibly be filled of the Spirit. This we can understand from the fact Apostle Paul presents being drunk as opposite to being filled of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5:18:
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Being vigilant in the spiritual life requires that a believer should be careful with what he/she consumes that has the potential of affecting the mind so that being filled of the Spirit becomes impossible. As we have said, this, no doubt, includes being sure that one is not drunk but that is not all; a believer should be careful of legally prescribed medication to ensure that he/she does not become addicted to any prescription drug as that also can affect a person’s mind. Anyway, the second aspect of lifestyle that our Lord is concerned that affects the believer’s mind or thought is worrying. It is this that is given in the phrase and the anxieties of life of Luke 21:34. This phrase is still connected with the verbal phrase weighed down. In effect, we should understand the second type of lifestyle involves being weighed down with the anxieties of life. Satan loves to get a believer to worry so that such an individual will be ineffective in the spiritual warfare since worrying is an expression of lack of faith in the Lord. Satan is delighted when a believer does not trust God. So, if you want to hold your ground in the spiritual warfare you should ensure that you are not worrying about anything on this planet. Instead of being weighed down by anxieties of this life, the believer should turn over that anxiety to the Lord in faith, as the Holy Spirit commands, through the pen of Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 5:7:
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
We have considered three objects of concern with respect to being spiritually vigilant but there is the question as how a believer goes about ensuring it or what are involved in being spiritually alert. The Holy Spirit through the apostle addressed this concern of how one carries out the vigilance or what are involved in spiritual vigilance that is the means of holding one’s ground in the spiritual warfare. Spiritual vigilance involves perseverance. This is not easy to recognize because of the translation of the last clause of Ephesians 6:18 of the NIV that reads With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. However, the literal Greek reads and to this, keeping alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. The literal translation implies that the last clause of Ephesians 6:18 is concerned not only with another means of standing firm in the spiritual warfare but also with the manner of being spiritually vigilant. This is because of the word “with” in our literal translation. Many of our English versions used the word “with” in their translation but it may not be clear what is meant by such translation because of the various meanings of the Greek preposition (en) used. For example, the Greek preposition could be translated “with” as a marker of manner in which an event occurs, as it is used to indicate the manner of declaring Jesus the Son of God in Romans 1:4:
and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Greek preposition may be translated “with” when the sense conveyed is as a marker of means or instrument. The use of the meaning “with” may serve as a marker showing attendant circumstances, as when the apostle posed a question to the Corinthians about the circumstance under which they want him to visit them in 1 Corinthians 4:21:
What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
The meaning “with” as a marker of instrument is used with respect to how things were purified under the Levitical priesthood in Hebrews 9:22:
In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Hence, we can see that because the word “with” is used in a translation does not tell us how it is to be interpreted. In the literal translation with all perseverance the word “with” is to be understood as indicating manner of doing something. This means that the manner of being alert or spiritually vigilant involves perseverance.
The “perseverance” whatever it is, is to be intense. This is because it is described with a Greek adjective (pas) with several meanings, all of which are reflected in Apostle Paul’s usage in this epistle to the Ephesians. The word may mean “whole” as it pertains to a high degree of completeness or wholeness so that the apostle used it to describe Jesus Christ using a building metaphor in Ephesians 2:21:
In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
The Greek adjective may be used as a marker of the highest degree of something so means “all, full, greatest.” The apostle used it in this sense in his instruction in Ephesians 4:2:
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Here the apostle intended to convey that believers are to show the highest degree of humility so that the translator of the NIV rendered the Greek as Be completely humble and gentle although the Greek literally reads with all humility and gentleness. Another usage of the Greek adjective pertains to everything belonging, in kind, to the class designated by the noun hence means “every kind of, all sorts of”, as the apostle used it with the meaning “every kind of” to describe the moral degeneracy of unbelievers in Ephesians 4:19:
Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
Another usage of the Greek adjective pertains to totality of something with focus on its individual components so means “each, every, any”, as the apostle used it to indicate that any kind of talk or communication that is harmful to others should not come from a believer in Ephesians 4:29:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Still another meaning of the Greek adjective concerns any entity out of a totality hence means “any and every, every”, as the word is used in the instruction to Christian wives with respect to their submission to their husbands in Ephesians 5:24:
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Consequently, it is clear the Greek adjective has several meanings. These various usages or meanings of the Greek adjective used in connection of the word “perseverance” in the literal translation raise the question as to what sense the adjective is used in our passage of Ephesians 6:18. The translators of the NIV seemed to have given the meaning “always” to our Greek adjective. This notwithstanding, it is the sense of a marker of the highest degree of something that it is used as indicated in the standard Greek English lexicon of BDAG that suggests the Greek phrase should be translated with the greatest perseverance. It is because of this meaning we indicated that whatever is meant by perseverance that it should be intense in that one should show the greatest degree of it.
