And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel
of
peace.
] The Gospel is so called, because it makes men to be of
peaceable tempers and behaviour, and gives peace to distressed
minds: it directs the way to eternal peace, and publishes peace
made by the blood of Christ; and has a much better claim to this
name, and epithet, than the law has, which is often called
"peace" by the Jews F12: the "preparation" of it does not
design a promptitude or readiness to preach the Gospel, or to
receive it, or profess it, or to give a reason of faith in it, or
to endure reproach and persecution for it; nor that readiness
which the Gospel is a means of, as for every good work, for the
spiritual warfare, for the Christian's journey heavenward, or for
heaven itself: but the word (etoimasia) signifies a "base", or foundation; and so
it is used by the Septuagint interpreters on ( Zechariah
5:11 ) ; and here it designs a firm and solid knowledge of
the Gospel, as it publishes peace by Jesus Christ, which yields a
sure foundation for the Christian soldier to set his foot upon,
and stand fast on; it being that to him, as the shoe is to the
foot, its base or foundation: and for the feet to be "shod with"
it, does not mean the outward conversation being agreeably to the
Gospel, though such a walk and conversation is very beautiful and
safe, and such may walk and war with intrepidity: but it designs
the constant and firm standing of believers in the faith of the
Gospel, and so striving and contending for it, without being
moved from it, that it may continue with them. Shoes or boots,
which were sometimes of iron, and sometimes of brass, are
reckoned among the armour of soldiers F13.
F12 Zohar in Numb. fol. 73. 3. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 9. 3.
F13 Pausan. l. 6. p. 362, 378. Julian. Orat. 2. p. 105. Alex. ab Alexandro, l. 6. c. 22.