Ephesians 6:17

“And take the helmet of salvation, &c.] Meaning either Christ himself, the Saviour; and so the Arabic version renders it, “the helmet of the Saviour”: or the salvation itself, which he is the author of, and a well grounded hope of it; (see <520508>1 Thessalonians 5:8); the allusion is to (<235917>Isaiah 59:17); and such an hope of salvation by Christ is a defence of the head against false doctrines; for the helmet is a piece of armour for the head; and it is an erecter of the head in times of difficulty, affliction, and distress; and it covers the head in the day of battle, when engaged with Satan, the enemy of souls: and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; the word of God is…”

“take--a different Greek word from that in Eph 6:13, Eph 6:16; translate, therefore, "receive," "accept," namely, the helmet offered by the Lord, namely, "salvation" appropriated, as Th1 5:8, "Helmet, the hope of salvation"; not an uncertain hope, but one that brings with it no shame of disappointment (Rom 5:5). It is subjoined to the shield of faith, as being its inseparable accompaniment (compare Rom 5:1, Rom 5:5). The head of the soldier was among the principal parts to be defended, as on it the deadliest strokes might fall, and it is the head that commands the whole body. The head is the seat of the mind, which, when it has laid hold of the sure Gospel "hope" of eternal life, will not…”

“And take the helmet - The helmet was a cap made of thick leather, or brass, fitted to the head, and was usually crowned with a plume, or crest, as an ornament. Its use was to guard the head from a blow by a sword, or war-club, or battle-axe. The cuts will show its usual form. Of salvation - That is, “of the hope of salvation;” for so it is expressed in the parallel place in 1 Thessalonians 5:8. The idea is, that a well-founded hope of salvation will preserve us in the day of spiritual conflict, and will guard us from the blows which an enemy would strike. The helmet defended the head, a vital part; and so the hope of salvation will defend the soul, and keep it from the blows of the enemy. A…”

“And take for an helmet the hope of salvation - Th1 5:8. The head is that part which is most carefully to be defended. One stroke here may prove fatal. The armour for this is the hope of salvation. The lowest degree of this hope is a confidence that God will work the whole work of faith in us; the highest is a full assurance of future glory, added to the experimental knowledge of pardoning love. Armed with this helmet, the hope of the joy set before him, Christ "endured the cross, and despised the shame," Heb 12:2. And the sword of the Spirit, the word of God - This Satan cannot withstand, when it is edged and wielded by faith. Till now our armour has been only defensive. But we are to attack…”

“6:17 Put on salvation as your helmet: Protect the mind with the assurance that God has indeed saved and given eternal life to those who believe in Christ. • The sword of the Spirit pictures using the word of God to respond to an attack, either with the Good News or with the spoken or written word of God more generally (cp. Jer 23:29; Heb 4:12).”

“the helmet: Sa1 17:5, Sa1 17:58; Isa 59:17; Th1 5:8 the sword: Isa 49:2; Heb 4:12; Rev 1:16, Rev 2:16, Rev 19:15 which: Mat 4:4, Mat 4:7, Mat 4:10, Mat 4:11; Heb 12:5, Heb 12:6, Heb 13:5, Heb 13:6; Rev 12:11 Ephesians 6:18”