SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:8
Mas nosotros, que somos hijos del día, estemos sobrios, vestidos de cota de fe y de caridad, y la esperanza de la salud por yelmo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Thessalonians 5:8
Verse 8. Putting on the breastplate] We are not only called to WORK, but we are called also to fight; and that we may not be surprised, we must watch; and that we may be in a condition to defend ourselves, we must be sober; and that we may be enabled to conquer, we must be armed: and what the breastplate and helmet are to a soldier's heart and head, such are faith, love, and hope to us. Faith enables us to endure, as seeing him who is invisible; love excites us to diligence and activity, and makes us bear our troubles and difficulties pleasantly; hope helps us to anticipate the great end, the glory that shall be revealed, and which we know we shall in due time obtain, if we faint not. For an explanation of the different parts of the Grecian armour, as illustrating that of the Christian, see the notes on Ephesians 6, where the subject is largely explained.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 8. But let us, who are of the day, be sober , etc.] As in body, so in mind; let us cast off the works of darkness, and have no fellowship with them; since the day of grace has passed upon us, the darkness is gone, and the true light shines, let us walk as children of the light, living soberly, righteously, and godly: putting on the breastplate of faith and love ; this is the coat of mail, ( Samuel 17:5,38) which was made of iron or brass; and the Ethiopic version here calls it, the iron coat. The allusion seems to be to the high priest's breastplate of judgment, in which were put the Thummim and Urim, which signify perfections and lights; faith may answer to the former, and love to the latter: these two graces go together, faith works by love, and love always accompanies faith; as there can be no true faith where there is no love, so there is no true love where faith is wanting: faith is a considerable part of the Christian soldier's breastplate, and answers the end of a breastplate, it being that grace which preserves the vitals of religion, and keeps all warm and comfortable within; and secures the peace and joy of the saints, as it has to do with Christ and his righteousness; wherefore this breastplate is called the breastplate of righteousness, ( Ephesians 6:14), it fortifies the soul, and preserves it from Satan's temptations, from his fiery darts entering, and doing the mischief they would; it defends the heart against the errors of the wicked, for a man that believes has a witness in himself to the truths of the Gospel, and therefore cannot be easily moved from them; and strengthens a man against the carnal reasonings of the mind, for faith in the promises of God surmounts all the difficulties that reason objects to the fulfilling of them; and secures from the fears of death, the terrors of the law, and dread of the wrath of God: and love is the other part of the breast plate; love to God and Christ is a means of keeping the believer sound both in faith and practice; for a soul that truly loves God and Christ cannot give in to principles that depreciate the grace of God, and derogate from the glory and dignity of the person and office of Christ, or the work of the Spirit; and such love the ordinances and commands of Christ, and hate every false way of worship, or invention of men; and love to the saints is the bond of perfectness, knits them together, preserves unity and peace, and fortifies against the common enemy: and for an helmet, the hope of salvation ; the helmet is that part of armour which covers the head, and was made of brass, ( 1 Samuel 17:5,38) and used to be anointed with oil, that it might shine the brighter, last the longer, and more easily repel blows; to which this grace of the Spirit, hope of salvation by Christ, is fitly compared: for by salvation is meant salvation by Christ, spiritual salvation, and that as complete in heaven; and hope is a grace wrought in the soul by the spirit of God, which has for its foundation Christ and his righteousness, and for its object the heavenly glory; it covers the head in the day of battle, and preserves from being overcome by sin and Satan, when one that is destitute of it says there is no hope, and we will walk every man after the imagination of his own evil heart; it erects the head in time of difficulty, amidst tribulation and afflictions; it defends it from fears of divine wrath which is revealed from heaven, and sometimes in appearance seems to hang over it; and it preserves from Satan's temptations, and being carried away with the error of the wicked, from the hope of the Gospel: and thus a Christian clothed and armed with these graces, faith, hope, and love, should be so far from indulging himself in sin and sloth, that he ought always to be sober and watchful, and prepared to meet the enemy in the gate; and be ready, always waiting for his Lord's coming.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-11 - Most of mankind do not consider the things of another world at all because they are asleep; or they do not consider them aright, becaus they sleep and dream. Our moderation as to all earthly things should be known to all men. Shall Christians, who have the light of the blesse gospel shining in their faces, be careless about their souls, an unmindful of another world? We need the spiritual armour, or the thre Christian graces, faith, love, and hope. Faith; if we believe that the eye of God is always upon us, that there is another world to prepar for, we shall see reason to watch and be sober. True and fervent love to God, and the things of God, will keep us watchful and sober. If we have hope of salvation, let us take heed of any thing that would shak our trust in the Lord. We have ground on which to build unshaken hope when we consider, that salvation is by our Lord Jesus Christ, who die for us, to atone for our sins and to ransom our souls. We should joi in prayer and praise one with another. We should set a good example on before another, and this is the best means to answer the end of society. Thus we shall learn how to live to Him, with whom we hope to live for ever.
Greek Textus Receptus
ημεις 2249 δε 1161 ημερας 2250 οντες 5607 5752 νηφωμεν 3525 5725 ενδυσαμενοι 1746 5671 θωρακα 2382 πιστεως 4102 και 2532 αγαπης 26 και 2532 περικεφαλαιαν 4030 ελπιδα 1680 σωτηριας 4991
Vincent's NT Word Studies
8. Putting on (endusamenoi). The son of day clothes himself for the day's work or battle. The same association of ideas as in vv. 6, 8, is found in Rom. xiii. 12-14; Apoc. xvi. 15; 1 Pet. i. 13. Comp. LXX, Bar. v. 2.
Breastplate - helmet. Comp. Eph. vi. 14. The figures are not original with Paul. See Isa. lix. 17; Wisd. v. 18, 19. Notice that only defensive armor is mentioned, in accordance with the darkness and uncertainty of the last time; and that the fundamental elements of Christian character, faith, hope, and love, are brought forward again as in ch. i. 3; 1 Cor. xiii. 13. For the figure of the armed soldier, comp. also Rom. xiii. 12; 2 Cor. x. 4.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:8 {Putting on the breastplate of faith and love} (endusamenoi qwraka pistews kai agapes). First aorist (ingressive) middle participle of enduw. The same figure of breastplate in #Eph 6:14, only there "of righteousness." The idea of watchfulness brings the figure of a sentry on guard and armed to Paul's mind as in #Ro 13:12 "the weapons of light." The word qwrax (breastplate) is common in the LXX. {For a helmet, the hope of salvation} (perikefalaian elpida swterias). Same figure in #Eph 6:17 and both like #Isa 59:17. Late word meaning around (peri) the head (kefale) and in Polybius, LXX, and in the papyri. swterias is objective genitive.