Be that as it may, the issue is how to understand the word “perseverance” in the literal translation keeping alert with perseverance. The word “perseverance” is translated from a Greek noun (proskarterēsis) that appears only once in the Greek NT that means firm persistence in an undertaking or circumstance hence means “perseverance, constancy, diligence.” Because the word appears only once in the NT, its meaning is linked to the related Greek verb (proskartereō) which its basic meaning is “to stay by,” “to persist at,” “to remain with.” In the NT, the word is used with different meanings. When the Greek word is used with respect to persons, there are two meanings. It could mean “to attach oneself to”, as it is used to describe Simon the sorcerer that became attached to Philip after he preached and preformed miracles in Samaria, as recorded in Acts 8:13:
Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
The sentence he followed Philip is more literally attaching himself to Philip. Another meaning with respect to persons is “to wait on, to be faithful to someone”, as it is used to described those who served Cornelius in Acts 10:7:
When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants.
The clause a devout soldier who was one of his attendants is more literally a devout soldier of those waiting on him continually. With respect to objects, the Greek verb also has two meanings. It can mean “to hold fast to, continue in, persevere in something” as it is used to describe the continuance of the early church to listening to apostolic teaching in Acts 2:42:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
The sentence They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching is more literally they were continuing steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles. Another meaning of the Greek verb is “to busy oneself with, be busily engaged in, be devoted to.” Apostle Paul used this second set of meaning three times in his epistles. It is with the meaning of “to be busily engaged in something” that the apostle used the Greek word to describe governmental officials in Romans 13:6:
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.
The clause who give their full time to governing is more literally busily engaged in this very thing. The other two usages of the word by the apostle is in connection with prayer with the meaning of “to be devoted.” Thus, he used it in Romans 12:12:
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
The phrase faithful in prayer is more literally being devoted to prayer. Similarly, the apostle used it in Colossians 4:2:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
The verbal phrase being watchful and thankful is more literally keeping alert in it with thanksgiving because the apostle used the Greek word (grēgoreō) that means “to be alert, to be watchful.”
We have examined the Greek verb that is related to the Greek noun that literally means “perseverance, constancy, diligence”, so the question is how we should understand the word in the context of Ephesians 6:18. But before we get to this, we should note that some of our English versions translated the Greek noun as a verb; for example, the NIV translated it as keep on while the TEV translated never give up. That aside, there are two possible ways of understanding the Greek noun translated “perseverance” in our passage. We can understand it as a virtue to be maintained in course of spiritual vigilance or that it is a part of prayer. Many commentators take the position that the “perseverance” in Ephesians 6:18 is related to prayer because the Greek verb (proskartereō) related to the Greek noun (proskarterēsis) that means “perseverance” is used by the apostle twice in connection with prayer. This second view is reflected in the NIV. Therefore, the translators of the NIV connected it with prayer so they have the translation always keep on praying for all the saints. It seems that the word “perseverance” is used in our passage in such a way that it applies both to being spiritually vigilant and to prayer. This means that the apostle intended to convey that the manner of being spiritually vigilant involves perseverance in which the believer is to be alert constantly to ensure he/she recognizes the things that the enemy of truth could throw to the believer to cause such a person to become victim in the spiritual warfare. It should not be difficult to understand this point if we recognize few facts with regards to the subject of perseverance. First, perseverance may be developed in the believer through suffering, as we may gather from Romans 5:3:
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
Second, perseverance is a virtue that a believer may be commended. Thus, the apostle commends the Thessalonians for their perseverance in 2 Thessalonians 1:4:
Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
Third, perseverance is that which results from faith, according to James 1:3:
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Fourth, perseverance is a virtue that is to be in the believer as the Holy Spirit states through the Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 1:6:
and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
These facts suggest that perseverance is a standalone virtue that describes the way spiritual vigilance should commence. Nonetheless, perseverance is also a necessary virtue in prayer. Thus, it can be connected with prayer. The point is that the apostle probably used the word in such a way that we should recognize that it applies both to being spiritually vigilant or alert and to praying. In any event, it is necessary for believers to be persistent and consistent in their spiritual alertness in order to be successful in the spiritual warfare.
12/09/16